bean438

If you are using conventional oil I can see a benefit. But if you are using a 5w20 synthetic would there be any benefit to using a 0w20? The 0w20 would have a lower pour point but if the 5w20 pour point is already well below the coldest temperature then why would you want to use it?

Gord96BRG

Good question. I've recently spotted the Mobil1 0W20 on the Canadian Tire shelves, and it makes a point to say "designed for 5W20 warranty requirement usage" or something similar. Other than being the very lightest Mobil1 available, I wouldn't expect any noticeable difference.

I am going to try the also-recent Castrol Syntec 0W30 in my Audi, however - according to the BobistheOilGuy forums, the Syntec 0W30 is made in Germany rather than in the US, and unlike the domestic Syntec (which is really based on an ultra-refined crude base stock rather than a PAO ester base stock like 'true' synthetics), the German 0W30 is a PAO ester base stock like Redline, Amsoil, and Mobil1, and is among the best synthetics available.

Regards,
Gordon

bean438

That's where I saw the 0w20, at CT the other day. I also noticed one of the CT's in Wpg carries Redline 5w30. I believe Redline to be too expensive. I have Amsoil but I am turned off by the starter package they sent me.....start your own business, secure your future, oh and by the way we sell vitamins too! (I am not kidding, they do sell vitamins).
I spent some time on the oil guy forums. Lots of info, but it seems most of it is from "average" people on the internet, nothing really official that i would take as gospel.
I have heard you can use 5w30 in the 8, I heard you can use 0w20 as well.
Personaly I will stick to my owners manual. API< ILSAC 5w20.
All oils that meet the requirements be they dyno, or syn, "real" synthetics, or "fake?" synthetics will be fine.
I can spend hours on the web learning more than I care to know about anything.
I am going to start spending more time playing guitar.
I trust the API and it's certification process.
All oils are "the best". Just look at the web sites. Fancy graphs, and pie charts that not surprisingly show their oil at the top and the rest at the bottom.
I have a 95 protege with over 300,000 km. Plain ol 5w30 motomaster formula 200, dyno oil, changed every 5000 km. No problems, always started in the winter.
I am officially not worrying about oil anymore.
Whatever CT happens to have in my grade is what it will be. It will be synthetic though.
I am willing to concede that synthetic is better.
As far as which synthetic is real/not real/"better"/better additives/racing additives/blah blahblah I really do not care. As long as it is SL and GF3 it is good enough.
Castrol syntec seems like a good choice.
AND I dont get pressured into buying vitamins.

bean438

Ok, I lied, I did some more reading.
I will probably switch to redline or royal purple after my amsoil prefered customer thing runs out.
I believe amsoil is a fine product, I just don't care for the way they sell it.

Rotary Titus

I recommend royal purple (I'm used that for the about the last 8000km). I think they're about the only ones who talk about use of their synthetic oil in rotaries in the FAQs.

bean438

I would agree that RP is a fine oil but....

http://www.performancemotoroil.com/Royal_Purple_info

What to make of that?
Every oil is different (additives, detergents etc) so if they are sl/gl3 then arent they good enough?
Every oil company says they are the "best", and have charts, graphs, and tests to prove it.
Their additives/blends are better than so and so's blah blah blah.
The more I read, the bigger the headache.

Rotary Titus

hmmm.......... they say they tested against the RP racing oil. But RP's 5w20 and other "street" oils are different from their specifically labelled "Not for regular street use" Racing Oil line. So I would assume their regular syn oils contain less of that moly stuff and only use moly in racing applications where the short term benefits are what matters most since they change oil every race anyway?
but yea you're right.... the more you read, the more headache you get lol

bean438

I noticed it was racing oil too. This is one of the things I dislike about amsoil.
Most people looking to buy oil would be average joe car drivers. We out number the racers.
The fact that a racing oil has more moly or more this or that, than a atreet oil is of no concern to me.
I am sure Amsoil's racing oils have moly in them too.
This only leads to confusion.
I am sure the API and ILSAC ratings required by car makers contain or not contain elements that are benificial or harmfull to the cars they will go into.
SYnthetics has an advantage over dyno, but I am still not convinced that a RP or Redline oil is that much better than a Castrol or Motomaster syn that meets the same API/ILSAC ratings.
I can get Amsoil for about 8 dollars a litre as a preffered customer (assuming I dont buy any vitamins!! lol) . It is 50 cents a litre more than what I would pay for castrol syntec.
Redline however is about 13 bucks at CT. Is Redline "better" than Amsoil? Maybe, who knows? Even if it is , would it be 5 dollars a litr "better"? I am not so sure anymore.

