Castrol Magnatec 5w30, 96 Civic

Joined
Apr 12, 2012
Messages
1,547
Location
Michigan
Yes for those of you who had a good laugh at me asking if Blackstone was open, yes, they are! lol..
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Just got my UOA back.This is (for me) an extended oil change. This one went 9 months and 5901 miles. Guess this proved to me that yes, these oils CAN go a long time and still work well. I was thinking I would see higher iron levels, nope. This looks like a really good UOA. Plus from what I've heard, Honda engines (of this generation) are easy on oil.

Post up what you think! Probably looks boring! lol.. But thought I'd share..

The oil filter is a Honda A01, been using the stash I built up. And for those that think I have 25k miles on this car, no, I had to replace the speedometer. Engine has about 120k miles on it (after a rebuild due to a honda mechanic messing up a timing belt change, walked the crank!)


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What additive is responsible for the Intelligent Molecules they advertise about it clinging to metal parts? Or is that just a shot of Group I in the formula that makes it stick and coat better?
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
What additive is responsible for the Intelligent Molecules they advertise about it clinging to metal parts? Or is that just a shot of Group I in the formula that makes it stick and coat better?


The big magnet they ran all the Magnatec oil by before bottling. It polarizes the oil molecules to cling to metal parts when its used in the engine.

(kidding)
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
What additive is responsible for the Intelligent Molecules they advertise about it clinging to metal parts? Or is that just a shot of Group I in the formula that makes it stick and coat better?




It's been talked about numerous times here and Shannow even posted about a discussion he had with someone about it that was very interesting. You must have missed all that?
 
Thanks. Great report. Looks like a candidate for yearly/8 K OCI. I have the same oil. Going to run it a full year and what should be around 7.5 K in my 4 cylinder Honda without concern.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
It doesn't get much better than that. Great report.


hey thanks pimtac for your input! Ya, I was thinking that it was "boring" not much to complain about!
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Originally Posted by Zaedock
Nice report. More impressed that you drive a '96 Civic in Michigan!


thanks! glad you're impressed, bet it's because I'm still battling the rust!

Originally Posted by deoxy4
Thanks. Great report. Looks like a candidate for yearly/8 K OCI. I have the same oil. Going to run it a full year and what should be around 7.5 K in my 4 cylinder Honda without concern.


ahh.. what year/make Honda do you have? and thanks for the comment, yeah I was definitely impressed! I was busy and actually forgot to change the oil, it's how we got here, by accident! But glad it happened, showed that the oil is doing a great job..

but.. theses were all highway miles, which would definitely help the oil get up to temp!
 
That OCI of around 6,000 miles (10,000 km) is what I do, and I also take about 8 or 9 months getting there. So thank you for the report, very helpful.

You did well, 6ppm Iron in 6k miles is perfect. A retained TBN of 2.9 shows ample life left in the oil.

Nice work mate.
 
Originally Posted by LoneRanger
What additive is responsible for the Intelligent Molecules they advertise about it clinging to metal parts? Or is that just a shot of Group I in the formula that makes it stick and coat better?

It is magic. Magnetech,,, if a uoa actually means anything shows consistent better than average results for most users. Who wants unintelligent molecules in their oil?
 
The three oils that come to mind that have had exemplary used oil analysis reports from the outset are: Pennzoil Platinum when originally came out in grey bottles and has continued to provide excellent reports, Amsoil XL line of oils seemed to produce excellent reports especially when first came out which challenged "Pao snobs" like myself who still look down on group three oils, and this Castrol Magnatec seems to have produced excellent low metal wear in every report I have seen using this oil.
 
Originally Posted by deoxy4
I have a 2003 Honda Element with a 2.4L. Pretty easy on oil.


ahh.. i think that's the k24 engine? yup same as mine, easy on oil.. be interesting to see your UOA as well!
Originally Posted by SR5
That OCI of around 6,000 miles (10,000 km) is what I do, and I also take about 8 or 9 months getting there. So thank you for the report, very helpful.

You did well, 6ppm Iron in 6k miles is perfect. A retained TBN of 2.9 shows ample life left in the oil.

Nice work mate.


hey SR5! nice to hear from ya, thanks for the congrats!
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you're welcome, glad to help.. I did forget the rule of 1ppm of iron/1k miles was perfect! I really was locked in the old ways of 3-4 months/3-4k miles. This really showed me I can go a lot longer and not have to worry about any wear! It helps that I have an engine that's easy on oil, but I'm really impressed!

Originally Posted by spiderbypass
The three oils that come to mind that have had exemplary used oil analysis reports from the outset are: Pennzoil Platinum when originally came out in grey bottles and has continued to provide excellent reports, Amsoil XL line of oils seemed to produce excellent reports especially when first came out which challenged "Pao snobs" like myself who still look down on group three oils, and this Castrol Magnatec seems to have produced excellent low metal wear in every report I have seen using this oil.


yeah I saw a couple of early reviews of the magnatec a couple years ago, thought I'd give it a try. But you're right it really does well in almost every engine it's used in. The only one I can saw it didn't do so well was a family member's 13 Nissan Rogue. That thing can shear any oil like a kid chewing bubble gum! lol.. I have that engine now on Edge instead, Both my scion and honda are using the magnatec and excellent, almost boring reports! That's how it should be!
 
Originally Posted by researcher
hey SR5! nice to hear from ya,

Good to see you too, I hope you are doing well.

Originally Posted by researcher
The only one I can saw it didn't do so well was a family member's 13 Nissan Rogue. That thing can shear any oil like a kid chewing bubble gum! lol.. I have that engine now on Edge instead,


Is that the 2.5L 4-cylinder petrol (gas) engine (QR25DE) in that Nissan Rogue?
I've just purchased a new (to me) 2013 Nissan X-Trail, which I believe is much the same car with the same engine.

