Synthetic Based Oils and Groups
API Groups Definition
API stands for American Petroleum Institute which is an institution that defines oil quality and oil categories. According to API, it has categorized base oils into five categories (API 1509, Appendix E). The first three groups are refined from petroleum crude oil. Group IV base oils are full synthetic (polyalphaolefin) oils. Group V is for all other base oils not included in Groups I through IV. Before all the additives are added to the mixture, lubricating oils begin as one or more of these five API groups.
PPE Extreme oil only contains Group IV, V base stock, and additives, its a true fully synthetic engine oil.
Group I
Group I base oils are classified as less than 90 percent saturates, greater than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity-index range of 80 to 120. The temperature range for these oils is from 32 to 150 degrees F. Group I base oils are solvent-refined, which is a simpler refining process. This is why they are the cheapest base oils on the market. Group I oil products have a close linkage with the price fluctuation of crude oil.
Group II
Group II base oils are defined as being more than 90 percent saturates less than 0.03 percent sulfur and with a viscosity index of 80 to 120. They are often manufactured by hydrocracking, which is a more complex process than what is used for Group I base oils. Since all the hydrocarbon molecules of these oils are saturated, Group II base oils have better antioxidation properties. They also have a clearer color and cost more in comparison to Group I base oils. Still, Group II base oils are becoming very common on the market today and are priced very close to Group I oils. Group II oil products also have a close price relationship with crude oil but are less sensitive to crude oil price fluctuations.
Group III
Group III base oils are greater than 90 percent saturates, less than 0.03 percent sulfur and have a viscosity index above 120. These oils are refined even more than Group II base oils and generally are severely hydrocracked (higher pressure and heat). This longer process is designed to achieve a purer base oil. Although made from crude oil, Group III base oils are sometimes described as synthesized hydrocarbons. Like Group II base oils, these oils are also becoming more prevalent. Group III oil has been marked as "fully synthetic" oil by most of the engine oil manufacturers. However, in terms of technical explanation, it's not synthetic and it's refined from crude oil. Some Group III oil has a very high viscosity index, but in terms of anti-oxidation and evaporation properties, it is still behind the performance of genuine synthetic base stocks. Group III oil has little linkage with crude oil price fluctuation, as its major cost is the cost of processing rather than raw materials.
Group IV
Group IV base oils are polyalphaolefins (PAOs). These synthetic base oils are made through a process called synthesizing. They have a much broader temperature range and are great for use in extreme cold conditions and high heat applications. It also has a much better low-temperature performance than Group III oil with much stable volatility than crude oil. The cost of Group IV oil is much higher than crude oil, and the price of crude oil has little effect on the price of Group IV base stock.
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Group V
Group V base oils are classified as all other base oils, including silicone, phosphate ester, polyalkylene glycol (PAG), polyolester, biolubes, etc. These base oils are at times mixed with other base stocks to enhance the oil’s properties. An example would be a PAO-based compressor oil that is mixed with a polyolester. Esters are common Group V base oils used in different lubricant formulations to improve the properties of the existing base oil. Ester oils can take more abuse at higher temperatures and will provide superior detergency compared to a PAO synthetic base oil, which in turn increases the hours of use. Group V raw material has little relationship with crude oil, therefore fluctuation of the price of crude oil has little effect on the price of Group V oil.
Synthetic Oil, Fully Synthetic, Synthetic Blend
In the market today, there exists many types of product that are named with the word "synthetic". After a case between two big oil companies, the lawsuit against an oil company market Group III as synthetic has lost. Therefore, now it's legal to market engine oil that is composed by Group III as "fully synthetic". More and more engine oil vendors have invented all these "synthetic" terms to make use of such a market "advantage" rather than technical compliance for synthetic or mineral oil. Some vendors use the "ester base" to emphasize the existence of genuine synthetic base stock compositions. However, there is no law governing to disclose the percentage of oil group base stock in the end product. As it's defined as a trade secret of oil formulas.
Genuine Synthetic VS Group III "Marketing Synthetic"
Sludge Forming
Group IV and V are genuine synthetic base stock, the anti-oxidation behavior is much better than Group 1-3 mineral oils. Therefore, the tendency of sludge forming from Group 1-3 mineral oil is much higher. The natural solubility of ester makes itself a very good detergent and acts as a major solvent for all types of additives. Good solving capability help keeps the engine oil channels clean with less chance of sludge forming. Sludges are acidic and can be very harmful by shortening engine oil life and quality. Acidic oil will also shorten lifespan of metal components and oil seals (see next paragraph)
Oil Seal lifetime
Group V esters not just helps to keep the engine clean, it improves oil seal lifetime, soften oil seals is one main reason that you want to use Group V. Oil seals get hardened and crack itself causing early oil leaks. Mineral base oil tends to oxidize itself and becomes acidic, result in shorten oil seal lifetime.
Volatility
Group III oil is much more volatile than Group IV and V oil. The tendency of oil loss due to evaporation is much higher than Group IV and V. API has put an upper limit of 15% (ASTM D5800 Noack volatility test), ACEA sets the upper limit to 13%, it is desired that this number is achievable by Group 1-3 base stocks. Some automotive manufacturers sets a higher standard than ACEA (such as 10% for MB229 by Mercedes Benz) to stlightly improve oil volatility.
Cold Temperature Performance
To achieve common SAE multigrade designations of 0W and 5W, it is desired to use Group IV and V to have good results. Although Group III oil can still use as base stock for 0W and 5W, it will suffer from many areas of drawbacks.
Other Aspects
Group IV and V oil carbon chains are artificial, in general, it achieves a better HTHS (high-temperature high shear), runs with less friction, can achieve viscosity index above 180, very high flash points (above 230 centigrade), a wide range of stable viscosity of product range. Compare to mineral oil, since it's from crude, the stability (in terms of viscosity and other behaviors) will vary according to the actual raw material quality. Artificial material is a more stable industrial product.
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Oil leak with Synthetic Oil Change
Some old cars suffer from oil leaks after switching to fully synthetic oil but some cars don't. This is not a myth, the reason that is cracked oil seals from old engines that may be sealed by oil sludge. Oil thickening of oxidized mineral oil tends to seal itself through those broken oil seal cracks. When using Group V high detergent oil, these sludge get washed away. Soften broken oil seals will speed up sludge removal. Some serious cases will get blocked oil filters with an old dirty engine! It's important to maintain engine in good condition with high-quality oil.
Oil Drain and Mileage
Most of the oil manufacturers claim that the next oil change is 25000 miles away. It is always true to keep engine conditions in real good for a more frequent oil change. And its also true the oil is "usable" even with less than 10% available anti-oxidation behavior. Oil chanage mileage greatly affected by engine conditions. For example, a rich fuel mixture sigfnicantly shorten oil mileage by over does fuel on cylinder walls and finally act as a solvent for engine oil. Fuel quality such as sulfuric contents also affects engine oil mileage. Frequent cold engine start stops also shorten oil lifespans. How frequent to change oil is the level of protection that you are offering to your engine. So there is no specific answer for this question, technically, some poor quality oil tends to lose viscosity after some certain mileage causing "compression leak" between the piston rings and cylinder bore. In such a case, the driver feels no torque/power, bad fuel mileage, and even high oil consumption. If such a case, an immediate oil change is necessary for correct engine operation.
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