FAQ - GC ( German Castrol )

Status
Not open for further replies.
Originally Posted By: Tom NJ
The Ketjenlube oligomers are colorless, and I have not found any other esters in either the green or gold formulations in the past. The green color was likely from an additive (some moly additives are green) or a dye. Some Ketjenlube oligomers, which are esters, have very impressive properties and are synergetic with some POEs.

Also Hatco is an ester base oil manufacturer and not an additive supplier, unless of course one considers esters used in small dosages to be additives, as some do.

Tom NJ

Thanks for the insight Tom. Just a bit of clarification, as this was written for the crowd over at E46. Yes, the Ketjenlube Oligomer is colorless. I did not mean to imply that the green/gold was from this component, but after reading it a few times I suppose one could conclude this. Color/smell comes from other additives including PAO. Yes, there is some PAO in there and I wish I had kept the breakdown Terry Dyson did of it several years ago showing the PAO signatures.

Regarding Hatco, almost no one on E46 would understand other manufacturers/suppliers than the big names. Most don't even know that Castrol is a blender and makes almost no raw lubes on it's own. I called them an additive supplier for simplicity and the reason you stated. My apologies if it took anyone off track.
 
Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
Originally Posted By: BigJohn
Racing gear oils have 100c cSt of 140


Is that true? That would make it far, far thicker than a 75W-140.


Yes it would. I meant to say the Ketjenlube has a 100C cSt of around 60, 140wt. racing gear oils have 100C cSt of 30. The oiligomer would have an SAE wt. of 200.

Definately typing fast than my brain was computing. Again, my apologies for the confusion.
 
Hi Shorty,

I had some gas chromatograms and FTIRs run some three years ago on both the green and gold versions. This work was unrelated to the analysis Terry did, although I think we came to essentially the same conclusions.

Basically these were entirely PAO based oils with a tiny carbonyl absorbance (ester) in the FTIR. Since no ester base oils were found in the gas chromatograms, the carbonyl absorbance is assumed to be a small amount of an oligomer or polymer, such as a Ketjenlube. Since PAO is also odorless and colorless, the color and odor you observed are most likely from an additive.

Tom NJ
 
Hey Tom,

Again, thanks for your depth of knowledge. I was under the assumption (I know, I know) that some PAOs contributed a sweet smell. Obviously, if they are colorless/odorless, something else is providing it. What do you believe causes this since it seems (to me anyway) to be mainly confined to PAO based lubes?

Different note, I'm contemplating life after GC. FInally worked through over 600 qts. of stash and have 1 change left for each vehicle. Modern fuel chemistries is wreaking havoc with older, albeit at their time cutting edge, formulas like GC. There is always the stand-by grp. III BMW oil, but that too hasn't been updated enough to combat what even minute amounts of fuel can do to an oil these days. Not quite there to bite the bullet on RLI.

The search continues.........
 
Hi Shorty,

Most oil "fragrances" come from the additives, and can vary somewhat according to which additive combinations are used. Grp II, Grp III, PAO, and most esters have little to no odor. Grp I often has a mild sulfur odor, so if you are comparing PAO based oils to Grp I based oils you may detect some difference.

Tom
 
I believe what you are smelling is an odorant, a non-active additive that simply makes the oil smell better.

PAO's and even industrial-grade esters have little or no aromas at room temperature. Now esters when heated will give off a faint "fatty" smell.

There are some active additives that can make an oil stink to "high-heaven" as my grandpa would say, so an odorant is added to mask that smell.

Odorants can come in two bases, one is an alcohol base and another is an ester base. I theorize that this odorant has an ester base.

You only need a very small perentage or very lowwww ppm level of an ester-based odorant to make it smell good.
 
Last edited:
Interesting. And all these years I thought it was from the esters themselves that gave off the aromas. Learn something new everyday. Colorants, dyes, and some additives I knew make it what it looks like, as most bases/additive (mineral, PAO, POE etc.) can be totally colorless to varying shades or tints. Even heard of some manufacturers dying oils to make them "look like oil". All good stuff.
 
Originally Posted By: Pidziek


Sam I am dealing with a number of cars that run on casrol, engines are horrible sediments and sludges after 10 years and over 100 000km ...
For me this brand of Lost ....


I suspect a lot of counterfeit Castrol circulates in east europe.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: BobFout
Just picked up 5 quarts of GC at autozone.


Is there a deal going on?


Not that I'm aware of.

But all this GC talk has me wanting to try it.
banana2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: BobFout
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
Originally Posted By: BobFout
Just picked up 5 quarts of GC at autozone.


Is there a deal going on?


Not that I'm aware of.

But all this GC talk has me wanting to try it.
banana2.gif



Here they are!

S6300430.jpg
 
the ketgenlube does have a cst of 200

"The oligomer is a very cutting edge synthetic fluid sourced from Ketjenlube, a big name additive supplier to the lubricant industry. The actual compound was developed by Kyocera in Japan and the formula was sold to Ketjenlube. So this German blended oil has some Asian heritage . The specific oligomer is a small cut in the overall oil of around 5% or so. It is very thick, with a kinematic cSt @100C viscosity of >200."

http://matrixsyntheticoils.com/store/european_german_castrol_0w-30.html
 
GC is on the new sales flyer of Autozone. 5qts of oil (either 5+ qt jug or 5 individual qts of bottles) and a Bosch Premium oil filter is priced at $26.99+tax.
 
I may step up with Bob! Like the look of the MB229.5 spec. and reading all this it is tempting. Anyone see an issue with this in an ecotec with the vvt? I'm thinking it's still a 30 so it shouldn't cause a problem.
 
Originally Posted By: Geo_Prizm
GC is on the new sales flyer of Autozone. 5qts of oil (either 5+ qt jug or 5 individual qts of bottles) and a Bosch Premium oil filter is priced at $26.99+tax.


Just bought 15 quarts at 2 different AZs while the sale is on :)
 
Originally Posted By: Hessen
Originally Posted By: Geo_Prizm
GC is on the new sales flyer of Autozone. 5qts of oil (either 5+ qt jug or 5 individual qts of bottles) and a Bosch Premium oil filter is priced at $26.99+tax.


Just bought 15 quarts at 2 different AZs while the sale is on :)


15 qts. ? WOW
Once in every 3 months it is on sale at Autozone.Last time I needed to change oil it was not and I did not have any GC, I had to buy M1 0W-40, but yesterday I got 5 qts for the next change 10K miles later.

I should buy more in case Autozone stops including Castrol Syntec 0W-30 in its sales.
 
I just picked up some GC on clearance for $3 a bottle at a local Strauss Auto. (The sale was posted by umungus1122 in "Sales + Promotions")

For 3 bucks a quart, I felt it was worth taking a chance and grabbing a few cases, even though it was old stock.

The bottles have the old style hex caps and the code on the bottom starts with MO7. From my looking over this thread, I'm not overly concerned that this stuff has been clearly sitting for awhile, but it got me wondering just what is considered "too long" for oil to be stashed?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

W
  • Locked
Castrol Euro Oil Changes
2
Replies
24
Views
3K
dogememe
R
Mobil Super 3000 Formula F in a Motor Scooter that Requires A5/B5?
Replies
1
Views
413
YZJB
YZJB
2016 Volvo XC70 D5
Replies
3
Views
1K
YZJB
R
VW 508 spec. What's so special about it?
2 3
Replies
49
Views
7K
Vercingetorix
M
2012 VW Passat 2.5L Manual Transmission Fluid?
Replies
15
Views
1K
930.engineering
Back
Top