why not just use the Castrol Edge Product as it is similar and looks to be a replacement/upgrade of the Magnatec product line. since i am not running supercharged and prefer a thinner product, i use either Mobil 1 or Amsoil Signature both 0w-40.

 

HI im about to put 6.5 litres in my 2001 4.0L sc engine its castrol edge 5w30 acea c3 , next time round im opting for castrol gtx 5w30 acer a1 ford wss-m2c913-a semi synthetic which im lead to believe is made for the older higher mileage car.

 

I also have been using Castrol Magnatec 5-40 for the last couple of years for my Xkr 4.0. Here in Sweden it is still available, but it also seems to be on sale constantly so probably it is soon gone here also

 

semi-synthetic's are poor bargain for consumers. None of them will publish the ratio of synthetic to conventional dino oil. You could be getting 90% dino oil and paying way too much over the cost of regular dino oil.

A quality 100% synthetic oil is always going to be a better deal for you and your engine. Longer change intervals, engine protection at higher temperatures, much much longer resistance to viscosity breakdown, and improved wear protection.

You mention needing a high mileage oil. Unless your engine is both over 200,000 miles AND is using oil, then you don't need a high mileage oil.

Z

 

97500 and no oil use, so maybe not in the higher mileage category yet,
so i may need more research before the next oil change,
Thanks..

 

I'm at 136,800+ miles on my '02 XKR, right @ 20,000 miles under my ownership that began Jan. 2018. And no measurable oil consumption yet. I don't even know how that's possible, but I can't add a drop between oil changes.

According to the Mobil 1 representative I spoke to, their high mileage formulas are designed for engines that use oil between oil changes, that being the primary factor when they designate an engine "high mileage". Another factor being evidence of excessive blow-by.

I don't know what criteria other oil companies use for the high mileage definition, but I'd venture a guess, they all are using the same engineering parameters.

Z

 

I use extra virgin olive oil. Knocked and smoked a lot in the beginning, but now all that's gone. Because it doesn't run anymore.

Just kidding. I use Mobil 1 5w-30 high mileage. Doesn't break the bank and hasn't had any issues across cars for me (I use it also in Audis, so there's economies of scale. The audis have almost 400,000 miles between them, and one does consume a little oil (though I think it may actually be a very slow valve cover leak)).

The deeper you go, the more obscure the oils perceived as high quality become. Some of the euro-tuners out west opt for Torco, Red Line, or Joe Gibbs oil. Those smaller boutique oils are much more expensive but often are Group V. Might be overkill for Jags like ours though. For the correct Red Line, I think it would be something like $70 for the oil alone.

Just choose the right weight for your climate, stay on the oil change schedule, and probably don't buy the amazon brand oil. But, yes, I agree with the above to stick with full synthetic. Not really worth it to go conventional, which has a shorter life IIRC.

 

The difference between Edge and Magnatec is the addition of a new additive. Titanium. click me

The irony of it is that if you go through their oil selector, and for mine I selected a 2003 XKR, they recommend Megnatec.
https://applications.castrol.com/oil...-v8-(2003-2006)

 

When i used castrol's oil selector (i selected 2001 xkr) they recommended edge,

my 2001 xkr is the 4.0L and your 2003 must be the 4.2L.

 

Yes your right. Mine is the 4.2L Still does not make sense recommending a product then stop selling it.................... brb

I take it all back. I can get as much as I want here in England. Gallons of it. According to the very first place I looked they had 120 4 Litre bottles of it in stock. Its still got me thinking though. I wonder why they recommend M instead of E? Going to fire off an email to them.

Just to confuse things more I have just been onto the UK Castrol website. On there they recommend three oils :-

EDGE 0W-30 A5/B5,
EDGE 0W-40 A3/B4
Magnatec Stop-Start 5W-30 A5

I suppose anyone of the three will do. Even if you buy the cheapest you will not be skimping on the oil. Though as to which is the best is debatable. Myself I lean towards Magnatec. I like the idea of oil clinging to parts. Better for initial start ups I would think.

