AGRO!
I found this on another forum!
In the United States, "synthetic" oil is a marketing gimmick.
Around 10 years ago, Castol started using hydrocracked group III in their "full synthetic" oil. Mobil sued them and lost. So now group III is allowed to be labeled full synthetic. Most major brands selling full synthetic, including Mobil 1, are in reality group III oils (highly refined dyno oil) blended with either or both group IV and group V base stocks. (group IV and group V are true synthetic molecules) The exception are the very high priced synthetic oils from companies like Redline, Maxima and Motul (specifically 300V) Those oils are the real deal. It's also why they cost $15 a quart. No oil for $5 a quart is really 100% synthetic. It's just economics.
Motul 5100 is labeled semi-synthetic because it uses group III blended with group V (ester). That's because it's a European based company, and the laws are different there. In Europe, to be called full synth, the oil needs to actually be all group IV or V. However, Motul 5100 'semi synth' is just as synthetic as Mobil One or many other "full synth" oils sold in the US. Motul calls it semi, because it's not 100% ester like 300V.
But actually a high quality group 3 blended with ester comes very close to a true full synth. Unless you're racing and banging it off the rev limiter for hours at a time, Motul 5100 is plenty good enough lubrication. Also Motul has patented additives to aid in positive gearbox actuation. It's why so many people report their bike shifts so nicely with it.
Nobody should feel bad or "ripped off" because Motul 5100 is "only" semi-synthetic. Most other brands in the US advertised as "full" synthetic are in reality no better than Motul 5100. They are group IIIs blended with PAO (group IV) or esters (group V), just like 5100.
As an anecdote, I don't think any other brand uses as high of an ester % in their blends as Motul. 5100 has a strong fruit smell. Stronger than some other expensive oils full synth, that are mostly PAO with a splash of ester.
In terms of cost, ester is the most expensive synthetic to manufacture, more than PAO. Both cost more to make than group III highly refined dyno.
Motul is offline Reply With Quote
In the United States, "synthetic" oil is a marketing gimmick.
Around 10 years ago, Castol started using hydrocracked group III in their "full synthetic" oil. Mobil sued them and lost. So now group III is allowed to be labeled full synthetic. Most major brands selling full synthetic, including Mobil 1, are in reality group III oils (highly refined dyno oil) blended with either or both group IV and group V base stocks. (group IV and group V are true synthetic molecules) The exception are the very high priced synthetic oils from companies like Redline, Maxima and Motul (specifically 300V) Those oils are the real deal. It's also why they cost $15 a quart. No oil for $5 a quart is really 100% synthetic. It's just economics.
Motul 5100 is labeled semi-synthetic because it uses group III blended with group V (ester). That's because it's a European based company, and the laws are different there. In Europe, to be called full synth, the oil needs to actually be all group IV or V. However, Motul 5100 'semi synth' is just as synthetic as Mobil One or many other "full synth" oils sold in the US. Motul calls it semi, because it's not 100% ester like 300V.
But actually a high quality group 3 blended with ester comes very close to a true full synth. Unless you're racing and banging it off the rev limiter for hours at a time, Motul 5100 is plenty good enough lubrication. Also Motul has patented additives to aid in positive gearbox actuation. It's why so many people report their bike shifts so nicely with it.
Nobody should feel bad or "ripped off" because Motul 5100 is "only" semi-synthetic. Most other brands in the US advertised as "full" synthetic are in reality no better than Motul 5100. They are group IIIs blended with PAO (group IV) or esters (group V), just like 5100.
As an anecdote, I don't think any other brand uses as high of an ester % in their blends as Motul. 5100 has a strong fruit smell. Stronger than some other expensive oils full synth, that are mostly PAO with a splash of ester.
In terms of cost, ester is the most expensive synthetic to manufacture, more than PAO. Both cost more to make than group III highly refined dyno.
Motul is offline Reply With Quote