Aja
Well-known member
Any one tell me if this expensive oil is mineral oil? Asked my brother in law to bring some 15/40 mineral oil and he spent £40 on this.
Is this mineral oil?
- Thread starter Aja
- Start date
Any one tell me if this expensive oil is mineral oil? Asked my brother in law to bring some 15/40 mineral oil and he spent £40 on this.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Yes it's a mineral oil but there are cheaper mineral oils around, your engine probably doesn't need GTX but it won't be harmed by it.
Aja
Well-known member
Unfortunately can't take it back to the garage now, since don't have the receipt. Thanks for confirming that it won't do any damage. Serves me right for not refitting the oil filler cap properly. What a mess!
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
Of course it depends on the engine and the oil specified by the engine manufacturer, but Tesco's cheapest mineral diesel oil actually exceeds the oil specification for my Volvo 2003 - and it doesn't cost £40 for 4l! Oil to the specification stipulated in the manual is no longer available, so the next specification up is the best we can do.
Aja
Well-known member
Unfortunately this is what was available at the local filing station.
thinwater
Well-known member
It is also probable the brother-in-law did not know what he needed, since "mineral oil" is not a specification. For example, if it was mineral oil he needed, it could not carry a multi-vis specification (15/40). That requires VI improvers. There is no such thing as 15/40 mineral oil.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
I think you will find that Castrol market it as mineral oil based.
thinwater
Well-known member
Really, blenders don't speak in terms of mineral oils, they speak in terms of base oil groups. The SAE approvals are al based on using oils within the same group as originally tested. Notice that the best mineral oil base (group 3) is sometimes considered semi-synthetic. And it's not going to tell you this on the bottle. And typically they generally use oils from more than one group to hit the multigrade requirement. You are unlikely to find a multigrade without some group 3 oils.
Group I base oils are classified as less than 90 percent saturates, greater than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity-index range of 80 to 120. The temperature range for these oils is from 32 to 150 degrees F. Group I base oils are solvent-refined, which is a simpler refining process. This is why they are the cheapest base oils on the market.
Group II base oils are defined as being more than 90 percent saturates, less than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity index of 80 to 120. They are often manufactured by hydrocracking, which is a more complex process than what is used for Group I base oils. Since all the hydrocarbon molecules of these oils are saturated,
Group II base oils have better antioxidation properties. They also have a clearer color and cost more in comparison to Group I base oils. Still, Group II base oils are becoming very common on the market today and are priced very close to Group I oils.
Group III base oils are greater than 90 percent saturates, less than 0.03 percent sulfur and have a viscosity index above 120. These oils are refined even more than Group II base oils and generally are severely hydrocracked (higher pressure and heat). This longer process is designed to achieve a purer base oil.
Although made from crude oil, Group III base oils are sometimes described as synthesized hydrocarbons. Like Group II base oils, these oils are also becoming more prevalent.
Group IV base oils are polyalphaolefins (PAOs). These synthetic base oils are made through a process called synthesizing. They have a much broader temperature range and are great for use in extreme cold conditions and high heat applications.
Group I
Group I base oils are classified as less than 90 percent saturates, greater than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity-index range of 80 to 120. The temperature range for these oils is from 32 to 150 degrees F. Group I base oils are solvent-refined, which is a simpler refining process. This is why they are the cheapest base oils on the market.
Group II
Group II base oils are defined as being more than 90 percent saturates, less than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity index of 80 to 120. They are often manufactured by hydrocracking, which is a more complex process than what is used for Group I base oils. Since all the hydrocarbon molecules of these oils are saturated,
Group II base oils have better antioxidation properties. They also have a clearer color and cost more in comparison to Group I base oils. Still, Group II base oils are becoming very common on the market today and are priced very close to Group I oils.
Group III
Group III base oils are greater than 90 percent saturates, less than 0.03 percent sulfur and have a viscosity index above 120. These oils are refined even more than Group II base oils and generally are severely hydrocracked (higher pressure and heat). This longer process is designed to achieve a purer base oil.
Although made from crude oil, Group III base oils are sometimes described as synthesized hydrocarbons. Like Group II base oils, these oils are also becoming more prevalent.
Group IV
Group IV base oils are polyalphaolefins (PAOs). These synthetic base oils are made through a process called synthesizing. They have a much broader temperature range and are great for use in extreme cold conditions and high heat applications.
Metalicmike
Active member
Nice to know, thanks
B27
Well-known member
That oil is API SP rated, so it's high end petrol engine oil, but has bugger all rating for diesels.
penberth3
Well-known member
Oh dear. I'll guess the OP wanted "mineral oil" i.e. good old fashioned multi-grade, as opposed to synthetic.
Blue Seas
Active member
If you think that you have paid £40 for 4L of mineral oil (which you didn't really need) then you will be disappointed. It will hurt.
To ease your pain, do not think of it as mineral oil, think of it as 'Liquid Engineering'. Change the oil, start her up, and within a few seconds the clatter will settle down to a quiet hush - that is 'Liquid Engineering'. A smile will start to form on your face and in no time you will be offering friends and family trips around the block to witness the effects of liquid engineering. Within a week you will be grinning from cheek to cheek as you regale them with your knowledge of Tribology - and all for £40 quid - enjoy!
To ease your pain, do not think of it as mineral oil, think of it as 'Liquid Engineering'. Change the oil, start her up, and within a few seconds the clatter will settle down to a quiet hush - that is 'Liquid Engineering'. A smile will start to form on your face and in no time you will be offering friends and family trips around the block to witness the effects of liquid engineering. Within a week you will be grinning from cheek to cheek as you regale them with your knowledge of Tribology - and all for £40 quid - enjoy!
thinwater
Well-known member
Yes. But multi-grade is not just "mineral oil." Funny. But I believe you are correct.
Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Yes but it is a basic mineral oil with as you have pointed out extenders / improvers to extend the viscosity range and also stabilise it through temperature changes. In the end it's a mineral oil.
Aja
Well-known member
I can confirm that in the UK supermarket Tesco sell 15/40 own brand oil marked "mineral oil".
I'm not an expert and Beith is my brother in law but both have boats which use 15/40 mineral oil. I do hope we haven't been using the wrong stuff for all these years
Aja
Well-known member
Better tell Castrol then
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
More importantly, the recommended grade for the Volvo 2003 is CD according to the owner's manual. CD is no longer readily available (it is an obsolete specification), but the Tesco oil is one step up (CF, I think, but I can't check), and is the appropriate replacement for CD.I can confirm that in the UK supermarket Tesco sell 15/40 own brand oil marked "mineral oil".
I'm not an expert and Beith is my brother in law but both have boats which use 15/40 mineral oil. I do hope we haven't been using the wrong stuff for all these years
B27
Well-known member
what do Castrol know.
I suspect they know it doesn't meet an API CI spec, like for example Yanmar's own label oil does, or they'd list it on the label?
I suspect they know it doesn't meet an API CI spec, like for example Yanmar's own label oil does, or they'd list it on the label?
AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
If it's anything like the Tesco oil, it's in small print on the label on the back of the container.
