question about Ester oil

[CoarsegoldKid]

At the risk of starting up an oil thread- Sorry. Some auto manufacturers are highly recommending the use of Ester oil in new cars. Motul sells an Ester/Synthetic Engine Oil. Others may also. What is this ester stuff all about?

[Skywagon]

http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/motoroil/car_care/askmobil/What_Is_Ester_Oil.aspx

[dirtrider]

Evening Joe

 

Most “true” synthetic oils are assembled from the ground up using synthetic esters and PAO type base stock.

 

Not all synthetic oil’s in the U.S.A are true ground up synthetics. Most are just re-refined conventional oil that MEETS synthetic criteria. Years ago a marketing ruling said synthetic oil doesn’t really have to be made synthetically to be called synthetic oil as long as it loosely meets the synthetic oil standard.

 

The Ester and PAO oil’s are usually more expensive as they are more intense to assemble. Some cheap synthetic oil’s are synthetic in name only with not much more to offer than a quality dino oil.

 

The line is starting to blur a bit lately as the dino based synthetics are getting better and the PAO Ester based are getting too expensive to keep 100% man made components.

 

Oil cost is somewhat of a guide line—Expensive synthetic oil is usually made synthetically from Esters or POA stock. Cheap synthetics are usually just highly refined conventional oil with some synthetic cracking & some synthetic content.

 

Kind of—You want your synthetic eggs made from egg parts & pieces or from chemicals that turn into egg parts & pieces? (well you get the idea)

 

[DaveTheAffable]

...What is this ester stuff all about?

 

... eggs made from egg parts & pieces or from chemicals that turn into egg parts & pieces? (well you get the idea)

 

 

Well yeah... Scrambled? Sunny Side Up?

 

Sheesh. I'm feeling stupid. I thought Ester oil came from Ester Eggs.

 

[AZRTRDR]

 

 

Sheesh. I'm feeling stupid. I thought Ester oil came from Ester Eggs.

 

 

Guess which color of ester eggs Royal Purple comes from.

 

Marketing rules when it comes to oils as it does for many other products.

If I am going to pay for synthetic oil at synthetic oil prices I want synthetic oil. Not as described by the marketeers.

[hopz]

Still would like to know if "Real" synthetic is actually better at oiling than unreal synthetic, or for that matter... out of the ground oil.

 

p.s.- No dinos are involved in Dino Oil.

[Mister Tee]

I don't know if "real" vs. "unreal" synthetic is better, but synthetic vs. mineral oil is definately better at oiling.

 

Basis of opinion: Observed wear and destruct tests on engines during my brief stint in engine R&D.

[SuperG]

 

Oil cost is somewhat of a guide line—Expensive synthetic oil is usually made synthetically from Esters or POA stock. Cheap synthetics are usually just highly refined conventional oil with some synthetic cracking & some synthetic content.

 

 

The real question is: when you pay high price for synthetic, how do you know you really getting synthetic made from Esters or POA stock or cheap synthetics that is just highly refined conventional oil with some synthetic cracking & some synthetic content.

 

Are the manufacturer required to print it on the label or let you know otherwise?

 

What do you consider "expensive synthetic"?

 

[dirtrider]

----The real question is: when you pay high price for synthetic, how do you know you really getting synthetic made from Esters or POA stock or cheap synthetics that is just highly refined conventional oil with some synthetic cracking & some synthetic content.----

Lots & lots of research, go to the oil suppliers web site & look at the data. Look for product data sheets. Some oil companies won’t tell you much about their oil so that usually points to trying to hide the contents. A lot of the good oil’s based on PAO’s or Esters have that data right up front as they are mighty proud of the contents.

 

 

Are the manufacturer required to print it on the label or let you know otherwise?---

Not really, in fact the oils that are not based on Esters or PAO’s usually go out of their way to hide that fact and confuse you.

 

What do you consider "expensive synthetic"?---

That depends on where you are and what marketing will bring in your area. Most of the better PAO or Ester base oil’s go for well over $8-$9 a quart (list price). I seriously doubt you will find a PAO or Ester based oil for $5.00 a quart anywhere.

[terryofperry]

Redline and high end Motul are esters. Mobil 1 is some of both and highly cracked normal oil. Valvoline may be also.

 

Esters are the most expensive to produce. Esters have natural cleaning ability and need no detergents. Esters also need no viscosity improvers.

 

About 6 months ago Valvoline started selling their full synthetic motorcycle oil in the USA. Up until then it was only available in other countries and we had to settle for non-synthetic motorcyle oil.

 

Valvoline is one of the few companies that publish the ZDDP content on their data sheets on their website.

 

These are all good oils, so don't fret.

 

I've used Redline, a great oil, but I am not a fan of Moly in an oil. Just me. I used Mobil 1 also, another good oil.

 

I changed today to the Valvoline. I like the fact they respond to my E-Mails promptly and with something other than the company line and the ZDDP is not a secret. You can call & talk to someone intelligently.

 

So far the Boxer has not said they taste any different and it would probably run 200,000 miles on peanut oil.

 

I also switch to synthetic at the 1,000 mark so you may want to take all of this with a grain of salt. Police bikes switch at the 600 (hundred) mile service. BMW autos come from the showroom with it and they have Nikasil also. Synthetics will allow break in, albeit a minor length of time longer. I used 3 oz. of oil in the last 2300 miles, acceptable to me. Oil usage is more a function of the break in procedure and probably dumb luck.

 

Ride safely

 

Terry

[DoctorC]

No dino's involved in dino oil... I beg to differ... some dino's were still around in the early carboniferous period, no?

[DaveTheAffable]

No dino's involved in dino oil... I beg to differ..

 

-Vegetable Oil

-Corn Oil

-Mineral Oil

 

and ... Baby Oil?

[Rocer]

Popeye went with Ester but left her for Olive.