Originally Posted By: buster
Quote:
ExxonMobil has confirmed to us that their 5W-30 Mobil 1 product meets ILSAC GF-4 and API SM requirements. This includes passing data in the IVA.
Kevin Ferrick
American Petroleum Institute
Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System
Quote:
API tests 600 licensed oils per year to confirm that they meet our requirements. This would include a variety of ExxonMobil products. We don’t merely accept an oil marketer’s word. I can’t really explain why Ashland chose to do what it did, but ExxonMobil has taken steps to confirm its product meets our requirements.
Kevin Ferrick
American Petroleum Institute
Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System
I emailed the API about this issue awhile ago because I felt XOM was acting arrogant by not responding. This was what the API told me regarding Ashland's claim.
Take it for what it is. I'm not on either side. It will always remain unknown IMO. It's anyone's guess. Ike?
I thought maybe it was Ike also, but notice that
the API guy says that "I can’t really explain why Ashland chose to do what it did."
This seems to me to be a smoking gun. Valvoline is guilty as sin. Shame, shame, shame.
My guess is that they kept testing until they found a defective engine that tested badly, and then relied on that one test. Of course, they always hire and pay an "independent lab" to do the dirty work for them, but the lab knows what they want out of the deal before they start.