Castrol Engine Testing

[buster]

I posted in the new 20k Edge thread how the tests Castrol used and percentages they exceeded them by was impressive. I did a quick google search and found this article. While the article doesn't state what oils were tested they did mention OEM approvals. The emphasis though here is the amount of real engine testing that goes into validating proof of performance. This has always been an issue for me with smaller boutique brands that just don't have the resources to do so.


Castrol

"The kind of programs I work on with Castrol EDGE tend to encompass an awful lot of engine testing," Dr Green says.

"I think most people would be surprised at how exhaustive the testing is. There's no stone left unturned in regards to which technical areas are looked at to receive these prestigious OEM approvals and the further work we conduct beyond that.

 

[ka9mnx]

When I get my F1 car I'll give it a consideration.
Thanks for the post...

 

[PimTac]

The point is, if the oil can hold up in a very stressful test like this then it surely will hold up in the everyday commuter or grocery getter vehicle.

Castrol seems to attract the negative nannies here.

 

[ka9mnx]

No, it's not about Castrol. I would surely hope it would hold up in a grocery getter. Just like any oil. I don't buy into XOM, Penzoil, Amzoil, etc. taxi test's because I don't drive a taxi.

 

[FordBroncoVWJeta]

Originally Posted by ka9mnxI
don't buy into XOM, Penzoil, Amzoil, etc. taxi test's because I don't drive a taxi.
You sure do buy into OEM oil though...

 

[1JZ_E46]

Originally Posted by PimTac
Castrol seems to attract the negative nannies here.


People are just bitter Castrol doesn't offer a rebate program

 

[ka9mnx]

I buy oil on it's certs. And I like the ACEA spec's on the oils I choose.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted by Castrol
"At the end of that the condition of the engine was amazing considering what it had been through. That's far more severe than any consumer would ever subject their performance car to."
My takeaway is they are testing against F1 conditions to "prove" how well the oil will work in a normal car. With that said, I would like to see what report is created and how that equates to a normal engine.

 

[LeakySeals]

Castrol white bottle used to be a sludge monster. Its hard to let go of the past..

 

[buster]

Things change. I get that too but there are many companies that made products years ago that were not good but now make great products.

The point of the OP was the importance of engine testing to validate performance claims, many of which are demanding OEM specs.

 

[bullwinkle]

Castrol has shown great results in everything I've used it in-from GTX 20W50 in the old days, through GC 0W30, and Magnatec 5W20 today. They've always made superior products, even if their parent company has made brutally stupid mistakes...

 

[Bjornviken]

Originally Posted by 1JZ_E46
Originally Posted by PimTac
Castrol seems to attract the negative nannies here.


People are just bitter Castrol doesn't offer a rebate program

 

[sloinker]

I think Castrol single handedly lowered the bar when they were successful in getting class III oils lumped in with class IV and V oils. Nothing against class III oils but the consumer was the ultimate loser in this case when the transparency of what you are buying went away.

 

[EricG]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Castrol white bottle used to be a sludge monster. Its hard to let go of the past..

News to me!

 

[Whimsey]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Castrol white bottle used to be a sludge monster. Its hard to let go of the past..


Only if you run it 12,000 miles with GTX in a 1985 VW Golf because you were an idiot

. MMO took care of the lifter oil tick. Needless to say this was long before my BITOG days

. I've seen the light and I repentant

.

Whimsey

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Castrol white bottle used to be a sludge monster. Its hard to let go of the past..

Never heard that. I remember "Maximum protection against thermal breakdown". Always took it with a grain of salt though.

I also remember their supposed demonstration where Syntec was drained, a quart was added, and either they drove the car for 500 miles or they bench tested engines where theirs and their "conventional" competitors underwent the same procedure of draining the oil and starting, where only Syntec managed to stay running.



Of course they didn't test any of their similarly priced competitors such as Mobil 1 or whatever Pennzoil had at the time. Their materials claimed it was the ester base that provided superior protection if there was loss of oil. Also - doesn't it seem kind of dangerous to have a room filled with engines having uncovered metal fan blades?

And what the heck is the purpose of those exposed metal fan blades other than to make it look dramatic? It doesn't look like they're hooked up to any cooling system, and I've never heard of a real engine with a fan blade attached like that.

 

[StevieC]

My dad's 2 shops were filled by Castrol GTX bulk in the 1980's and that is all he used for general oil changes and nothing came back.

 

[IndyFan]

Originally Posted by y_p_w
Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Castrol white bottle used to be a sludge monster. Its hard to let go of the past..

Never heard that. I remember "Maximum protection against thermal breakdown". Always took it with a grain of salt though.

I also remember their supposed demonstration where Syntec was drained, a quart was added, and either they drove the car for 500 miles or they bench tested engines where theirs and their "conventional" competitors underwent the same procedure of draining the oil and starting, where only Syntec managed to stay running.



Of course they didn't test any of their similarly priced competitors such as Mobil 1 or whatever Pennzoil had at the time. Their materials claimed it was the ester base that provided superior protection if there was loss of oil. Also - doesn't it seem kind of dangerous to have a room filled with engines having uncovered metal fan blades?

And what the heck is the purpose of those exposed metal fan blades other than to make it look dramatic? It doesn't look like they're hooked up to any cooling system, and I've never heard of a real engine with a fan blade attached like that.


Those fans were likely there so you could see that the engines were running. Without them, they'd probably look static. That's a communication thing, and it is ok with me, for that purpose.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted by IndyFan
Those fans were likely there so you could see that the engines were running. Without them, they'd probably look static. That's a communication thing, and it is ok with me, for that purpose.

A dramatic commercial obviously works better.

However, it was obviously designed to show Syntec working in a way the less expensive competitors didn't. However, I can see one big fault that would but the competitors at a disadvantage. The first thing they're likely doing is starting with rebuilt engines. Then they fill them with oil, run them for a short time, and drain it. My understanding of the way typical oil additives work is that they need time to bond to wear surfaces, and obviously a minute in the engine isn't going to do that.

Still - seems pretty dangerous with a bunch of guys in lab coats hunched over engines with spinning metal fan blades. About as silly as someone casually standing at the rear of a helicopter. Anyone remember the scene from ER where Romano lost his arm to a helicopter rotor?

 

[PimTac]

"And what the heck is the purpose of those exposed metal fan blades other than to make it look dramatic? It doesn't look like they're hooked up to any cooling system, and I've never heard of a real engine with a fan blade attached like that."





I am guessing you are young?