BLACK WIDOW
New member
Oil
You are right on, my friend!!:doorag:
:agree: with Scotty.
Don't read this if you are susceptible to migraines! :yikes:
Oil can be as simple, or as complicated as you want to make it. It doesn't have to give you a headache, but it can.
The oil we get in a can isn't what the Arab's send us in barrels. First, Chemical engineers play all kinds of games with it.
Then the marketing people get involved.
Clueless said in a previous post; "after the oil heats up you either 5W40 or 10W40 is the SAME weight running at SAE40 weight at operating temp so again no difference. So its a WIN WIN to use 5W40 over 10W40. all things being equal."
And, in a perfect world, and all things being equal, this would be a correct statement. But, unfortunatly, it isn't a perfect world, and all things are certainly not equal. If you dig deeper into oil testing you'll find viscosities can be all over the map and nowhere near what the label on the bottle states even after only a few hundred miles.
That article from Clueless is a good one, but the part about 40 weight being 40 weight is more intended theory than reality (as you'll see if you read further down).
It would be nice if it were that easy. And honestly, it should be. But honesty is part of the problem. You have to understand, the job of the oil manufactures is not to make oil, it is to SELL oil, and in doing so, make a profit. Bigger profit is better.
If you read down a little further in the excellent article posted by Clueless, you'll find that synthetic is not necessarily synthetic. In fact, the United States is the only country in the world that allows Group III based oils to be marketed as 'Full Synthetic' (which they are not).
Amsoil and Mobil 1 are the only Group IV based oils (True Synthetic) that I know of (thought it's been sometime since I checked this).
Group IV is a more expensive base than Group III. And if you can sell the cheaper Group III as Synthetic (and make more money) then....
Group III based oils must have the same modifiers to get multiple viscosities as do so called Dyno oils. The greater the spread between numbers, the more modifiers are needed. These modifiers tend to break down, especially when you add a transmission to the equation.
As they break down, so does your effective viscosity and protection.
Group IV based oils do not need these modifiers so they maintain original specs much longer.
That is why, in my opinion, it is a shame to pass over a great product like Amsoil, or Mobil 1 for that matter, because of a 5w/10w difference. But, of course, this is just my opinion and it's always worth what it costs.
I am not saying that everyone should rush out and get Amsoil or Mobil 1. Or that other oils used by Spyder owners aren't going a great job. But knowing as much as you can will always lead you to the best choice for what you are trying to accomplish.
You are right on, my friend!!:doorag: