Conoco Polar Start DN-600 - still made?

[addyguy]

The 1976 article on synthetic oils really got me interested in the very early synthetic oils identified in the article - the ones for artic conditions, such as Conoco Polar Start DN-600. In doing a casual search for info on these early fluids, I came up with this manual for industrial equipment from 2000, and on page 9, it references use of Conoco Polar Start DN-600 fluid in the transmission for cold weather. Take a look:

http://www.rockbreaker.com/parts/PDFs/serv_docs/150-7055 - Mobile Lubrication Manual.PDF

I know Conoco is still around as a company, does this mean they still make this synthetic oil? Would it be basically the same stuff that was produced over 30 years ago? If this is the case, i wonder what would happen if you used it in a modern car?

 

[MolaKule]

The DN-600 fluids were primarily Alkylated Benzenes or Naphthylenes as I recall and offered good low temp operation/starting.

 

[addyguy]

I did read the post on Artic-spec oils, where you set out the composition of this fluid, MolaKule, thanks for that. I was just wondering, if having found this specification it meant that this stuff was still produced, and if so was it the same stuff that was produced some 30+ years ago....

 

[addyguy]

Again, to answer my own question, I phoned Conoco to ask about this product. The lady I spoke to was very suprised I had found a document that referenced this fluid. She explained that the entire line of 'DN' fluids was phased out at the time of the merger between Conoco and Phillips, around 2001. She wasn't sure if the formulation would have been the same as in the 1970's, but she said it probably wasn't, as there have been so many developments in this area.

So, if anyone else was wondering what happened to this obscure, 'Artic' synthetic oils of the early 1970's, this is it.......

 

[lyle]

WOW!!

DN-600!!

I used that stuff in the winter in all my cars in the late 70's and early 80's. It came in a white plastic can with a metal top, and it wasn't called "DN-600 oil", it was called "DN-600 fluid". I recall it being rated a 10W-30, and was 10% synthetic. There was only one Conoco station around here that carried it, and their stock was never enough for my needs, so I remember having to trek over to the station and order 2 or 3 cans to go with the 2 or 3 that they had in stock. I had that feeling of "Ol' Man Winter, I got you covered" every time I poured that stuff in. I quit buying it when M1 proved to flow even better in the cold than DN-600 fluid.

 

[addyguy]

That is really interesting, lyle...in a much earlier post on early 'artic' spec oils, Molakule set out this about DN-600:

Conoco introduced the DN-600 "polar" fluids of linear alkybenzene around 1968. It was made by the alkylation of benzene with chlorinated paraffins. It had a pour point of -70 F, a flash point of 435 F, and a viscosity of 5.0 cSt at 100 C. The alkybenzene was blended with ethylhexylazelate di-esters.

With that these properties, this earlier fluid was definetly not a 10W-30! It also looks like the composition was not even close to the same, even by the late 1970's, being only 10% synthetic. Interesting to hear from someone who actually used one of these early synthetics....but it sounds like this is what killed these specialty 'fluids' off - mainstream synthetics like Amsoil and M1 did better jobs, and were more availiable....

 

[addyguy]

I never did finish this by posting my final finding - it appears lyle has the most accurate recollection of this oil, as this is the e-mail response I got from C-P, after I had spoken the rep on the phone:

Thank you for your e-mail. Unfortunately the product is no longer available. We have discontinued the item for more than 5 years now.
There were 3 types of "DN 600" Oils namely: a gear oil, hydraulic oil and a 10W-30 engine oil all synthetic based.

Tell us more about the equipment requirement, like a description from the operating manual and we will be glad to check if we have a product.

Regards,

Louie Tordillo
ConocoPhillips - Commercial Lubricants

I guess the formulation identified by MolaKule was changed at some point during the 1970's, and became a much more conventional 10W-30 engine oil.....

 

[lyle]

25 years ago I had no reservation running a 90% dino 10W-30 in the winter, and nowadays I need to run a 0W full synthetic YEAR-ROUND just to make sure my engine survives. What was/am/will I be thinking?

 

[Shadowscraps]

Wow...just did a search to see if this stuff was still around! I remember using it in my old 1976 Pinto MPG...no Conoco stations around here, then or now, but you could buy it at Montgomery Ward stores.

Drove that car through a few abnormally harsh Michigan winters, and had zero problems with it. Sometimes, it would be the only car on my block that would start on a sub-zero morning!

(The Accel Delta-Cell battery probably helped a bit, too!)

I can still order Conoco oil through work, but looks like it's just run-of-the-mill stuff now.

Thanks for the trip back in time!

 

[addyguy]

Recently, I've been browsing through old issues of PM and PS on Google Books. In a few 1977 issues, you can find an add for Conoco Polar Start. It says that it is a cold-weather 10W-30 lubricant that is good from -55F to +120F, and it does mention that it is used in the building of the Alaskan Pipeline.

So, the very, very early 'Polar Start' from 1968 must have been a 0W-10 AN-based lubricant, and then at some point in the mid-1970's it became a more 'mainstream' 10W-30 oil, but I don't know if it was still AN, a blend.....

But yeah, Conoco oil is just regular stuff now..pretty soon, it looks like it will all be Kendall oils, and CP uses that as it's main brand.