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Just a reminder to know what you're buying when it comes to something as important as motor oil. I know a lot of folks say it doesn't matter what goes in your engine, as long as you change it regularly. Well, that's not exactly true. As the link shows, oils meeting these outdated specs (“not suitable for use in most gasoline-powered automotive engines built after 1930”) are still being made & sold. Not only will they NOT stand up to the beating of extended drains or turbochargers, they won't even meet the MINIMUM recommended drain intervals for your car.
The issue with the Star Brite brand featured in the article is that they're displaying the API Service logos without meeting the criteria. This is a misrepresentation of the product, as these logos are only for use on oils meeting CURRENT specs (API SL & ILSAC GF-3).
But don't think this is the only brand which can cause problems in your engine. Just three days ago I saw obsolete motor oil, freshly restocked, on the shelves at WalMart. No, they're not using the API Service logos. But they ARE being sold right alongside the national brands which DO meet current specifications. This oil is being sold at my local WalMart under the brand name "Accel," but the brand & viscosities may be different where you live.
The two viscosity grades at my local store are 30 & 10W-40. The 30wt says it meets API SA, which was the very first API grade to be established. The current API description for this catagory is, "For older engines; no performance requirement. Use only when specifically recommended by the manufacturer." This oil has no detergent additives &, like the Star Brite oil, probably no protective additives. The 10W-40 says it meets API SF. This catagory was introduced in 1979, & obsoleted in 1988 when API SG replaced it. But, who knows whether or not it actually meets the specified grade? (Remember, API won't certify obsolete grades. And the Star Brite oil didn't meet their claimed viscosities, either.)
Anyway, like I said at the beginning, just take a look at what you're buying & make sure you're actually getting what you think you're getting. It doesn't have to be "the best" available, but it should meet current API SL specs to be adequate.
-Greg
posted by 216.160.177...
Star Brite & Bi-Lo in the news (again)
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