Chevron/Havoline

[Drew99GT]

Are these dino oils now the same since Chevron Texaco merged? Even after the merger, the produict data sheets were slightly different, especially with respect to cold weather properties (havoline being beter). Now, they're identical as indicated here: (you must type in each product to find the data sheet) http://library.cbest.chevron.com/lubes/compprd9.nsf/NAChev?openform

 

[Ray H]

I'd raised a question a week or two ago about the apparant PDS discrepency, that maybe it was a typo. Now, they're in alignment. Wonder if that means someone at ChevronTexaco reads this forum...

 

[Roger]

Are they the same? I actually wrote and asked. Chevron's response was that while the 2 oils are very similar, they not the same. When I asked which was better, they said, "Even though they are different products, both the Chevron Supreme and the Texaco Havoline give comparable performance. Between the two we sell more Texaco Havoline."

That's the best I got, and probably the best one will ever get.

 

[Rooster]

I called Chevron-Texaco 2-3 months ago. I guess the front desk people were out, after some rings and phone transfers I got an actual trib engineer who seemed to really know what he was talking about.

He said the latest issue of Texaco-Havoline uses the same base oil as the Chevron Supreme, but the detergent package was different. All of the numbers
in the spec sheet will be the same.

 

[drm7]

From what I have learned they are not always the same. Read the back of the bottles, some are Equilon and some actually say Chevron if I'm correct. Some company called Equilon has the right to market under the Havoline name. I found this on the Chevron site I believe. You have to dig to find it. If you look on the shevles it seems some bottles are Equilon and some will say Chevron. I think the Chevron ones are actually the Chevron Supreme while the Equilon ones are not. Maybe I'll get my brother's digital camera and post the pics of the back here.

 

[Ray H]

Some company called "Equilon" happens to be a corporate construct of the recently merged Shell/Pennzoil/Quaker State companies... Re-read my post. My URL references clearly identify themselves as Chevron sites if you bother to log on. No where in this thread was there any suggestion at equating Chevron apples with Equilon oranges. I'm still of the opinion the two ChevronTexaco motor oil brands are one and the same in their respective containers except for individual batch variations. If there's an upgraded detergent or other additive package, I suspect it'll make its way into both products as exisitng stock is depleted through retail attrition, and there are always the additive package variations necessitated by the Russian roulette of crude petroleum sourcing which in turn affects the final quality of the base stocks. (Though this is becoming less of an issue through degrees of hydrocracking now in use.)

[ May 31, 2003, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[Ray H]

I just downloaded the MSDSs for both Chevron Supreme and Havoline (ChevronTexaco). Except for the revision dates (09/12/02 for Chevron Supreme, and 09/13/02 for Havoline), the logos, and the individual MSDS numbers, they read identically. Both products use the same percentage of ZDDP, the same percentage of undefined other additives, the same range of "highly refined mineral oil" (C15 - C50), and both apparantly have molybdenum. (The byproducts of combustion list oxides of molybdenum.). Both also list identical physical and chemical properties including specific gravity, boiling point, and viscosity ranges at 100 degrees C.

Absolute proof that Chevron Supreme and Havoline are identical? Nope, but definitely evidence that this question has not been satisfactorily answered by company spokespersons contacted by telephone. I looked for but was unable to find the actual current product data sheets online with numerical ranges of performance. (Seems what is available now is just more advertising text, but no hard numbers...) Unless or until I can be shown otherwise with current detailed product data sheets, my own attempt at online research suggests to me these "two" products are coming out of the same viscosity grade storage tanks and that any measurable differences are a result of batch-to-batch variability rather than intentional brand specific chemistry/blending considerations. (Company spokespersons are not always an absolutely reliable source. They read from a script. But some have been known to "wing" it on occasion if the specific information request isn't covered.) I'm NOT saying my opinion is infallible. But, where's the beef? Comments, anyone?

 

[drm7]

WTH are you talking about Ray? I'm responding to Drew99GT post. He is asking if these are the same oils "Are these dino oils now the same since Chevron Texaco merged" and you respond "No where in this thread was there any suggestion at equating Chevron apples with Equilon oranges". I didn't know who Equilon was but now I do but I also don't care. The oils are different and come from different sources. My brother just bought 6 qts to do his truck and found that they are different colors and pour different so they definately don't come from the same place. I haven't actually opend Supreme side-by-side with Havoline from Chevron to see if they "appear" to be the same but my "guess" is yes. Relax, we are all learning here. If you'll re-read my post you'll see I did log-on "I found this on the Chevron site I believe". I read havoline and chevron and got lots of info and no answers. To be safe I would stick to the bottles labeled Chevron as I doubt the 2 (chevron & equilon) are very closely tied. You know how redundant and separate different divisions of the same company are. Cross talk probably doesn't occur that much. At least my experience in the Fortune 300 world bears this out.