So far what is the consensus on how clean GC is?

Audi Junkie · May 19, 2004

Firstly, nobody has proved Castrol did anything wrong.

Secondly, an intelligent person does not hold a grudge based on these weak allegations.

A SMART PERSON WILL LOOK, OBJECTIVELY, AT THE OIL ITSELF!

I want the best for the money, Castrol works for me, D1 is ok too.

ekpolk · May 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Firstly, nobody has proved Castrol did anything wrong.

Secondly, an intelligent person does not hold a grudge based on these weak allegations.

A SMART PERSON WILL LOOK, OBJECTIVELY, AT THE OIL ITSELF!

I want the best for the money, Castrol works for me, D1 is ok too.

1. Isn't it agreed by almost everyone that Castrol did, in fact, switch from a PAO formulation to a G-III? That's a given/proven fact. In my book, continuing to market the product as if it were same stuff it once was, when it's not, is "wrong." If that's acceptable to you, that's OK, we'll just disagree about what's "wrong."

2. Intelligence and emotion are two different, if sometimes related things. Plenty of intelligent people do, in fact, hold relatively irrational grudges. That being the case, though, I don't have a grudge against Castrol. I simply don't like what they did with the American Syntec line of products.

3. I guess, by your own definition, I'm smart afterall, since AGAIN, I'm trying one of their Syntec (GC) products myself right now. I am measuring mileage, I will do a UOA, and I will compare with the other oils I have tried. Fer cryin' out loud, how much more objective can I be???

4. If you're happy with the product and the way it has performed for you, then power to you -- use it. Actually, I'm happy for you that you've settled on one you like. I'm still experimenting with my car, and while GC is in the hunt, the one I like best at this point is the Amsoil.

AJ, you put up some good, provocative posts. Obviously we disagree about some things, but hey, that's OK. You were totally, 100-percent right about one thing fer sure, though: "Here we go again.

"

427Z06 · May 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
If the guy used M1 the whole life of the car and had sludge, that tells me something.

Click to expand...

That tells me that there might be something wrong with the engine, not the oil.

Not to tick anyone off, but this just about had me ROTFL. I guess I'm just in one of those moods.

In the same vein, I just walked up back up to my office from the shop floor. I was called out because one of our Technicians spent almost 3 hours trying to troubleshoot a problem with a piece of equipment and was having no luck. Just as the Technician finished describing to me everything he's done so far, one of the operators walks up and asks what the problem is. I begin to explain what the technician just told me in simplified terms. He listens giving me his full attention, and when I'm done, he reaches back behind the equipment and flips the switch on the breaker box. Problem solved! I tried not to laugh my butt off, but I began to blow snots out my nose from holding it in, so I just quickly departed the area.

[ May 19, 2004, 11:35 PM: Message edited by: 427Z06 ]

Chris B. · May 19, 2004

Thank you for all the info guys. Yes I believe that M1 is one of the cleanest oil to be had. I just want to know if GC will do the same!!!! But hey I use LC so with LC I wil never have a sludge problem even if I was using dino. LC is good stuff!!!!

jthorner · May 19, 2004

How the heck did this thread turn into another Castrol bashing?

quote:

1. Isn't it agreed by almost everyone that Castrol did, in fact, switch from a PAO formulation to a G-III? That's a given/proven fact. In my book, continuing to market the product as if it were same stuff it once was, when it's not, is "wrong." If that's acceptable to you, that's OK, we'll just disagree about what's "wrong."

Companies change the formulation of motor oils frequently without asking for the permission of BITOG posters!

John

ekpolk · May 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by jthorner:
How the heck did this thread turn into another Castrol bashing?

quote:

1. Isn't it agreed by almost everyone that Castrol did, in fact, switch from a PAO formulation to a G-III? That's a given/proven fact. In my book, continuing to market the product as if it were same stuff it once was, when it's not, is "wrong." If that's acceptable to you, that's OK, we'll just disagree about what's "wrong."

Click to expand...

Companies change the formulation of motor oils frequently without asking for the permission of BITOG posters!

John

John:

How is merely expressing my distaste for what they did "bashing" Castrol. Do you ever read beyond the second line of one of my posts? If you did, you'd also see that I'm actually using a Castrol product at the moment. That's not a bash, that's called a fair chance.

Castrol did NOT just tweak the formula, they completely changed what it is. If you'd been eating Cornflakes for years, and then found out that several years ago Kellogs quietly started making them with wheat instead of corn, but didn't tell anyone, would you be OK with that? Heck, it would still be a serviceable breakfast cereal.

No, of course they don't have to "ask permisson" from any of us before doing anything with their product. On the other hand, they shouldn't, IMO, reach out and represent the product as one thing when it's really another.

Obviously, we have different opinions concerning what's right and wrong in this situation. I can live with that, can you? Do I need to come ask your permission before I disagree with you (or with Castrol's marketing strategy)???

[ May 20, 2004, 06:06 AM: Message edited by: ekpolk ]

first5ny · May 19, 2004

Does anyone know whether the GC is a group iV oil? Or is it a group III?

ekpolk · May 19, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by first5ny:
Does anyone know whether the GC is a group iV oil? Or is it a group III?

