Castrol Edge 5W30 "new" formula not so good?

M

Mr Whippy

Veteran
 Harrogate
It seems terribly thin vs the old stuff. It pours almost like water instead of oil.

I'm now onto my 2nd top up since the service 5k miles ago... normally I'd use one or two between services, so each would last about 6-7k... now they are lasting about 4.5k...

The last two have been this new formula and I'm honestly thinking it's the thinner oil.


So, what other oils do people recommend? My Z4 is now on 95k miles so it's getting worn. I was thinking a good old 10W40 fully synth by Fuchs Pro S or something. I tend to let my engines warm up nicely before using them, and when I do use them I use them pretty hard, so the 10W40 seems a better compromise.

I'd also like an oil that won't burn so readily.


Has anyone else noticed the 'new' Edge getting used a lot more heavily?


Thanks

Dave
 
I use Shell Helix Ultra Extra for my last two services. I drive mine pretty hard at times it it did not required a top up between services. Plus I have not had any issue with HVAs which the si can be prone to so I think I will stick with it. Mines on 64k
 
jan_tekin said:
I use Shell Helix Ultra Extra for my last two services. I drive mine pretty hard at times it it did not required a top up between services. Plus I have not had any issue with HVAs which the si can be prone to so I think I will stick with it. Mines on 64k
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I'd go with this, use Shell Helix on my Ducati for the same reason, it tends not to use any oil between services, a bit unrelated I know, though looking at this a good point.
 
Interesting topic this one...I started a thread a few weeks ago after realising mine was drinking more oil than I thought it should.

Mine's due an oil services in the next few weeks so I'll seek some advice from a couple of Indy's and report back.

C
 
bigdog said:
5w should be 5w. It's a worldwide standard.
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Quite true. And the allowable viscosity between 0w and 10w is rather small. OTOH, there is a wide range of viscosities allowed for 30 weight.

I would first try different brands, if that doesn't help much, I would go ahead and try a heavier grade.
 
Interesting post so I went to the Castrol Edge website, it has a Oil Selector at : http://www.castrol.com/castrol/sectionbodycopy.do?categoryId=9024084&contentId=7073092
And for the E85 it recommends EDGE 0W-30...Thoughts?
 
rafman said:
Interesting post so I went to the Castrol Edge website, it has a Oil Selector at : http://www.castrol.com/castrol/sectionbodycopy.do?categoryId=9024084&contentId=7073092
And for the E85 it recommends EDGE 0W-30...Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I remember a mechanic recommending 0W-30 or 5W-30 for a Zed Roadster when I asked about the grade of oil I should use..
 
Aha!!! I have the same damn problem! I've noticed I'm topping up a lot more than I should. I didn't have this problem with Mobile 1. My Z has around 94,000 miles too.

hmm...
 
Mine is deffo getting through it more than it used to, and it does seem tied to this 'new' blend of Edge.

I'll probably try a different brand. I wonder if they are trying to thin these oils as much as possible for the fuel economy angle, but it really isn't doing much good when you just burn more expensive oil instead of relatively cheaper fuel ;) :D

Hopefully I'll get to the next service with this top up pot, but if I have to buy a THIRD, then I'm most certainly re-speccing the oil to something other than Edge!


Well done Castrol, re-formulate the oil so we need to use more. Great formula for profit :D

Dave
 
Just an update on this.

I've now finished my 2nd top up and I'm at about 8000 miles since the last service. I'll probably have burned this oil off by 10,000 miles, so I'd guess at near double consumption vs the old Edge.

No oil leaks etc.


As soon as I bought this oil it seemed thinner than normal when looking at the level mark on the container while in the shop. Then pouring it seemed thinner, and suddenly consumption is much higher too.

Thinking of draining the system, doing a full flush, and moving to something that isn't made my Castrol any more.


Anyone else finding the new Edge is being used up faster still?


Cheers

Dave
 
I struggle to see how a new variant of oil from the same manufactuer should be visibly different. As others have posted the spec is very narrow. I don't deny you are using more but struggle it's the oil.

As a point of reference my 03 on 65k uses the same stuff and I can't remember ever adding more than half a litre between oil changes which I do annually or 6000-8000 miles.
 
I agree.

But it's the only new variable and it ties in with my very first initial observation "that looks like water" when viewing it in the container and pouring it, vs the old stuff.

Unless I've just had two dodgy batches of it... the first one might have been a one off which I worried about, but the 2nd has been the same too.


Or BMW used crappy oil at the service but from memory they use Edge too.


I think I'll be moving to something different, or trying to source some old Edge to see if consumption suddenly slows down again.

Dave
 
Just had my oil service done by Nigel at NBA sports cars at Dunsfold Park (opposite the top gear studios if anyone has been)
I highlighted my concern at the zed burning through oil but he wasn't concerned noting that he's known of plenty of even new BMWs requiring top ups more regularly than one would like. So nothing really to worry about IMO.
 
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