Best Oil for our beloved Hondas

[kavehman]

try Shell Sythentic 5W40

Or Pennzoil 5W40

Shell can be had for $50 at K mart

[JCE]

After reading a lot of oil recomendations without much real research or testing, I decided to have an oil analysis performed on a sample of Motul 300v 10w40.

The oil was in the car for 2500 km's including a hard drive down the putty road and roughly 160 km's at Eastern Creek.

I will withold from posting the actual analysis until i recieve further comments on the analysis from other parties.

However from the preliminary research i have done into the results:

- The analysed viscosity at 40 and 100 degrees celsius was next to exactly what Motul had quoted. From what i have read this means that the oil has not "sheared" at all, (i.e. the oil has not lost any viscosity). This lends credibilty to Motuls claim of “achieving 0% shear loss".

-There were minimal (all far below accpetable levels) parts per million of the wear metals Aluminium, Copper, Chromium, Iron, Lead and Tin in the oil. So I assume that the oil did a good of lubricating the engine.

-The sample's "TBN" (Total Base Number) had only degraded from the stated 9.5 mg KOH/g to 7.3. Quote http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/basic_...ion_design.htmThe TBN measures the depletion of a detergents present in an engine oil for the purposes of neutralizing acidic blow-by gases which occurs due to low levels of antioxidants with in the oil. As the detergent is consumed in its role of neutralizing sludge and varnish, the base number decreases from its original new oil value. Monitoring this consumption allows one to proactively replenish the oil through change out before the protection afforded by that additive is lost.

-I assume from the analysed TBN that the oil would have been able to be left in the engine for at least another 2500 km's before being changed.

I am waiting on some advice about the content/makeup of the additives and detergents left in the oil before i post any further assumptions/statements.

However Motul 300v 10w40 gets the thumbs up for a track day (for my stock car) from me.

P.S. throwing out $100 worth of oil to sample it =

[freakygeek]

Thankyou James for finally posting some hard data on the subject rather than opinions with no factual basis... !!

[tinkerbell]

After reading a lot of oil recomendations without much real research or testing, I decided to have an oil analysis performed on a sample of Motul 300v 10w40.

i plan on getting my Redline 10W-40 tested, my Catsrol 10W-60 Tested and some Mobile 15W-50 tested...

where did you get the analysis done? how much did it cost? how long did it take?

[chuck]

Yes, please post where you got it tested and I'll get my Mobil 1 5w-50 tested.

[JCE]

I got the analysis done through Castrol Labs, however i don't think they do analysis for individuals.

There are some other companies that you could try however I think they would charge anywhere from $40 - $80 per analysis.

Do you have "used" samples for all of those oils?

[JCE]

Found one.

http://www.oiltest.com.au/

[twmwong]

I've been using Motul for most of my oils like brake oil, gear oil, engine oil, etc.

The place where I get my car serviced also uses OWS like engine flushes, coolants, etc.

Last track day at Broadford...I tried the new OWS 5w 50 engine oil that just came out in the market....I was told they were used for track racing...so I had a go to see what the difference is compared to the Motul 300V 10w 40....since its the same price ....couldn't feel much of a difference though

[JCE]

I doubt very much whether you could "feel" that one oil is better than another.

However oil analysis should let you "see" which oil performs better, however conditions/load on the engine etc will all play a part in dictating the result.

To those who asked my analysis was done by http://www.labcheck.com.au/ however they only sell kits in sets of 10.

I dont know how much they cost as it was part of our supply agreement.

Best to contact them direct, or google "oil analysis" for another provider.

[tinkerbell]

I got the analysis done through Castrol Labs, however i don't think they do analysis for individuals.

yes they do, the Castrol Tech guy who recommended me the EDGE 10W-60 told me it was possible via their labcheck, that i should do it, and itwas around $30 per oil test

There are some other companies that you could try however I think they would charge anywhere from $40 - $80 per analysis.

i'll try with labcheck...

Do you have "used" samples for all of those oils?

of course.

and BTW - i believe that i can *feel* the difference between Redline 10W-40 and Castrol EDGE 10W-60...

same way i believe can *feel* the difference between oil used for 50km and oil used for over 5000km...

[JCE]

WTF

You have samples of three used oils just sitting around?

I should have been more specific in stating that comparing two similar "fresh" (ie new 0km oils) of a similar quality by feel alone is far from an accurate analysis of how they perform doing their job.

I think anybody can "feel" the difference between two oils, however a 0w oil would probably "feel" best (due to the lack of friction), but would it offer the best protection for your engine??


Do you have a sample of the oil from your B18C engine failure?
It would be interesting to see what happened to the oil, and if the breakdown of the oil was a primary cause in the failure of the engine.

[tinkerbell]

WTF

You have samples of three used oils just sitting around?

i don'y pour it down the drain, it gets stored untill i do a bulk oil disposal run... I only have the Redline and Mobil - am yet to finish the EDGE...

Do you have a sample of the oil from your B18C engine failure?

no.

It would be interesting to see what happened to the oil, and if the breakdown of the oil was a primary cause in the failure of the engine.

i can safely say i think the failure was primarily due to oil stavation, rather than oil breakdown...

[jansenrw]

???? the only way to test oils is with a shear viscosity test. it basically involves a huge press with a centered rod spinning between the press. oil is circulated over the rod then it can be checked underneath a microsope to see if the rod has any signs of wear. The oil can also be tested inregards to how well the polymers have done their job.. I did a uni project on this so this is off the top of my head minus the missing bits due to alcohol consumption.

As for oil, I'm about to try royal purple 10w40 . The u.s. guys seem to swear by it and it appears to be a cheaper than 300v chrono....

[rayDC2R]

hey guys... couldn't be stuffed looking through all 12 pages here... but just wondering...

i just had my car serviced at hanny's and normally i put mobil 1 10w30, this time robert asked me to try elf competition sm 5w30... is this oil any good? better than mobil 1? is elf an aussie brand?

[hebe]

I believe ELF is not Aussie brand
http://www.lubricants.elf.com/

You haven't heard of ELF before?

I used ELF once before...10w50 LOL...but I now use Royal Purple as that is what BEL stock.