Farm and Fleet 5w40 no API circle

[Grebnaws]

I bought a few 2 gallon jugs of Farm and Fleet label 5w40 and it just dawned on me that there is no API circle on the bottle. The label states that the oil meets CI-4 and CI-4 plus standards but I guess I've been taking them at their word, having run the oil in my old Honda cb900f and my 1992 Chevy Cheyenne for some time. I was almost ready to run it in my zrx1200 instead of Rotella.

It doesn't worry me too much in the truck as the oil appears to have been performing quite well but it would be good to know if anyone has the scoop on this oil. Is it even possible to make a lousy 5w40? It is pretty cheap compared to other oils of this viscosity range.

 

[salesrep]

"The label states that the oil meets CI-4 and CI-4 plus standards but I guess I've been taking them at their word,"

I would take them at their word.

 

[Grebnaws]

$25/2gal of 5w40 has been too good to pass up. It's the same price as most 15w40 oils when purchased in the big jug, so I got another today and used it in my chevy 4.3l. Even if it's a middle ground 5w40 it should easily meet the needs of my driving and maintenance habits, and do it for the price of a dino fill.

I noticed the Farm and Fleet label 15w40 does have the API circle but if you read the fine print on the shelf it clearly states they are both Citgo products. It's likely to be whichever Citgo 5w40 product is a partial synth.

The big surprise today was draining the Mystik 15w50 from my zrx1200. It held up extremely well for 3,000 hard miles.

 

[m37charlie]

Originally Posted By: Grebnaws

I noticed the Farm and Fleet label 15w40 does have the API circle but if you read the fine print on the shelf it clearly states they are both Citgo products. It's likely to be whichever Citgo 5w40 product is a partial synth.



I assume you know who owns Citgo now?

Charlie

 

[Grebnaws]

Yes. I pick my battles and right now this isn't one of them.

 

[dnewton3]

Discussion of the oil is fine.

Discissuion of the politics is not.

Please keep on topic. - MOD

 

[doitmyself]

If it makes you feel any better, John Deere Plus 50 oil is not API certified either. But, I feel J.D. has more of a reputation to uphold and I "hope" that they would not want to tarnish it by marketing inferior oil.

 

[BigCahuna]

Now that I think of it, Harley's oil does not have the API circle either. Harley says use it in Harley's, so that's all they feel you need to know. It is also supposed to be made by Citgo. I guess they don't need no stinkin Api Circle.,,

 

[Jaymus]

One way to look at it is that, even if it isn't as top notch as most HDEO's, I'm sure it's still more robust than most any normal PCMO.

 

[fraso]

Originally Posted By: Grebnaws
I bought a few 2 gallon jugs of Farm and Fleet label 5w40 and it just dawned on me that there is no API circle on the bottle. The label states that the oil meets CI-4 and CI-4 plus standards but I guess I've been taking them at their word ...

It is pretty cheap compared to other oils of this viscosity range.


I think it is possible for an oil to meet a particular API standard without the API donut. I think they're trying to tell you that it has the CI-4 & CI-4+ add packs but they haven't spent the money to have it certified. I think it's expensive to get an API certification (ie, to display the cert in the donut) and F&F probably feels that the certification won't have a high enough ROI for this product.

If you check PC Duron 0W-30, you'll see that it also says it has a CI-4 additive system. I haven't seen a bottle of this oil but my guess is that it will only have API CH-4/SM in its donut.