Are new oils ruining our cars? Must Read!

[2sasilverbullet]

$54 for 6 quarts of oil is $9 per quart. Ouch.

Yeah, no kidding! I'll just stick with Chevron Delo @ $4.50 a qt. It has all the zddp we need.

[Jcarnes]

Heres an option,
pardon me if someone stated this earlier I did not read all 28 pages but deal with zinc levels in oil on a daily basis. I'm a retired tech now working as a commercial territory manager for an auto parts store and our hottest seller for older vehicles is Mag 1 oil. Its from a company called Warren Distribution out of Omaha, Nebraksa and we have been selling it for as long as I have worked there (7 years). It has good levels of zinc and we have had zero problems with anything old. We still sell a bottle of Lucas zinc additive for a new cam but only first time. Here is a site to read about mag 1 products, this is from there FAQ page http://www.mag1.com/FAQ.aspx This oil is just under 3 bucks a qt

[SDContinental]

Heres an option,
pardon me if someone stated this earlier I did not read all 28 pages but deal with zinc levels in oil on a daily basis. I'm a retired tech now working as a commercial territory manager for an auto parts store and our hottest seller for older vehicles is Mag 1 oil. Its from a company called Warren Distribution out of Omaha, Nebraksa and we have been selling it for as long as I have worked there (7 years). It has good levels of zinc and we have had zero problems with anything old. We still sell a bottle of Lucas zinc additive for a new cam but only first time. Here is a site to read about mag 1 products, this is from there FAQ page http://www.mag1.com/FAQ.aspx This oil is just under 3 bucks a qt

That's good to know, but Warren is the same company that makes oil for Walmart right? Or is this a different Warren we're talking about here?

[green67LCC]

How about Royal Purple HPS. Specs follow. All samples were taken from brand new, thoroughly shaken bottles of oil. And all tests were performed at ALS Tribology, formerly Staveley Labs, in Sparks, Nevada.

Royal Purple 10W30 HPS (High Performance Street)
Silicon = 7 ppm (anti-foaming agent in new oil, but in used oil, certain gasket materials and dirt can also add to this number)
Boron = <5 ppm (detergent/dispersant)
Magnesium = 46 ppm (detergent/dispersant)
Calcium = 3626 ppm (detergent/dispersant)
Barium = <1 ppm (detergent/dispersant)
Total detergent/dispersant = 3676 ppm
Zinc = 1774 ppm (anti-wear)
Phos = 1347 ppm (anti-wear)
Moly = 189 ppm (anti-wear)
Total anti-wear = 3310 ppm
Potassium = 11 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
Sodium = 2 ppm (anti-freeze inhibitor)
TBN = 10.2 (Total Base Number is an acid neutralizer to prevent corrosion. Most gasoline engine motor oils start with TBN around 8 or 9. And in use, this becomes depleted over time as mileage accumulates)
Viscosity (cSt at 100*C) = 11.3 (cSt range for SAE 30 is 9.3 to 12.4) And cSt (centistokes) in general terms, represents an oil’s thickness.

[Jcarnes]

Yes, warren oil aka wpp (warren performance products) bottles the walmart oil to the specifications given to them from wal-mart. Much like alot of stuff such as Michelin tires sold at walmart, they are made to walmart specs and thats why an acutal michelin tire dealer will not/can not touch a warranty issue on a walmart sold tire. We have taken 2 same size tires before, 1 bought from an actual tire dealer and 1 from walmart and the walmart tire weighed just over 7 lbs less!!! They aren't near the quality tire and also dont get the mileage. but are cheaper

[autostick]

Just took this cellphone pic at WalMart this week, 10W40 SF oil is still selling for $2.57 a quart as of May 2013.

I have been using Castrol full synthetic 10-30 and then adding Rislone with ZDDP (that now comes in a concentrated pint size). Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on Wallyworld dino oil at 10W40 SF versus full synthetic 10W30 plus ZDDP. Obviously the former is cheaper, but is it a long term solution? Am I safe in assuming 40 weight dino is totally fine relative to 30w synthetic?

