Both contestants are specially formulated for modern light vehicles working in extremely severe conditions with 3000 designed by CoolTech technology. The purpose of using this technology is to target the engine’s critical heat zones while 5000 is made for providing ultimate thermal stability to vehicles equipped with after-treatment exhaust systems.
Syntium 3000 is made especially for the up-to-date high-performance gasoline engines to provide supreme oxidation control and prevent thermal degradation in the engine. Its sludge removing ability and wear protection in a resilient environment are unrivaled.
Petronas Syntium 5000 is an environment-friendly mid SAPS (Sulfated Ash, Phosphorus, and Sulfur) engine oil, suitable for all types of passenger cars. It is compatible with emission control devices such as catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, or turbochargers. It provides instate lubrication in extremely cold weather.
| Specifications | Syntium 5000 | Syntium 3000 |
| Oil Type | Synthetic | Synthetic |
| Engine Category | Diesel /Gasoline / CNG / Ethanol | Gasoline |
| ILSAC Standard | GF-5 | GF-5 |
| API Standard | SN | SN |
| Viscosity Grades | SAE 5W – 40 5W – 30 5W – 20 | SAE 5W – 20 5W – 30 5W – 40 |
| Cost ( SAE 5W – 30) | $36.09, 5 liter | $40.70, 4 liter |
| Oil Drainage (miles) | 6,000 | 10,000 |
Table of Contents
Reducing Engine Wear-Off
Wear off in an engine can occur due to many reasons such as engine heat up, oil thinning, valves and seal breakage, or even overloading the vehicle.
The point of discussion is that the situation is inevitable and bound to happen sooner or later.
To minimize engine wear off, lubricant manufacturers add up anti-wear additives such as zinc, phosphorus, and boron in engine oils.
The amount of all of these anti-wear additives in 3000 is obviously much higher than its rival in the table given below. So the best option would be 3000 in terms of wear protection.
| Additive | Quantity in Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | Quantity in Syntium 3000 5W – 40 |
| Phosphorous, ppm | 772 | 937 |
| Zinc, ppm | 881 | 1066 |
| Boron, ppm | 1 | 93 |
Comparison of Viscosity
The internal friction between the layers of a moving liquid is called the viscosity and it can be related to the liquid’s flowing resistance.
By dividing the viscosity of a liquid with its density at a certain temperature, we get kinematic viscosity.
The kinematic viscosity of 3000 is comparatively higher than its rival.
The second important parameter to analyze while comparing the viscosities of two engine oils is the viscosity index. It shows us the alteration in viscosity of any liquid due to the temperature change.
The change we observe in the viscosities of both the contenders is almost the same since their viscosity index values are not much apart from one another.
Pour point is the minimum temperature at which a lubricant would lose its ability to flow in the engine. 5000 will be a preferable choice in cold weather since its pour point value is lower than its opponent.
| Parameter | Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | Syntium 3000 5W – 40 |
| Viscosity Index | 170 | 171 |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 40o C (cSt) | 70.62 | 86.32 |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 100o C (cSt) | 12.11 | 14.23 |
| Pour Point, o C | -42 | -38 |
Impact on Catalytic Converter’s Performance
When a little quantity of engine oil gets burned down in a combustion chamber due to seepage, the creation of phosphorus and zinc ash occurs since zinc and phosphorous are two elements of anti-wear additives in the engine oil.
The performance efficiency of the catalytic converter gets affected by settling down of the formed ash. Their concentration in a lubricant would determine the quantity of ash production and hence the effect of it on the catalytic converter.
By the tested data given below, we can state that 3000 has more amount of phosphorous and zinc than its competitor, and hence the ash formation will also be high during the lubricant burn up.
In this regard, it would be safe to go along with 5000 instead of 3000.
| Engine Oil | Amount of Phosphorous (ppm) | Amount of Zinc (ppm) |
| Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | 772 | 881 |
| Syntium 3000 5W – 40 | 937 | 1066 |
Minimizing Sludge building
Magnesium, calcium, and sodium are commonly used cleaning detergents in engine oil.
Their purpose is to remove the sludge which occurs due to the oxidation process at high-temperature conditions.
In the process, lubricant breaks up and combines with contamination, dirt, and water vapors to create a sticky liquid known as sludge or deposit.
The sludge is a hindrance to the flow of lubricant and could cause engine failure.
| Additive | Quantity in Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | Quantity in Syntium 3000 5W – 40 |
| Sodium, ppm | 1 | 3 |
| Magnesium, ppm | 5 | 17 |
| Calcium, ppm | 1710 | 2644 |
The amount of all three cleaning detergents are relatively higher in 3000 than its opponent, making it the best choice among the contenders when it comes to sludge protection.
Oil Burn-off
When an engine stays in a heat-up situation for a long period, engine oil could evaporate and combust off leading to its deficiency, which could cause engine failure.
The temperature at which an engine oil catches fire upon ignition is called the flashpoint.
By the given characteristic data given below, we can see that 3000 has a slightly high value of flashpoint than its opponent. It means that it will burn off slower than its opponent at high-temperature conditions, making it a more favorable choice in this regard.
| Parameter | Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | Syntium 3000 5W – 40 |
| Flash Point | 234 o C | 236 o C |
Oil Drainage Frequency Comparison
The byproduct of oxidation, combustion, and contamination from condensation causes the creation of many hazardous acids in engine oil.
Base additives are being mixed into oils for neutralizing the acids and protecting the engine.
But the neutralization process works up to a certain extent depending upon the Total Base Number or TBN of the engine oil.
When the neutralizing ability of basic additives runs out, the engine oil is then needed to be drained.
The TBN of 3000 is comparatively much higher than its opponent which means that its drain interval would be longer and henceforth it would have less oil change frequency.
| Parameter | Syntium 5000 5W – 30 | Syntium 3000 5W – 40 |
| TBN (mg KOH/g) | 6.6 | 9.81 |
Price Comparison
The cost of 4 liters of Petronas Syntium 3000 5W – 40 is $40.72 & the cost of 5 liters of Petronas Syntium 5000 5W – 30 is $36.09.
3000 is more costly than its rival due to providing better wear and sludge protection in drastic weather conditions. And another important reason is its comparatively longer drain intervals.
Summary
- Both contenders are synthetic engine oils made for passenger vehicles working in resilient conditions.
- 3000 would affect the performance of the catalytic converter more than its opponent.
- Both the anti-wear and sludge removing abilities of 3000 are unrivaled.
- 3000 would perform better in elevated temperature conditions.
- The viscosity of 3000 is relatively greater than its opponent.
- 3000 is pricier than 5000.