Walmart Super Tech 20K Dexos 1 odor

[JackWildfeuer]

So changed my middle sons oil and filter today. He supplied his own oil Walmart Super Tech 20K Dexos 1

So this oil smelled like oil from the late 1970's and early 1980's had a smell like burnt tires and sulfur. It was clean and clear and the seal had not been broken. Smelled disgusting. None of the name brand oils I use smell this strong. What is going on?

 

[dubber09]

When was the oil made? It may have been stored outdoors for long while before it was sold.

 

[Rand]

made as cheap as possible?

 

[Lawnman23]

Lowest cost = barely meets spec and that's it.

M

Thread 'Supertech and other value point oils'

Jul 19, 2025

I regularly see on here that basically it seems that brand doesn’t matter as long as an oil meets specs. I’m sure to a certain extent this is true, however, the extra $$ does buy you something. Bought Supertech 0w20 synthetic (10k mile low-rent variety) to do an oil change on a rental vehicle I am using for the next week. Im going to tell you, that stuff is more acrid smelling than any Valvoline Extended Protection or Mobil 1 I use on my own vehicles. It smells noticeably less refined. If anyone doesn’t believe me check it out for yourself.

• MrkofXcellence
• Replies: 167
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

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[fantastic]

Not sure we can tell anything from the oil smell. Sounds like everything is intended correctly. Oil stinks in general.

 

[DCDG]

Maybe just a bad batch should have brought it back for an exchange

 

[Hall]

Lowest cost = barely meets spec and that's it.

So what you're saying is that "specs" are a joke and useless then.

 

[Lawnman23]

So what you're saying is that "specs" are a joke and useless then.

Is that what I said?

Value brands are a value for a reason. They meet the need that is asked of them and no more, as cheaply as possible.. In this case, it meets the specs listed on the back of the bottle and nothing more.

As per the thread I posted, if you read it, others have noticed the odd smell of SuperTech oils. Does Kirkland and Amazon Basics smell the same? They are all Warren Distro oils.

 

[Japanese]

So this oil smelled like oil from the late 1970's and early 1980's had a smell like burnt tires and sulfur. It was cleana nd clear and the seal had not been broken. Smelled disgusting. Non of the name brand oils I use smell this strong. What is going on!

Valvoline Restore and Protects smells bad too, but we love it. Oil is not supposed to smell good anyway. It has other more important properties.

 

[mitsuman47]

We’re back to huffing engine oil.

We should replace ASTM oil testing with you guys sniffing oil and listening to startup noise.

 

[Hollowed_Mist65]

I mean since we are treating oil like some sort of cologne .

 

[nascarnation]

Lowest cost = barely meets spec and that's it.

M

Thread 'Supertech and other value point oils'

Jul 19, 2025

I regularly see on here that basically it seems that brand doesn’t matter as long as an oil meets specs. I’m sure to a certain extent this is true, however, the extra $$ does buy you something. Bought Supertech 0w20 synthetic (10k mile low-rent variety) to do an oil change on a rental vehicle I am using for the next week. Im going to tell you, that stuff is more acrid smelling than any Valvoline Extended Protection or Mobil 1 I use on my own vehicles. It smells noticeably less refined. If anyone doesn’t believe me check it out for yourself.

• MrkofXcellence
• Replies: 167
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

• 
• 

The Supertech/Kirkland stuff seems to produce some pretty good oil analysis numbers.
It's almost like meeting that Dexos spec points them in the right direction.

 

[4wd]

We’re back to huffing engine oil.

why I always need the Walmart lady to clear the yellow light

 

[Pablo]

I wonder if group 1 sub kicked in

 

[Lawnman23]

The Supertech/Kirkland stuff seems to produce some pretty good oil analysis numbers.
It's almost like meeting that Dexos spec points them in the right direction.

They all meet their licensed specifications. If they didn’t, they would be liable to legal action I’m sure.

Why doesn’t everyone just run SuperTech oil in everything that it qualifies for? Why spend any amount more for “premium” fancy oils?

I’m not denying that the “value” tier oils meet their licensed specs. I’m merely a believer that you get what you pay for. Others may disagree, and to those I ask why aren’t they running SuperTech?

 

[4wd]

Why doesn’t everyone just run SuperTech oil in everything that it qualifies for?

Leads to Valvoline Restore and Protect addiction

 

[Lawnman23]

Leads to Valvoline Restore and Protect addiction

As plenty of other off the shelf oils do, as far as loaded oil control rings are concerned.

 

[Hall]

Value brands are a value for a reason.

1) You aren't paying for a 'name', 2) you aren't paying to subsidize advertising and promotions. There are plenty of reasons some are less expensive than others and it's not always quality.

As per the thread I posted, if you read it, others have noticed the odd smell of SuperTech oils.

Don't care what it smells like as long as it works. Valvoline red-bottle ATF is very highly respected around here and it stinks !

They meet the need that is asked of them and no more

This is 100% fine. As an example, Supertech (or any Warren oil) meets GM's DEXOS spec and plenty of people consider it an excellent standard to meet. You're suggesting GM designed an oil requirement / spec that barely meets what they want in an engine oil and any oil that meets their spec is on the borderline. You have no idea if the oil exceeds the spec by a fraction of a % or if it exceeds it well beyond what it needs to be. You just assume that because of it's low selling cost, it barely skirts by.

Speaking of that thread, did you choose to ignore these comments ? Just from page # 1 too....

If it meets the specs the engine manufacturer require than it meets specs… 99% of the time any oil of the correct grade and variety (with proper specs) will serve your engine well.

My experience has been that if an oil meets even the bare minimum standard it's more than sufficient.

Oil reports don't get much better than this one

Quote from Blackstone for an analysis on SuperTech oil

Super Tech synthetic oil is good stuff, despite what the price might imply.

If it meets specs, good to go

 

[Lawnman23]

1) You aren't paying for a 'name', 2) you aren't paying to subsidize advertising and promotions. There are plenty of reasons some are less expensive than others and it's not always quality.

Don't care what it smells like as long as it works. Valvoline red-bottle ATF is very highly respected around here and it stinks !

This is 100% fine. As an example, Supertech (or any Warren oil) meets GM's DEXOS spec and plenty of people consider it an excellent standard to meet. You're suggesting GM designed an oil requirement / spec that barely meets what they want in an engine oil and any oil that meets their spec is on the borderline. You have no idea if the oil exceeds the spec by a fraction of a % or if it exceeds it well beyond what it needs to be. You just assume that because of it's low selling cost, it barely skirts by.

Speaking of that thread, did you choose to ignore these comments ? Just from page # 1 too....






Quote from Blackstone for an analysis on SuperTech oil

I'm curious, what oil(s) do you run in your vehicles? Please be honest. I seem to have pinched a nerve here and I am trying to understand why.

 

[stanlee]

They all meet their licensed specifications. If they didn’t, they would be liable to legal action I’m sure.

Why doesn’t everyone just run SuperTech oil in everything that it qualifies for? Why spend any amount more for “premium” fancy oils?

I’m not denying that the “value” tier oils meet their licensed specs. I’m merely a believer that you get what you pay for. Others may disagree, and to those I ask why aren’t they running SuperTech?

I still don’t see how ANYTHING you added has anything to do with the question asked. All you did was rant about lower quality oils. Please share with us the smell/quality correlation? What are the top tier oils you just know are quality when you break that seal and get a whiff of that sweet smelling MSDS verified 25-50% PAO base? This ain’t wine sampling, it’s a bunch of hazardous materials blended together. The answer is one or more of those materials or in combination has a subjective unpleasant aroma to him. We didn’t blend it and we don’t know anything more.