That’s totally insane. Kim
Just found this post and looked up quaker state Defy motor oil...$43.00 a quart???
Quaker State. One step above Pennzoil. No thanks.
What other places test motor oil are there?There are a few oils out there that have the zddp additives. Lucas hotrod oil was another. About $50 for 5 quarts at Summit IIRC.
@nearpar
Great site for info. In fact they tested the Hot Rod oil back in February with good results
PQIA Test Results in on two motor oils formulated for classic and muscle cars, and one with POE-PAO baseoil | The Petroleum Quality Institute of America
I just changed the oil in my Duster this morning and used this. It was about $8 a quart at AutoZone. I saw it a couple days later at Walmart a little cheaper, but only 1quart on the shelf.
View attachment 1715983902
I never liked QS but used lots of Pennzoil over the years without issue, I always considered QS the bottom rung of quality in oil.Quaker State. One step above Pennzoil. No thanks.
There's testing, and then there's testing.What other places test motor oil are there?
Valvoline is my favorite. It's Ashland oil. Napa oil is Ashland.I never liked QS but used lots of Pennzoil over the years without issue, I always considered QS the bottom rung of quality in oil.
Though today with the cost and as much as I go thru, I find myself doing something I never thought I would , and that being to buy the "house brand" on oil, usually at farm and fleet.and at that only when on sale and I "stock up " then.
Used to use lots of Pennzoil and Valvoline.
I recently bought 4 cases (6 bottles per) of Valvoline high zinc for break in purposes
Valvoline is my favorite. It's Ashland oil. Napa oil is Ashland.
Good to know. I hadn't heard that.Ashland spun off Valvoline five years ago. Saudi Aramco bought Valvoline last month.
That is true. Back at the GM dealer in the Late 70's to the mid 80's, we had a ton of oil consumption issues. We had Pennzoil on tap. We switched to Northland, a local refinery, and within a oil change or two the consumption issues went away. I think Pennz got a bad rep with their paraffin based oils and short trip driving. Wow what a gooey sludge mess under the valve covers and in the valley.Humans will pick sides. Something goes wrong, we must find someone or something to blame. Truth is (ouch! not the truth!!) I turned my 360 magnum over to 300k (now almost 308k) on QS changed every 5,000 miles. Guess what? Truck still runs as good as the day I bought it. With supply shortages, I have now switched to Valvoline due to availability. We pulled the main caps off of a 2.2 Lancer at 196k miles and they looked like new - QS was used. My brother-in-law runs Havoline. Went back to back to back to almost 300k using that oil with oldmobile and buick 3.8. My neighbor went 246k on a maxi van 318 using pennzoil before the van caught fire and burned up. Truth is, QS, Havoline, Valvoline, Pennzoil, Castrol, Mobil, every one of these are a good oil and will give your engine long life. But we like to pick sides and cheer, boo, and have claims of victory. LOL Now if your engine needs zinc, pay attention.
There's testing, and then there's testing.
You can get a basic spectrochemical analysis, viscosity test, fuel contamination and maybe TBN test for around $30 from several outfits. Wix, NAPA, Blackstone, Shell...
If you want testing to determine if an oil meets API or ILSAC standards, you'll need a fairly sophisticated lab. That will involve testing for several standards as laid down by the ASTM. That is quite expensive to do, and is how oil companies certify their products to carry approval ratings on the label.
Yes.Are your giving me used oil test places?
For a couple reasons, the most important because it's something the average Joe can afford. You can send a sample of new oil off to Blackstone or Wix, and the report you get back will give you a basic but thorough list of the oil's contents, limited by the ability of the testing methods. It will tell you how much zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, boron, molybdenum, calcium, etc. With that information, you can get a basic understanding of what is in the oil in terms of anti-wear compounds and detergents. Basic viscosity tests are also often part of the service.If so, why would you do that in a thread on new oils?
Sorry to disappoint you. Google any of the names I gave you and "used oil analysis" and you'll have your answer how to use their services, and I suspect several more.No worries since it was pretty much an empty answer. You can finish it up with where to get used oil tested for if possible. NAPA is the only place I heard of on your list.
For that information you'd want to Google something like "labs that perform ASTM tests which determine SAE, API and ILSAC standards." Those are performance tests that determine grades and ratings which you'll see on oil containers. Expect to see a webpage with contact info. You tell them what you want, and they'll send you a quote.Who else tests “NEW OIL?”
Not used oil.
I think oils have come a long, long ways since the 70's, though.That is true. Back at the GM dealer in the Late 70's to the mid 80's, we had a ton of oil consumption issues. We had Pennzoil on tap. We switched to Northland, a local refinery, and within a oil change or two the consumption issues went away. I think Pennz got a bad rep with their paraffin based oils and short trip driving. Wow what a gooey sludge mess under the valve covers and in the valley.
Yes.
For a couple reasons, the most important because it's something the average Joe can afford. You can send a sample of new oil off to Blackstone or Wix, and the report you get back will give you a basic but thorough list of the oil's contents, limited by the ability of the testing methods. It will tell you how much zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, boron, molybdenum, calcium, etc. With that information, you can get a basic understanding of what is in the oil in terms of anti-wear compounds and detergents. Basic viscosity tests are also often part of the service.
Sorry to disappoint you. Google any of the names I gave you and "used oil analysis" and you'll have your answer how to use their services, and I suspect several more.
For that information you'd want to Google something like "labs that perform ASTM tests which determine SAE, API and ILSAC standards." Those are performance tests that determine grades and ratings which you'll see on oil containers. Expect to see a webpage with contact info. You tell them what you want, and they'll send you a quote.
Those tests can be very expensive. Some involve running engines for many hours, tearing down, and measuring wear. They are not tests used by consumers, as they can cost in the tens of thousands of dollars to be performed by a certified lab. Those tests are so expensive that the cost is a reason, not necessarily the only reason, that some of the smaller blenders don't have API certification on some of their products. Some Amsoil, HPL, Red Line, Driven products are right at the top of the heap in terms of quality but aren't certified. For one thing, their targeted customer doesn't care about certification. But another reason is that the cost of certification has to be recouped in the price of the product, which would make the price of already expensive oils beyond reason.
So, with a few exceptions, new oil testing is really something only done within the industry as a necessity to assure consumers products meet standards required for their vehicles. The PQIA, referred to above, does some nice testing, which is a great benefit to consumers. But they only do a few of the more basic, inexpensive tests, and not the full battery required for certifications.
It's all good, my friend.That’s what I call an insanely great answer!
Also - LMAO - No you didn’t disappoint on the first answer. I was a slight confused. Apologies if it came off in an I’ll manor.