Useful Tips

Comparative test of motor oils SAE 5W-30

The note presents a comparative test and general analysis of the eight most common types of motor oils with an SAE 5W-30 viscosity index.

Three 4-liter canisters of each sample were selected for test tests: two will be needed to change the oil after running in, and one - for refilling during testing. For the absolute purity of the experiment, the tests were carried out on eight identical Ford Focus cars, each of which "ran" 10 thousand km during the comparative tests. These cars were equipped with the Duratec branded 1600 cc engine. and a power of 72.5 kW (100 hp). This engine is a typical representative of modern naturally aspirated engines designed for low-cost vehicles. It does not have such complex mechanisms as hydraulic compensators in the valve drive and phase shifters on the camshafts. The classical scheme provides for the presence of a katkollektor, a toothed belt in the drive of the gas distribution mechanism and four valves for each cylinder.

So, the following types of motor oils were selected for the test: semi-synthetic oils - Mobil Super FE Special, Total Quartz 9000 Future and synthetic oils - Castrol Magnatec A1, Motul 8100 Eco-nergy, Shell Helix Ultra Extra "," ZIC XQ LS "," TNK Magnum Professional C3 "," G-Energy F Synth EC ". Before testing, each sample was tested under laboratory conditions.

The research results showed that the viscosity of oils at one hundred degrees Celsius (this is exactly the working temperature of the fluid in a warm engine) for all samples fell into the SAE 30 range, although it differed by 20%. Shell oil was found to be the thickest (11.9 sq. Mm / s), and G-Energy oil was the thinnest (9.5 sq. Mm / s). The packages of additives in each considered sample also had cardinal differences. Oils "Castrol", "Motul", "Mobil", "Total" and "TNK" contained in their composition 2000 mg / kg of calcium and 1000 mg / kg of zinc and phosphorus, while Shell oil had its composition is only 1350 mg / kg of calcium, and oil "G-Energy" - less than 750 mg / kg of zinc and phosphorus. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first group had a high base number, which is determined by the high content of antioxidant and detergent additives. The highest base number has "Castrol" (9.64 KOH / g), and the lowest is "Shell" (5.42 KOH / g).

The tests were carried out as follows. The cars were driven by four drivers, that is, while the first four cars “wind kilometers,” the second cools down. The duration of each ride cycle is one hour. Therefore, the weather conditions for both groups were practically the same. The track is a high-speed oval. High-speed mode - 130 km / h in third gear at 6000 rpm. This mode of driving took place for four days a week, and on the fifth, the cars stood motionless for three hours in idle mode. After that, the drivers sequentially took cars according to the serial numbers, drove 1.5 km at each and left them to cool for one hour, and then they worked in idle mode for another three hours. As a result, in nine weeks of testing, the cars passed 10 thousand km, made 45 cold and 72 hot starts, and their engines worked for 100 hours at a load of 6000 rpm and for 54 hours at idle. This is a super-heavy engine operation, so the service mileage of cars was halved - instead of the standard 20 thousand km, service was carried out for 10 thousand km.

Darkening of all oils occurred almost simultaneously - after 2.5 thousand km of run. That is, we can conclude that any of the tested oils washes the car engine well - all the valve covers remain pristine.But the difference in the properties of oils at low temperatures was noticeable even with the naked eye - in the cold below -20 degrees Celsius, all oils, except for "Castrol", vigorously dripped from the oil dipstick. And even at a temperature of -27 degrees, there were no problems with starting the engines.

The costs of waste were as follows. The first car to top up was a car filled with semi-synthetic oil "Mobil" - after 4.8 thousand km its level fell below the minimum mark, so about 620 grams had to be added, and the same amount had to be added to 8 thousand km. Not too far behind him and the car, filled with another semi-synthetics - "Total". For 10 thousand km, 2.1 liters of Mobil oil and 1.9 liters of Total oil were spent. The rate of waste of synthetic oils was much lower: "Castrol" and "ZIC" - 1.4 liters each, "Shell" - 1.23 liters, "TNK" - 1.05 liters. That is, it becomes obvious that synthetic oil is consumed less, which means that the service mileage of a car fueled with synthetics is greater than that of a car fueled with semi-synthetic oil.

