Originally Posted By: 3311
Originally Posted By: dnewton3
I asked Valvoline and actually got a fairly decent, quick response.
I limited my question (obviously) to the similarities/differences of MaxLife 10-40, which is the initial topic of this thread, and Valvoline Premium Blue (their HDEO).
Here is their response:
"Thank you for your questions and we would be happy to help. To begin with, we can 100% assure you that the two products are NOT the same formulation and meet many different testing specifications. For beginners, the MaxLife products are not recommended for use in diesel applications, as the API standards only specify use for gasoline engines, with the API SN/SM listed on the back of the labels. The Premium Blue products (both 5w40 and 15w40) are licensed as API CJ-4 and are specified for use in heavy duty diesel applications that require stringent standards on ash content, unique dispersive polymer technology to control soot in diesel applications, allow higher levels of antiwear chemistry and other major components that attribute to diesel engines. Maxlife on the other hand contains levels of additive to help control seal leakage from older seals and friction and wear in higher mileage vehicles.
The Calcium and Magnesium detergent levels in the Premium Blue products is vastly different than the Maxlife additive signature that contains Calcium and Sodium detergents and the Zinc/Phosphorus level is also different which is a reflection of the different specifications the products must meet and also the application they function in.
The two products can also be separated by numerous specifications such as Viscosity Index, which is mostly attributed to the particular basestock of each one. In the Premium Blue line, we manufacturer both a conventional 15w40, as well as a synthetic 5w40, so comparison to the MaxLife product which is a synthetic blend, would range slightly according to which product was in question."
Not that I expected different, but it's clear the MaxLife product line is not suited for use in today's diesels, for a variety of reasons.
Now, is the European ML 10w-40 Diesel the same as our North American ML 10w-40? I don't know. I don't think it matters either. Why? Because even the Euro Diesel oil is only rated for "CF"; that's WAY back, folks. Most of today's decent synthetic PCMOs will carry a CF or CF-4 rating; because it's not that stringent!
The OP's quest was to use some HM ML oil to perhaps replenish the viability of a seal in his 7.8L Durmax (a commercial inline-6). That engine was developed along with the 6.6L Dmax, chronologically as I recall. So, I believe that all of them will require CH-4 or greater. To go backward to a CF rated lube is not a good choice.
Because the OP only was looking at 5 quarts out of 24 quarts, I don't know that it will really hurt anything. But I expect it won't help at all either. That is a bit more than 20% of the sump capacity. If it's not enough to hurt, then it's not enough to really make any differnce in helping the seals, either. I see it as a wash. But it is nearly a 20% loss of qualified HDEO additives.
Ultimately, he chose M1 HM 10w-40 to put in his Shell Rotella 15w-40. I don't think we're going to be very successful in getting an answer by asking Mobil how well they think their non-current-rated HDEO will compliment a competitor's current CJ-4 HDEO. And I don't think SOPUS is going to be very impressed with dumping out their CJ-4 product in favor of a competitor's CF rated PCMO, either ...
Thanks for the efforts and good info! I was speculating that US Maxlife and Euro Maxlife Diesel were the same.
Don
If you really want to know if they are the same, email them just like I did. Their response was quick and detailed.
Even if US ML and Euro ML are the same, they are not approved for the Dmax.