By 3 Pedals
Castrol’s GTX2 was the oil of the late 80’s. The name sounded good-GT for grand touring, X for mystery and 2 for an upgrade from, I assume,1 and 0. There was no obvious bold identifying SAE rating but this did appear on the back label as 20W-50. This must have been distilled for the sophisticated cars of that time. Better than all the other oils- clever advertising or truth?
To translate the 20 is the viscosity at cold-Winter and the 50 the viscosity when hot. Can you imagine all of those quite oblong molecules of oil racing around a motor and subliming at the appropriate temperature. Very busy little fellows and very attractively packaged. There may have even been one of those mysterious additives, like Marvel Mystery, in them which apparently sanitized bearings. Not to forget the STP additive which was so thick that it made treacle look like water and promised to reduce oil burning - did it somehow magically bond to and rejuvenate worn rings?
To give a perspective in time it was in 1953, a good year for Grange Hermitage and writers, that the first multi-grade oil was marketed in Europe by Motul. Before this I believe that there were only mono-grade oils. These were still, however, mineral (circa natural, fossil sourced) oils.
R&D oil scientists must be very focused people. They must work in conjunction with car engine manufactures so to be accredited as being recommended. How otherwise could an oil like 0W30 be imagined or gestated? So much for the old 20-50 general purpose oil.
Oils were to become like fine wines in pedigree and so refinement. What would be the ultimate oil - or would this be just an oxymoron?
Did you know that there are people who actually buy and collect old plastic oil containers. I can only guess that they would be be proudly displayed in trophy cabinets? This possibly led to fascinating conversations such as, “That one is the 92 GTX2, which is in mint condition;only used once”.
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Motul's Viscosity Explainer
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