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A
Look at Four More Motor oil
Brands and Viscosity Grades |
December 30, 2015
PQIA
examined four brands of motor
oils in various viscosity grades
availabe on retail shelves. The
products were purchased in
Pennsylvania, North and South
Carolina, and New Jersey.
The
results of the tests conducted
on these samples meet the SAE
J300 specifications for the SAE
Viscosity Grades listed on the
product labels, and are
consistent with the listed API
Service Categories.
CLICK FOR MORE
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“Lawsuit: Dollar General
motor oil not safe for cars
newer than 1980s” |
December 22, 2015
“A Houston man has filed a
class-action lawsuit in federal
court against Dollar General,
claiming that the company sells
a line of motor oils that are
unsuitable for today’s cars.” CLICK
for More
October 2, 2015The
Petroleum Quality
Institute of America
(PQIA) recently visited
a Dollar General not far
from our office in
central New Jersey.
Understanding Dollar
General operates 12,198
stores in 43 states as
of July 31, 2015, it was
interesting to see what
motor oils they sell. CLICK
FOR MORE
PQIABLOG
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Five More Samples
From the Washington, D.C. Area |
December 22, 2015
PQIA
issues consumer alerts on three
out of five more samples from
the Washington, D.C. area.
CLICK
BOTTLES BELOW FOR TEST RESULTS
and PQIA ASSESSMENTS
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Results in on
Seven Coolant/Antifreeze
Samples |
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December 21, 2015
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America
recently took a look at
seven coolant/antifreeze
products on retail shelves.
Whereas four checked out
fine, there are concerns
with three.
CLICK
BOTTLES BELOW FOR TEST
RESULTS and PQIA
ASSESSMENTS.
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RelaDyne Joins to
Support PQIA's Efforts to Help
Assure the Quality and Integrity
of Lubricants in the Market |
|
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce RelaDyne has joined
PQIA's growing list of lubricant
manufacturers, marketers,
additive suppliers, and other
supporters working to help
assure the quality and integrity
of motor oils, transmission
fluids, and other lubricants in
the market.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
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Results in on more
D.C. Samples |
December 1, 2015
Although PQIA's sampling of
products purchased in the
Washington D.C. area this year
revealed reasons for concern,
the good news is that there were
a number of brands tested that
had no issues. Click
here for more.
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PQIA issues a DON'T BUY
on 3X Super Premium Motor Oil on
Shelves in Florida! |
November 18, 2015
A Dark Day in The Sunshine State
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA), issues a DON'T
BUY on two "3X
Super Premium Motor Oil"
viscosity grades on the shelves
in Florida!
The results of the tests
conducted on the 3X
Super Premium 10W-40 and 20W-50
samples DO NOT meet
the Society of Automotive
Engineers (SAE) J300
specifications for the SAE
Viscosity Grade listed on the
product labels. Also of high
concern is the level of silicon
in the samples. Such levels are
unheard of in motor oils and
strongly suggest the samples are
highly contaminated.
In addition, these
products are represented as
mulitgrade motor oils meeting an
API SA Service Classification.
This can't be. By definition, an
API SA motor oil cannot be a
multi-viscosity motor oil.
Click on Bottles Below
for the Test Results and
PQIA Assessments
and visit the
PQIA BLOG for
comments
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Five More Samples from
Washington, D.C. |
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November 13, 2015
PQIA takes a look at five
10W-40 motor oils purchased
in the Washington, D.C.
market. All look good.
Click on Bottles
Below for the Data
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Florida Deserves
Better - Part II |
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November 9, 2015
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America (PQIA) recently
reported that the majority of
motor oils PQIA observed on the
shelves at convenience stores it
recently visited in Florida are
labeled as meeting only obsolete
American Petroleum Institute
(API) SA, SB, SC, and SG Service
Categories. These
Categories apply to motor oils
formulated for use in cars built
prior to 1930, 1951, 1967, and
1993, respectively, and
according to the API they are
obsolete and not suitable for
engines built after these model
years. Some, in fact, may
cause harm to modern engines. To
that, PQIA added that Florida
deserves better.
Make no mistake about it,
these obsolete motor oils
are not hard to find. They
are not dead stock covered
with dust, hidden in a back
room on top of a cooler in a
Chokoloskee, Florida bait
shop. Instead, they are eye
level products served up to
consumers at many high
traffic convenience stores
PQIA visited in Miami,
Opa-Locka, Dania, West Palm
Beach and other areas in
Florida. And with shelves
loaded with these obsolete
motor oils, there is little
wonder why a consumer would
think it’s all good.
So here they are, although
PQIA suspects there could be
more, the following are the
obsolete brands observed on
the shelves at the
convenient stores PQIA
recently visited in Florida.
They include; XCEL PREMIUM,
EASYLUBE Premium, 3X Super
Premium, VTech, and Thunder
motor oils.
CLICK FOR MORE
Figure 1
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Florida Deserves
Better |
October 30,
2015
The Petroleum Quality Institute
of America (PQIA), represented
by Thomas F. Glenn, President of
PQIA, had the opportunity to sit
on a distinguished panel last
week at the annual Independent
Lubricant Manufacturers
Association (ILMA) meeting in
Boca Raton, Florida. The panel
discussion titled, "The ILMA
Ethics Initiative: Driving
Toward Quality," was well
attended, informative, and
underscored the lubricant
industry's collective interests
and efforts to protect consumers
from potentially harmful motor
oils, and help assure suppliers
compete on a level playing
field.
With the ILMA meeting in
Florida, and a good deal of the
panel discussion about the
actions the State of Florida
takes to protect consumers from
potentially engine damaging
motor oils, PQIA decided to take
a firsthand look at the motor
oils currently on store shelves
in the State. With that,
following the ILMA meeting,
Glenn took a drive from Boca
Raton south to Miami, and back
up North to West Palm Beach.
Stops were made at several big
chain auto parts stores and 18
convenience stores along the
way. Although almost all the
major and private label motor
oils at the auto parts stores
were labeled to meet current
performance specifications, what
PQIA found at the convenience
stores was a real eye opener,
and cause for concern.
 The
majority of the motor oils PQIA
observed on the shelves at
convenience stores visited in
Florida were only labeled with
obsolete API SA, SB, SC, and SG
Service Categories. To put
this in perspective, these motor
oils were made for use in cars
built prior to 1930, 1951, 1967,
and 1993, respectively.According
to the API these are obsolete
and not suitable for engines
built after these model years.
Some, in fact, may cause harm to
modern engines.
Adding to PQIA's concerns is the
significant presence of
multigrade motor oils labeled
API SA/SB. Plain and
simple, this can't be.
By definition, an API SA
motor oil cannot be a
multi-viscosity grade product.
As shown in
API 1509, Table A-1 of Annex
A, API SA motor oils are
"straight mineral oil." As such,
they contain no additives.
Multigrade motor oil requires
the use of viscosity modifier
additives to be a multigrade.
Consistent with the API
definition, the Society of
Automotive Engineers (SAE) in
SAE J183 defines API SA oils as
"straight" viscosity grade
products. By either/or both of
these definitions, the term API
SA and multigrade are mutually
exclusive; a motor oil cannot
meet both an API SA Service
Category and be an SAE
multigrade.
Similarly, multigrade
motor oils marked as API SB are
a contradiction since SAE did
not recognize "W' grades until
1952, and API SB motor oils were
formulated for use in vehicles
built prior to 1951.
So what's the deal?
Why are obsolete,
potentially engine damaging
motor oils, some of which by
definition simply cannot exist,
commonly found on convenience
store shelves in the State of
Florida? Moreover, what's being
done to protect consumers in
Florida from these engine
oils? You can be sure, PQIA will
follow-up.
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The Petroleum
Quality Institute of America
Announces Certification of Four
Lubricant Manufacturers |
|
October 22, 2015cto
 Look
for the PQIA Certification Mark
- The Mark of Quality
The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA), an independent
organization with a mission to
serve consumers of lubricants by
testing and reporting on the
quality and integrity of
lubricants in the marketplace,
today announced that four
lubricant manufacturers have
recently completed the rigorous
PQIA Lubricant Certification
Process, and are now PQIA
Certified Lubricant
Suppliers. The program certifies
the quality management
practices, product integrity,
and labeling of motor oils
marketed by lubricant
manufacturers and distributors.
