California bans sale of obsolete motor oil

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Just out in today's Lube Report

California Bans Sale of Obsolete Motor Oils

By Kiara Candelaria • March 2, 2016

California this year began prohibiting the sale of engine oils and lubricants considered obsolete by American Petroleum Institute standards. The regulation outlaws sale of several specifications of oil previously permitted by the state, the newest being API SH.

The bill makes amendments to various sections in the California Business and Professions Code regarding the sale and labeling of lubricant products. The law now requires that engine oils and lubricants meet, at minimum, one active API classification, one active sequence of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) or one active original equipment manufacturer specification.

The current API classifications for gasoline engines are API SJ, SL, SM and SN. The law further states that the API, ACEA or OEM specification and the viscosity grade of the lubricant must be clearly labeled on the product.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Measurement Standards, which regulates weights and measures and oversees quality and labeling of lubricants, reported that it and the law’s author, California assembly member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Calif.), engaged with lubricant stakeholder groups on the impacts of the mandate and received no objections to the final bill.

A spokesman for the CDFA told Lube Report, “Outdated specifications will be amended or deleted.” He added that the department is currently communicating with lubricant producers, wholesalers and retailers about the products that can no longer be sold in the state.

Two representatives from industry groups gave Lube Report their opinion on the legislation, which went into effect Jan. 1.

Tom Glenn, president of the Petroleum Quality Institute of America,said he supports the legislation. He understands that oils under the API SA classification “continue to have a place in the marketplace as compressor oils, jack oils and some small engine oils,” but added that applications are limited.

“I think there are some applications for SA that are still legitimate, but [SB through SH] are obsolete, and they really have no place in the market now,” said Glenn.

Banning the sale of obsolete engine oils in the state represents some issues for lubricant manufacturers that provide specialty oils, said Jeffrey Leiter, legal counsel for the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, of Leiter & Cramer PLLC. While the legislation specifies the performance standards for engine oils, Leiter noted that it does not detail what standards specialty lubricants must meet.

“For example, there are some ILMA member companies that produce specialty lubricants, like racing oils for high-performance cars on tracks and hot rods, where in many instances the oil marketer will overtreat the products with additives, so it doesn’t neatly fit within an API [or ACEA] specification,” Leiter explained.

According to Leiter, many ILMA members produce and market engine oils deemed obsolete because of consumer requests or because they need to have products that compete with those of other manufacturers. He added that antique car clubs, which prefer to use obsolete classifications on their engines, also expressed concern over this legislation.

But obsolete products, which contain less additives and/or lower quality base stocks, do not protect older engines as well as oils that meet newer specifications, said Glenn, even if it saves the owners some money.

“There might be a market for [obsolete motor oils], but that market doesn’t really understand that they are accelerating the demise of their vehicles by using these older- spec products,” Glenn explained.

Both Leiter and Glenn emphasized that current API classifications are backwards compatible with older engines and in fact may protect them better than the specifications that were developed for them.

They also agreed that obsolete engine oils should have their specs clearly labeled, with Glenn adding that they should not be sold alongside products with current specs, since they can confuse or even deceive consumers. “If it’s obsolete, it shouldn’t be on the shelves,” he said.
 
Does that ban include motorcycle oils which some mfgrs state have to meet the old SG designation?. And what about motorcycle oils that have NO API rating, or standard they have to meet? Mfrs SAY they meet some standards, but don't have to be held accountable if they don't.,,,
 
I don't see anything specific about how that legislation might affect non-API oils, things like Redline, Royal Purple XPR and HPS, Brad Penn, and so on... other than the rather alarming "The law further states that the API, ACEA or OEM specification and the viscosity grade of the lubricant must be clearly labeled on the product." Some green weener will probably try to interpret those as "obsolete" and get them banned also, or else disqualify them because they don't show approvals.
smirk.gif
 
Apparently CA has nothing better to do. Good to hear they are working on major issues like this. LOL What a joke.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Apparently CA has nothing better to do. Good to hear they are working on major issues like this. LOL What a joke.


Another piece of useless, broad, and overreaching piece of toilet paper legislation by the Republik of Kalifornia.
 
So any 30-weight having more than 1000ppm of Phosphorous will be banned? Seems like it will make Valvoline VR1 10w30, Brad Penn, and Redline oils contraband in the state.
 
Without our legislators here in California we'd be lost in the wilderness not knowing how to live, eat or fund welfare programs.

I'm glad that someone explained to our legislators what motor oil is and the opportunity to pass some more laws. They only travel in chauffeured limousines so it took a bit of work. They don't mingle with the rif-raf that drive their own vehicles and work for a living but they know how to pass laws to take care of them.

Next, toilet paper.
 
Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Apparently CA has nothing better to do. Good to hear they are working on major issues like this. LOL What a joke.

Eventually, I suspect, they will ban breathing by all CA citizens. For the environment, you know.
 
Originally Posted By: finmile
So, no more Dollar General's "SF quality" oils...

(old thread: Dollar General sued over obsolete oils)
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3956666/1


There is nothing wrong with using SF oils in engines designed for that era and spec of oil.

What is wrong is a Nanny state government coming in and telling you what oil you can and cannot use.

Kaleeforna keeps shooting itself in the foot with high taxes and Nanny-State regulations.

I think that if I lived in Tijuana or Nevada or Arizona I would buy every case, barrel, gallon, quart of SC through SJ oils for resale to those people in Kaleeforna who were deprived by their governemnt to buying oils for their classic cars.
 
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NY won't be far to follow ...

I NEED THE ZINC FOR MY 4.0!

... nevermind the fact that the cam has 200K miles on it and was work hardened to the point that zinc wasn't important 16 yeaars ago
 
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Originally Posted By: Nate1979
Apparently CA has nothing better to do. Good to hear they are working on major issues like this. LOL What a joke.


Yup because all their other bans work so well.
 
Which state law applies when buying online from another state?

If its illegal to sell SF in in Cali but Cali buyers eBay it in from out of state sellers then which juristiction applies to the seller? Does the law say that buyers can't buy? Or only that sellers can't sell?
What about production intended for sale out of state?

I need my Redline over here!
 
I don't feel they should ban those oils outright, they should just simply require that those older-spec and non-spec oils simply carry a special warning or label on the front that is conspicuous.
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Without our legislators here in California we'd be lost in the wilderness not knowing how to live, eat or fund welfare programs.

I'm glad that someone explained to our legislators what motor oil is and the opportunity to pass some more laws. They only travel in chauffeured limousines so it took a bit of work. They don't mingle with the rif-raf that drive their own vehicles and work for a living but they know how to pass laws to take care of them.

Next, toilet paper.




Maybe they want to make sure their limousine driver doesn't go to Dollar store and buy junk oil which may cause them to break down in the bad part of town....
 
So the manufacturer just need to take the Sx off the oil and replace with Suitable for Sx.
 
Maybe the author, Kiara Candelaria, could have put the actual bill number in the article so people who want to understand it instead of react to it could do so...If SB778 from last year is any indication, this may be drastically modified and/or clarified by the time it's fully enacted.
 
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