 

an often made mistake is to assume that oil consumption is due to a problem related to combustion or piston ring seals. this is why it is good to avoid the term burning oil. in some cases, it is a small leak or a non engine wear cause. using thicker oil to stop one problem can compromise parts which are otherwise fine.

i have a friend with a mania for oil pressure, adding stuff to perfectly good oil AND reving up the car while the engine is cold. his engine builder (327 Chevrolet in a vintage Corvette) showed him ruined main bearings due to cavitation with only about 20 K US miles on the engine. the engineer (yes, the builder is one) said that the exact cause was reving a cold engine and that the other stuff (he used a different term) did not help or do any good. BTW, the recommended oil for this slightly modified vintage engine according to the engineer was 10w-30 street, 10w-40 for high performance driving, using products with somewhat higher zinc and moly for the flat tappet cam.

 

My 2001 xkr recommendation was similar if not the same,
i ended up buying castrol edge 5w-30 (LL) ACEA C3 MB-Approval 229.31/229.51 ; Porsche C30 ; Vw 504 00/507 00.

No idea what all that means but it sounds good and it was the cheapest castrol edge i found on flea bay, all in it cost £64.60 for 7 litres.

 

 

 

 

thank you for posting the link. it is very informative.

interestingly as many have said, one cannot go wrong with Castrol GTX conventional.

the results do make one wonder if the long oil change intervals have more to do with marketing than engineering. personally, i would never put 10K or more on any oil.

his results with high zinc have me reconsidering my thoughts for older vehicles.

 

these psi galling tests are one of the internets most laughable red herrings, For those of you who don't know what a "red herring" is, it's simple, it just means misdirection, going down a path that has no relevance.

The link suggested above, mirrors many such online postings of the results and oil rankings of how much pressure a ball bearing can take before the metal galls. And the finding are all very interesting, with the inevitable surprise winners and of course, the great oils that score poorly.

All seems above board, and great science, until you start to wonder, "why aren't those Formula 1 teams, with millions of dollars at stake, using that average oil that just happened to win the latest psi / galling force test . And how can all those engineers and scientists be so wrong about synthetic oil ?

Well, they're not wrong. These tests have no place in motor oil science except as a novelty. The fact is, there's no place in any internal combustion engine that puts a similar force on any moving part which mirrors the psi / galling test. Simply put, the single-point psi pressure test has no relevance to what is going on inside your engine. There isn't a single moving part that undergoes a stress even remotely similar to the internets psi /galling metal test. Not to even mention the fact that oil in your engine is moving, ALL THE TIME it's taking away heat from the bearings, it's not just sitting there while the pressure mounts and mounts higher and higher, Fresh, cooler oil is always passing over your bearings. That's what is keeping your engine from locking up. Not the ability of an oil to withstand x number of pounds of pressure against against a ball bearing sitting in a non moving non pressurized puddle of oil.

Z

 

@Zray -- i agree with you. in science and engineering one cannot infer from one isolated variable without further investigation. this summer i am rebuilding an old Chevrolet small block and might be tempted to break in (really not break in, just start driving it with a first very short interval oil change) with his preferred 5W-30 and then inspect the cam after a few thousand miles.

the author does acknowledge the necessity of the oil to neutralize acids and work as a direct cooling agent, although focus is elsewhere. like everything, not just on the internet, one has to sift through things like this to find useful data or points for further investigation.

 

someone mentioned not to use Amazon engine oil. Someone on YouTube ( ) has done a comparison of Amazon against Mobile 1 and I think Valvoline and Amazon held its own quit well. It is being produyced by a Texas Oil Refinery Company called Warren Oil Corporation. There is also an independent repair shop in Mesa, AZ that uses Silver State Oil that is made by Colorado Petroleum.