Certified companies will
be authorized to use the PQIA
Certification Mark on their
motor oil packaging and
marketing material. The four
companies meeting the PQIA
Certification standards include:
According to Thomas F.
Glenn, President of PQIA "The
program is structured to help
assure lubricant manufacturers
and distributors meet PQIA's
standards, the requirements set
forth by the American Petroleum
Institute (API), the American
Chemistry Council (ACC), and
government regulations as they
pertain to the manufacturing and
marketing of lubricants." In
addition to determining if
products are made right, Glenn
says, "The PQIA Certification
Program is intended to help
assure the products made are
right for consumers. This means
the lubricants meet claimed
specifications, are not labeled
deceptively, display appropriate
API Service Symbols and/or
Certification Marks, and include
any cautionary statements
specified in the Society of
Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Standard J183."
Glenn adds, "PQIA
Certified Suppliers agree to the
PQIA Code of Ethical Business
Conduct (CODE),
provide access to manufacturing
and packaging facilities for
PQIA plant audits and random and
periodic sampling and testing of
bulk and packaged lubricants."
For more information
on the PQIA Certification
Program and the Certification
Process, contact Thomas Glenn at
tglenn@pqia.org, or by phone
at 732-201-4033.
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PQIA's First Round of
Coolant/Antifreeze Testing - Two
Products Show Reason for Concern |
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October 8, 2015
The Petroleum
Quality Institute of America has
been hard at work over the past
few months developing a
coolant/antifreeze program. In
part, this pilot program was put
in place to address the many
questions and concerns PQIA
receives about not only the
motor oils in the market, but
also the antifreeze on retail
shelves.
CLICK FOR MORE.
So here it is, the first
group of antifreeze/coolants
examined by PQIA. It's
disappointing to find that
two of the six samples have
issues.
Click bottles below
for test results and PQIA's
assessments.
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CONSUMER ALERT |
CONSUMER ALERT |
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Six More Samples
Tested - All Look Good |
October 2, 2015
Click bottles below for the most
recent round of products
examined by PQIA. All looked
good.
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Why are Obsolete
Motor Oils Still on the Shelves? |
October 2, 2015
The Petroleum Quality Institute
of America (PQIA) recently
visited a Dollar General not far
from our office in central New
Jersey. Understanding Dollar
General operates 12,198 stores
in 43 states as of July 31,
2015, it was intersting to see
what motor oils they sell.
 Whereas
the store we visited offered a
variety of brands, the Dollar
General (DG) brand motor oil got
our attention. And the reason it
did is because the other motor
oils on the shelves meet the
current API SN Service
Classification, the "DG"
multi-viscosity motor oils do
not. Instead, they meet an API
"SF" Service Classification.
For those unfamiliar with
API Service Classifications,
"SF" is an obsolete API
specification that defines the
performance of motor oils
formulated for use in cars built
prior to 1988. Since that time,
there have been six upgrades in
motor oil standards.
CLICK FOR MORE
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More Samples From
Washington, D.C.
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September 18, 2015
Although PQIA found a number of
obsolete and potentially engine
damaging motor oils on retail
shelves in the Washington, D.C.
area, PQIA examined many
products that checked out fine.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR MORE
MOTOR OILS PQIA EXAMINED FROM
THE D.C. AREA THAT CHECKED OUT
FINE...
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Under the Nose of Our Lawmakers
- Part III
Don't Let the Bad
Apples Spoil the Basket
|
September 3, 2015
For
those following the PQIA series
of articles on motor oils sold
in the Washington, D.C. area
(see below), it should be clear
there is reason for concern.
Although one might assume motor
oils sold under the noses of our
lawmakers and global movers and
shakers are quality products,
that's not the case.
But don't let the bad
apples on the shelves in the
D.C. area spoil the whole
basket. Because while it was not
hard for PQIA to find obsolete,
potentially engine damaging
motor oils on the shelves in the
D.C. area, we also found a
number of major and independent
brands that checked out fine.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR SOME
OF THE PRODUCTS PQIA TESTED
FROM THE D.C. AREA THAT
CHECKED OUT FINE...
and there are more
to come.
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The Weights, Measures
and Consumer Protection Division
of the
Missouri Department of
Agriculture
Adds Black Knight 20-50 to its
list of banned motor oils |
August 25, 2015
Add Black Knight 20-50 motor oil
to the list of lubricants
ordered off the shelves in the
state of Missouri.
Click for more
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Under the Nose of Our
Lawmakers - Part II |
August 24, 2015
Sorting Out the Good from the
Bad
On August 12th of this
month, the Petroleum Quality
Institute of America (PQIA)
published a piece about the
quality of motor oils sold
"Under the Nose of Our
Lawmakers" in Washington, D.C.
In short, we expressed concerns
about the fact that obsolete,
potentially engine damaging
motor oils are not only readily
available on retail shelves in
many states, they are also found
on the shelves right under the
nose of our lawmakers in
Washington, D.C.
And to make matters worse, some
of these obsolete motor oils are
labeled with language that can
easily mislead consumers into
thinking they are premium
products.
An example of this is
shown on the front labels of
XCEL that state "PREMIUM"
and "Protects like no
other." Whereas such
statements might be true if
protecting like no other means
providing no more than the level
of protection one could hope for
in the 1930's, these products
fall well short of protecting
the engines of nearly all cars
currently on the road. Further,
if your car is under warranty,
forget about it. Use of obsolete
motor oils, or others not
specified in your owner's manual
will void your warranty.
Most recent Round of Samples
Examind by PQIA
CLICK
BOTTLES BELOW FOR DETAILS
 CONSUMER
ALERT |
 CONSUMER
ALERT |
 CONSUMER
ALERT |
 CONSUMER
ALERT |
DON'T
BUY |
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Separating the Good from the
Bad in Motor Oils.
To start, take a look at
the test results for the TruStar
and Super XXX motor oils above.
These products do not meet their
labeled specifications.
Moreover, the Super XXX has
visible debris in the oil, DON'T
BUY IT!
Next, read the section of your
owner's manual that speaks to
the type of motor oil required
for your vehicle. In most cases
it will specify the use of an
oil meeting an API Service and
ILSAC classification (e.g. API
SN. ILSAC GF-5). Importantly, it
will also state the viscosity of
the motor oil required for your
car (e.g. 5W-30, 0W-20). Look
for these specifications when
buying motor oils or having your
oil changed at an oil change
facility.
Don't be fooled into
thinking more is better on the
label of the motor oil you buy.
Sure it's easy to quickly look
at a label and assume that
because it states familiar car
and truck manufacturer names
that it must be good and right
for your car, but it very well
may not.
As an example, take a look
at the back labels of XCEL XHD
Turbo recently examined by PQIA
(click images above). The label
on this product states
"RECOMMENDED FOR ALL GASOLINE
AND DIESEL ENGINES OF UNITED
STATES, JAPANESE, AND EUROPEAN
MANUFACTURERS INCLUDING: Mack,
Cummins, Man, MTY, Renault,
Toyota, Volkswagon [sic],
Nissan, Honda, Mitsubishi,
Volvo, Mercedes Benz, Navistar,
Detroit Diesel, IHC, Iveco, DAF,
Scania, Fiat, PSA
Specifications, when specifying
API SG/CF-4."
Whereas this may sound
impressive, consider that API SG
and CF-4 are obsolete
specifications and are not
specified by engine
manufacturers for modern
engines. According to the API,
SG oils are not suitable for use
in most gasoline-powered
automotive engines built after
1993. API CF-4 oils are not
suitable for use in most
diesel-engines built after 1994.
Moreover, where it might read
like a litany of endorsements,
the label on this product fails
to give adequate warning to
consumers about its limited
use.
So read the labels. Make
sure the oil you buy is right
for your car.
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Under the Nose of Our Lawmakers
By Thomas F. Glenn,
President, PQIA |
|
August 12, 2015
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America (PQIA)
recently purchased samples
of passenger car motor oils
in Washington D.C. To our
disappointment, a
significant number of the
motor oils we observed and
purchased on shelves at
convenience stores in D.C.
meet only API SA and SB
Service Classifications. API
SA is not suitable for use
in gasoline engines built
after 1930 and API SB is not
suitable for use in gasoline
engines built after 1951.
