Originally Posted By: Shamus
I am aware Red Line does't carry the API "starburst" but I thought it was because although they exceed the SM standard, their levels of zinc and phosphorus were too high for it? Of course, I have no clue as to what makes it "too high"; as opposed to what? What is the harm? Is this a case of "too much of a good thing?"
Redline oils are not API certified to any service level at all - period. The Starburst just means the oil meets the current highest service level which right now is SM plus it means the oil meets certain fuel economy standards. The issue is no API certification at all not that it is API SL/SM or doesn't have the Starburst. Having no API certification at all is a big deal to the dealerships and car mfg's. I actually worked Ford dealer parts & service and they take it VERY serious. Our dealer and Ford rep did anyway.
As far as ZDDP that is an issue, so they say, dealing with emissions and trying to get a longer service life out of the cat converter. API SM lowered ZDDP for that reason. Having more ZDDP is not a bad thing for the engine as an SL oil with higher ZDDP can provide greater wear protection. Supposedly it means if your car burns oil it can cause an early cat faiilure.
Again the issue would be Redline has no API certification at all. You could run an API SL oil, or even an API SM oil that does not have the starburst( not all SM's have it ), and at least you used an API certified oil so you would have some grounds to argue for warranty preservation for lubrication issues with your engine. What you would really be risking is your catalytic converter warranty. SL oils will protect the engine as good or even betetr than SM. Run a non API certified oil completely and that is a big red flag for them though.
I actually run an API SL oil where an API oil with the Starburst is called for. The risk I am taking is for emmissions more so than the engine.
None of this means Redline is bad, doesn't meet certain API service level spec's, or that it will harm anything. Car mfg's and dealers take actual API certification extremely seriously however. If the oil is not API certified at all, to any level( I would go no lower than API SL in your truck ), you are really asking for hassles if you have internal engine issues.
You can get by with an oil that meets or exceeds the mfg's own oil standards, that is not actually certified as meeting the standard, as long as you can prove it but don't mess around with API certifications. In my experience they take that very serious.