Can you predict if they won’t from that $30 spectrographic analysis and your education on the subject?
Moly or Boron preference?
- Thread starter ZZman
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You’re really not on the right page here.
Learn more about compounds vs. elements and report back. Would you eat a random substance just because an elemental analysis shows it was composed of chlorine and sodium?
I can assume they will. I can also assume that stouter made oil should perform at least slightly better. Isn't that what Redline, Amsoil, HPL is all about?
If it is easy to understand why aren't all oils essentially the same? Formulate to the lowest approved standards to make the most profit.
One more try here.
Passing an approved standard is a lot more than an amateur interpretation of a $30 spectrographic analysis. A lot more. In fact, there is nothing in that approved standard that requires a spectrographic analysis in order to pass. I think we talked about this already didn’t we?
I don’t think any further discussion is going to help here.
You know the question was a simple one. All you really had to do was say something like: I have no preference, I haven't seen or heard any differences etc....
It wasn't a scientific or oil expert question. It was a preference question.
Exactly. You cannot learn enough about the final product from adding up the elemental components.
From this reduction of complex compounds into elements and the relative concentration, one still doesn’t know how they’re compounded, how they perform, or any of the other implications of the levels measured.
It is all data, and measurable, but it does not have meaning or relevance until the actual performance is known.
Testing, and approvals, are what matter in comparing oils.
Certainly, some oils performed better under different tests than others. By comparing those test results, or by comparing approvals, which are derived from test results, you can start to compare which oil is better for a specific application.
Because two of my cars (Mercedes) require an MB 229.5 approval, I tend to purchase oils with that approval.
It turns out that approval is more rigorous than the certification required in my other cars (Volvos).
To simplify inventory, I tend to keep oil that meets the more rigorous requirement, that has the more rigorous approval, that did better in testing, on hand.
I still send out oil for used oil analysis, I’m curious about how they perform in-service, in my vehicle, with my driving pattern.
But there are limits to what you can determine based on a simple elemental analysis.
To further the analogy used above by @kschachn - would you be able to tell me which food item tastes better, or is more healthy. based on the relative levels of carbon, hydrogen, iron, calcium, potassium, nitrogen, and oxygen?
If I put your mom‘s apple pie, and a steak, in a spectrograph and reduced them to those elements, could you get any insight into the relative nutritional value based solely on the levels of the elements?
Of course, not. Because a steak is so much more than a pile of elements. same with apple pie.
Same with oil.
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Thank you, nice explanation. But as I stated in the original question this was a preference question not a scientific one. We all have various preferences about many things.
My preference are oils that meet approval but also show more additives in the oil. Whether this is right or wrong , it is still a preference.
Compounds are everything. Another example would be a compound composed of hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon. Our bodies are primarily composed of hydrogen and carbon already and we breathe a lot of nitrogen every day considering it’s the majority of earth’s atmosphere. But would you breathe HCN? It’s only one of each. How bad can it be?
It’s not a simple question even though you think it is. You may have simple understanding of the subject but that does not make what you asked a simple question.
Preferences are: Do you like a t bone or ribeye. Do you like butter on your popcorn or no butter?
Do you like a 5-30 instead of a 5-20 oil
there are two visually-identical boxes on a table. one weighs one pound, the other weighs two pounds. which one do you prefer?
this is essentially what you're asking. there's no meaningful sense in which one can "have a preference" about what you've presented.
this is essentially what you're asking. there's no meaningful sense in which one can "have a preference" about what you've presented.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Which one contains gold ?
How about a Castrol and a Pennzoil oil both have approvals for my vehicle. After looking at VOA's and UOA's I prefer Castrol because it appears to have more additives in it which in my mind make it better. Is my preference for it wrong, or just my personal preference? Would choosing Pennzoil be right or wrong?
Depends on what I want the box for. The heavier box might work better as a door stop....
Honestly, they are both good choices. I wouldn’t worry too much.
I certainly would not choose one of those oils over the other based on some numbers that came out of a spectrograph.
How about HPL oil vs Supertech full syn. I plan on running either one for 5,000 miles. If I chose HPL because it appears to be a better premium oil with not only better base oils but also more additives, would my preference be wrong? Sure it is probably overkill but so what? Don't we all chose different oils and oil weights for different reasons and preferences?
But you could. If they both meet approvals what is the harm in doing so?
I am an American! More is always better! Super size my oil.....
I prefer moly, more moly seems to do better in my engine.
Also I feel a thick oil does slightly better when approaching oil change due... Just my observation.
What's your preference OP?
Also I feel a thick oil does slightly better when approaching oil change due... Just my observation.
What's your preference OP?
I prefer a decent amount of both. I also prefer a higher amount of ZDDP. Just a personal preference.
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