Wal-Mart fined for off-grade SuperTech Gear Oil

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: bmwtechguy
Anyone thinking as I am about the possibility that EM sent (their) "Rolf" here to try and cast doubt here on BITOG to Ashland's testing and results?

I've always thought that DC was the home of the best spin doctors....

No offense intended, Rolf. I was just thinking out loud.


Well, thinking no, out loud yes.

Let's see, perhaps I am a shill for ExxonMobil and perhaps this Board is such a center of excellence and influence on the market place that the largest company in the world would plant someone here to discredit the unseen tests by an unknown lab in an unknown place of an unknown Mobil 1 formula. But no offense intended.

Right.


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[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: buster
Maybe Ashland is the new oversight board, since they qualify engine oils through their "state of the art" lab.


Remember, it's the state of the art in Ashland, Kentucky, population 29,181.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashland_kentucky




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[Valvman]

versus Paulsboro NJ, population 6160.

 

[buster]

I sent an email to the API on this issue. Let me say that from the beginning, I have belived Ashland. Believe what you want. I only emailed them just to see what their response would be and it's exactly what I expected.


My question to the API:

Quote:
As the enforcing agency that deals with motor oils, can you tell me whether Mobil 1 has passed the Seq IVA wear test that Ashland is claiming Mobil 1 failed?


Quote:
ExxonMobil has confirmed to us that their 5W-30 Mobil 1 product meets ILSAC GF-4 and API SM requirements. This includes passing data in the IVA.

American Petroleum Institute
Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System
1220 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
USA


How about the API confirm it? This is a joke.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted By: Rolf
Originally Posted By: buster
Maybe Ashland is the new oversight board, since they qualify engine oils through their "state of the art" lab.


Remember, it's the state of the art in Ashland, Kentucky, population 29,181.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashland_kentucky

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I live 35 minutes from Paulsboro. Believe me, it's nothing special. I'm sure their lab is top notch. Where their lab is located is a completely seperate topic and irrelevant to the discussion.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Self reporting. Enough said. The API is not in place for the consumer, it is in place for the petrolem industry. At this point the collusion between the API and the Auto industry is starting to seem like a shady backroom deal with no real concern for the consumer, Only compromises to meet goverment requirments without costing too much money.

My Support of ILSAC certs is fading since there is no real checks on meeting standards other than the word of the blender "Yep.. It passes the test...And I pay alot of dues" They are good tests and the certification is a great idea, but seeing how there are no checks and balances I feel let down as a consumer that there is no protection against a substandard product if I follow recomendations.

 

[buster]

Agree.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

It depends entirely on the integrity of the blender. At this point my trust that Exxon Mobil has such integrity is non existent.

 

[buster]

Right. Both companies are highly respectable but the way this has played out suggests to me XOM was not being truthful.

 

[FrankN4]

I wonder how many times and in how many labs, and by how many, Synpower and synthetic MaxLife have been tested since September.

 

[buster]

Quote:
API tests 600 licensed oils per year to confirm that they meet our requirements. This would include a variety of ExxonMobil products. We don’t merely accept an oil marketer’s word. I can’t really explain why Ashland chose to do what it did, but ExxonMobil has taken steps to confirm its product meets our requirements.


Received this back from the API when questioning them again on the issue.

 

[OVERKILL]

So, if ExxonMobil has taken steps to confirm its product meets the API's requirements, but nobody on here believes the API anymore anyways, then this will be an infinite battle of futility because it simply becomes "he said she said"..........

Originally, it was "see what the API says", but now that no longer matters it seems....

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Rolf
I suppose it only makes sense that in a trade group for manufacturers of oil and lubricants, it would have a seat at the table.




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Um, Exxon's seat is at the top. Exxon is the API. Which is probably why, according to Buster, they've told themselves that Mobil 1 meets API SM.

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[Drew99GT]

I'll believe Ashland until they get sued into the ground for libel.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Rolf
Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Ok Mike .....


Btw, my name is not "Mike".




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You stand out like a bottle of Pennzoil in a case of Mobil 1.

 

[buster]

My final opinion on this is that Ashland probably found that M1 5w30 was not meeting the Seq IVA wear test, for whatever reason. No one knows so at this point it comes down to who "you" trust. It could have been due to a variety of reasons...bad batch, cutting some corners, Katrina...whatever.

With that said, I'd be very confident at this point that Mobil 1 does pass the Seq IVA wear test due to the fact that the API has now received data from XOM confirming it does meet the specifications.

I still believe Ashland picked up on something and it's now been corrected.

 

[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: buster
Let me say that from the beginning, I have belived Ashland.


I am sure that statement comes as a complete shock to all of us.




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[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: Bryanccfshr
Self reporting. Enough said. The API is not in place for the consumer, it is in place for the petrolem industry.


That must have something to do with it being the American *Petroleum* Institute.

You might want to subscribe to Consumer Reports.

http://www.consumerreports.org


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[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally, it was "see what the API says", but now that no longer matters it seems....


Of course.

If it goes against you, just discredit the source.

America is rife with conspiracy theories and this is just another one.




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[Rolf]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I'll believe Ashland until they get sued into the ground for libel.


That should make their advertising over the next 12 months more exciting than usual.





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