Perhaps the Citgo is formulated on the thin-end of the 30-weight scale while the Castrol is on the thicker-end.
Citgo 10w-30 giving better mileage than Castrol Syntec 5w-30?
- Thread starter AndyH
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Like any dino oil, it started as a 30 Wt, and then it thinned out. I have noticed the same thing with Havoline in my wife's Honda.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Citgo loses it's 30W rating after pouring & starting the engine.... lol
Dripped like water off my daughter's dipstick only weeks after I installed it. It's add-pack is the reason alot of lube shops use it as their drum house brand.
Drives me nuts as to why it turns black almost overnite. No other oil I have used does that - that fast.
Dripped like water off my daughter's dipstick only weeks after I installed it. It's add-pack is the reason alot of lube shops use it as their drum house brand.
Drives me nuts as to why it turns black almost overnite. No other oil I have used does that - that fast.
FYI, this message appears on the Citgo bottle:
"As improvements are made in SUPERGARD technology, some changes in appearance may occur"
Rob, How many miles are on this Citgo right now, and approx how many miles per week are you putting on the vehicle? We Citgo watchers will want to know if you experience the same "oil turns black almost overnite" phenomenon that Triple_Se7en says he did.
"As improvements are made in SUPERGARD technology, some changes in appearance may occur"
Rob, How many miles are on this Citgo right now, and approx how many miles per week are you putting on the vehicle? We Citgo watchers will want to know if you experience the same "oil turns black almost overnite" phenomenon that Triple_Se7en says he did.
GrtArtiste,
My Neon has 400 miles on the Citgo Superguard 10w-30 right now. The wife's Aztec has about 500 miles on the same oil. Both still have very clean oil in them. Just got done checking the oil level in both. The Aztec is driven 95% on the highway and the Neon gets 95% in town driving. I put about 100 to 150 miles a week on the Neon and the Aztek gets 375 to 400 miles a week put on it. The oil is the SL rated stuff and I get it from Heathwood Oil in Kansas City Kansas for about $21.00 for a 12 pack case. Its not a bargain but, we have no discount chain stores around me that stock it.
My Neon has 400 miles on the Citgo Superguard 10w-30 right now. The wife's Aztec has about 500 miles on the same oil. Both still have very clean oil in them. Just got done checking the oil level in both. The Aztec is driven 95% on the highway and the Neon gets 95% in town driving. I put about 100 to 150 miles a week on the Neon and the Aztek gets 375 to 400 miles a week put on it. The oil is the SL rated stuff and I get it from Heathwood Oil in Kansas City Kansas for about $21.00 for a 12 pack case. Its not a bargain but, we have no discount chain stores around me that stock it.
I drained the Castrol Syntec 5w-30 from my Neon and put in Citgo 10w-30 conventional. Funny thing is I'am getting better mileage from the Citgo. Whats up with this? I thought it would be the other way around? Drive the exact same route and mileage over several weeks and it is consistant. Normally, I would get 4 days of driving out of a quarter tank of gas but, with the Citgo I'm getting 5 days worth of driving out of a quarter tank. Can anyone explain this to me? I sure not complaining about the results. Car has nearly 140,000 miles on it. I use Wix oil filters with all oil I use. Please explain this mileage increase, I'm stumped!
My 2003 GMC 1/2 ton with 4.3 L engine (currently at about 41,000 mi) "colors" oil less than any engine I've ever owned. And I've run several oils in it to date: M1, Rotella Synth, Havoline dino, Castrol dino, Motorcraft "blend" - and Citgo 5W-30 dino for 3 changes. I never go much over 3000-4000 mi with any dino oil, and Citgo did not color any more than the other oils.
By contrast, my wife's 96 T-Bird 4.6 L (about 57,000 mi) has always turned any oil I've used in it black by 3000 mi. The T-Bird runs beautifully and knocks down 28-29 mpg on the freeway - so I think it runs pretty clean. I have no idea why there is so much difference between these engines when it comes to oil color. Neither engine is known for being particularly "hard" on oil per info I've seen here on BITOG.
pmt
Triple,
I do not know the specifics of this “oil turns black event”, such as engine mechanical condition, previous oil fill, or even what additives are being dumped into it.
I think your observation, is simply, an observation.
I do know that the Citgo 5W-30 SM is a GF-4 rated oil, and either the formulation or a GF-4 licensed add pack has passed the following tests:
Sequence VG Sludge and Varnish Deposit Test - Run on a Ford 4.6L V8 with intentionally increased engine blowby. The test is 216 hrs in length at oil temp stages of 68C, 100C, and 45C. At the completion of the test, the engine is dis-assembled and inspected for minimal amounts of sludge & deposits and stuck piston rings.
