Mineral, semi-synthetic and synthetic oil?

**CookMySock** · 25th July 2009, 22:18

If you want the Castrol R pong without the hassle, just drip a tiny bit of it in your exhaust. Yum.

Steve

**bsasuper** · 26th July 2009, 09:32

motul 5100, my local bike dealer sells by the litre from a big drum, heaps cheaper than buying a pack.I do a change every 2000km.

**Quasievil** · 26th July 2009, 10:13

Originally Posted by pete376403

If it's "not depleting fossil reserves", exactly where are the materials that become synthetic coming from? Not too many chemicals that aren't based on hydrocarbons in some form or other.
Unlike Castrol R, which is made from the first pressings of castor beans. Extra virgin if you like. And it smells beeeyoootiful. And Castrol R is one of the highest performing lubricants, if you can put up with the cost. And the gumming up the works if you leave it in motor for any length of time.

Hmmmm. Nothing quite like an oil thread.

Differences are Synthetic Lubes have been chemically made, Synthetics (unlike Mineral oils) are not found in nature, advantages are Higher Viscosity range, Higher VI Lower traction coeffiecent, Better Oxidation stability lower volatility.
Synthetic oils use API group III (hydro processed stocks), API group Iv Polyalphaolefins (POA) and API Group V (esters Polyglycols and Silicones)

main differences between Mineral and Synthetics, Minerals have complex mixtures and there is alot of comprimise between the proterties (ie molecule size. Synthetics better purity no wax no impurities and the properties are tailored

Essentially Synthetics are better in every way over Minerals.

Im trying to find a picture of a distialltion typew tower, the POA essentially come from the top, like a gas, from that they are refined into synthetics, minerals arent as refined however some companies (castrol) choose to use Mineral and advance them with high levels of additives and call them Synthetics even tho they are not................misleading fucken damn right!

I got loads of info on this stuff, and can try to answer questions, Im not a guru but got the info via work.

**Robbo** · 26th July 2009, 10:45

Originally Posted by DangerousBastard

If you want the Castrol R pong without the hassle, just drip a tiny bit of it in your exhaust. Yum.

Steve

Also about 25mls of castor oil in the petrol tank will give the same effect.

**OLD MAN BJ** · 26th July 2009, 11:45

I agree with you Quasi regarding the benefits of Synthetic oils. But as I understand it, they all start off from the same crude stock, with the synthetics being chemically altered later in the process. Maybe wrong, but if I am correct we are not saving the planet. However, a good Synthetic oil is a good synthetic oil , doesn't matter if its for bike or car.

**Quasievil** · 26th July 2009, 12:15

Originally Posted by OLD MAN BJ

I agree with you Quasi regarding the benefits of Synthetic oils. But as I understand it, they all start off from the same crude stock, with the synthetics being chemically altered later in the process. Maybe wrong, but if I am correct we are not saving the planet. However, a good Synthetic oil is a good synthetic oil , doesn't matter if its for bike or car.

essentially as I understand it, Polyalphaolefin is the base stock for most vehicle synthetic oils, and it does all derive from what is essentially gas taken from the top of the distillation tower when they process the oil.
Below that they take of lower refined grades for other uses..........heating oils diesel etc etc.
Synthetic oils dont offer any saviour to the planet other than as they are better they do not need changing as often so I guess you could argue they are more enviromentaly friendly than say a mineral based one

**Quasievil** · 26th July 2009, 12:23

Here you will see what I mean, the picture shows a basic distillation refining tower, you will see at the top where the PAO come from.....gas, thats the material used or base stocks for Synthetics come from (excepting Castrol of course)

**OLD MAN BJ** · 26th July 2009, 14:47

Thanks for that info Quasi. BTW, the feeling over at BITOG is that Mobil have started blending PAO with Group 3 in M1, and its not quite as good as it has been in the past. Its still a great oil though. And apparently in europe they are still not allowed to call a group 3 oil a full syn, so the Castrol oils over there are infact real syn oils.

**Quasievil** · 26th July 2009, 18:13

Originally Posted by OLD MAN BJ

Thanks for that info Quasi. BTW, the feeling over at BITOG is that Mobil have started blending PAO with Group 3 in M1, and its not quite as good as it has been in the past. Its still a great oil though. And apparently in europe they are still not allowed to call a group 3 oil a full syn, so the Castrol oils over there are infact real syn oils.

Ive heard that also but I havent had that confirmed from up above, I do know that some additives are carried by gIII better so this could be a reason for some of this Base stock being used.
I doubt it has been developed worse.
whats BITOG ??

**Motu** · 26th July 2009, 18:38

Bob Is The Oil Guy.

**OLD MAN BJ** · 26th July 2009, 18:38

Bret,
BITOG stands for "Bob Is The Oil Guy". Its probably the most informative site there is on oil, and has some very clever cookies as members. Its completely dedicated to Oil and its performance. Do a search using BITOG if you are interested,and as a racer you should be.

**AllanB** · 26th July 2009, 18:51

Peanut oil anyone?

Massage oil - you can get all types of different aromas to put you in various moods.

I'm a couple thousand kms off my next service and recently asked by local dealer about fully synthetic against the semi-synthetic the bike is running. I was told to save the bucks on the Hornet 900 as it's not high revving enough to warrant the full. Redline is 9500. He stated if it was a CBRRRRRRR thingy yes, once run-in use the full due to the higher revs.

Plenty use full in their Hornets on the WristTwisters site (or 919's as they call them in the USA) and think it's the spiff. Then again there are plenty on there using the cheapest stuff they can find from Wallmart and think it's the spiff.

Fucking oil threads eh! What the hells a guy to do?

Surely the best oil is the best oil?

The best thing is to change it regularly at the makers intervals, whatever you use.

**Quasievil** · 26th July 2009, 20:12

Originally Posted by OLD MAN BJ

Bret,
BITOG stands for "Bob Is The Oil Guy". Its probably the most informative site there is on oil, and has some very clever cookies as members. Its completely dedicated to Oil and its performance. Do a search using BITOG if you are interested,and as a racer you should be.

Nice site, I bring the page up to see MOBIL 1 , sites gotta be good (yeah I know its a ad)