These are obsolete
specifications and oils that
may cause harm in modern
engines.
So
one has to ask,why are
obsolete motor oils that can
cause harm to nearly all
cars currently on the road,
sold in stores right under
the nose of our lawmakers in
Washington, D.C.?
The First Round of Motor
Oils Purchased in Washington
D.C. (and there are more to
come) These
Products Only Meet Obsolete
Specifications and May Cause
Harm to Modern Engines
Click
Bottles Below for Details |
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Are these obsolete motor
oils in the market to
service the collection of
old cars housed in the
Smithsonian? You can be sure
they are not. Could it be
that it takes decades for
some of these convenience
stores PQIA visited to turn
inventory? That's highly
unlikely in the 22nd-most
populous city in the United
States.
Instead, maybe they are on
the shelves to take advantage of
consumer ignorance about our
industry's cryptic codes that
define motor oil performance.
Maybe some sell obsolete oils
understand that most consumers
have no idea what API SA, SB, or
S (whatever) means. And because
of that, consumers will take
comfort in seeing words on front
labels that they believe denote
quality.
To understand how this can
happen, take a look at the front
labels on the bottles of "XCEL"
motor oils PQIA purchased in
D.C. (see links above). The
label on the front of the XCEL
bottles state "Protects
like no other" and
below that, in 36 point font
(and that's hard to miss), it
reads "PREMIUM."
And adding to the adornment on
the front label, it shows a race
car flag with the word "SPECIAL"
overprint on the flag. Say no
more, that's language most
consumers understand, especially
the part about "Protects
like no other." Take it
and go!
But not so fast... if a
consumer takes the time to read
the back label, it says the XCEL
oil is "Recommended for
older cars where a minimum
amount of additive is required."
And just below that, the label
reads, "API Service SA."
So
what's that about, and who are
they fooling? Certainly they are
not looking to fool anyone in
our industry that has a clue
about standards and
specifications.
Unfortunately, however,
they may fool reasonable
consumers who, rightfully so,
don't connect the statement "for
older cars" to mean a 1929 Model
T or a 1950 Ford Country Squire.
Instead, they may think it means
their car; a 2001 Camry, Honda
Civic, Ford Expedition, or some
other car they drive that is out
of warranty. And unless they
have a decoder ring or an
industry
Guru to tell them what API SA
means, let's be real, most
consumers might buy obsolete oil
because they have no clue who
API is, let alone what API SA,
SB and on up to SN means.
And
there is more.
Adding to PQIA's concern about
some of the motor oils we
purchased in D.C. being
obsolete, there are other issues
of concern. One is that the
"Black Knight" brand found in
D.C. has, in various viscosity
grades, been ordered off the
shelves by state authorities in
Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and
New Jersey.
See link.
So at the end of the day,
after PQIA's tour through
D.C.,although it's good to see
some states are taking action to
protect consumers from harmful
motor oils, it's disappointing
to see that the law makers in
the U.S. Capital have yet to
take action to protect consumers
from obsolete, potentially
engine damaging motor oils sold
just below their noses on Capital
Hill.
Stay tuned, there is
more to come on PQIA's Tour Of
the Hill!
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PQIA Takes a Look at
Four More Diesel Engine Oil
Samples |
July 24, 2015
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR TEST
RESULTS
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Prime Lube Joins to
Support PQIA's Efforts to Help
Assure the Quality and Integrity
of Lubricants in the Market |
|
 July
21, 2015
The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce that
Prime Lube has joined PQIA's
growing list of lubricant
manufacturers, marketers,
additive suppliers, and other
supporters working to help
assure the quality and integrity
of motor oils, transmission
fluids, and antifreeze/coolants
in the market.
Prime
Lube, headquartered in Carteret,
NJ, markets Chevron, ExxonMobil,
Castrol and its own
API-certified Prime Plus line,
for a wide range of automotive,
heavy-duty and industrial
lubricants. Founded in 1987,
Prime Lube began with two trucks
and has grown to become a
premier lubricant distributor in
the Northeast United States.
CLICK FOR MORE.
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Results in on Five Diesel Engine
Oils |
July 17, 2015
PQIA takes a look at five
more diesel engine oils and
finds no issues with the samples
tested.
CLICK
BOTTLES BELOW FOR DETAILS
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Results in on Four More
Brands of Passenger Car Motor
Oil |
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July 2, 2015
PQIA takes a
look at four more brands
of SAE 5W-30 passenger
car motor oil and finds
no issues with the
products tested.
CLICK
BOTTLES BELOW FOR RECENT
ROUND OF TEST RESULTS
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The Petroleum
Quality Institute of America
Announces Petro-Canada
Lubricants as a New Supporter |
June 26, 2015
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce that Petro-Canada
Lubricants, a Suncor business,
has joined to support PQIA's
efforts in assuring the quality
and integrity of lubricants in
the market.
Petro-Canada Lubricants
manufactures and markets over
350 premium quality lubricants,
specialty fluids and greases to
meet the needs of many of the
world's leading companies in
virtually every industry in more
than 70 countries around the
globe. The company is also one
of the world's largest producers
of pharmaceutical white oils.
CLICK FOR MORE
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Are You Buying Obsolete Motor
Oil? Read the Back Label! |
June
23, 2015
Whereas
PQIA found no issues with the
most recent round of products
tested (see below),one product
(Pro Force), raised eyebrows.
That's because it was rated API
SF. This is an Obsolete
Specification, and according to
the API is "not suitable for use
in most gasoline-powered
automotive engines built after
1988. May not provide adequate
protection against build-up of
engine sludge."
But there
it was, many bottles of this SF
motor oil, meeting only an
obsolete specification, sitting
on the store shelves
shoulder-to-shoulder with
current technology motor oils.
And the only way a consumer
would know the difference is to
carefully read down the back
label.
Pro Force
is not the only brand of SF oil
being marketed in the USA. In
fact PQIA has encountered
several other brands of obsolete
SF motor oils being sold across
the country. One has to wonder
why an oil company would market
motor oil that is not considered
suitable by the API for use in
cars built in the last 27 years.
Are there that many vintage cars
on the road? And if so, why use
an obsolete motor oil when
today's API SN motor oils are
backward compatible.
So when
purchasing motor oil, be sure to
read the back label to confirm
that both the viscosity grade
and API Service Classification
meet the requirements stated in
the owner's manual of your car.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR
RECENT ROUND OF TEST RESULTS
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STP |
Motorcraft |
Casey's |
Quaker State |
Zecol MAX |
Pro Force
Note |
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The Petroleum
Quality Institute of America
(PQIA) expands its Efforts to
Protect Consumers by including
antifreeze/coolants in its
Testing and Reporting Program. |
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June
4, 2015
KOST
USA Inc. signs on as a charter
supporter of PQIA's
coolant/antifreeze program and
joins PQIA's technical
sub-committee on
antifreeze/coolants.
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America (PQIA) is
pleased to announce that it is
expanding its lubricant testing
program to include automotive
coolants/antifreeze. KOST
USA, a leading supplier
of antifreeze in the US market
has signed on as a charter
supporter of the program and
will join the PQIA technical
subcommittee on
antifreeze/coolants.
The
president of PQIA, Thomas F.
Glenn, says "Antifreeze/coolant
is critical for protecting
engines. It's not just about
preventing catastrophic engine
failure from blocks cracking in
the subfreezing temperatures
during the winters that are
often seen in Prospect Creek
Camp, Alaska; Rogers Pass,
Montana; or virtually any other
state in the country.
Antifreeze/coolants also help to
prevent overheating and reduce
engine wear from pitting and
cavitation, corrosion, and
metal-to-metal wear that can
occur when the geometry of an
engine changes due to
overheating."
 According
to research by PQIA, KOST USA is
one of seven leading suppliers
of antifreeze/coolants in the US
market. Whereas KOST is not the
largest supplier of antifreeze,
Glenn says, "PQIA is encouraged
to see KOST USA step out and
ahead to help assure the quality
and integrity of the
antifreeze/coolants in the
marketplace."