[Dan Szwarc]

I've always wondered about cheap oil, but it doesn't make sense that there are cheap oil companies out there. There is likely only 2 or 3 big manufacturers of oil who then relabel them for sale, etc. There cannot be a Meijer factory or Wal-mart factory that makes oil. They likely all get their oil from the same places.

The fact that it's labeled as SF oil is a plus, but I'd need to see the label and research who actually makes the oil. I've been using ZDDPlus for the last several years, so i'm not too concerned.

[autostick]

Dan, so far the best reply I have found so far to this question of why WPP makes cheap SF oil is on the bobistheoilguy forums. I pasted it below for ease of reference:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... 814&page=2

Originally Posted By: bigblumer: Also, what drives a company to produce an SF oil this day in age? Did they find a load of SF oil drums sitting in a warehouse and say, "Why don't we bottle it? What have we got to loose?"

In a nutshell - profit. There are additive packages "designed" to meet SF (the engine tests are no longer available to test for SF, but the additive packages are designed based on bench tests, experience, and expertise to meet the requirements). The treat rate for the SF packages is very low and, when blended with a Group I base oil, makes for a cheap blend. Cheap blends open the opportunity for more profit.

The USA car population requiring SF motor oils is extremely small, that is, cars built before 1989, 23 years ago. There may be a use in motorcycles as noted above, but these SF oils are not being marketed as motorcycle oils, but rather as car motor oils. In my personal opinion they are being directed at those folks who buy on price, either not understanding how to read an oil label or believing all oils are equal. In other words, exploiting ignorance (or innocence) for profit.

I have no problem with marketers who put a clear warning on the label that the oil should not be used in engines built after 1988, as recommended in SAE J183, but in my opinion those that simply say "check your owner's manual for the proper API service" are being deceptive and unethical. The Accel oil label you posted does give a clear warning on the front label, but many others do not. Tom NJ

[WhiteLightning]

what is a good oil than to use in a 79 lincoln mark v cs with the 400ci it has 45,000 original miles

[Dan Szwarc]

Any 10W-30 oil with an SM or SN rating if you use a ZDDP additive (read the thread above please) or a 10w-30 with a rating of SL or below SJ, SF, SE.

Read the whole thread before asking any more questions.

[WhiteLightning]

The oil I use now it castrol Gtx 10w30! Is that ok or no??

[Dan Szwarc]

Use any oil with an SM or SN rating if you use a ZDDP additive (read the thread above please) or a 10w-30 with a rating of SL or below SJ, SF, SE.

Does your oil meet this?

[ReijerLincoln]

My friend Peter used a bottle of ZDDplus I gave him on the 430 in his ´63. It has had a new timing set but otherwise an untouched motor. He noticed it ran better/smoother and burnt a let less oil than before. I noticed it ran better a soon as he pulled up, not knowing he used the ZDDPlus.

[ReijerLincoln]

My friend Peter used a bottle of ZDDplus I gave him on the 430 in his ´63. It has had a new timing set but otherwise an untouched motor. He noticed it ran better/smoother and burnt a let less oil than before. I noticed it ran better a soon as he pulled up, not knowing he used the ZDDPlus.

[Gerald F. Chase]

The "Mad Scientist" provided a lengthy report on his sophisticated test rig.

At one point, he says, "I then tried a super high energy multi spark ignition system. You would be shocked at the amount and length of the sparks that this system can produce, it is beyond impressive."

I'll take this on faith. Yet I have to wonder if any other reader of this post thought of the following possibility that occurred to me: Can anyone imagine the sort of massive eruption if just one of those 'impressive' sparks happened to hit and pierce a fuel line right nearby? Now that possibility is what I deem to be the meaning of the word, "impressive". What did the guy on the old TV show, "St. Louis Blues", used to say, "Die-no-mite!" It'd be close, all right . . . . not that I wish such accident on anyone. I dunno; it seems to me that said experimenting scientist should locate this equipment in a shed at least a good thirty or more yards away from his residence . . or anything else rather valuable.