The "smell" of new oil?

[G-MAN]

One of the things I've done for years when changing my own oil is take a whif of the freshly opened container of oil. It's been interesting to note the differences in odor, especially when it comes to synthetics. One would think the odor of the finished product would be mostly influenced by the base oil blend since that makes up the largest % of the finished product. Does anyone know if that's truly the case?

Here are some of my observations about the smell of new oils:

Mobil 1 SS smells different from the Tri-Syn formula. The Tri-Syn had a much more "plastic" odor. The SS is hard to describe, sort of sweet and not really a petroleum odor.

Rotella T Synthetic has a sweet, plastic-like odor, with just a hint of petroleum. Very different from the Mobil 1.

Conoco's Hydroclear has a very distinct petroleum odor.

Mobil's Drive Clean has a very distinct petroleum odor.

Castrol's Syntec has the most peculiar odor of all. It doesn't smell like oil. It has a VERY sweet odor, more of a chemical than petroleum smell.

 

[Greg]

petro-can XR4 smells like really really strong petroleum

tech 2000 oil smells like nothing

 

[Pablo]

Amsoil 5W-30 has a light roasty aroma, almost coffee like, with a mellow oily background...

The 10W-30 has much less aroma, almost non-existant.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by Giles:

Interesting that they are white, as this is the color of some Power Steering fluids. Don't you think they use pigment to color ATF red? I would venture to guess that all oil companies add pigment and other additives to provide the color and fragrance they want as a signature. Some diesel oils are almost black right out of the bottle from what I've heard.

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Yes, ATF has a red dye added to distinguish it from other types of lubricants. I think this was originally done so you could tell what was leaking, motor oil or ATF.

Except for the ones I named, I've never heard of any companies putting dye in their motor oils. And I've never heard of any putting fragrance in. I would think that the engineers would not want to put anything in their oil that wouldn't add to the performance of the oil.

[ December 22, 2002, 04:56 PM: Message edited by: XHVI ]

 

[satterfi]

Redline has an array of aromas that is layered with a sweet fruity base combined with the extra facets of complexity and depth that only an ester base oil can give. It has a full bodied touch with a long, rich and supple finish. It is best enjoyed among friends and family with a few gallons of niromethane and methanol.

 

[jjbula]

You guys missed a really good?? thread on oil smelling a few months ago. Do a search.

I have noticed Mobil 1 ATF smells much better (almost sweet) than Aamco Syn Blend ATF (Technical designation--Yucky).

BTW, I've never seen a white Mobil 1 product. The only near clear one I've seen was Valvoline Synpower (Group III). Maybe Esters add color???

[ December 22, 2002, 01:53 PM: Message edited by: jjbula ]

 

[Patman]

Just don't anybody try and taste it! It won't make your food slide through you easier!

 

[Cutehumor]

hmm..this is a new one..a bunch of oil sniffers..

 

[Giles]

quote:

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Originally posted by XHVI:

Except for the ones I named, I've never heard of any companies putting dye in their motor oils. And I've never heard of any putting fragrance in. I would think that the engineers would not want to put anything in their that wouldn't add to the performance of the oil.

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Engineers probably don't want to add color and fragrances to but marketing departments run companies. Any good marketing person would want their oil to have a signature color and odor for a positive impression. I once purchased havoline oil 30 years ago that smelled really bad and was surprised as the Penzoil I was using smelled ok, and never used it since. Once the oil is in the engine for awhile, they all smell the same to me.

 

[sprintman]

Delvac 1 pretty stinky like an old Burgundy. Have not 'taste tested'

 

[Giles]

I think oil companies like to control the odor so they probably add chemicals to give it a signature smell. Can anyone confirm this? I'm pretty sure that's true with the color

 

[metroplex]

SuperTech Synthetic smells like ... nothing.

Pennzoil 10W-40 Dino smells like popcorn.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by Giles:
I think oil companies like to control the odor so they probably add chemicals to give it a signature smell. Can anyone confirm this? I'm pretty sure that's true with the color

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To my knowledge, there are only a couple of oils on the market where dye is added to change the color of the finished product: Royal Purple and Schaeffer's. Kendall's old GT-1 used to be dyed green, but not anymore.

A fully hydroprocessed Group II or Group III base oil will be water-white, so it's the additives that give the finished motor oil its color. I would assume that PAO is water-white as well.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by metroplex:
SuperTech Synthetic smells like ... nothing.

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I actually got a chance to smell some at Wal-Mart when they were throwing out a couple of bottles that had been dropped and were leaking. It had a very distinct petroleum odor, which surprised me.

 

[Ryan]

I always smell the Mobil Drive Clean oil when I shoot it out of the oil gun in to customers' cars everyday. I love the smell of fresh oil.

 

[Giles]

quote:

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To my knowledge, there are only a couple of oils on the market where dye is added to change the color of the finished product: Royal Purple and Schaeffer's. Kendall's old GT-1 used to be dyed green, but not anymore.

A fully hydroprocessed Group II or Group III base oil will be water-white, so it's the additives that give the finished motor oil its color. I would assume that PAO is water-white as well.[/QB]

---

Interesting that they are white, as this is the color of some Power Steering fluids. Don't you think they use pigment to color ATF red? I would venture to guess that all oil companies add pigment and other additives to provide the color and fragrance they want as a signature. Some diesel oils are almost black right out of the bottle from what I've heard.

 

[Dr. T]

The new Syntec smells totally like "soap"...almost like a laundry detergent....weird. Mobil 1 has a distinctive "Elmer's glue-like" smell. Right, the SS smells slightly different than the TS. Delvac 1 smells more like a petroleum product than the above 3. All Penzoil products to me smell like burnt oil. Quaker State smells like walnuts.

 

[JWRENCH]

I used to stick my nose into a gas can full of amoco 93 and snort it, then sit very still and feel a wave of numbness move from left to right across me. butt then I found out it keeld brane sales and ha'd two stop duing it.

 

[nick778]

When I was in high school I worked at a highway gas station. We had these contests for selling the most Mobil oil. Needless to say, the 'sweet' smell of fresh oil (and gas) wore off fairly quickly. Especially since you had to retrive these little blue casino like chips at the bottom of the mostly empty Mobil oil cans to turn into prizes from the Mobil prize catalog. I can still smell the Mobil oil just thinking about it.

 

[TooSlick]

I'd vote for the ester based synergyn 0w-20 as the most unique oil I've ever smelled in 25 years of using synthetic lubes. It smells like rocket fuel ....nothing at all like Amsoil which has a sweet ester smell similiar to AutoRX.

TooSlick