NAPPA BRAND

Page 2 - Passionate about caravans & motorhome? Join our community to share that passion with a global audience!
Nov 6, 2005
7,341
2,046
25,935
Visit site
20w30 it is to do with the viscosity of the oil, I always used fully synthetic
There's a lot more to engine oil than viscosity and synthetic* - the ACEA category is important to avoid contaminating the emission controls on modern engines, ie anything after about 1990 - the car manufacturers' approval reference is vital.

* except in Germany, "synthetic" oil isn't actually synthetic - it's hydro-cracked mineral oil in the rest of the world - "synthetic" is just a marketing term that doesn't form part of any oil specification.
 
Nov 6, 2005
7,341
2,046
25,935
Visit site
Where are you finding 20W-30 oil and why are you putting it in a Ford?!

PS - 31 years in oil product development, I get how viscosity works. ;)
20W-30 is an unusual combination - a quick Google search show it's used by some tractors and it's a viscosity used by some transmission oil.
 
  • Like
Reactions: figbat
May 11, 2021
162
102
1,635
Visit site
There's a lot more to engine oil than viscosity and synthetic* - the ACEA category is important to avoid contaminating the emission controls on modern engines, ie anything after about 1990 - the car manufacturers' approval reference is vital.

* except in Germany, "synthetic" oil isn't actually synthetic - it's hydro-cracked mineral oil in the rest of the world - "synthetic" is just a marketing term that doesn't form part of any oil specification.
You’re right, there’s more to it than viscosity grade and claimed base oil type. There’s also more to it than ACEA specification too - many OEMs publish their own oil specifications, which go beyond the general requirements of ACEA or API and include OEM-specific demands. It is best to check the user manual for what oil specification is required and then find an oil which is approved to that spec.

The “synthetic “ thing is a bit more complex than you state. A synthetic oil can be made with a number of different base oil types:

- PAO, known as “group IV” - these base oils are synthesised from gas molecules. These are marketed as “synthetic” globally

- hydrocracked, known as “group III” - these base oils are synthesised from a waxy refinery output; what you end up with is totally different from what you started with, hence “synthetic”. These are marketed as synthetic globally - in Germany they are specifically called out as “HC-synthese”.

- esters, part of a broad group of base oils known as “group V”. These are petrochemicals that are expensive and so only used in fairly specialised products.

There are a few other base oils that can be synthetic but are rare and specialised.

Any given engine oil is made using are least two base oils, in order to get the final viscosity right. These base oils can be of the same type or from different groups. If they are a mix of groups III, IV and certain Vs then the product is called fully-synthetic. If they mix a group III with, say, group II or I (both are highly-refined mineral oils) then terms like semi-synthetic, part-synthetic etc are often used.

However, none of these terms are really important to the end user. What is important is what performance specifications they can achieve, so as I said before, check what the car asks for and get one that matches. What it is made of is largely irrelevant.
 
  • Like
Reactions: otherclive
Nov 11, 2009
20,095
6,128
50,935
Visit site
You’re right, there’s more to it than viscosity grade and claimed base oil type. There’s also more to it than ACEA specification too - many OEMs publish their own oil specifications, which go beyond the general requirements of ACEA or API and include OEM-specific demands. It is best to check the user manual for what oil specification is required and then find an oil which is approved to that spec.

The “synthetic “ thing is a bit more complex than you state. A synthetic oil can be made with a number of different base oil types:

- PAO, known as “group IV” - these base oils are synthesised from gas molecules. These are marketed as “synthetic” globally

- hydrocracked, known as “group III” - these base oils are synthesised from a waxy refinery output; what you end up with is totally different from what you started with, hence “synthetic”. These are marketed as synthetic globally - in Germany they are specifically called out as “HC-synthese”.

- esters, part of a broad group of base oils known as “group V”. These are petrochemicals that are expensive and so only used in fairly specialised products.

There are a few other base oils that can be synthetic but are rare and specialised.

Any given engine oil is made using are least two base oils, in order to get the final viscosity right. These base oils can be of the same type or from different groups. If they are a mix of groups III, IV and certain Vs then the product is called fully-synthetic. If they mix a group III with, say, group II or I (both are highly-refined mineral oils) then terms like semi-synthetic, part-synthetic etc are often used.

However, none of these terms are really important to the end user. What is important is what performance specifications they can achieve, so as I said before, check what the car asks for and get one that matches. What it is made of is largely irrelevant.
Thank you for such a comprehensive explanation. I’ve always gone by the OEM spec or a later iteration if it’s been superseded, and bought oil manufactured by reputable brands. Being old school it’s always changed along with the filter at the recommended mileage or annually whichever comes first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: figbat
Jun 18, 2014
43
21
18,535
Visit site
My mistake , it was 5W 30 I was putting in my old Ford kuga which in my ownership from 25000 miles until I sold it at 190000 miles and it still ran perfectly and never failed an mot on emissions in my opinion is very good going, kuga is still going strong as a friend of mine bought it off me , so all I was saying is all the waffling on about oil this and oil that is a bit ?,!?!
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,095
6,128
50,935
Visit site
Just looked at a 1 litre of Mobil 1 5-30 synthetic that’s used for my mower. On the rear label alongside the specifications is a list of approvals for different car manufacturers.

PS even if my car make had not been on the list providing the oils speciation met the car maker’s specifications I would be quite prepared to use that oil.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Hutch

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts