May 8, 2012

Test results are in on five samples of 10W-40 engine oil. Click bottles below for test results.  PQIA MOVES FORWARD WITH BULK OIL TESTING PROGRAM   Until now, PQIA has focused its efforts on the retail class of trade. It has done so by randomly purchasing quart samples of engine oil and transmission fluids at such retail outlets as convenience stores, big box stores, auto parts, and other retail outlets.  Based on these samples, 27% of the products tested over the past 2 years have issues, and 11% have issues serious enough to warrant PQIA announcing Consumer Alerts warning that use of these oils can cause engine damage.  Whereas it’s clear there are reasons for concern about lubricants sold on the retail shelves, and PQIA will continue to vigorously test and report on these products, Thomas Glenn, President of PQIA says “PQIA is now expanding its efforts to take a look at the bulk oils sold to and by fast lubes, service stations, new car dealers and other operations changing oil for a fee.”  According to Glenn, “roughly 75% of the passenger car engine oil servicing consumer’s cars comes out of bulk tanks at do-it-for-me (DIFM) operations.” Because of this, Glenn adds, “we are expanding our program to take a good look at the quality and integrity of engine oils in bulk tanks.”  PQIA’s bulk lubricant testing program kicks off this month. Installers, dealers, lubricant marketers and others interested in participating in the program can contact PQIA at: tglenn@pqiamerica.com

May 2, 2012  Result are in for three samples of 5W-30 engine oil; Amsoil, Atlas Team Clear Blend, and SuperS dexos1 approved. All look good.Click here for test results     Bad Engine Oils are Not Hard to Find The Petroleum Quality Institute of America receives calls from time-to-time from those in the lubricants business saying some of the off-spec products we test represent a minor volume in the market. As such, there is little chance consumers will find it, let alone use it and harm their engines. Whereas you can be sure PQIA would like this to be true, it clearly is not. To the contrary, we often find that some of the brands we test with serious deficiencies and labeling issues are the predominate brands on the shelf and convenience stores. CLICK HERE FOR MORE   April 25, 2012 The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) issues a Don't Buy for Bullseye Motor Oil. This product can cause significant damage to car engines. Click here for full story    March 22, 2012 PQIA completes analysis on 11 samples of Automatic Transmission Fluid and issues a Consumer Alert on one.  Click Bottles for details     March 22, 2012 Silogram Lubricants Files Suit Against Everclear   Silogram Lubricants, a New York Corporation with a manufacturing and distribution facility in Bayonne, NJ filed a $25 million breach of contract suit against Everclear of Ohio, Ltd. on March 1, 2012.         Silogram alleges the 10W-30 engine oil it purchased from Everclear for resale to Silogram's customers from late 2010 to early 2012 was defective and improper for use in automobiles. As such, it damaged passenger cars and trucks where it was intended for use and caused damage to Silogram's business and reputation.       Note: The Petroleum Quality Institute of America tested a sample of Everclear (click here for results) in July 2011 and issued a Consumer Alert on the product.             February 2012 PQIA completes analysis on 4 samples of 10W-40 passenger car motor oil, and issues an Advisory on one.  Click bottles for details.     PQIA takes a look at Toyota's 5W-30. Click bottle for details. Hat's off to the DCH Brunswick Toyota dealer in NJ where this sample was purchased. When we asked the parts department for a 5W-30, they expressed concern about use of this viscosity grade in our vehicle, and asked questions about the make and model year of the car.           February 8, 2012  PQIA completes analysis of 5 samples of passenger car  motor oil. Whereas 4 look fine, PQIA issues a Consumer Alert on one.  Click Bottles for details. The results of the test conducted on a 10W-30  meet requirements. Click Bottle for details.       January 20, 2012 PQIA reports on six new samples; issues a Consumer Alert on one.  Click here  for details.   November  2011 PQIA completes analysis of 5 more samples of passenger car motor oil. Whereas 4 look fine, PQIA issues an Advisory on one due to labeling issues. Click Bottles for details. November 28, 2011 PQIA Reports on Six Brands of 5W-30 Motor Oils. Click here for details November 18, 2011   PQIA tested three brands of 10W-40 motor oils and issues a Consumer Alert on  MaxiGuard. Click here for Alert. Click bottle below for details on the 10W-40 oils tested. November 7, 2011 Test results are in on major brands of API SN ILSAC GF-5 5W-30 engine oil... All look good. Click bottles below for test results Click bottles below for more test results

Click here for the 5W-30 brands tested

   Click here for the 10W-30 brands tested

Five of the 11 engine oils recently tested have issues... 

The results are in for the Petroleum Quality Institute of America's most recent round of quality testing on passenger car engine oils. Eleven oil brands were randomly purchased in five states: California, Nevada, Georgia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Whereas the tests conducted on six of the brands indicate the products meet the specifications stated on the labels, others did not. In addition, there are a number of labeling issues to consider when purchasing some of these products. Click here for details.    

CONSUMER ALERT! - Issued March 9, 2011

Everclear 5W-30 Motor Oil, API SC/CC	Liberty Gold Plus SMO 5W-30 Motor Oil	Bullseye Automotive Products High Mileage 10W-30 Motor Oil (SC/CC)

Now for the good news... TEST RESULTS FOR THE SAMPLES BELOW LOOK GOOD...

Click for data on 5W-30 Engine Oils shown above

Two West Coast Sample Results are in, both look good.

Click for data on 10W-30 Engine Oils shown above

The good news... other than one off-spec NOACK Volitility result, all other test results for all of the samples look good...

Click for data on 5W-30 Engine Oils shown above

PQIA issues advisories on engine oil samples tested in June, 2010.

ALERT:Test results find three of the six samples of engine oils PQIA purchased in the Mid-Atlantic States fail to meet their labeled API/ILSAC specifications. In addition, one of the brands labeled SA "5-30" is not an API SA, SAE 5W-30. Instead, it more closely resembles a heavy duty engine oil and is clearly not an SAE 5W-30.

Click bottles for test data on the 5W-30s that passed and those that didn't. And click link below for the one 10W-30 tested.

Click for data on 5W-30 Engine Oils

  Click for data on 10W-30 Engine Oil

Test Results for Private Label Look Good - but, alarms are tripped for one

Ten brands of Private Label-a PCEO in quart bottles were purchased by PQIA at retail outlets. Blind samples were prepared by PQIA and sent to Intertek Automotive Research in San Antonio, Texas for chemical and physical analysis.

The samples include both 5W-30 and 10W-30 viscosity grades. The variations in grades is a function of the random sampling process and the fact that some locations sampled did not have 5W-30 engine oil available.

ALERT: All but one of the private label samples tested show data indicative of what one would expect to see for an API SM GF-4 engine oil. One brand (PittPenn), however, gives serious cause for concern. Click here for alert.

Click for test results

The Data are in: The Majors Look Good

In an effort to assess where the bar is set for passenger car engine oil (PCEO), the Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) made the decision to test 10 brands of PCEO produced by major oil companies. The results are in and the major brands tested look good. 

Ten brands of PCEO in quart bottles were purchased by PQIA at retail outlets in New Jersey. Blind samples were prepared by PQIA and sent to Intertek Automotive Research in San Antonio, Texas for chemical and physical analysis.

Click for the data on the Major Brands