A bit of history

The name Castrol, the British oil manufacturer, comes from castor oil. Yes, the nasty laxative your grandmother made your dad take as a kid was used as a lubricant in engines way back when.

Englishman Charles Wakefield of the Wakefield Oil Company discovered in 1906 that castor oil, made from castor beans, had a good viscosity to lubricate engines.

Plus, it had a boiling point of 313 °C.

Wakefield registered this engine oil under the name Castrol. It was one of many lubricants manufactured by the Wakefield Oil Company, and it was so popular that Wakefield later rebranded his entire company after this product.

And no, Castrol is no longer made from beans…