Is Castrol Syntec's base oil Shell Helix?Thanks Joe
Castrol Syntec Base Oil?
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I thought Helix was a PAO and Syntec (not the 0W-30) is Group III. I very well could be wrong though. Wait for someone else.
X2.
I have seen on Shell's Rotella forum that Helix uses the same Group III base oil as Rotella T Synthetic.
They use XHVI Slack wax generated Grp III. That is a Sopus Product so Shell, Penzzoil, QS and anyone who buys Grp III from them is getting potentially very good Grp III oils.
This is a quote from Here "XHVI is a wax isomerate, meaning that it is made from the slack wax removed from distilled crude in normal solvent dewaxing. This slack wax is catalytically transformed (isomerized) and hydrofinished into a chemically pure base oil which rivals PAO in virutally every category. There are other "synthetic" oils out there based on Group III, but Shell's is unique in that it uses XHVI base oil. (And I believe Castrol uses Shell's XHVI too.) Chevron and Petro-Canada produce Group III base oils that come close to XHVI, but even though these oils are all hydroprocessed and utilize the same type of isomerization technology employed in the making of XHVI, they are not the same thing. Only XHVI is made from pure petroleum slack wax and its CAS number is 92026-09-4. The CAS number for the more typical all-hydroprocessed Group III base oils is 64742-54-7. If you want to know what your "synthetic" oil is made from, take a look at the MSDS and look for these numbers. (The CAS number for PAO is 68037-01-4.)"
These base oils have asignificantly higher viscosity index than the minimum VI of 120 to rate as a grp III.
This is a quote from Here "XHVI is a wax isomerate, meaning that it is made from the slack wax removed from distilled crude in normal solvent dewaxing. This slack wax is catalytically transformed (isomerized) and hydrofinished into a chemically pure base oil which rivals PAO in virutally every category. There are other "synthetic" oils out there based on Group III, but Shell's is unique in that it uses XHVI base oil. (And I believe Castrol uses Shell's XHVI too.) Chevron and Petro-Canada produce Group III base oils that come close to XHVI, but even though these oils are all hydroprocessed and utilize the same type of isomerization technology employed in the making of XHVI, they are not the same thing. Only XHVI is made from pure petroleum slack wax and its CAS number is 92026-09-4. The CAS number for the more typical all-hydroprocessed Group III base oils is 64742-54-7. If you want to know what your "synthetic" oil is made from, take a look at the MSDS and look for these numbers. (The CAS number for PAO is 68037-01-4.)"
These base oils have asignificantly higher viscosity index than the minimum VI of 120 to rate as a grp III.
Thought I would add this although old, still pertinant PDF from Shell concerning this Base oil This is a PDF
I hung there when I was a thick head running Rottela Syn. You posted That? LOL.
It's still pertinant information today and we should be aware that all group III's are not created equal. Slack wax ran once or twice more through a hydrofinisher/cracker can yield some very high viscosity index base oils. well above the lower limit to qualify as a grp III. It just doesn't get much respect here.
It's still pertinant information today and we should be aware that all group III's are not created equal. Slack wax ran once or twice more through a hydrofinisher/cracker can yield some very high viscosity index base oils. well above the lower limit to qualify as a grp III. It just doesn't get much respect here.
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I was looking for that number. I wonder what grade of Grp III Mobil is using since we know that Castrol Syntec and Sopus have access to these wonderfull XHVI grp III basestocks?
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I was looking for that number. I wonder what grade of Grp III Mobil is using since we know that Castrol Syntec and Sopus have access to these wonderfull XHVI grp III basestocks?
They might be using Exxon's new wax isomerate (Visom) from Fawley, which is comparable to Shell's XHVI.
This gets me thinking about Canadian Tire's synthetic oils..since they're made by Shell, would they be using Shell's base oil as well? Formula 1 synthetic might turn out to be quite a deal if it were true.
Probably not. XHVI isn't the only Group III that Shell makes.
I once asked one of the top Shell chemists (who is now retired) if Formula Shell Synthetic used XHVI and he said no. At that time, the only Shell oil sold at retail that used XHVI was Rotella T Syn.
Edit: That should read "...sold at retail in the US..."
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Darn
looks like it... i would assume, shell doesnt use an outside base oil to formulate the canadian tire oils. i think its same base and slightly cheaper add pack.
oh... well then never mind
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