Please tell me what works and doesn't work in that engine. I noticed the OCI was 6 months & 6k miles, when most cars in Australia are 12 months and 9k miles. I didn't know it was that hard on oil.
 
Originally Posted by SR5

Originally Posted by researcher
hey SR5! nice to hear from ya,

Good to see you too, I hope you are doing well.

Originally Posted by researcher
The only one I can saw it didn't do so well was a family member's 13 Nissan Rogue. That thing can shear any oil like a kid chewing bubble gum! lol.. I have that engine now on Edge instead,


Is that the 2.5L 4-cylinder petrol (gas) engine (QR25DE) in that Nissan Rogue?
I've just purchased a new (to me) 2013 Nissan X-Trail, which I believe is much the same car with the same engine.

Please tell me what works and doesn't work in that engine. I noticed the OCI was 6 months & 6k miles, when most cars in Australia are 12 months and 9k miles. I didn't know it was that hard on oil.

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yes I'm doing well over here, the pandemic hasn't gotten me (hiding in the basement)
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glad you're doing well too!

ok about that engine.. yes it's the qr25de engine (had to look it up). What it was doing was shearing the viscosity of most oils we tried out. The UOA's were showing massive shearing. I made the joke the engine is chewing the oil up like a kid with bubble gum! We tried a couple of oils, finally settled on Castrol Edge 5w30. That "put up" with how rough this engine was on oil! About 4-5k (6400-8000km) is what we found was the best range. She drove the car on all highway miles so the oil definitely got up to temperature. The time factor didn't matter, it was about how many miles accumulated on the oil. I'm amazed at how rough it was on oil, compared to my scion (toyota) and honda (in this UOA)! Another thing that's amazing, check your Aussie manual.. Nissan USA is calling for brake fluid changes every year! whoa.. That's crazy early! I've settled on every 2 years, both Honda and Toyota is every 3 years. Just something to be aware of, let's see what the Aussie version says in the maintenance checklist.

so re-reading your post, yup see that?! the OCI is less, that's such a huge admission from nissan about that engine! The US manual doesn't tell the truth (not surprised) it just has the normal and severe schedules. I think it was still parroting the 7500miles blanket statement. Yup glad I mentioned it to you! glad to help.
 
Thanks Researcher!!

I just checked, wow! Yes, they say replace the brake fluid every year. That seems a lot to me too, I usually do it every 3-4 years. Hmmmm.... I'll think on that one.

The oil viscosity spec here is almost anything from 5W30 to 20W50 (including 10W30, 15W40 etc) all temperature dependant. With the grade being anything from API SL to SN, or ILSAC GF-2 to GF-5 or any of ACEA A1/B1, A5/B5, A3/B3, A3/B4, C2 or C3.

So it basically says "use oil". But "preferable" is 5W30 or 10W30.

Given the shear you have observed with your UOAs, I'll probably go for a Euro A3/B4 oil as this spec includes a stay-in-grade shear stability test. In my stash I have Magnatec 5W30, Edge 5W30 and Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 all these are full synthetics that all carry SN and A3/B4.

Our Castrol Magnatec and Edge products are a little different to yours as they are more likely to carry Euro A3/B4 spec instead of the ILSAC GF-5 spec. They are high HTHS (>3.5 cP) oils, so they should do OK in this application.

Thanks so much for your help. !
 
Originally Posted by SR5
Thanks Researcher!!

I just checked, wow! Yes, they say replace the brake fluid every year. That seems a lot to me too, I usually do it every 3-4 years. Hmmmm.... I'll think on that one.

The oil viscosity spec here is almost anything from 5W30 to 20W50 (including 10W30, 15W40 etc) all temperature dependant. With the grade being anything from API SL to SN, or ILSAC GF-2 to GF-5 or any of ACEA A1/B1, A5/B5, A3/B3, A3/B4, C2 or C3.

So it basically says "use oil". But "preferable" is 5W30 or 10W30.

Given the shear you have observed with your UOAs, I'll probably go for a Euro A3/B4 oil as this spec includes a stay-in-grade shear stability test. In my stash I have Magnatec 5W30, Edge 5W30 and Shell Helix Ultra 5W40 all these are full synthetics that all carry SN and A3/B4.

Our Castrol Magnatec and Edge products are a little different to yours as they are more likely to carry Euro A3/B4 spec instead of the ILSAC GF-5 spec. They are high HTHS (>3.5 cP) oils, so they should do OK in this application.

Thanks so much for your help. !


SR5, I see your point of the A3/B4 and how different that is than what we get here in the states (for the magnatec). I did look it up and yup, no A3/B4 classification for the us magnatec. I would agree that something with a higher HTHS would definitely be something you should use for that Nissan engine! It's one reason I switched from the GTX to the Magnatec for my own cars. It's basically what I was looking for (for the nissan) but had forgotten about that Euro spec! And I think you're definitely on the right track, glad I could mention it before! And about that changing the brake fluid every year. My relative who owns the Nissan has let it go three years and it definitely wasn't a firm brake pedal anymore. She's now replacing it every 2 years (which I think is the sweet spot for that, but not every year).

Would be interesting to see your UOA on the nissan with an aussie oil. See how it worked compared to the US stuff!
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I did just look up the magnatec us and the edge us specs. The edge has the ACEA A1/B1 spec, but magnatec doesn't. I did notice that the Edge in 5w30 has a higher starting viscosity than magnetc.Either way it's working better for that Nissan engine. thanks for making me curious to look at the specs again!
 
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