As discussed in the Base Oils & Lubricant Performance thread, one area where a properly blended Group IV synthetic lubricant can provide an advantage in performance over other base stock formulations, is in extreme cold temperatures. This can be demonstrated by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and their Pour Point test, otherwise known as the D-97. The D-97 Pour Point test identifies the lowest temperature at which a given lubricant is able to flow. Provided below are examples in which cold temperatures affect different base stock formulations using the ASTM D-97.

Lubricant #1: Conventional Motor Oil

Chevron Supreme SAE 10W-30 API (SM)
API base stock category: Group II
Base Stock Origin: Refined from crude oil.

ASTM D-97 Pour Point: -35 degrees Fahrenheit (Chevron, July 2007 Typical Test Data Sheet)


Lubricant #2: Full Synthetic Motor Oil

Pennzoil Platinum SAE 10W-30
API base stock category: Group III
Base Stock Origin: Refined from crude oil.

ASTM D-97 Pour Point: -39 degrees Fahrenheit (Pennzoil, February 2008 Typical Physical and Chemical Properties Sheet)


Lubricant #3: 100% Synthetic Motor Oil

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic SAE 10W-30 Motor Oil
API base stock category: Group IV/V
Base Stock Origin: Pure chemicals derived from Crude Oil or Natural Gas.

ASTM D-97 Pour Point: -58 degrees Fahrenheit (Amsoil, Inc.October 2007 Typical Technical Properties Sheet)

CompSyn