Higher moly content in budget synthetics

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Does anyone know why the more budget friendly synthetics like QSUD, Rotella Gas truck, Havoline High Mileage have higher moly content (100ppm +) than the "premium" synthetics such as Pennzoil Platinum/Ultra Platinum, Valvoline Advanced, Castrol Edge, Mobil 1 AP, and Amsoil Signature which are usually 80ppm or less? Yes I know Redline is premium and has a ton, but curious why Shell for instance loads their lower priced synthetics with moly vs their flagship oils.

I've heard there some differences in the quality of the moly? If that's true, is that to say that 60-80ppm of a higher quality moly out performs 150-200ppm of a lower quality moly? Or is the view that since the premium lines have a better base oil, you don't need to compensate with as many additives?
 
I think there’s something to what you said however I don’t know that lower amounts of one moly are performing better than higher amounts of another moly. They many perform the same but it takes different amounts to get the same performance. I don’t have the knowledge to say if it’s six of one/ half dozen of the other or if there’s a profound difference.
 
Does anyone know why the more budget friendly synthetics like QSUD, Rotella Gas truck, Havoline High Mileage have higher moly content (100ppm +) than the "premium" synthetics such as Pennzoil Platinum/Ultra Platinum, Valvoline Advanced, Castrol Edge, Mobil 1 AP, and Amsoil Signature which are usually 80ppm or less? Yes I know Redline is premium and has a ton, but curious why Shell for instance loads their lower priced synthetics with moly vs their flagship oils.

I've heard there some differences in the quality of the moly? If that's true, is that to say that 60-80ppm of a higher quality moly out performs 150-200ppm of a lower quality moly? Or is the view that since the premium lines have a better base oil, you don't need to compensate with as many additives?
Can't speak for all the other oils but Amsoil, at least the Signature line has at least 250 ppm.
 
True ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I wonder what the Valvoline 150k mile high mileage looks like ?

Valvoline semi synthetic Maxlife was + 250 ppm of molybdenum too.
 
Yeah, i don't know that anyone has really provided information on how best the additive packages balance out.

Makes it very hard to decide on the best additive package synthetic right now.
 
Yeah, i don't know that anyone has really provided information on how best the additive packages balance out.

Makes it very hard to decide on the best additive package synthetic right now.


You will be chasing that answer forever as the oil companies reformulate regularly to meet new certifications.
 
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You will be chasing that answer forever as the oil companies reformulate regularly to meet new certifications.
Exactly, constant change due to new certifications coming out all the time, between API and ACEA and all the OEMs, requirements are always shifting.

BTW I've been using Nulon Street & Track 25W60 as my top up oil, it has
ZDDP (zinc) = 1900 ppm
Molybdenum Dithiocarbamate (MoDTc) = 400 ppm
To give it some minerals.
 
PPHM used to have 200ppm+ moly and now it hardly has any. I wonder what they replaced it with?
It gets to a point where why bother purchasing the more expensive brand names when the less expensive SuperTech/Kirkland by Warren will do a similar job?

That said my F150 with 108K continues to purr like a sleeping kitten with the PPHM in 5w-30.
 
PPHM used to have 200ppm+ moly and now it hardly has any. I wonder what they replaced it with?

It may have simply transitioned from moly dimer to moly trimer, which needs a lower dose to achieve the same effect. Or, they may be using other FM's that don't show up in a UOA/VOA. There's significantly more to oil formulation than what we can glean from a $20 oil analysis.
 
It gets to a point where why bother purchasing the more expensive brand names when the less expensive SuperTech/Kirkland by Warren will do a similar job?

That said my F150 with 108K continues to purr like a sleeping kitten with the PPHM in 5w-30.
There are differences still, but any approved lubricant will provide adequate protection per the OEM's requirements laid out within the confines of that approval process.


11.7% Noack vs 8.5% for example.

And in fact, even the cheapest Mobil 1 0w-20, the AFE, has lower Noack @ 10.7%:

Now, is that significant? Depends on the application, but there are these little formulation tweaks that make a lubricant more expensive to blend; more premium than what you are going to get in a store brand.
 
It may have simply transitioned from moly dimer to moly trimer, which needs a lower dose to achieve the same effect. Or, they may be using other FM's that don't show up in a UOA/VOA. There's significantly more to oil formulation than what we can glean from a $20 oil analysis.
Sure - have a look at some things going on at BASF …
 
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