From what I've pieced together, I infer that it's predominantly G-IV, with a substantial amount of G-V oils too. I have not, however, heard it from the "horse's mouth." If anyone has more definitive info, I'd sure like to hear it.

Bror Jace · May 19, 2004

"If you'd been eating Cornflakes for years, and then found out that several years ago Kellogs quietly started making them with wheat instead of corn, but didn't tell anyone, would you be OK with that? Heck, it would still be a serviceable breakfast cereal."

It wouldn't be serviceable as far as I'm concerned. I have Celiac Disease and would get massively sick from shoveling down a bunch of wheat cereal.

"Companies change the formulation of motor oils frequently without asking for the permission of BITOG posters!"

Maybe they'd be better off if they got our input first?

Point is, formulation changes can have serious consequences even if done right ... and they often aren't in the petrochemical business.

I've had plenty of problems with most oil companies ... years when Mobil 1 had skimpy (I'd say inadequate) barrier packages, multiple times when Valvoline lied to me on the phone about their base oils and, of course, Castrol's Group III shenanigans when they cheapened their formula by 50% and kept it all hush-hush until Patrick Bedard from Car & Driver blew the whistle a few years ago.

When it says "imported from Swizterland" on the label, it better not be grown on a farm in New Jersey ... not if I'm paying extra. You can dispute the value of 'boutique' products all you want, but it doesn't make it right to substitute cheaper ingredients while charging full price.

This winter I'll be looking for a 0W30 motor oil for my '03 Nissan 2.5L. Still not sure which one to go with. Am interested in German Castrol (if I can find it here) but haven't ruled out some other 0W30s like Mobil, Chevron ... or *gasp* Amsoil.

I do have some reservations, however, about the GC as it turned a deep red when one forum member used it. Another had some rather nasty looking pics of a dirty engine using GC. What's that all about?

--- Bror Jace

Audi Junkie · May 20, 2004

quote:

This winter I'll be looking for a 0W30 motor oil for my '03 Nissan 2.5L

How about Saab Synth, aka Euro Mobil 1 Polar Long-Life, an A5 oil. $3.75/litre on special.

As far as those "dirty pics"

what were the parameters? GC the whole engine's life? 60,000km ocis? Short trips? Old car? Toyota?

G-MAN · May 20, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Bror Jace:
I do have some reservations, however, about the GC as it turned a deep red when one forum member used it. Another had some rather nasty looking pics of a dirty engine using GC. What's that all about?

Yeah, what about it? How about pointing us to the post where someone here had it turn red, as well as to the post with those pics.

Bror Jace · May 20, 2004

C'mon, G-Man II, you know me better than that! Do you think I'd make it up?

I know I'm the self-appointed Search Nazi ... but even I don't how I'd go about searching for those two threads.

As I remember the user complaining of red had previously used Amsoil ... but I don't remember any actual screen names.

Maybe one of the parties involved will see this thread and post?

--- Bror Jace

Audi Junkie · May 21, 2004

Red? Maybe they added some MM oil!

The Saab oil sounds great, I aquired 2 4ltr and 2 1ltr jugs. TBN=17? Maybe I'll run it this winter to flush out all the sludge from my 3 6month GC intervals.

[ May 21, 2004, 02:51 PM: Message edited by: Audi Junkie ]

cvl · May 21, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Audi Junkie:
Red? Maybe they added some MM oil!

The Saab oil sounds great, I aquired 2 4ltr and 2 1ltr jugs. TBN=17? Maybe I'll run it this winter to flush out all the sludge from my 3 6month GC intervals.

Do you have any more info on the Saab oil? I couldn't find anything from Mobil on their global sites.

69 Riv GS · May 21, 2004

Here's the post on "GC turning red" link ...

69 Riv GS · May 21, 2004

And here's the post with the valve cover pic... link

G-MAN · May 21, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by 69 Riv GS:
And here's the post with the valve cover pic... link

I seriously doubt that the oil caused this stuff in the valve cover. There is something wrong with this engine, as was clearly pointed out by several people in that thread (which is one reason I didn't remember this post as bringing into question GC's ability to keep an engine clean).

G-MAN · May 21, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by Bror Jace:
C'mon, G-Man II, you know me better than that! Do you think I'd make it up?

No, I just didn't remember the posts. That one about the valve covers clearly is not the fault of the oil, so while I remember that post, I didn't remember it as a post about GC sluding up an engine.

Audi Junkie · May 21, 2004

How many times have we heard "can't tell anything from ONE engine"?

The guy ran a PURPLE oil, then RL Fuel Cleaner and GC is the cause?

Various gas is dyed too.

The sludgy VC was definately due to an EGR problem.

Link to a post on Saab oil...

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000093

[ May 21, 2004, 11:29 PM: Message edited by: Audi Junkie ]

Bror Jace · May 21, 2004

AJ, hadn't considered the Saab oil.

Get it at dealerships? Hard to believe it could be a good deal if that's the case.

As for the filthy GC pics, they were posted here. I forget all the particulars ... but the images stuck in my mind. Engine had GC in it for a fair amount of time, I think.

It was just one anecdote but since someone created this thread, I thought I'd mention it.

Can't imagine what I'd use to search for it.

--- Bror Jace

So far what is the consensus on how clean GC is?

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