I believe it's owner's preference. I will not use Redline but others have
great experiences. '91 Z28-M1 &123,000 miles, '85 IrocZ-Pennzoil 120,000 and
'79 Z28 Pennzoil or Valoline and 143,000
Glenn Duensing
GMD Enterprises
web: www.gmd4cones.com/autox
----- Original Message -----
From: "bruce haden" <bhaden@ucsd.edu>
To: "Edwin Martens" <acbs@onemain.com>; "autox" <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2002 1:03 PM
Subject: RE: Mobil 1 with SuperSyn
> I wouldn't put Castrol in my lawnmower (well, maybe there).
> > I've tried it and it sucks.
>
> What exactly about Castrol Syntec sucks? I've used it for years with no
> apparent problems......not taking sides here just wondering if anyone has
an
> opinion.
> Edwin
> Wichita Region SCCA
> 99' G-Stock Camaro
>
>
>
> My main experience with Castrol was years ago in my 64 Ranchero with a
200ci
> 6.
> At the time it was rather worn and used a lot of oil; a qt every 3-400
> miles.
> I was using Valvoline "Turbo V" oil at the time (no longer made). It gave
me
> 20 pounds or so of oil pressure at idle and 45-50 on the road. That was
well
> within spec for one of those engines with a lot of miles. I think stock
was
> listed as 55 max. I put in the Castrol GTX based on their advertisements
of
> " ...maximum protection against viscosity and thermal breakdown...". My
oil
> consumption nearly doubled and everytime I backed off the gas a cloud of
> smoke
> formed behind me. Idle pressure dropped to 5-10 and road pressure to 35.
> This is similar to what I experienced when I used some free Havoline 30 wt
> Dino oil my dad didn't want; high oil consumption and a lot of smoke. The
> Havoline was so bad that when I backed off the gas at high speed on the
> freeway, people would actually change lanes to get out from behind me. The
> GTX was only slightly better. I went back to the Valvoline and the problem
> went away. Note; the Valvoline "Turbo" oil was not synthetic either, just
a
> better grade of standard oil.
>
> Much later I tried Syntec in my 87 Toyota Camry with well over 200,000
miles
> and
> had a similar experience. I switched back to either Valvoline synthetic
> or M1 in that car depending on where I was buying at the time and that car
> at 340,000 miles still had 180lbs compression when I sold it although it
> used
> a little oil throught the valve guides (1 qt every 800-1000 miles). That
> final
> experience with Castrol stuff and having heard from various tidbits here
and
> there
> that Castrol is apparently pushing the envelope when they call Syntec
> "synthetic"
> convinced me not to use it again. Maybe saying it "sucks" is a little
harsh
> as
> any modern oil with a current rating is better than the best oils of 25
> years
> ago. It just seems to me that their ads don't match up with actual field
> results.
> If you use it and like it, don't change just because of me.
>
> The final experience that covinced me to use M1 only was relating to my 89
> 525i.
> As I said, it has 197,000 miles. I bought it 2 years ago at 157,000. I
have
> used,
> since I bought it, either Valvoline or M1 synthetic in 15-50 or 20-50. At
> one point
> I noticed that when I put in the M1 at oil change and was diligent in not
> mixing
> in anything else like an occasional quart of Valvoline or a lighter weight
> when
> I added a quart, that oil usage dropped considerably. Instead of 900-1200
> miles to
> a quart it was 1800-2000. It has no noticeable smoking in either case. I
> change
> oil and filter every 6-8000. It still runs nearly as smooth and quiet as
my
> wifes'
> new Z-3 with only 2000 miles. While I can believe that Redline or RP or
> Amzoil may
> be slightly better in some ways (but, IMHO, only in certain
circumstances),
> they
> are not nearly as readily available as M1 and in some cases are a lot more
> money.
>
> Sorry for the length. I didn't see any way to get my reasons across
without
> being a little long-winded.
>
> Bruce
>
> /// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or
try
> /// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> /// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
> /// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
> /// Send list postings to autox@autox.team.net
/// unsubscribe/change address requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or try
/// http://www.team.net/mailman/listinfo
/// Partial archives at http://www.team.net/archive
|