Rotary Titus

yea you gotta read between the lines for those "independant tests"
well, the way I look at it, manufacturers can't afford to put out a product that blows up your engine. So basically I don't think there are "bad" oil out there, can't really go wrong with any of them?

bean438

I was at CT again today and took a closer look at the redline product.
For all those who like to bash Amsoil for not being API certified, neither is Redline motor oil, 5w30 and 10w30. It is recommended for vehicles that require SL/GF3, but does not bear the certification label.

bean438

To further add to the confusion, Bob the oil guy says moly is ok. Amsoil says it is not.
I think they are all full of **** and will tell what they have to for you to buy their oil.

bogeys'8'o'clock

Don't use synthetic. I talked to my service manager last week. I think he knows what he is talking about. He's been drag racing rotaries for 20 years. The oil needs to burn off as it lubricates the seals. Synthetic won't burn. Just passing on some advice I thought was relevant.

Hybrid-RX8

You should be using mineral oil during the first 10K to help seal. After that synthetics are a must. Yes there are BAD OILS out there.

Will they blow your engine? No.

Will they shorten life of your engine and cause you to have less horsepower than you would than with a real synthetic? YES.

Be warned fellow RX8's....Mobil 1...Castrol..etc.. are NOT synthetic oils. They are a mineral oil with a percent in additives.

Can you use 0w20? Yes, great for horsepower but bad it's not meant for daily driving. If you were running on the drag strip ONLY then it'd be fine.

I know the most typical brands that you guys may know are like Royal Purple, Amsoil and Red Line.

Try out MOTUL. It's the same stuff all the cars from JGTC use and definitely the best stuff on the market. They even sell it at Dave Wood Mazda up in Newmarket, the same dealership that built the Mazdaspeed RX8 for Targa Racing in Newfoundland and the Mazda 6 race car.

I will actually be doing a dyno test soon showing the difference between MOTUL and a leading north american oil brand very soon. Yes, OIL CAN MAKE POWER.

Also, Motul is API certified.

daem0n

Us in the Rx-7 community rely solely on non-synthetic oils since they're being burned in the engine by the OMP and will leave deposits. There's always arguments as to which oil is best but a lot of us use Castrol GTX...it has a very low percentage of crap that doesn't burn off compared to other oils out there. People who have been in the rotary business or even designed rotary engines have recommended against synthetic brands so I've just followed their directions. I don't know what the Rx-8 recommends in the manual but for the Rx-7, I wouldn't go below a 10w for the engine. I didn't think that the Renesis engine was that different in OMP and seal requirements?

Shogun

Talked to a Triboligist at work who looks at pump and compressor failures related to oil. Mobil 1 is a true synthetic using Group IV Polyalphaolefin for its base stock or PAO's (same as Amsoil); Castrol uses Type III base stock (processed Group I mineral oils to remove impurities). An excellent article was published in "Sport Rider" motorcycle magazine in its August and October 2003 issues.They did an independent lab test on some automobile and motorcycle oils, both synthetic and mineral based; main advantage in sythetics is good shear properties (less viscosity breakdown in motorcyle gearboxes) and heat stability. I asked the Triboligist what oil he would use; he would use what is recommended by the manufacturer (a good mineral oil if that is what came with the car; or synthetic if the car came with it, ie Corvettes; Porsche; BMW) and change it more frequently than the manufacturer's recommendation (if mineral based), as clean oil reduces wear and more frequent changes reduce chance of viscosity breakdown.