MSDS Sheets,NOT the WHOLE Story

[motorguy222]

It seems that some,if not MANY,think that MSDS list will tell them what is actually in motor oil.

WRONG.

An oil company is NOT going to give out all of the info regarding their oil 'recipe or makeup as some might call it.

While the MSDS will have some info,it will NOT tell the whole story regarding the oils makeup etc.
It will NOT give out info that could be used by a rival,or anyone else for that matter,to make their recipe.

If a person thinks that this is the case,they seem to be in need of some counseling.

For an oil company to do such would be like A-1 Steak Sauce putting the recipe on their bottle.
Yes it lists ingredients to a point but that is it.They do NOT tell you what ALL of the ingredients are.To do so would be crazy.

They also do list how much of each ingredient is in it.

MSDS lists are in essence,the same way.

 

[Gene K]

MSDS lists all components that are hazardous. It is required by federal law. If the material is not flammable, toxic, or radioactive it will not be listed.

All base stocks are flammable as far as I know.

Gene

 

[motorguy222]

Gene K Quote:"MSDS lists all components that are hazardous. It is required by federal law. If the material is not flammable, toxic, or radioactive it will not be listed.
All base stocks are flammable as far as I know."

The point is that some on the board seem to think that the MSDS of oil will tell them what is in the oil.It doesn't.

The MSDS will tell,as stated,anything hazardous etc. but they do NOT give much indication of the oils REAL makeup.

In a different thread it was stated that one could check the MSDS of Mobil DC and find out its make-up.
While the basics can be found out,the oils true 'recipe' will be unknown.

The true ingredients are proprietary and will stay that way.

An oil company is not going to openly display their trade secrets.

 

[Blue99]

quote:

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The point is that some on the board seem to think that the MSDS of oil will tell them what is in the oil.It doesn't.

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quote:

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If a person thinks that this is the case,they seem to be in need of some counseling.

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Motorguy, can you be a little more direct as you seem to be beating around the bush, here...

Many MSDS sheets do provide some insight into the base stocks used in a particular oil.

As Gene indicated, the primary purpose of a Material Safety Data Sheet is for Safety(Fire)& Health reasons.

But why the bum-rap in regards to MSDS? Any open window to gain clues regarding a formulation is a valuable resource!

 

[Motorbike]

quote:

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Originally posted by Blue99:

But why the bum-rap in regards to MSDS? Any open window to gain clues regarding a formulation is a valuable resource!

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I guess it was a rant

This has to do with the Mobil Drive Clean GF-4 .

Something this particular MSDS rules out is mixed base oils . It uses one base oil with a neutral oil as the carrier for the additive pack , probably minimum group II .

5w30 GF-4 Drive Clean

Vi 62 @40c
Vi 10.6 @ 100c
Flash Point 428F

The above data is a FWIW since it's not on the website yet .

 

[Pablo]

quote:

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All base stocks are flammable as far as I know.

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They might be combustible, but probably not flammable.

There is a grain of truth in your post...as opposed to most MSDS's. Which can be misleading at best. What does 80% petroleum distillates mean in the case of Amsoil PI, for example? Sure some could say "oh kerosene"....which in broad terms COULD be true on pure word level....but of course isn't...

 

[TC]

MSDS regulations are outlined in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations, Sec. 1910.1200 and EPA SARA Title III.

All components which pose a hazard must be listed. Physical hazards, including combustibility, must also be listed. A compound or mixture may be given an anonymous name such as "Detergent package," but it MUST be listed if hazardous in some way, even if listed anonymously. Percentages are not required.

Similar compounds with similar qualities and hazards may be lumped together as one component. If several similar base oils are used, and they have similar safety & health issues, they may be lumped together in a single entry such as "Heavy Naphthenic Petroleum Distillates." From the OSHA letter below, "...where 'complex' mixtures have similar hazards and contents (i.e., the chemical ingredients are essentially the same, but the specific composition varies from mixture to mixture), the chemical manufacturer...may prepare one material safety data sheet to apply to all of these similar mixtures...Jet fuels are considered a complex mixture and the health effects of each batch would be similar, regardless of the specific composition...Thus, a 'generic' MSDS may address a group of complex mixtures, such as crude oil, natural gas, or bricks, which have similar hazards and characteristics because their chemical ingredients are essentially the same even though the specific composition varies in each mixture."
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/osha/I19990603.html

29 CFR - 1910.1200 gives first aid emergency responders, as well as corporate/organizational health & safety administrators who are conducting industrial hygiene studies, the right to inquire into the actual composition of a proprietary formula. If properly requested by them, the chemical manufacturer/supplier must reveal what's in a proprietary formula. This can be found in 1910.1200(i)(2) and 1910.1200(i)(3)below:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10099

[ October 05, 2004, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: TC ]

 

[motorguy222]

Some may call this a rant.Probably a good word for this.

I did not and do not mean to offend anyone.If I have,I do apologize,I dont want to offend anyone.

It just seems that some want to make the MSDS more valuable than they are in regards to an oils actual makeup.

I am not giving the MSDS's a bum rap,I am only saying that they are not a 'tell all' when it comes to an oils ingredients.

Are they a help? Yes,to an extent.
As Pablo stated,in many instances they are very misleading.

The MSDS of an oil just isnt what some make them out to be.That is the point I am making.

The counseling remark was with grin.

Yes,this is in regards to the Mobil 5w30 oil.

 

[Blue99]

OK, Motorguy, 10-4, I see where you are coming from.