All cars were filled with the same gasoline, the quality of which is beyond doubt. According to the test results, they demonstrated almost the same fuel consumption - from 11.32 to 11.53 l / 100 km for the first 5 thousand km and from 10.64 to 10.9 l / 100 km for the latter. As expected, the most economical was the thinnest G-Energy oil, and the most wasteful was the thickest Shell. However, the difference in consumption is only 250 g of fuel per 100 km of run, which is less than 3%. More importantly, all tested oils performed equally well in terms of engine wear protection. At the highest engine speeds, the chrome-plated piston rings are the most subject to wear. However, after 100 hours of engine operation at 6000 rpm. the chromium concentration in the oil samples taken was zero! For other wear elements, the limit threshold for the permissible content of metals in oil (30 mg / kg) was also not exceeded. And in terms of the content of, for example, iron in oils, the difference between the best (Shell - 15 mg / kg) and the worst (Mobil - 27 mg / kg) was 12 mg / kg. It is worth noting that oils, which better protect steel parts from wear, are less protective of aluminum ones. In this nomination, Mobil and Shell have swapped places - 9 mg / kg and 15 mg / kg, respectively.

The test data give the impression that Castrol, Motul and TNK oils are characterized by the best antioxidant and detergent properties. After testing, they retained the highest base number values ​​- 5.03, 4.97 and 5.18 KOH / g, respectively. And the outsiders of the test were G-Energy, Shell, and ZIC - 2.72, 3.13 and 3.11 KOH / g, respectively. However, the most important thing in the operation of engines is the relationship of both indicators. Just in this regard, everything is in order for all samples: the base number gradually decreased, and the acid number increased. Therefore, all oils conscientiously continued to wash the engine from the inside, even approaching the end of the run, which confirms the cleanliness of the block heads in all eight power plants. Also, the indicators of high-temperature viscosity did not go beyond the permissible values. At the same time, in the middle of the test, the liquefaction of oils was greater than at the finish. Apparently, this happened due to the addition of fresh oil in the second half of the distance. Semi-synthetic oils have shown excellent stability: the viscosity indicators decreased by no more than 3 sq.mm / s, as in synthetic oils, although experts predicted their failure precisely for this indicator.

Now, in more detail about each of the samples:

Castrol Magnatec A1.

Despite the presence of a blue oval on the capacity and compliance with Ford approvals, this product is not officially used for filling the engines of cars coming off the company's assembly line - such a place in the Castrol line is occupied by the more expensive Magnatec Professional A5 oil. However, the more affordable variety is perfectly balanced - not a single failure in trials. Indicators of liquefaction and consumption for waste are small.In frosts down to -30 degrees, there are no problems with starting the engine, despite the higher viscosity than other samples. Castrol also has the highest base number in the new oil and the highest acidity at the end of the test. These properties indicate that this oil will work perfectly, even when refueling the car with fuel with a high sulfur content. But then the oil will need to be changed more often.

"G-Energy F Synth EC".

Oil from Gazpromneft is packed in Italy in canisters designed by Giugiaro himself! Intense smell - like sunflower oil. G-Energy has Ford approvals and did not get lost against the background of more eminent competitors - average waste consumption, stability of the synthetic base, record low base number, which increases only slightly during operation. By the way, the inscription on the packaging “Improved fuel economy” (“Secured fuel economy”) is completely true - by the end of the test, the oil showed a saving of 0.24 liters of fuel per 100 km of run compared to Shell oil. But the reserve of the base number is small, therefore, high-sulfur gasoline in this case is contraindicated for the engine.

Mobil Super FE Special.

The hydrocracked base of this inexpensive semi-synthetic oil has shown stable performance - throughout the tests, there was no critical thickening or liquefaction of this product. The additive package is also very good - the reserve in terms of base number is quite high. The increased content of molybdenum at first led to fuel savings compared to other oils by 0.1-0.2 liters for every 100 km, but after 5 thousand km of run, gasoline consumption increased to average values. Apparently, the additive had already worked by that time. But the indicators of oil consumption for waste are the highest - more than 2 liters per 10 thousand km of run. It is worth noting that you should not be intimidated if you see the same oil in a different package - at the beginning of last year, ExxonMobil decided to change the label design.

