Background info - anyone?

[Tim]

#@$%! Chemistry, in my third decade doing all sorts of things in the petro-chemical industry - including several stints in analytical labs, Quality Management and Product Management.

More importantly, I've tried to read/study the body of knowledge "out there" and apply what makes sense and further study the stuff that still confuses me! I hope to continue to learn every day until I cease breathing.

 

[Von]

I'll post.
Computer Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Ordnance maintenance officer for four years in a heavy equipment maintenance company before going EOD. Watched the Army's oil analysis program with great interest.
Cop for 3 years watching Crown Vic's idle and race 24/7 with great interest.
Border Patrol agent for 3 years watching Broncos and Tahoes idle for years and off-road with maniacs at the wheel in extreme heat with great interest.
Currently redneck caretaker in retirement job changing oil in about 20 different pieces of equipment.
Disclosure: had Amsoil dealership for self for several years. No retail sales. Currently expired for about a decade.
Very interested in the BEST oil for each application, not just one that is within the specs of engine/oil.
OK, someone else's turn.

Von Odenwald

 

[tigrpal]

It is interesting to see the diversity of backgrounds here. Here is mine:

I am a Jr. High teacher and principal in a small parochial school. I teach Science and Algebra. I have a B.A. in Elementary Education, M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction, and M.A. in Administration.

I do as much of mine own car maintenance and repair as my knowledge and time will allow. I've been changing my own oil for 26 years. Background in eduction has taught me to be a critical thinker, i.e. to know if an argument is well supported or not, and to be a lifelong learner. My latest learning experiences have come from reading posts here on BITOG.

 

[Ferndog]

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering + 2 yrs vocational training in Auto Mechanics.
Still Certified ASE Master Auto and L1
5 years in tech service group of a major fuel/lube company
13 years at Pennzoil/Quaker State/Shell R&D
I currently lead a team of 15 people that make the fromulations for Pennzoil, Quaker State and Formula Shell passenger car motor oils.
Given my mechanical background, I also provide technical lubricant support to the professional race teams. For example, the oil used in at least 5 of the top ten NASCAR Nextel Cup season winners in 2006 was formulated and made by hand at our R&D center in Houston.

 

[Kestas]

B.S., M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering. Most of my 25-year career has been in the automotive industry performing failure analysis of automotive parts. Though most of my work has been on powertrain materials, there hasn't been a part on a car I haven't examined in the laboratory for one reason or another. I've always worked in a metallurgical laboratory and with scanning electron microscopy. I've also worked on naval aircraft and in an independent lab for the automotive and oil industries, and sometimes do consulting.

I now work for a bearing manufacturer where half my work is automotive. My STLE colleagues have taught me a lot about lubes. I've applied for a patent on finishing crankshaft journals.

I wrench for family and close friends. I've saved myself and those close to me a lot of money with my wrenching, and it's appreciated. Some peers chastise me for doing such "blue-collar" stuff and saving money while they flaunt their conspicuous spending.

 

[Doc8404]

PhD in #@$%! and Life Experiences.
my fiance says i'm a "freak" when it comes to oil...

 

[Doc8404]

what! all i put was B S and it changed to #@$%!

it's not like i wrote out b*llsh*t

 

[Von]

Ferndog, hmmmmmmmm............
I thought that race car oil was the same as we use.......

Von Odenwald

 

[LouDawg]

Quote:

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Computer Science degree from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Von Odenwald

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Hey Von, I went to the Academy, too! But I left before two years were up...decided I didn't want to commit that much time to the Army. Oh well...life goes on. (sigh)

Duty, Honor, Country!

 

[Quest]

I couldn't finish off with my EE degree for some personal reasons so I ended up with B.Sc. degree major in CpSc, minor in Economics.

Came from a family of engineers (grand-daddy is a chemist specialising in rubber vulcanisation, daddy is an Electrical Engineer and holders of numerous City and Guilds certification). I for one, is primarily certified in CpSc fields, with networking security being my interest.

I was a provincially certified automechanics some moons ago, and the winner of a Bosch sponsored diagnostic competition in Bosch's FI systems. I served a few import dealerships as mechanics before I became an assistant parts dept manager and then I quit.

