Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
So as long as you use the correct thickness you should disregard brand?
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
I think there is a big difference between brands but there are many good brands and many poor brands. And many brands are simply rebadged. I know that true synthetic oil is a better product than a mineral base too but again the marketing dept. has messed around with this and they use the word synthetic on many products that aren't true synthetic oils to up the $$$ margins. You would need to source, read and understand the MSDS of each product to know for sure.
My premise is that a good quality motor oil of similar viscosity for $3.50 a litre with regular service intervals is just as good, if not better than using Mercurys proprietary oil at a greatly inflated price. There is plenty of opinion and conjecture already available on the Internet forums hence I am really only asking what others first hand experience with oil in their outboards is so I can make up my own mind. Without some pretty hard evidence to the contrary I'm pretty sure I've already made up my mind.
My premise is that a good quality motor oil of similar viscosity for $3.50 a litre with regular service intervals is just as good, if not better than using Mercurys proprietary oil at a greatly inflated price. There is plenty of opinion and conjecture already available on the Internet forums hence I am really only asking what others first hand experience with oil in their outboards is so I can make up my own mind. Without some pretty hard evidence to the contrary I'm pretty sure I've already made up my mind.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
There are Oils and then there are also coolants.
toyota uses the red coolant because their engine blocks are made to take advantage of it, changing over to the green type actually will make things worse, but try telling that to most backyard mechanics and it doesnt go down very well..
i would like to think the same with the oils, certain engines run a lot better and have better fuel and mileage ratings from using certain brands of oil.
for instance running quite thick oil in a Multi valve turbocharged engine is just plain stupidity.
but sticking with manufacture recommended weights in a decent brand is generally a safe option.
toyota uses the red coolant because their engine blocks are made to take advantage of it, changing over to the green type actually will make things worse, but try telling that to most backyard mechanics and it doesnt go down very well..
i would like to think the same with the oils, certain engines run a lot better and have better fuel and mileage ratings from using certain brands of oil.
for instance running quite thick oil in a Multi valve turbocharged engine is just plain stupidity.
but sticking with manufacture recommended weights in a decent brand is generally a safe option.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
skronkman wrote:I think there is a big difference between brands but there are many good brands and many poor brands. And many brands are simply rebadged. I know that true synthetic oil is a better product than a mineral base too but again the marketing dept. has messed around with this and they use the word synthetic on many products that aren't true synthetic oils to up the $$$ margins. You would need to source, read and understand the MSDS of each product to know for sure.
My premise is that a good quality motor oil of similar viscosity for $3.50 a litre with regular service intervals is just as good, if not better than using Mercurys proprietary oil at a greatly inflated price. There is plenty of opinion and conjecture already available on the Internet forums hence I am really only asking what others first hand experience with oil in their outboards is so I can make up my own mind. Without some pretty hard evidence to the contrary I'm pretty sure I've already made up my mind.
Yep avoid shell and mobile oils they are rubbish.
Most of the other brands sold locally are decent, Amsoil, Castrol, Nulon Valvoline.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
So what's the best brand of oil? I blindly use Motul in my motorbikes purely because it was expensive and marketed well.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
Penrite is a decent brand, and i have had reasonably good success with Nulon as well.
In saying that though all manufacturers have to meet stringent standards to be sold on the shelves, but there always ways of getting around them too.
for me when i was running my performance cars i would try different oils on each motor (when i just bought the car) and see which one it liked best, and believe me they certainly changed depending on which car it was. some would tick or rattle at startup. some just felt sluggish, some would have higher oil temps. i honestly dont know why though. Nulon generally was a winner with most.
But for some reason almost all cars hated BP ultimate Fuel, and ran really well on Shell Optimax/V power.
In saying that though all manufacturers have to meet stringent standards to be sold on the shelves, but there always ways of getting around them too.
for me when i was running my performance cars i would try different oils on each motor (when i just bought the car) and see which one it liked best, and believe me they certainly changed depending on which car it was. some would tick or rattle at startup. some just felt sluggish, some would have higher oil temps. i honestly dont know why though. Nulon generally was a winner with most.
But for some reason almost all cars hated BP ultimate Fuel, and ran really well on Shell Optimax/V power.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
Lots of good oil available.
Check out oil tests, ball wear test is considered a better indication than film strength in the test ( the link to the oil test below is testing film strength) but it still provides a good indication.
Keep in mind when oil companies compare there oil against another leading brand the other leading brand is always mobil 1 as they will always beat it...
http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/0 ... t-ranking/
Check out oil tests, ball wear test is considered a better indication than film strength in the test ( the link to the oil test below is testing film strength) but it still provides a good indication.
Keep in mind when oil companies compare there oil against another leading brand the other leading brand is always mobil 1 as they will always beat it...
http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf
https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/0 ... t-ranking/
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
Odd BPU is significantly better fuel than Shell VP.purple5ive wrote:
But for some reason almost all cars hated BP ultimate Fuel, and ran really well on Shell Optimax/V power.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
All cars ive owned that needed 100ron (japanese imports) plus the current car which is a subaru have given me an extra 50-60ks more on a full tank when using shell optimax/vpower. also seems to run lot more smoother, i got NFI why though.frozenpod wrote:Odd BPU is significantly better fuel than Shell VP.purple5ive wrote:
But for some reason almost all cars hated BP ultimate Fuel, and ran really well on Shell Optimax/V power.
i even tried it on the wifes car with very similar results.
added bonus of shopping at coles meant i got some discount on the fuel too.
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Re: Oils ain't oils (but marketing is marketing)
I own 2 jap imports atm and have had 3 others.
Dyno testing on multiple vehicles BPU always could run more timing than Shell due to higher octane rating.
From dyno and track experience BPU is best non E85 pump fuel.
Dyno testing on multiple vehicles BPU always could run more timing than Shell due to higher octane rating.
From dyno and track experience BPU is best non E85 pump fuel.