Wax based, Ash based?

[bheinz57]

Hello, first post here! Anyway, when I was younger I was told that some (dino) oil was wax based and some was ash based. You know like Quaker State had ash in the basestock or Pennzoil had wax in it...Is/was there any truth to that? Brian

 

[Jimbo]

Welcome!

I would suggest you just take a couple of hours and start reading posts.

The whole "wax in Quaker State" thing has been discussed at great length. Confusion over the chemical term "Paraffinic hydrocabon" is the main issue, IMO. Hint, methane gas (CH4) is a paraffin, and certainly is not wax.

The statement about ash is another misunderstanding. Ash content in oil specifications refers to the percentage of leftover ash after the oil is burned, not ash in the oil itself.

 

[TC]

Another twist to this question is yes, back in grandpa's old-school days, the SOURCE of a motor oil was given more relevance than today. If I recall correctly, some oils were lower-sulfur (some Pennsylvania oils, for example..??), giving them bragging rights. But the modern theory is, "OK, there's _____ contaminant in the crude...No problem, we'll simply remove it." I stole this from a Cam2 website:

"Many of us remember “Penn Grade” and “Solvent Refined” base oils as meaning top quality. We have come a long way since these products were “top shelf” base oils. It’s no longer the crude source, but the refining process that creates today’s “top shelf” base oil. To meet most current specifications you need “Hydro-cracked” or Hydro-isomerized” base oils. Base oils now have better stability and dramatically improved volatility, and in the future you can expect base oils that are closer to full synthetic profiles. Base oil refiners have spent millions of dollars upgrading their base oil manufacturing processes...This expense is one reason that many of the old “Penn Grade” & “Solvent Refined” companies are no longer self- directed lubricant suppliers.
http://www.cam2.com/june_2002.htm