Cautions on Synthetic Lubricants...

metroplex · Sep 19, 2002

On several synthetic lubricant products (that I know for sure use PAOs and not GroupIII/Dino oils), it says on the back:

CAUTION: CONTAINS SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS. CAN CAUSE SKIN DISORDERS or something to that extent

On almost ALL dino oils, it says:

CAUTION: PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO USED MOTOR OIL blah blah

Now on Mercon-V, it says: "Contains Petroleum and synthetic lubricants. can cause skin disorders"

THis is true, Mercon-V is a synthetic blend.

Now why doesn't the new SuperSyn Mobil 1 have a caution regarding snythetic lubricants??? It just has the prolonged exposure to used motor oil cautionary statement.

Castrol Syntec has the Prolonged Exposure statement as well.

I know some people are EXTREMELY allergic to synthetic lubricants (real synthetics).

metroplex · Sep 19, 2002

I just wanted to add:

I know Castrol is a Group III, but isn't the new Mobil 1 w/ SuperSyn a PAO? Why isn't there a caution regarding synthetic lubricants?

I remember seeing a similar synthetics caution on my Redline grease and on my Pennzoil and Valvoline gear oil.

MolaKule · Sep 19, 2002

PAO's and esters are used in cosmetics, so it's not the base oil that might cause reactions such as dermatitus (sp?, my wifes the medical person in the family), it would be the oil additives that might cause irritation.

Used oil should be considered a carcinogen, since it contains benzines and other compounds that originate from the fuel combustion.

BTW,

Most lipsticks are made from PAO and soybean extracts (esters).

metroplex · Sep 19, 2002

Yeah I understand the used oil part.

Chapstick usually contains non-synthetic waxes... like carnauba.
They start to melt above 120F. As for breaking down - I dunno about that

I've never had lipstick or chapstick run at that high of a temperature to find out

So the additives are what causes skin irritation? Interesting. I'll go look at some of my older bottles.

jjbula · Sep 19, 2002

quote:

Originally posted by MolaKule:

Most lipsticks are made from PAO and soybean extracts (esters).

I'd like to put that on Bob's to be tested on the Timken list.

MolaKule · Sep 19, 2002

I dunno, you think maybe his wife will get suspicious???

MolaKule · Sep 19, 2002

"Chapstick usually contains non-synthetic waxes... like carnauba."

And it's good for car finishes. Waxes like carnauba are simply thick (very viscous) esters.

metroplex · Sep 19, 2002

Carnauba only makes car finishes look good.

I wouldn't use them on car finishes - they last a very short time.

Remember that they melt and break down at 120F.

NuFinish and Liquid Glass use silicone oil, which melts/breaksdown at around 450F.

I tested Meguiars Gold Class vs NuFInish on my Crown Vic.

Gold CLass lasts 4 weeks TOPS.

NuFinish has lasted 3+ months on all of my cars. By "lasting" I mean that bird poop simply wipes off, water still beads, and the surface is still "slick"

Patman · Sep 19, 2002

quote:

Originally posted by metroplex:

I guess if you have a sports car and absolutely need the finish to look like a mirror to impress the women, yeah Zaino would be your choice.

Actually with me, it's just laziness. I find Zaino is the easiest stuff to take off, even in hot sunlight, and no other wax or polish can do that. Plus I find that in combination with the Z7 car wash, that a coat of Z2 Zaino lasts a very long time, so I can do a coat at the beginning of the spring, one more again in the summer, then another in the fall, and it keeps both of my cars looking shiny. I used to put a coat on every 2-3 weeks, until we had the baby, now time is a little more cramped.

And since I once again want to stay on topic. I don't really heed all those warning types of things anyways. It's lawyers that put those up, not chemists.

dogfriend · Sep 20, 2002

Hi , this is my first post here.

I looked up MSDS for Mobil 1 5W30 http://emmsds.ihssolutions.com/msds/frames.htm

I've read quite a few of these (for work). This stuff looks pretty harmless. They caution against breathing in oil mist (sounds like good advice) but no particular cautions against skin contact. Probably a good idea to wear nitrile (blue) gloves anyway.

jjbula · Sep 20, 2002

Does anyone wear gloves when changing motor oil?