About KOST USA
KOST
USA is the largest family owned
manufacturer, supplier and
marketer of antifreeze and
functional fluids in the United
States. Founded in 1985, we are
headquartered in Cincinnati,
Ohio. We build both our
customers and our own brands
through high performance
products and superior service,
primarily in the automotive &
heavy duty aftermarket, as well
as in the Oil & Gas sector.
www.kostusa.com.
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PPC Lubricants Joins to Support
PQIA's Efforts to Help Assure
the Quality and Integrity of
Lubricants in the Market |
 June
2, 2015
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America (PQIA)
is pleased to announce that
PPC Lubricants has joined
PQIA's growing list of
lubricant manufacturers,
marketers, additive
suppliers, and other
supporters working to help
assure the quality and
integrity of motor oils,
transmission fluids, and
other lubricants in the
market.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
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A Look At Mono-grades |
 May
29, 2015
Although mono-grade motor oils
(i.e. SAE 30, 40), also known as
straight grades, represent less
than 5% of the motor oil
consumed in the US, PQIA
receives a notable number of
inquiries about them. For this
reason, we decided to take a
look these grades.
CLICK for more |
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Read the Labels! |
|
May 20, 2015
PQIA recently
purchased motor oils at a
Jacksons Food Store in Sparks,
Nevada. The
product is marketed under the
"Jacksons" brand name. The
labels on the bottles and the
products in them raised concerns.
The first reason for concern is
that the labels do not claim
compliance with any API, OEM, or
any other industry standards or
specifications, and they display
no certification marks. This
makes it impossible for
consumers to know if this is the
right oil for their car. Without
proper labeling, a consumer has
no idea if a quart of Jacksons
oil is formulated for use in a
Model A built in the 1920's or
for cars currently on the road.
CLICK FOR MORE
Moret in PQIA News 5-20-2015
- Buyer Beware - Bad
Oils are still on the shelves
- Mandatory 10k Oil Drain
|
|
Will CA Lead
the way with 10K, or is This a
Requirement for Another Day?
|
|
 All
too often we hear that what
happens in California is a
harbinger of what's to come in
the rest of the USA. Whether
that's true or not, it's now
time to take notice of
California Senate Bill (SB 778),
introduced by California State
Senator Allen on February 27,
2015
If
it becomes law, as currently
written, this bill will require
all passenger car motor oil sold
in California to be certified by
the oil manufacturer to achieve
a minimum useful life of 10,000
miles when used in accordance
with the automobile
manufacturer's recommendations,
and to meet current automotive
industry standards. That's close
to doubling oil change
intervals. Violation of these
provisions would be a crime on
and after January 1, 2018. Click
for more
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Tell Them What You Sell Them |
Photo by News12 New Jersey
CLICK PICTURE FOR nEW12 nJ STORY
|
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News12 New Jersey - Kane in Your
Corner takes a Look at Oil
Changes and the Results are Eye
Opening |
|
April
22, 2015
 Walt
Kane from News12 New Jersey
television aired several ground
breaking stories in 2014 about
the quality of packaged motor
oils on retail shelves in New
Jersey (one segment is up for an
Emmy!). These stories certainly
got the attention of consumers
and state officials. In fact,
action was taken by the State of
NJ following Kane’s
investigation to protect
consumers in the state from
potentially engine damaging
motor oils (see
products banned from sale in NJ).
But Kane didn’t stop there.
 While the efforts of
News12 NJ and the State of NJ
made significant strides to
protect consumers from harmful
motor oils on retail shelves,
Kane in Your Corner (KIYC)
stayed in the corner of NJ
consumers when it decided to dig
deeper by taking a look at motor
oils installed in vehicles at
fast lubes, repair shops and
others that change oil for a
fee. In doing so, KIYC had its
oil changed at seven locations
in New Jersey. Samples of the
oil used in the change were sent
to an independent laboratory and
KIYC turned to PQIA for an
assessment of the results. The
findings of the KIYC
investigation are eye opening.
Click for more
|
|
Schuette, Clover Adams Announce
Investigation of 10 Michigan
Businesses Related to Faulty
Anti-Freeze Distribution |
March 18, 2015
 Michigan
Attorney General Bill Schuette
and Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural
Development (MDARD) Director
Jamie Clover Adams announced the
state is investigating Royal
Packaging and nine of its
distributors who may be
continuing to sell two brands of
defective anti-freeze/coolant
contrary to MDARD's
orders issued
last September.
"Consumer Protection is
in the DNA of the Department of
Attorney General. If
vehicle owners are being sold
products that may cause them
to suffer costly repairs, we
will compel them to produce
documentation showing exactly
where these brands have been
distributed," said Schuette.
"I would like to thank MDARD and
Director Clover Adams for their
initial investigation on behalf
of the People of the State of
Michigan."
CLICK FOR MORE
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A Look at Four More Diesel
Engine Oils
|
March 11, 2015
PQIA takes a look at four more
diesel engine oils. Although the
label on one brand is a
challenge to read, they all meet
the SAE J300 specifications for
the SAE Viscosity Grade listed
on the product label, and are
consistent with the listed API
Service Categories.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR DETAILS
Click below
for a side-by-side of test
results for diesel engine oil
brands recently examined by
PQIA.
|
News12 New Jersey Honored with
New York Emmy® Award Nomination
for Story on "Bad Motor Oils"
February 17, 2015 |
 The
New York Chapter of the National
Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences honored
News12 New Jersey with 10
New York Emmy® Award
nominations. One is for the
excellent investigative
reporting by News12's Walt Kane
(Kane in Your Corner) on "Bad
Motor Oils Exposed."
News12 was the first station in
the country to tackle this
important issue.
 With
the assistance of the
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA), Walt
Kane shined a bright light on
the serious issue of Bad Motor
Oils sold in the state of NJ,
some so bad they can cause
serious harm to engines. And
according to Thomas F. Glenn,
president of PQIA, the story
goes well beyond the state of
NJ. "We have found, and
unfortunately continue to find,
motor oils with serious
deficiencies on the shelves in
many other states. With that, we
appreciate the excellent work
News12's Walt Kane did to raise
awareness about these issues,"
says Glenn.
According to Glenn, "Kane's
story not only got the eyes and
ears of News12 viewers, but it
also got the attention of the NJ
Department of Consumer Affairs."
Following the News12 story, the
state of NJ conducted a
comprehensive investigation of
its own to assess the quality of
motor oils sold in the state.
From this, the State of NJ banned
the sale of 19 motor brands.
PQIA applauds the action taken
by
NJ Department of Consumer
Affairs to protect its consumers
from harmful motor oils.
The 2015 Emmy®
Awards will be presented on
Saturday, May 2, 2015 at The
Marriott Marquee Times Square in
New York City.
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Five Samples Tested...
Whereas all look fine, read the
labels to be sure the product is
right for you car.
|
|
February 17, 2015
The Petroleum Quality Institute
of America examined five brands
of motor oils recently purchased
on retail shelves. Although PQIA
found no issues with these
brands, one product, (Custom
PLUS) underscores the
importance of reading the labels
to assure the motor oil you buy
is right for the model year of
your car. In the case of
CustomPLUS, it is a product
recommended for API Service
Category SJ which is intended
for use in vehicles built prior
to 2002. So take the time to
read the labels on the bottles
before you buy.
Click bottles below for
the test data
|
|
Bullseye Automotive
Products Inc. Fined $700k for
Violating State's Weights and
Measures Act |
|
February 9, 2015
The
Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural
Development (MDARD) today
announced Bullseye Automotive
Products Inc. of Illinois has
been fined $711,415 in a default
judgment issued by the Honorable
Clinton Canady III in Ingham
County 30th Circuit Court.
Click more.
|
|
PQIA Issues Consumer
Alerts on two brands. One brand
is new to the Chicago market,
the other is an ongoing concern
still on the shelves in multiple
states. |
January 27, 2015
Buyers Beware...
PQIA has found a previously
unseen brand of motor oil on the
retail shelves in Illinois that
may cause harm to engines. The
brand is XPRESS LUBE PRO.
Tests conducted on samples of
this brand in 5W-30 and 10W-30
viscosity grades do NOT meet the
SAE J300 specifications for the
viscosity grades listed on the
labels. In addition, the
organometallic additive levels
in the samples indicate the
products are NOT suitable for
use in virtually all automobile
engines currently on the road.
