Flashpoint not meaningful?

[ZZman]

I was looking at the Mobil 1 website questions and answers area and came across this:

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Mobil_1_Flashpoint.aspx

**If it is really not meaningful why list it? Are they saying most cars in use will never see any temps that would relate to this?

 

[ZZman]

Well I did find this: http://www.noria.com/learning_center/category_article.asp?articleid=19&relatedbookgroup=Maintenance

 

[daman]

Quote:
not a meaningful performance measure
?? i would say it is.

,good read..

 

[sicko]

Now I could be mistaken, but I think what they're trying to say is that the flash point alone, once above a certain point, doesn't indicate that one is a better performing lubricant then another. So one oil with a flash point of 216ºC and another oil with a flash point of 227ºC, does not automatically indicate that the second oil is a better overall lubricant.

I can only assume they made that comment b/c the Mobil Clean 5000 conventional oils have a flash points listed at 200ºC, while competing conventional oils are closer to 220º

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: sicko
Now I could be mistaken, but I think what they're trying to say is that the flash point alone, once above a certain point, doesn't indicate that one is a better performing lubricant then another. So one oil with a flash point of 216ºC and another oil with a flash point of 227ºC, does not automatically indicate that the second oil is a better overall lubricant.

I can only assume they made that comment b/c the Mobil Clean 5000 conventional oils have a flash points listed at 200ºC, while competing conventional oils are closer to 220º

IF thats the case,,true.

 

[duaneb9729]

Could one say that in the event of something really bad happening, eg my daughter is driving home and the car blows a radiator hose and gets very hot before she notices.

Is this an example of where a higher flash point would be helpful?

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: ZZman
I was looking at the Mobil 1 website questions and answers area and came across this:

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Car_Care/AskMobil/Mobil_1_Flashpoint.aspx

**If it is really not meaningful why list it? Are they saying most cars in use will never see any temps that would relate to this?
New oil

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: ZZman
Well I did find this: http://www.noria.com/learning_center/category_article.asp?articleid=19&relatedbookgroup=Maintenance
Used oil.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
Could one say that in the event of something really bad happening, eg my daughter is driving home and the car blows a radiator hose and gets very hot before she notices.

Is this an example of where a higher flash point would be helpful?

That and a synthetic would help yes i would say.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: duaneb9729
Could one say that in the event of something really bad happening, eg my daughter is driving home and the car blows a radiator hose and gets very hot before she notices.

Is this an example of where a higher flash point would be helpful?
No, the engine would be damaged before the oil would make a difference most of the heat in an engine is in the combustion area cyl heads and top of the block so the oil is seperated from that heat by the empty water jacket. Yes there will be more heat but again damage will occur before oil will make a difference.

 

[Steve S]

Also what is interesting is the difference in flash points between the syns and conventional oils.

 

[duaneb9729]

Thank you Steve

 

[mechtech2]

The greatest heat an engine oil sees is on the top piston ring/land area.
It is directly exposed to combustion and high temps.

A higher flashpoint is always more desirable.

 

[labman]

The oil seldom catches fire or evaporates. The flashpoint can be lowered by small amounts of a high vapor pressure component perhaps only used as a carrier for an additive.

Even assuming the flashpoint relates to the molecular weight of the base oil, a straight 30 weight should be higher than a 10W-30 and a 5w-30 lower than it. Does that mean a straight 30 weight is the best, and the 5W-30 the worst?

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
The greatest heat an engine oil sees is on the top piston ring/land area.
It is directly exposed to combustion and high temps.

A higher flashpoint is always more desirable.
I have seen a whole lot of mitsubishi engines at work overheated from coolant loss from cracks between the intake and exhaust valves and coolant loss .
The engines were run untill the valve seats fell out of the heads causing the engine to run bad enough fot the driver to notice there was a problem, that is pretty hot. A new or repaired cyl head was installed and the engines were put back to work ,this was on conventional oil.

 

[TallPaul]

NOACK volatility is much more useful than flash point in evaluating an oil.

BTW, Several years ago I drove 8 miles on the freeway after my radiator hose blew on a 30 degree day. There does not appear to have been any damage to the engine (cast iron block and heads). I was running Redline 5w20 at the time. Don't know the numbers but Redline would have to have an excellent NOACK and flash point.

 

[ZZman]

Redline has a high Fp and a very low Noack......