Motul 8100 Eco-nergy.

Along with Mobil and ZIC oils, this product protects aluminum elements from wear in the best way, but this is due to the poorer protection of cast iron and steel parts. Burnout values ​​are average, and the alkaline number reserve is also quite good. However, the inscription "Eco-nergy", indicating fuel economy, is not justified in any way - the gasoline consumption of this sample is far from being a record. And given the high cost of this oil (only Shell is more expensive), buyers have the right to expect something special. According to the test results, the conclusion suggests itself - Motul oil does not stand out among good synthetic oils.

Shell Helix Ultra Extra.

This sample has the longest list of vehicle manufacturers' approvals, but not Ford. But this is a formal reason for removing the vehicle from the factory warranty. But in fact, in the engine of the car "Ford Focus", this oil showed its best side. Shell is a very non-aggressive oil with a balanced additive package and low waste consumption. And the wear of the steel elements of the engine is generally the smallest among all the participants in the test. This ultra-modern product has only two significant drawbacks - high cost and rejection of high-sulfur fuels.

TNK Magnum Professional C3.

Low cost and excellent test results make this oil a leader in terms of price-quality ratio. TNK demonstrated the lowest waste consumption, the lowest concentration of wear elements and the highest base number. Like Castrol oil, this product, due to its chemical activity, copes well with fuels, which have a high sulfur content.

Total Quartz 9000 Future.

This sample at its price is close to inexpensive synthetic oils, but in almost all respects it loses to the more affordable Mobil oil.Is that the rate of consumption for waste is a little more modest. The base of this oil is the least stable, because in the middle of the tests, its liquefaction was on the verge of permissible values. Therefore, it is not recommended to exceed the recommended oil change intervals.

"ZIC XQ LS".

It is the only lubricant among the tested oils that can approach TNK in terms of price-quality ratio. And even though this product, unlike TNK, does not have a Ford approval, it shows itself perfectly in the Ford Focus engine. The consumption indicators for waste are low, the service life of the additive package is sufficient, and high wear protection. But this oil has a low chemical aggressiveness. Therefore, the contraindications for it are the same as for Shell oil - refueling with high-sulfur gasoline is not recommended.

So ... According to the most important parameters, the resource of all tested samples was sufficient for use in engines for 20 thousand km under normal operating conditions and 10 thousand km - under superheavy conditions. So what kind of oil to choose for your "iron friend"? When operating a car in the outback, where good fuel is extremely rare, it is preferable to use an oil that has an additive package that provides high base number. These include Castrol Magnatec A1, TNK Magnum Professional C3 and the most expensive Motul 8100 Eco-nergy oil, which is only slightly better than the semi-synthetic Mobil Super FE Special, but costs almost twice as much. Semi-synthetic oils are characterized by high waste consumption, which eliminates the benefit from low cost. For example, G-Energy F Synth EC showed the highest waste of synthetic oils and the lowest base number among oils that do not have the “C” mark on the ACEA classification. But before using elite "C-oils" such as "ZIC XQ LS" and "Shell Helix Ultra Extra" it is necessary to weigh the pros and cons. These products demonstrate excellent performance - the lowest waste, the most stable additive package and base, but all these benefits can quickly negate frequent refueling with high-sulfur gasoline. Of course, the engine will not immediately overgrow with tar, but after 10 thousand km it is quite possible. When using oils marked "C1", "C2", "C3", it must be remembered that you need to refuel the car only with low-sulfur fuel (sulfur content is not higher than 0.015%), which complies with Euro-3 and higher standards, and preferably proven gas stations. And if the period of the car's factory warranty has already expired, then it is advisable not to use the so-called Low SAPS oils for a gasoline engine, in which the base number is reduced. The oil load on the catalytic converter is 30 times lower than the effect of the increased sulfur content in the fuel on it. Therefore, the most justified option would be to purchase inexpensive synthetic oil with more frequent changes - at least every 15 thousand km. Have a nice ride!

$config[zx-auto] not found$config[zx-overlay] not found