Further, the metal analysis
results for the samples tested
indicate the products may be
contaminated with used oil. Use
of these products in modern
automobile engines will likely
cause harm the engines.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR
DETAILS
As for Everclear, this is not
the first time, or the only
state, where PQIA has found
issues with Everclear
products. In
fact, this
is the seventh time PQIA has
issued Consumer Alerts on
lubricants marketed under the
Everclear brand. Previous Alerts
include: November
25, 2014, May
2014, Oct
2013, Nov
2012, July
2011, and March
2011
PQIA has reached out to the
State of Ohio, Department of
Consumer Affairs, on several
occasions, (the state where the
product is manufactured) to look
into this product. To our
disappointment (and continuing
concern for consumers), rather
than stepping up to protect
consumers in Ohio and other
states from these, and other
potentially harmful lubricants,
officials in Ohio say they are
too resource constrained to
address this issue.
|
|
Results in on Four More Diesel
Engine Oils |
January 16, 2015
In addition to the six brands
PQIA reported on last week, we
are pleased to report that the
brands shown below also checked
out fine... More
diesel engine oil brands to
follow.
CLICK BOTTLES FOR DETAILS
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Test Result in on
First Group Diesel Engine
Oils... Looks good. |
January 7, 2015
The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America recently hit the road to
shop for, and take a close look
at some of the diesel engine
oils currently in the market. We
are pleased to report that the
brands shown below checked out
fine... More diesel engine
oil brands to follow.
Click
bottles below for details.
|
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CBS News Chicago
Goes to Bat to Help Protect
Consumers in Illinois From
Off-spec, and Potentially
Harmful Motor Oils |
|
Six states have already taken
action to protect its citizens
from off-spec, potentially
engine damaging motor oils. They
have done so by testing products
purchased from retail stores and
ordering off the shelves and out
of the state any motor oils that
they find fail their labeled
specifications.
 But whereas that's good
news for the car owners in
states that have taken action,
it provides no protection for
those in other states where
these products continue to be
sold to unsuspecting consumers.
Illinois is one such state and
CBS News took to the air last
night to shine a bright light on
the problem and ask state
officials for answers.
PQIA assisted in this
effort by going on the road with
CBS News this week to randomly
visit convenience stores in the
Chicago area and help identify
and understand the dangers of
the brands that have been
ordered off the shelves in other
states. And unfortunately, some
of these brands were not hard to
find. In fact, three such brands
(Orbit, Everclear, and Black
Knight) were the primary
products on the shelves in three
of the first four stores
visited.
CLICK FOR CBS NEWS STORY AND
VIDEO
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Including the Bans New
Jersey Announced Last Week, Six
States Have Now Taken Action to
Protect Consumers From Bad Motor
Oils |
|
Six
states have taken action to help
protect consumers from motor
oils and transmission fluids
that are potentially harmful to
vehicles. They do so by ordering
these products off the shelves
in the state. It should be
noted, however, that while
products may be ordered off the
shelves in one state, such
potentially harmful products
can, and often are, found in
other states that have not taken
action to remove them.
So
far, the states shown in GREEN
below have taken taken action.
CLICK FOR THE LIST OF BANNED
BRANDS BY STATE
A LIST
ALL STATES SHOULD BE ON, AND NO
MOTOR OIL MANUFACTURERS WANT TO
BE ON
|
|
New Jersey Office
of Weights and Measures Bans 19
Motor Oil Products, After
Lab Testing Reveals Their
Viscosity Fails to Match That
Promised On the Label
|
December 4, 2014
CLICK PICTURE BELOW
The New Jersey Office of
Weights and Measures
today issued a statewide
ban on 19 motor oil
products, bearing the
brand names "Auto Club
Motor Oil," "Black
Knight Motor Oil," "Lube
State Motor Oil,"
"MaxiGuard MG," "Orbit
Motor Oil," "TruStar
Motor Oil," "U.S.
Economy Motor Oil," and
"U.S. Spirit Motor Oil." |
| |
The banned products may
no longer be sold in New
Jersey. Retail
establishments that
continue to sell them
will be subject to a
civil penalty of at
least $100 per package
or container of the
banned product - a
penalty far in excess of
the approximately $3 to
$4 per quart bottle for
which many of these
products have been sold.
A full listof the
banned products, with
photos, can be found on
the State Office of
Weights and Measures
website.
"Many of these allegedly
mislabeled motor oils
are sold at cheap
prices, thereby luring
those consumers who can
least afford the extra
maintenance costs or
early engine failure
that may result from
using the wrong type of
motor oil," Acting
Attorney General John J.
Hoffman said. "We are
rightly removing these
potentially harmful
products from New
Jersey's marketplace,
and will penalize
retailers who continue
to sell them."
|
CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE |
| |
Pursuant to a Stop-Use
and Removal Order issued
today by State Office of
Weights and Measures
Acting Superintendent
Howard Pine, all New
Jersey retail
establishments are
ordered to immediately
remove the 19
banned motor oil
products from
their store shelves or
other product displays,
and stop selling or
using them. Businesses
that fail to comply are
subject to a penalty of
no less than $100 per
package or container
that is sold or offered
for sale.
"The retailers may not
have known that these
products are mislabeled
and potentially damaging
when used with the wrong
vehicles," State Office
of Weights and Measures
Acting Superintendent
Howard Pine said. "Now
that these facts are
known, any retailer who
fails to remove these
products from store
shelves will face a
penalty far greater than
the potential profits to
be gained by selling
these products."
|
CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE |
| |
The banned products are:
-
Auto Club Motor Oil
SAE 5W-30
-
Auto Club Motor Oil
SAE 10W-30
-
Auto Club Motor Oil
SAE 10W-40
-
Auto Club Motor Oil
SAE 20W-50
-
Black Knight Motor
Oil 5-30
-
Black Knight Motor
Oil 10-40
-
LubeState Motor Oil
SAE 10W-30
-
MaxiGuard MG 10-30
-
MaxiGuard MG 10-40
-
MaxiGuard MG 20-50
-
MaxiGuard MG SAE30
(Withdrawn
from list by 1/21/15
Order)
-
Orbit Motor Oil 5-20
-
Orbit Motor Oil
10-40
-
TruStar Motor Oil
10-30
-
U.S. Economy Motor
Oil 5-30
-
U.S. Economy Motor
Oil 10-40
-
U.S. Economy Motor
Oil SAE 10W-40
-
U.S. Spirit Motor
Oil SAE 10W-30
-
U.S. Spirit Motor
Oil SAE 10W-40
 New Jersey State Office
of Weights and Measures
Enforcement Supervisor
John McGuire and
Officers James
Logothetis, Richard
Pluymers, and
Administrative Assistant
Brigita Singh, and State
Division of Consumer
Affairs Investigators
Michael Bruch, Vincent
Buonanno, Jared O'Cone,
and Raquel Williams,
conducted or assisted in
this investigation.
Deputy Attorney General
Neil Magnus, within the
Division of Law, is
representing the State
in this action.
Acting Director Lee
acknowledged the
Petroleum Quality
Institute of America
(PQIA), an independent
organization that tests
and reports on the
quality and integrity of
lubricants in the
marketplace, for calling
attention to this issue.
CLICK FOR MORE
Consumers who believe
they have been cheated
or scammed by a
business, or suspect any
other form of consumer
abuse, can file a
complaint with the State
Division of Consumer
Affairs by visiting itswebsite or
by calling
1-800-242-5846 (toll
free within New Jersey)
or 973-504-6200.
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Buyers Beware -
PQIA Finds Everclear on the
Shelves in Virginia |
November 25, 2014
PQIA
Cautions Consumers in Virginia
to Steer Clear of Everclear
Motor Oil - Issues
Consumer Alerts
|
The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America
once again issues
Consumer Alerts on the
Everclear Brand of motor
oil. This time, however,
it's on samples of 5W-30
and 10W-30 purchased in
Virginia. The
results of the tests
conducted on these
samples do NOT meet the
SAE J300 specifications
for the SAE Viscosity
Grade listed on the
product label, and are
NOT consistent with the
listed API Service
Category.
|
 |
 |
| |
10W-30 |
5W-30 |
|
This is not the first time, or
the only state where
PQIA has found issues
with Everclear Motor
Oil.