Sequence IIIG Wear and Oil Thickening Test - Run on a GM 3.8L V6. This test is run for 100 hrs at 3600 rpm and 150C (300F) engine temps. Up to 5 quarts makeup oil is allowed. At completion, minimal deposits on the pistons are acceptable. Cam lobes & lifters are also measured for wear.
Sequence VIII Bearing Corrosion & Shear Stability – Run on a 42 CID single cylinder, carburetor engine. The test is run for 40 hrs at 3150 rpm and 290F temps. At the end of test, bearing loss is measured and viscosity is verified for stay in grade.
Sequence IIIGA – At the end of the 100 hr IIIG test, the test oil is cooled down and measured for viscosity cold temp requirements – 5W-30 is 60,000 cP max @ -35.
I don’t think a justification exists, to believe that any given quart of Citgo 5W-30 SM will not still meet all the performance tests requirements of GF-4, after several hundred miles of run time, in an engine in good mechanical condition.
I do not know the specifics of this “oil turns black event”, such as engine mechanical condition, previous oil fill, or even what additives are being dumped into it.
I think your observation, is simply, an observation.
I do know that the Citgo 5W-30 SM is a GF-4 rated oil, and either the formulation or a GF-4 licensed add pack has passed the following tests:
Sequence VG Sludge and Varnish Deposit Test - Run on a Ford 4.6L V8 with intentionally increased engine blowby. The test is 216 hrs in length at oil temp stages of 68C, 100C, and 45C. At the completion of the test, the engine is dis-assembled and inspected for minimal amounts of sludge & deposits and stuck piston rings.
Sequence IIIG Wear and Oil Thickening Test - Run on a GM 3.8L V6. This test is run for 100 hrs at 3600 rpm and 150C (300F) engine temps. Up to 5 quarts makeup oil is allowed. At completion, minimal deposits on the pistons are acceptable. Cam lobes & lifters are also measured for wear.
Sequence VIII Bearing Corrosion & Shear Stability – Run on a 42 CID single cylinder, carburetor engine. The test is run for 40 hrs at 3150 rpm and 290F temps. At the end of test, bearing loss is measured and viscosity is verified for stay in grade.
Sequence IIIGA – At the end of the 100 hr IIIG test, the test oil is cooled down and measured for viscosity cold temp requirements – 5W-30 is 60,000 cP max @ -35.
I don’t think a justification exists, to believe that any given quart of Citgo 5W-30 SM will not still meet all the performance tests requirements of GF-4, after several hundred miles of run time, in an engine in good mechanical condition.
My Dakota colors oil much faster than my Buick and they see the same driving conditions. I have used Chevron, Valvoline, Pennzoil and Citgo oils and noticed no difference in rate of color change, but it is obvious from above that such is the case here. Interesting, and I have no explanation other than a possible batch with low anti-oxidants or something of the sort? I think there is a Pennzoil or QS HM VOA that showed extremely low additives and it was rerun twice to confirm the fact. I think at one time Johnny was looking into that as the VOA should have read mush higher. I am not sure if anything was answered there, but maybe we have a similar situation here??
Keep in mind that, in any particular engine, this can be a function of the PCV system, fuel combustion inefficiencies, or short trip driving cycles.
The Citgo dino's have a Grp I base oil component and a fairly good additive package.
Due to the solvency of Grp I base oils, the darkening could be rinsing of existing deposits/sludge in the engine.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
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OK then Blue....
..... why doesn't my 50-50 blend of Havoline 5W-20's high add-pack and Delo 400 15W-40 do the same? It's been double the miles (1000) and my daughter's dipstick is still almost clear.
Why didn't the Castrol before that?
Why didn't the Mobil Drive Clean before that?
Well, I checked with the wife on how the Citgo 10w-30 is doing in her 2003 Aztec. Lynn, said she noticed a slight increase in mileage. You have to understand that she goes 70-75 mph on the interstate, so I guess she would not notice too much of a change.
It's not the oil, it's the outside temp or other factor. changing oil same weight you would never notice a change in mpg. Not saying that you would/could get a difference but nothing you would notice.
Well, I definitly see 15 miles more gained mileage per quarter tank. I was getting 5 days worth of driving per quarter tank with Castrol Syntec 5w-30. Now I'm getting 6 days worth per quarter tank with Citgo 10w-30. I'm using the same Wix filters. I have not changed driving habits, brands of filters, gas etc... The outside temps have been the same every day, so thats not a contributer. Maybe it just could be that Citgo does give better mileage than Castrol Syntec? I'm not brand loyal so thats not it. I was just taken back when a inexpensive oil like Citgo could and does provide me with better mileage than the overpriced Syntec. Felt the Syntec let me down. Really thought it would beat the pants of of Citgo. But, I got the visual proof and a little more money in my wallet.
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