Reply to "What Oil to run in the Pantera?"

First, a meaningful discourse on this issue is best held with a chemical engineer, which I am not.

I believe the ester based synthetics are better at high temps & prevention of deposits. PAOs were noteworthy for their low temp peformance & resistance to oxidation. Most synthetics these days have a large amount of highly distilled mineral oil in them known as group III oil.The entire "synthetic" issue was muddied when Mobil 1 lost it's court battle with Castrol. Oils containing group III bases can be referred to as "synthetic". Most synthetic oils today contain a mixture of products in their bases, and they are not readily advertised, so its hard to say what you're buying.

From an earlier post, I know you use Red Line. Red Line is a poly-ester, due to its high temp characteristics it is a great oil for use in air cooled engines, perhaps the best oil for air cooled engines used in competition.

Amsoil & Mobil 1 are both good recommendations. Amsoil switches back & forth between PAOs & ester, depending upon the application. Mobil 1 advertises its motor oil as a "tri-synthetic", its base is not pure PAO.

If I can make one point clear, the semi-synthetics cost the oil companies 15% more to manufacture, yet they charge twice as much as for their pure mineral oil products. In other words, caveat emptor.

George