May 31 2008

Castrol Oil article from North American Classic MG

Published by at 12:50 pm under Engine Talk

The following information was published in the North American Classic MG
Magazine in Issue Number 32. 2008, in the Letters and News section. It is of interest
to all MG Owners.
Norm Peacey

New Castrol Oil for "Classic Cars" with more Zinc
I contacted Castrol concerning their new motor oil for "Classic Cars" with

higher zinc levels, and received the following response. I thought you might be
interested in their reply. Also in talking with a Castrol representative, they said that
this is a new oil from them and if you local Castrol Oil supply store does not have it
yet or is even unaware of it yet, you should request that they order some. The
new container has printed on it "For Classic Cars. For more info, check out their
Web site, www.Castrol.com or call their help line at 800-462-0835 (Thanks to MG
racer Gene Gillam for letting us know about this.)

Greg Prehodka
MGVR Publicity Director

Castrol is aware of articles in enthusiast magazines and Web sites as well as
after�market parts manufacturer discussions concerning GF-4 engine oils and camshaft
durability issues in older performance vehicles. Some consumers suspect the
lower level of ZDDP in GF-4 oils may be causing these failures. Castrol is currently
investigating this issue.

For those consumers that wish not to use a GF-4 oil in these vehicles, Castrol
does offer the following products that contain Zinc at a level that is typical of the
Zinc level found in oils (API SG) marketed during the muscle car" era of time:
The following Castrol products have Zinc levels that are typical of API SG oil:
1. Castrol Syntec 20W50 (newly formulated classic oil formula; SYNTEC 20W50
does not meet the catalyst compatibility requirements of vehicles manufactured
since 1993) Finally, a motor oil that's one for the classics ... Today's engines face
different demands than those of yesteryear. Now classic car owners who are
particular about what they put in their vintage vehicles can receive modern wear
protection from a high zinc formula specially engineered for classic engines. Classic
& Vintage Vehicles that Qualify: Pre-1949, 1949-1961, 1962-1973
Key Benefits:
- Contains increased zinc levels for extra engine wear prevention.
- Utilizes proprietary additives and base oils to reduce metal-on-metal
contact of aging engine parts.
- Engineered to increase wear protection for classic cars with flat tappet
camshafts.
2. Castrol SYNTEC 5W40
3. Castrol Grand Prix 4T IOW40 (product has been replaced by Castrol Motorcycle
4T IOW�40)
4. Castrol Grand Prix 4T 20W50 (product has been replaced by Castrol Motorcycle
4T 20W�50)
5. Castrol GO! ATV IOW40
6. Castrol GO! ATV 20W50
7. Castrol TWS Motorsport 1OW60
8. BMW Long Life 5W30 (synthetic, available at BMW dealerships)
9. Castrol GO! IOW40 Motorcycle Oil
10. Castrol GO! 20W50 Motorcycle Oil

If installing a new performance cam in an older performance vehicle, it is
important to:
* follow the installation recommendations provided by the cam manufacturer
* use the recommended cam break-in lube
* prime the engine oil circuits
* use the recommended engine oil
* confirm valve train geometries prior to starting the engine with the new cam

Comments Off on Castrol Oil article from North American Classic MG

Comments are closed at this time.