I must confess that I do not. I always thought the health risk is very low since I only change 2 cars.

dogfriend · Sep 20, 2002

quote:

Originally posted by jjbula:
Does anyone wear gloves when changing motor oil?

I must confess that I do not. I always thought the health risk is very low since I only change 2 cars.

I think that it is a good idea,but haven't started to do this until recently. It is more of an issue if you are a professional mechanic (exposed everyday) than a backyard mechanic.

As stated earlier in this thread, used oil is a suspected carcinogen so it is a good idea to limit your exposure as much as possible.

I have become a little more aware of these issues because I'm responsible for evaluating safety requirements for chemicals that we use at work. (Along with all of the other jobs I do here.)

VaderSS · Sep 20, 2002

I use the Gold Class myself, but after seeing a Zainoed SS next to mine one day after having just polished it, I'll be switching to that.

The stuff is incredible.

metroplex · Sep 20, 2002

Yep... I hear lots of good stuff about Zaino but getting that stuff is a PITA.

The owner is so haughty taughty that he asked I call him personally to ask him questions.

I said f* that and went to wally mart and picked up a bottle of NuFinish for $4.74

I could care less if my clearcoat finish (dark dark blue BTW) looked any more brighter with Zaino vs NuFinish - simply because the best looking finish will look like sh*t after 1 week of NJ driving.

you'll have:
bird poop
dust
dirt
mud
pollen
insects
rail dust
industrial fallout
etc... on the finish in no time flat.

Patman · Sep 20, 2002

I know I'm getting off topic now, but I have to say that Zaino is the best stuff I've ever used, and even if it was a pain for me to get I'd still use it. I'm lucky because a guy in my car club sells it, so if I am in dire need he'll deliver it right to my door. I misplaced one of my bottles of Z2 and he rushed one over to my work place at lunch hour!

And I've emailed Sal Zaino a number of times asking for his advice and he's a super nice guy. He even offered to give me a free bottle of the Z1 polish lok when my bottle dried up from me not using it for 3 years! How is that for service? (it was my own fault, yet he was still willing to replace the product even though I was beyond it's shelf life)

To stay somewhat on topic here, am I correct in assuming that you believe Mobil 1 not to be a true synthetic metroplex? Because it definitely is. It does not use any group 3 whatsoever in it's base oil.

[ September 20, 2002, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: Patman ]

metroplex · Sep 20, 2002

Pat: No I know Mobil 1 is PAO

but I dont understand why they didn't put a cationary statement: CONTAINS SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS

they just say not to touch old motor oil

As for Zaino, I live in NJ so I have to get it from him - or from an individual dealer.
I bet he's a super nice guy but I don't like the idea of buying such expensive wax for the car.

I guess if you have a sports car and absolutely need the finish to look like a mirror to impress the women, yeah Zaino would be your choice.

If you're like me and need superior protection with looks only as a secondary consideration - NuFinish is the way to go.

metroplex · Sep 20, 2002

all of the other synthetics that I have say that it contains synthetic lubricants and prolonged contact can cause skin disorders.

matt cook · Sep 20, 2002

I have noticed that Amsoil has no warnings (at least on the AME)...is this because the warnings are per the API, and no API cert means no warning necessary?

Patman · Sep 20, 2002

quote:

Originally posted by jjbula:
Does anyone wear gloves when changing motor oil?

I must confess that I do not. I always thought the health risk is very low since I only change 2 cars.

I don't (I blow the budget on a new funnel instead!)

But I do wash the heck out of my
hands after I'm done.

dogfriend · Sep 21, 2002

quote:

Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

Originally posted by jjbula:
Does anyone wear gloves when changing motor oil?

I must confess that I do not. I always thought the health risk is very low since I only change 2 cars.

Click to expand...

I don't (I blow the budget on a new funnel instead!)

But I do wash the heck out of my
hands after I'm done.

This approach doesn't consider that liquids can be absorbed thru your skin and can carry contaminants into your body. This is more of an issue with solvents like acetone and other thinners, but it is possible that you could be absorbing the heavy metals that may be present in the used oil.

Nitrile gloves are pretty inexpensive. We buy them from McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster.com (search for 52555T4 ) for just over $15 for a box of 100. That's about $.30 per oil change. You throw them away afterward. Its a lot easier to clean up afterwards, also.

Cautions on Synthetic Lubricants...

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