Previously
Alerts include: May
2014,
Oct 2013,
Nov 2012,
July 2011, and
March 2011 |
|
|
Results are in |
November 3, 2014
The results of the tests
conducted on four
samples most recently
examined by PQIA
(including two high
mileage oils) meet the
requirements of their
labelled SAE viscosity
grade and API Service
Category.
CLICK BOTTLES BELOW FOR
BRAND SPECIFIC DETAILS |
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Amber Resources Join to Support
PQIA
|
October 29, 2014
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce AMBER RESOURCES, a
leading lubricant marketer on
the West Coast, has joined to
support PQIA's efforts to assure
the quality and integrity of
lubricants in the market.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
|
More 5W-30s; all look good |
|
October 24, 2014
The
results of the tests conducted
on the four samples most
recently examined by PQIA meet
the requirements of an SAE
5W-30, API SN, ILSAC GF-5 motor
oil.
CLICK BOTTLES FOR
DETAILS
|
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Michigan Issues
Stop-Use and Stop Removal Order
for Antifreeze |
October 14, 2014
The
Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural
Development (MDARD) issued a
Stop-Use and Stop-Removal Order
for antifreeze/coolant
manufactured, packaged, and/or
distributed prior to September
11, 2014, by the following
Detroit, Michigan, companies
after finding the
products may cause damage to
vehicle engines:
-
State Petroleum 1 Inc.
-
Petro-Zone and Dual-Temp
-
Omni PPG, Inc.
These products are sold
under the Petro Zone Smart,
Petro Zone and Ice Shield XXX
brands.The
Stop-Use and Stop-Removal Orders
prohibit the sale, offering for
sale, or use of these
antifreeze/coolants
manufactured, packaged, and/or
distributed by these companies.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
|
Georgia Takes Action -
Issues Stop Sale Order for
Several Brands of Motor Oil,
ATF, and an Antifreeze |
|
October 7, 2014
The Georgia
Department of Agriculture's Fuel
& Measures Division has issued a
Stop Sale Order for the
following products;
-
U.S.
Economy 10-40 Motor Oil
-
Bullseye Brand Type A Automatic
Transmission Fluid
-
Bullseye Brand 10W-30, 10W-40,
5W-30, and 20W-50 Motor Oils
-
Bullseye Brand Antifreeze
-
Super
XXX Brand 10W-40 Motor Oil
-
Ever
Clear Brand Automatic
Transmission Fluid
-
Ever
Clear Brand 10-30, 10-40, 20-50,
and 5-30 Motor Oils
-
Black
Knight Brand Type A Automatic
Transmission Fluid
-
Black
Knight Brand 10-30, 10-40,
20-50, and 5-30 Motor Oils
CLICK FOR MOREE
|
|
A Look at More SAE
0W-20 and 5W-20 Motor Oils |
|
October
2, 2014
Although 5W-30 remains the
dominate viscosity grade of
engine oils used in passenger
cars in the US market, such
lighter grades as 0W-20 and
5W-20 are gaining ground. The
reason is because they provide
improvements in fuel economy and
low temperature performance.
Both issues are important to car
manufacturers and many new cars
now require the use of these
lighter viscosity grades. As an
example, most newer model Honda
and Toyota vehicles require the
use of SAE 0W-20 motor oils, and
Ford specifies 5W-20 for many of
its vehicles.
With the increasing presence of
these and other low viscosity
motor oils on the retail
shelves, PQIA has been looking
at these products to help assure
the quality and integrity of the
oils sold. Test results for the
second group in this series
follow below.
The results of the tests
conducted on this group of low
viscosity motor oils examined by
PQIA meet the specifications for
the SAE Viscosity Grade listed
on the product label, and are
consistent with the listed API
Service Category.
CLICK
ON THE BOTTLES BELOW FOR TEST
RESULTS
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September 28, 2014
The
results of the tests conducted
on the latest round of SAE
5W-30, API SN passenger car
motor oils examined by PQIA meet
the specifications for the SAE
Viscosity Grade listed on the
product label, and are
consistent with the listed API
Service Category..
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|
NOCO Joins to Support
PQIA's Efforts to Help Assure
the Quality and Integrity of
Lubricants in the Market |
|
September 25, 2014
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce that NOCO has joined
PQIA's growing list of lubricant
manufacturers, marketers,
additive suppliers, and other
supporters working to help
assure the quality and integrity
of motor oils, transmission
fluids, and other lubricants in
the market.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
|
Spotlight on High
Mileage Motor Oils |
September 2014
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America is now taking a look at
the High Mileage motor oils on
retail shelves. High Mileage
motor oils are typically
formulated for use in vehicles
with more than 75,000 miles on
the engine. They usually contain
additives that provide enhanced
deposit, sludge and wear
protection. In addition, they
typically contain seal
conditioners to help reduce oil
leaks.
|
CLICK BOTTLES
BELOW |
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Royal Purple Joins to
Support PQIA's effort to
Help Assure the Quality and
Integrity of Motor Oils in
the US Market
|
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce that Royal
Purple,
a Calumet company, has joined
the growing list of companies
supporting PQIA's efforts to
help assure the quality and
integrity of lubricants sold in
the US market.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
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PQIA Working with States
to Help Protect Consumers from
Inferior, potentially engine
damaging motor oils |
|
 "PQIA
has been an invaluable partner
in helping us protect consumers
by enhancing our
existing motor oil program’s
capabilities. Their thorough
analysis, technical guidance,
and precise and easy to
understand reports have been
instrumental in removing harmful
products from the marketplace.”
Ronald G. Hayes,
Director, Weights, Measures &
Consumer Protection Division
Missouri Department of
Agriculture...
“The analysis of the blind
sample results sent to PQIA and
their detailed reports were
instrumental in helping Michigan
get felony convictions against
the owners of City Petroleum and
Star Petroleum. With the
prevalence of these types of
misbranded products being found
throughout the U.S., we will
continue to search out those
being sold in Michigan and take
the necessary action to protect
Michigan consumers.”
Craig A. VanBuren
Director, Consumer
Protection
Michigan Department
of Agriculture & Rural
Development
CLICK
FOR MORE
|
|
Reliance Fluid Technologies
Joins to Support PQIA |
 The
Petroleum Quality Institute
of America (PQIA) is pleased
to announce
Reliance Fluid Technologies
(RFT)
has joined PQIA's growing
list of lubricant
manufacturers, marketers,
additive suppliers, and
other supporters working to
help assure the quality and
integrity of motor oils,
transmission fluids, and
other lubricants in the
market.
Click for More
|
|
PQIA Welcomes the
Support of JAX to Help Assure
the Quality and Integrity of
Lubricants |
|
Petroleum Quality Institute of
America (PQIA) is pleased to
announce
JA X
has joined PQIA's growing list
of lubricant manufacturers,
marketers, additive suppliers,
and others in helping to assure
the quality and integrity of
motor oils, transmission fluids,
and other lubricants in the
market.
JAX,
based in Menomonee Falls,
Wisconsin, is a manufacturer and
supplier of industrial,
synthetic and food-grade
lubricants for machinery and
processes.
Click for more.
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0W-20s and More |
July 3, 2014
PQIA
tested the following brands of
0W-20, 5W-20, and 5W-30 motor
oils. Only one has an issue.
Click bottles below for details.
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0W-20
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0W-20
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0W-20
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0W-20
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5W-20
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5W-20
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5W-20
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5W-30
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5W-30
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5W-30
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AG
KOSTER SUES RETAILERS FOR
SELLING DECEPTIVE AUTOMOBILE
ENGINE PRODUCTS
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June
12, 2014
NOT
IN OUR STATE!
 Missouri
Attorney General Chris Koster announced
today that his office has joined
the Missouri Department of
Agriculture's Division of
Weights and Measures in a
crackdown on mislabeled and fake
auto-engine products. Koster
filed lawsuits against five St.
Louis-area retailers for selling
engine products knowing the
products either misrepresented
their contents or could
seriously damage consumers'
cars.
