What standard testing is best

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Hi all

Been a member for a while lurking and reading when i can, and trying to understand where I can.

I dont know a whole lot about oils, lubrication, but I am learning. I have found an Australian producer who makes what I would have to say is the best oil I have used or seen, based on results in cars, bikes- both crank and driveline. Increased power, lower temperatures etc etc i am sure you have heard it all. Skeptical at first but every time I doubt it, the results are there in my own simplistic way.

I am convinced it is bloody good. I also see all of these tests floating around, and read about here- 4 ball, timken ok, etc etc etc. Trouble is every manufacturer uses a different test, and those tests I am led to believe often mean very little.

Say timken ok test- I believe the test is to measure film strength- so as soon as the test piece leaves any scar that is the point it fails. I believe (but again dont know) that the 4 ball weld test would test the effectiveness of anti wear additives present.

The point- is there a standard test, or set of tests, which consumers can look at to say 'this one suits me better', if not, why not? it seems every week there is more advertising to say that this product is better, but no actual proof past Castrol's now famous (in Australia) 'intellegent molecules'.

I understand you can try one oil, get an analasys, try another, get an analasys etc, but I am kinda frustrated that there is so much misinformation or no info around.

Any thoughts?

cheers

Brad
any info-
bradcad1@hotmail.com

2/26/082:59 PM

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Original Post

micbialMember

I alway's get a kick out of that "intelligent molecule" advertisement. Next thing you know the oil will be formulating itself.

Are there standard test, yes. Problem is there are so many different standard test and what you will usually see is a manufacturer publish the test they did best in. I work in the lubricants industry and I feel your pain. Trying to compare spec's from one manufacturer to another is darn near impossible some times. Some manufacturers seem to use more colorful language than others and invest millions in advertisement campaigns while others invest little to nothing. Sorry to say for many of them fancy advertising lingo increases their bottom line and worse yet consumers fall for it. The advice I give my customers is just what you don't want to hear, prove it for yourself. For the majority of my customers that's not a problem because they are large industrial customers and can afford to do some testing and have multiple pieces of equipment or vehicles they can compare results on. Long before I got into the lubricants industry that's what I did. Try different brands and stuck with the one that worked best for me. For me test results could never compare to results I experienced first hand.

2/28/088:41 PM

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