KNOW YOUR BASE STOCKS?

KNOW YOUR BASE STOCKS?

John Iuga

RED LINE SYNTHETIC OIL BASE STOCK TECH:

We are often asked why Red Line is priced higher than most oils. As you may already know not oils are the same, to which you may respond ‘yes I know the difference between a synthetic and a mineral oil’. However, it goes deeper than this because believe it or not, not all synthetics are the same.

The first thing you need to understand is what the base stocks are. The base stocks are the essential starting ingredient and fundamentally make up the oil before all the additives are added. If you take away the additives every oil can be categorised into 5 groups. The first three groups are refined from petroleum crude oil. Group IV and V go through a more extensive manufacturing process and use different chemicals, which is why they would be classed as a ‘fully synthetic’.

We've compiled a summary of each base stock to help you understand the market and see the benefits of a good quality oil. 

GROUP I

Group I is essentially crude oil which has been pulled out of the ground. It goes through a simple refining process called solvent refining which why they are the cheapest base oils on the market.

GROUP II

Group II again use crude oil as a starting point. However, it goes through a more complex refining process called hydrocracking. Group II oils have better antioxidation properties and are clearer in colour. This makes it slightly more expensive than a group I, but this is still a very common base stock.

GROUP III

Group III is the final base stock which is derived from crude oil. It goes through a more extensive hydrocracking process (higher pressure and heat), which is designed to achieve a purer base stock. Group III remains controversial as some companies use the petroleum derived base stock and still claim the 'synthetic' title for marketing purposes. 

GROUP IV 

Group IV is the first of the synthetic base stocks. It uses a polyalphaolefin (PAO) synthetic base stock and is what majority of automotive synthetic oils use. These oils have much better performance properties allow them to have a broader temperature range for extreme cold and hot conditions.

GROUP V

Group V are the most superior base stock available. They were initially designed for the extreme temperatures seen in jet engines. The group V is made of an ester base stock and goes through a much more extensive and costly refining process which is why most automotive oils tend to op for the group 4 base stock. Group V oils will offer the highest protection, efficiency, cleanliness and superior drain intervals.
If you would like any more information on Red Lines pricing and product info, please feel free to contact us. 
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