Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
OK, News flash here. I know that some people will think that what I'm about to say is blasphemy but manufacturers don't stick with just one oil company for the factory fill. OEMs will put out a request for bids along with the required specs and the winning bidder will have that contract for 12 to 18 months or so. After that the bidding process will start over again.
Also. Just because the oil cap says Pennzoil, Mobil1 Castrol or what ever else that does not mean that specific product is in the crank case. The Oil Cap has been reduced to paid advertisement space just like any fender in NASCAR.
Lubricants and other fluids are a bulk product. Oil Companies are switched often enough to make it impossible to tell what your factory fill is.
Mostly correct. Too many mfgrs to label all of them with one swipe.
Point one is entirely correct. Low bidder is the source, simple economics rules and the bean counters control everything these days.
Re: the oil cap advertising, I can speak to the SRT division which specifically used exactly what was on the cap for the first couple of years of the 6.1 liter versions. They were exempt from many of the bean counters wishes, early cars like mine got real AMG parts in them like trans and rear ends with Bilstein shocks, etc.