My name is Ben, and I am the deputy editor of Street Commodores magazine in Sydney, Australia. We have been conducting a series of tests on engine oils in our magazine recently, and I was wondering if i would be able to get some impartial information from you guys in regard to the types of testing we performed.

When performing the test we used the Falex Lubricity Testing machine.

Would you please be able to provide some information for me in regard to:

Appropriate testing procedures?
The 'make-up' of oil?
The importance of API certification?
How oil breaks down and deteriorates through use and age?
Any information you can provide about the types of compounds and chemicals used in engine oil?
The types of stresses oil is put under in an engine?

If any of you out there can help in my quest for quality information it would be extremely appreciated.

Regards,

Ben

quote:

Falex Lubricity Testing machine

Have you contacted the support team at Falex?
http://www.falex.com/tri_testlab.htm
It would seem they would be the first line of information on your operation.
If you need an unbiased (with regards to the testing equipment and procedures) opinion and or information, come on back here and I'm sure we can help you in this matter.

Thanks for the reply. I am after unbiased information on these testing procedures, so if anyone on these boards could help it would be great. Thanks in advance.

Ben

BRN, Please email me at michaelc@fluidcleansa.com.au. I should be able to help with some of your questions as I'm in Adelaide and have some contacts around Australia that should be able to give you some decent advice - Michael

Hi Ben. My name is Roger Miller. I do work for Red Line Oil in Victoria. One of my clients passed on your enquiry. In a rough sense this test is used for grease not oil. It is like using a quarter mile drag strip to find the "best four wheel drive on the market." A real test but totally irrelevent to what happens in the real world.The addition of friction modifiers to the test bears this out. You can take the nastiest oil on the market, add friction modifier to it and it will out-perform the best oil on the market. If you add friction modifier to a GL1 oil in this falex test you can make it exceed the results for a GL5 oil. Most general use oils contain friction modifiers to a greater or lesser degree depending on the recipe the oil manufacturer is using that particular day. So what does the falex test really test...???

To answer all your questions satifactiorally is beyond what this forum is designed for. Please feel free to contact me via redlineoil@redlineoil.com.au