The following retailers are
being sued for continuing to
sell suspect products in
violation of the Stop-Sale
order:
- Unique Mark, 9641 St.
Charles Rock Road
- Shell, 4903 Goodfellow Blvd.
- Phillips 66, 5003 Goodfellow
Blvd.
- Kenny's Discount, 5477 N.
Kings Highway
- Quality Market, 2708 N.
Florissant Ave.
Koster's lawsuits seek to
permanently ban the retailers
from selling these products in
the future, and restitution for
consumers who purchased the
products after the Stop-Sale
Order and for any resulting harm
to the consumers' cars. The
lawsuits also seek civil
penalties and the payment of
costs associated with the
investigation and prosecution of
the cases.
CLICK FOR MORE.
Note: With regards to the
"Royal" brand mentioned in the
release, it should be noted that
the "Royal" product sited is not
associated or affiliated with
Royal Mfg Co Tulsa, OK or
Schertz, TX. The Pinnacle
Platinum product sited, which is
manufactured by Pinnacle
Brands, is not affiliated or
associated with Pinnacle Oil in
Indianapolis, IN.
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CONSUMERS BEWARE - EVERCLEAR CAN
CAUSE HARM TO ENGINES AND
TRANSMISSIONS
|
May 19, 2014
The
Petroleum Quality Institute of America
issues DON'T BUYS on
motor oil and transmission fluid
manufactured and marketed by Everclear
of Ohio. Test results reveal serious
issues with the Everclear 10W-30,
10W-40, 5W-30 motor oil, and the
Everclear Automatic Transmission Fluids
(ATF).
Each of the Everclear products tested
have high levels of silicon which is
typically associated with abrasive
material. In addition, two failed to
meet their labelled viscosity grade and
each of the motor oils contained high
levels of metals (iron, copper, tin,
aluminum). These metals are typically
found in used oil.
This is not the first time PQIA
has alerted consumers about Everclear
lubricants.
The first Consumer Alert was
issued on Everclear 5W-30 in a press
release in
March 2011. Another alert was
announced in
July 2011 on its 10W-30. That was
followed by a Consumer Alert on
Everclear's automatic transmission fluid
in
August 2012, and in
October 2013 PQIA announced a
Consumer Alert when it found Everclear's
5W-30 did not meet its labeled viscosity
grade and was contaminated with material
strongly suggestive of used oil.
LET PQIA KNOW
IF AND WHERE YOU FIND EVERCLEAR
May 19, 2014
 While
Everclear motor oils and transmission
fluids remain on the shelves in Ohio...
the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture and Consumer Services took
clear and decisive action in December
2013 to get these products off the
shelves in their State. They did so by
issuing
Stop-Sale Orders for Everclear
5W-30, 10W-30 and 10W-40 motor oil. In
addition, Everclear Automatic
Transmission Fluid was also pulled from
sale for failure to meet any recognized
specifications.
So Why Doesn't the State of
Ohio take action to protect its citizens
from these products?
PQIA opened communications with the
Federal Trade Commission office in
Cleveland Ohio early in 2011 regarding
Everclear motor oils and other motor
oils with serious deficiencies that are
sold in the State. Whereas the Ohio FTC
office expressed concerns about the
issue, they are reportedly "resource
constrained," and, sadly, declined to
take action. Although PQIA appreciates
the Ohio FTC office's comments
suggesting that action might be taken in
the future, PQIA remains very concerned
that automobile engines and
transmissions will be damaged while
consumers wait.
With that, Buyers Beware of Everclear
Motor Oils and Transmission Fluids sold
in Ohio or any other state.
| Bad Motor Oils Still on the
Shelves |
May 9, 2014
 News12
New Jersey - Kane In Your Corner,
in cooperation with PQIA, ran a
three part investigative series
exposing a serious issue all car
owners should be aware of. That
issue being dangerous motor oil for
sale at gas stations and convenience
stores; some of it was so
contaminated that it could seriously
damage a car or void its warranty.
 Now,
five months later, a Kane In Your
Corner investigation finds the
brands that did worst in lab tests
do not appear to have kept their
promises to make things better. CLICK
FOR MORE
MaxiGuard
Motor Oil: NSUMER
ALERT
e manufactCONSUMER
ALERT
CONSUMER
ALERT:
The label
on the product tested shows "10-40",
implying that the oil is 10W-40
motor oil. In fact, the viscosity
for this product is 50% below the
minimum requirements for 10W-40
oil. In addition, the test results
for this product show the oil lacks
the critical additives necessary to
protect engines from wear, sludge,
rust, and corrosion, and contains
high levels of potentially abrasive
silicon. Use of this oil will cause
damage to automotive engines. It
is also important to note that the
bottle does not contain 1 quart/946
ML of motor oil. Instead, it
contains approximately 825
milliliters. Whereas the volume in
the bottle should be expressed in
liquid measure, it displays content
as dry weight of 740 grams.
Note: The Petroleum Quality
Institute of America has issued
several Consumer
Alerts and "Don't Buys"on the
MaxiGuard brand
highlighted in the Kane in Your
Corner news segment. PQIA is pleased
to hear the manufacturers of
MaxiGuard motor oil, Bass Oil
Chemical, have assured News12 NJ
Kane in Your Corner they will
address the issue and that they say
the State of New York's Department
of Weights and Measures recently
visited its facility to discuss the
product.urers of MaxiGuard motor
oil, Bass Oil Chemical, have assured
News12 NJ Kane in Your Corner they
will address the issue and that they
say the State of New York's
Department of Weights and Measures
recently visited its facility to
discuss the product.
April 23, 2014
PQIA to Discuss Substandard
Motor Oil at the 99th National
Conference on Weights and
Measures Annual Meeting this
July |
|
PQIA will present data to state
and local weights and measures
officials from across the
country at the 99th NCWM Annual
Meeting this July showing the
magnitude of the problem. They
will also discuss possible ways
to improve collaboration between
their programs and state
regulatory agencies.
MORE
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April 29, 2014
More 5W-20s -
Click bottles below for
details |
 PQIA
has completed another
set of analyses for
5W-20 motor oils. No
issues were found in
this set. Click here for
specifics about these
brands. In addition, the
test results for the
last 27 samples of 5W-20
are now consolidated in
a single table for
convenient review. Click
here for all 5W-20
tested to date.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL
5W-20s TESTED by PQIA |
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April 16, 2014
Bad Motor Oils Exposed - Four Month
Follow-up |
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In
December 2013, News12 New
Jersey, in cooperation with
PQIA, ran a three part
investigative series on a
serious issue all car owners
should be aware of bad engine
oils in the market.
Four months after Kane In Your
Corner investigation exposed
harmful motor oil for sale in
New Jersey, the bad brands are
still on the market. CLICK
FOR MORE
|
CLICK BELOW FOR EACH PART IN
THE SERIES THAT AIRED IN
DECEMBER 2013 |
Motor Oils Put
to the Test |
Motor OIl
Regulations |
Buying the
RIght Motor OIl |
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March 17, 2014
PQIA Issues a Don't Buy on Orbit
Type A Transmission Fluid |
 Last week, the Petroleum
Quality Institute of America
(PQIA) announced "Don't
Buys" on three viscosity
grades of Orbit motor oil.
PQIA now issues a Don't Buy
on
Orbit's Type A Automatic
Transmission Fluid.
Test
results show the sample is more than
70% below the minimum viscosity
requirement for a Type A ATF.In
addition, the flash point is 24°C below
the minimum requirement for a Type A
ATF. Use of this oil will cause damage
to automatic transmissions.It
should also be noted that Type A is an
OBSOLETE specification intended for use
in General Motors automatic
transmissions built prior to 1957.
Click
Transmission Fluid Time Line
|
March 13, 2014
PQIA Issues a Don't Buy on Orbit
Motor Oil |
 PQIA
has uncovered a fraudulent
brand of "Motor Oil" on
retail shelves in Missouri
and Indiana, and likely
available elsewhere
throughout the Midwest, that
is capable of destroying
your car engine in short
order. The brand is Orbit
and it's manufactured by
Orbit Oil in Gary, Indiana.
