New VOA on German Syntec!

[G-MAN]

I sent in another sample of the German Syntec 0w30 to Blackstone so they could do the TBN again using their new method. As it turns out, they did a complete VOA. I've cut and pasted the first VOA onto this one. It's the column in blue.

TBN old method 14.5. TBN new method 9.6

But notice the significant (?) discrepencies between the two reports. Keep in mind the oil for this second VOA was poured from the exact same bottle as the first. Calcium is MUCH higher. Something must be up here, because a 900 ppm difference can't be chalked up to normal testing variances. There are trace elements in the second test that didn't show up at all in the first. But the IRON still read 9 ppm. Vis was basically the same, but I found Blackstone's comments about the vis rather interesting this time.

 

[quadrun1]

A difference of almost 5 between the old TBN method and the new? I thought it was usually a difference of about 2 to 4 units.

Hmm, I wonder what this means for the TBN of the Mobil 1 0W-40 I sent in (TBN=12, old method)... maybe I should ask them to retest it??

Also, what does this mean as to the "expiry date" of used oil, is oil still "expired" at a TBN of 2?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[YZF150]

G, please quote the lot and production numbers, and fill time from the bottom of that bottle. Do you have others, still? Are the numbers different?

 

[unDummy]

I wonder if shaking the bottle prior to sampling would give more consistent results

 

[G-MAN]

I sent Blackstone an e-mail asking them about the difference in the calcium readings between the two VOAs. Here is the response I got this morning:

quote:

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Gary: Thanks for the e-mail. I'm sorry about the delay in getting you a response. The calcium number did show a fairly significant increase in the second sample. I think the main cause for this is in the spectrometer. Our machine is set up to read calcium at around 1200 ppm, so when we get an oil that is significantly higher, the accuracy of the numbers starts to decrease. There is usually not this large of a difference and the only thing I can think of is this sample was run before a recalibration of the machine. The lower number is probably the correct reading. Fortunately, we only have this trouble with the additives and the wear metals tend to read constant even when the machine gets out of calibration.

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I don't know how the rest of you feel about this, but his answer doesn't instill too much confidence in me regarding Blackstone's ability to accurately read the additives in the oil we send in.

What modern oil comes with only 1200 ppm of calcium in it? Why would you set up your machine to read calcium at a level that is significantly lower than what is put in oils?

 

[SteveD2]

I lost interest in this oil from the first VOA when it had 0 Moly. Also by the time I could find it on the shelves of our local Auto-Zone it will be a Group III oil based on the history of this oil companies ability to switch groups and still label synthetic. Very reluctant about this brand.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by delete:
I lost interest in this oil from the first VOA when it had 0 Moly. Also by the time I could find it on the shelves of our local Auto-Zone it will be a Group III oil based on the history of this oil companies ability to switch groups and still label synthetic. Very reluctant about this brand.

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[YZF150]

G, I agree with your assessment of the lab's setup to run for these additives. It's embarrasssing that they'd even state such a thing as the reply you got. Should we maybe go for the best two out of three???

 

[JohnBrowning]

Gman II, You are a braver man then me!! I will not go near Castrol synthetic products. To make matters worse I can not find any that says made in Germany. My AutoZone carriers the oil but the bottle says "Made in USA from Domestic and Imported materials." I do not trust Castrol not to do the bait and switch!!

 

[sprintman]

9 Iron looks consistent. I still havn't seen anything to say this is the 'super oil' the hype suggests. More used oil analysis required thats fer sure.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by sprintman:
9 Iron looks consistent. I still havn't seen anything to say this is the 'super oil' the hype suggests. More used oil analysis required thats fer sure.

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Both of the used oil analysis posted here so far show very low lead numbers and both show the viscosity staying pretty close to it's starting point too. And the TBN stays high also. So far I have no doubt this stuff sold here is Formula SLX. It's the real deal.