Not Fully Formulated Motor Oils?

[Shel_B]

The term "Fully formulated" is used here frequently, as I'm sure it is elsewhere as well. Are there any motor oils that are not fully formulated? Is there any reason to use them?

 

[Hohn]

"Fully formulated" oil is sort of redundant in the sense of "VIN Number" because to be a motor oil is has to be fully formulated to be an oil-- i.e. something you could use for a full crankcase for a full OCI.

The idea is to contrast with something that is either a part of oil (add pack/DIP, base oil, VII) or not oil at all (engine flush, additives, etc).

 

[skyactiv]

Fully formulated as opposed to what, a non-detergent motor oil? I think there are times people on here add "fully formulated" getting their point across when it's not needed. Non-detergent oil has it's place like in air compressor pumps.

 

[Plumb Bob]

I always understood fully formulated as oils that are blended to meet formal approvals, licenses, or certifications. As a corollary, the blenders must be transparent about the specs they claim. Everything else is a gamble or not Fully Formulated. Or whatever you want to call it.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

Here we go again…

 

[Hohn]

Fully formulated as opposed to what, a non-detergent motor oil? I think there are times people on here add "fully formulated" getting their point across when it's not needed. Non-detergent oil has it's place like in air compressor pumps.

Indeed, I actually have some HPL non-detergent oil in my compressor as I type this! It was water-clear going in, weird.

 

[JRay’07]

Every chemist working on a lubricant makes a formula for an intended purpose. Who stirs random additives and base oils together for no reason?

I did find some oil made specifically for top-ups online. I would guess that it was not fully formulated when compared to a lubricant meeting a certain specification.

 

[userfriendly]

A drum of PAO 460?