"SM," is it really better? Apparently not always.

[TallPaul]

Just bought a quart of the new label Valvoline Durablend 10w40.

It says "Exceeds API, Services, SM/SL"

Looking at the older Durablend 10w40, it says:

"Exceeds API Services SL/SJ, CF, ACEA Service A3"

So what gives? Is the newer one, lacking CF and A3, supposed to be better? How so?

Maybe in the Energy Conserving oils, the SM is better.

 

[novadude]

Castrol 10W-30 Syntec Blend also eliminated the A5 rating from the bottle on the SM version. Sl had it.

 

[TallPaul]

Interesting. Just visited the Valvoline web site. They have updated the product data sheets this Sept and split it into two sheets, one for 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, and one for 10w40, 15w40, 20w50. Anyway, the 10w40 is also CF per the sheet and meets GF-4 with lower zinc and phosphorus (0.083 and 0.076, respectively). But why meet GF-4 when it is not required of a 10w40? This isn't right. Think I will take back that quart of the new stuff. I have 24 bottles of the old in my stash.

EDIT: Correction, the 10w40 only meets the engine and emission systems requirements of GF-4. Obviously it can't meet the full GF-4 or it would also have to be Energy Conserving and a 10w40 is not goint to do it.

The other problem is that in general the cold properties don't look as good and flash points are lower (Maxlife's new version has this problem too).

[ November 01, 2004, 10:26 PM: Message edited by: TallPaul ]

 

[TallPaul]

If anybody cares (few here at BIOTG):

Been inspecting the new product data sheets and discovered that the Maxlife now has 300 ppm of moly (0.03 % by wt.), apparently to make up for the GF-4 zinc phosphorus reductions.

Maxlife and Durablend pour points and CCS seem worse in many cases with the new oil, but the MRV mostly remained the same, but increased some on the 10wXX Maxlifes and dropped some on the 5w30 Durablend.

While flash points dropped a lot, NOACK remained mostly the same for Durablend, but dropped by 3% on the 10w30 Durablend.

 

[haley10]

Yep TallPaul, I was very interested in Castrol Syntec 10W-40 for awhile, but apparently they are also going to go to the GF-4 style add pak for no reason, except to reduce their costs. Other manufacturer's are probably doing the same thing.

M1 0W-40 has the starburst. It is remotely possible for a 40wt. to get it, if it's designed to thin out quickly.

 

[Brons2]

quote:

---

Originally posted by TallPaul:
Interesting. Just visited the Valvoline web site. They have updated the product data sheets this Sept and split it into two sheets, one for 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, and one for 10w40, 15w40, 20w50.

---

That is explained here:

http://www.lubereport.com/e_article000229004.cfm

 

[TallPaul]

Curiously the Durablend and All Climate are split, but the new Maxlife remains a single data sheet. Synpower has not yet been updated. Didn't have time to read all the link, but I think the split would relate to energy conserving which would apply to the 30 weight and lower multigrades only. Or maybe the split was because Durablend added a 5w20 and they could not fit 6 grades across the page and maintain a8.5 x 11 format (likewise All Climate).

 

[friendly_jacek]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brons2:

quote:

---

Originally posted by TallPaul:
Interesting. Just visited the Valvoline web site. They have updated the product data sheets this Sept and split it into two sheets, one for 5w20, 5w30, 10w30, and one for 10w40, 15w40, 20w50.

---

That is explained here:

http://www.lubereport.com/e_article000229004.cfm

---

Have you seen how dated this paper is?

 

[TallPaul]

quote:

---

Originally posted by friendly_jacek:
Have you seen how dated this paper is?

---

Yeah, Feb 04, but come to think of it, in the SM debates, one week could be considered old. Anyway, I think the split data sheets are merely to fit on the page.

Hey, saw the new All Climate bottles today and they had stickers on them that said "Protects At Start Up." Hmmmm, could it be ester? No, can't believe it. Not sure what they are getting at. I guess any motor oil would "protect at startup" aye?