PQIA's analysis of the Orbit
samples show the products
are extremely thin, as much
as 74% below the minimum
viscosity requirements for
their implied viscosity
grade. Motor oils this thin
are not able to adequately
separate and lubricate
moving engine parts and can
lead to rapid wear and even
engine seizure. In
addition, the samples tested
lack the critical additives
needed to protect car
engines from wear, sludge,
rust and corrosion, and may
contain abrasive
contaminates. Accordingly,
PQIA has issued a "DON'T
BUY" for Orbit brand motor
oils.
These fraudulent oils should
not be added to your car
engine, and if you see this
brand in your area, please
contact PQIA via our
hotline.
|
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CLICK FOR DETAILS
Missouri
Orbit
5-30
Orbit 10-30
Orbit 10-40 |
Indiana
Orbit 5-30
Orbit 10-30
Orbit 10-40 |
Note: The labels on the
products tested prominently
display what a reasonable
person would believe to be a
viscosity grade
(i.e."5-30"), implying that
the oil is a 5W-30 motor
oil. None of the products
tested come close to the
implied viscosity grades
shown on their labels.
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February 27, 2014
Michigan AG Announces Felony Charges
Against Four Individuals for
Intentionally Selling Mislabeled
Motor Oils |
|
Michigan Attorney General Bill
Schuette announced felony criminal
charges against four Wayne County
individuals for allegedly selling
intentionally mislabeled motor oil
products to retailers across the
state.
 Schuette charged Moussa
Kaddouh, 58, of Dearborn; Ali
Kaddouh, 34, of Dearborn; Joe Kdouh,
61, of Dearborn Heights; and Ayman
Faraj, 36, of Canton, with felony
charges for intentionally selling an
improperly labeled commodity as well
as misdemeanors for possessing an
uncertified measuring device to sell
commodities.
City Petroleum, based in Dearborn,
sells wholesale motor oil and
transmission fluid products labeled
“City Star” to retailers throughout
Michigan. Brothers Moussa Kaddouh
and Joe Kdouh own and operate the
business and employ Ali Kaddouh,
Moussa’s son.
Star Petroleum, based in Detroit,
sells wholesale motor oil and
transmission fluid products labeled
“Star” to retailers throughout
Michigan. Star is owned and operated
by Faraj. City Petroleum and Star
Petroleum are not affiliated.
The product sold allegedly contained
used motor oil instead of new motor
oil. In addition, the bottles were
under filled.
The felonies punishable by up to 5
years in prison and/or a $20,000
fine.
It should be noted that PQIA’s
analysis of these motor oils,
beginning in 2011, not only
indicated the presence of used motor
oil but also other serious
deficiencies that would likely
result in damage to a car engine.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
January 16, 2014
Ashland Responds to PQIA's Advisory
on Valvoline NextGen Conventional
5W-20 Motor Oil |
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On January 8, 2014,
PQIA issued an
Advisory on a
sample of Valvoline NextGen
Conventional 5W-20 motor
oil. The reason for the
Advisory is that the sample
tested failed the Noack
Volatility requirements for
an API SN/ILSAC GF-5.
Thom Smith, Vice President
Lubricant Technology Ashland
Consumer Markets, sent PQIA
a letter on January 10th
outlining Ashland's position
on the analysis of the
Valvoline NextGen 5W-20
sample and the Noack
Volatility test. The letter
was accompanied by an email
noting that Mr. Smith would
call PQIA to discuss their
position. Mr. Smith
contacted PQIA on Jan 15 to
review the letter and its
position.
 Published
with Ashland's permission,
its letter to PQIA on this
subject can be seen by
clicking the letter at the
right.
The essence of Ashland's
position is expressed in
Thom Smith's statement:
"As you are
aware, the ASTM D5800 test
results can vary
significantly from one piece
of test equipment to the
next. We have experienced
variances between calibrated
units in excess of the
published reproducibility
when testing commercial
formulations. We believe
that this may explain the
extreme difference in test
results that we are seeing."
Whereas PQIA respects
Ashland's position with
regards to this issue,
PQIA's approach is to use
the industry standards when
we perform an analysis. The
industry standard for Noack
Volatility is ASTM D-5800,
Procedure B.
|
January 8, 2014
Results in on Second Round
of Testing on 5W-20 Motor
Oils |
The results of PQIA's second
round of testing on 5W-20
motor oils are in and an
Advisory is issued on one
sample tested (Valvoline
NextGen®)
as it does not meet the
volatility requirements for
an API SN/ILSAC GF-5.
More
|
October 7, 2013
Michigan Orders
Another Bad Motor
Oil Off its Shelves! |
 PQIA
tips its hat to Rick
Snyder, Governor of
Michigan, Attorney General
Bill Schuette, and Jamie
Clover Adams, Director
MDARD for their work to
protect its citizens from
engine damaging motor
oils. In what is clearly
starting to look like a
crackdown to protect its
citizens from lubricant
manufacturers taking
advantage of the citizens of
Michigan, the Michigan
Department of Agriculture
and Rural Development
(MDARD)now issues a Stop-Use
and Stop-Removal Order on
all motor oils sold by
Bullseye Automotive
Lubricants, Inc. under the
Bullseye brand.
While it's good to see the
state of Michigan is taking
aggressive action to protect
its citizens from some
really bad - engine and
transmission damaging
products on the market,
PQIA continues to ask, what
are other states doing to
protect their citizens from
the slop sold in their
states?
PQIA has issued
Consumer Elerts and Don't
Buys on Bullseye Motor Oil
and found the Bullseye, City
Star, and other seriously
deficient products sold in
many other states,
including Illinois,
Wisconsin, Indiana, New
Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
CLICK FOR MORE
|
October 3, 2013
PQIA Issues Consumer Alerts
on Two Brands of Motor Oil
Purchased in the Chicago
Market |
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CONSUMER ALERT
-
SUPER XXX 5W30:
The label on this
product states it is
an "SAE 5W30" motor
oil and "it is
designed for use in
older model
automobiles
requiring SB
specifications". In
fact, PQIA's test
results show this
product is not an
SAE 5W-30, and does
not meet any
recognized
specifications
for motor oil, and
it lacks the
critical additives
needed to protect
modern engines. In
addition, the
analysis shows
extremely high
levels of silicon,
which is often
associated with
abrasive
contamination and
other contaminants.
More |
 |
CONSUMER ALERT
- SUPER
XXX 10W40:
The label on this
product states "it
is designed for use
in older model
automobiles
requiring SB
specifications".
PQIA's analysis
shows this sample
contains none of the
critical additive
necessary to pass SB
specifications. The
analysis also shows
high levels of
silicon, which is
often associated
with abrasive
contamination.
Further, API SB is
an obsolete
specification. The
API cautions this
specification is
"Not suitable for
use in
gasoline-powered
automotive engines
built after 1951.
Use in more modern
engines may cause
unsatisfactory
performance or
equipment harm."
More |
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CONSUMER ALERT
- EVERCLEAR 5W-30:
The label on this
product states it is
"5W-30" motor oil.
In fact, PQIA's test
results show this
product is not an
SAE 5W-30 oil, and
it lacks the
critical additives
needed to protect
modern engines. In
addition, the high
levels of iron,
aluminum, copper,
lead, and silicon
strong suggest this
product contains
used oil.
More |
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Spotlight on Synthetics |
 The
results of the tests
conducted on each of these
brands meet the requirements
of an API SN, ILSAC GF-5,
SAE 5W-30 engine oil.
CLICK FOR BRAND DETAILS
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Know What Oil You are Buying
|
Whereas most of the oils on
the shelves are good
quality, there are some that
can destroy your engine.
Yes, you heard it right,
destroy your engine. So read
the labels. Some of the oils
on the shelves are made for
cars built prior to 1930
VIDEO
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READ THE LABELS |
 The
service rating of passenger
car and commercial
automotive motor oils is
classified by the American
Petroleum Institute (API).
The program certifies that
engine oil meets certain
Original Equipment
Manufacturer (OEM) quality
and performance standards.
The service rating is shown
in the API "Service Symbol
Donut" on the product label.
As shown in the illustration
at the right, engine oils
with an API SA Service
Classification were
formulated for use in cars
built prior to 1930, and are
now obsolete. Yet, there are
still not hard to find in
retail outlets. Read on
about what you need to read
on the labels.
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