I have great interests in ricer engines mainly blueprinting and designs (not into aftermarket "add-on" components such as cams, etc.), with deep interests in the better part of Toytota/Mazda(rotary inc.)/Honda engine designs and blueprinting.Currently driving a 2007 Fit which has been beyond satisfaction (sold my Mazda B6 block and made some $$ out of it)

Other hobbies inc: collectors of Coleman antique lanterns, table lamps, etc. (ICCC member and PNW Coleman Group founder), vacuum tube hi-fi ("ultra-fi"), designer of direct-coupled DHT amps such as 2A3SE, etc., industrial grade switch-mode power supply technician, transformer winder, etc.

and the list goes on and on... (I luv camping and oyster picking/shucking).

 

[bfrey64]

A newbie on the oil scene, just trying to learn everything I can.
Formal Education
BA in Political Science, Elementary, & Special Education
M.ED in Curriculum and Instruction
Working on an other M.Ed for Reading.

 

[hollywood]

I have worked in the Oil Field all over Alberta. I see how the oil looks before it is refined. I have been covered head to toe with Crude Oil. In general it stinks and is really sticky. I guess its been underground for a million years so thats no surprise. I also work on a lot of natural gas wells. I work around a lot of big diesel engines. Most of our equipment gets serviced around 350 hours. That doesn't take long running 24 hours a day. Other than that in high school I worked at a Quik-Lube and that started my addiction to Oil.

 

[crashz]

Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering from our lovely state university here, and a passion for all things automotive. Worked for a pump manufacture as a technical service/failure analysis engineer. Shade tree mechanic for myself, my family and fathers excavating business.

And the one thing that seperates me from the rest...

Accidentally drank a mouthfull of 15w-40! Those who find replacing one's coffee with motor oil end up with the victims vomit on his shoes!

 

[Defiant]

Just here to lurk, and keep my mouth shut as I pick up information and ideas. I moderate on DSMtuners.com, and have been a motorhead for forty years. So far.

 

[Johnny]

Defiant, you have been a member since 2004 and this is your first post?

to the show.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

I am a safety health and environmental profesional in the petro chemical refining and production fields.I hold a CHST and an OHST certification. My grandfather was a Porsche /VW enthusiast/profesional mechanic and former racecar driver of a 46 flathead ford. He taught me how a 4 cycle engine worked on paper and then had me tearing volkswagon engines apart and rebuilding the when I was 8 or 9 years old and then teaching me how to set up suspensions for circle track racecars. I have more intrests, skills, life experiences and qualifications but I will keep it simply to what applies to my participation here at BITOG.
I recall this little racecar we had that we ran Castrol GTX in, the motor being hand scrubbed by myslef in a kerosene filled half barrel and machined shop rebored and balanced. this was 1986 and my granpa (now deceased) would wonder how the oil stayed so clean after several races. And so my intrest in lubrication was started.

If I had to go into the lubrication related field I feel confident that I could aquire a lubrication rrlated professional designation if I needed it, but I am more interested in application specific interpratations of performance than anything else.

My primary qualification is my compulsive information gathering personality. I will take my homework to bed with me and learning is a thrill.

BITOG has becomed either a personality defect or asset depending on your personal intersts.

I enjoy coming to such a place to have technilogical and philosophical discussions with intelligent persons of multiple backgrounds. What a diverse and wonderful group of oil nerds I associate myself with!

 

[Doc8404]

Quote:

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I am a safety health and environmental profesional in the petro chemical refining and production fields.I hold a CHST and an OHST certification.

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cool, I'm a Certified Environmental Health Tech with National Environmental Health Tech...working on my CSP, but #@$%! that's

 

[TimVipond]

After I retired from Shell, I thought about taking the CSP test as I had all the education, work experiences and references to qualify. I thought I would get my CSP and then contract my services. But then I got into lubricants and filters, found this more interesting, fun and less stressful, and decided to pursue a business in this direction instead. Plus I get to work on my own schedule instead of someone elses.

 

[Doc8404]

i hear you...i left the real world (corporate america) for various reasons, mostly due to poor treatment upon my return from a deployment overseas, went into civil service...which SHOULD be less stressful...but the beating your head against the wall has me at my wit's end...so i'm trying to head back to the real world...but there isn't much in central NY and the little woman isn't about to move...

 

[buster]

You guy's put me to shame. I have a lame#@$%! Economics Degree from Rutgers. Whoooppdyy doooo....