Dollar store oil nearly scared me to death...

[Klutch9]

I was at the dollar store in a local mall the other day just killing some time. The BITOGer in me dictates that I shall seek out the oil section in every store that has one

This dollar store carried City Star oil, which I commonly see in gas stations and the like. This dollar store had 10w30 and 10w40. For some reason I decided to pick up each bottle and give it a good shake test. The 10w30 felt like any other 10w30. The 10w40, however, felt and sounded like I was shaking lighter fluid... all of the bottles sounded like that. And when I looked through the clear strip on the side, I could see bubbles forming at the top of the liquid after I shook it...

It is SCARY that people put non-API certified oils like this in their cars, especially ones like this that clearly were not even filled with oil, so it seemed. The best part? They were all sealed. Some quality control they have there at City Star

 

[Johnny248]

hey man, that City Star is API rated..SA...

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: Johnny248
hey man, that City Star is API rated..SA...


I thought so, but these bottles didn't have any API rating listed on the back. I've seen ones before that said "API SA", then something along the lines of "not safe for use in vehicles newer than 1935" or something.

 

[Johnny248]

LOL.... 1935...

 

[Corvette Owner]

Yep, SA is pure base stock oil, with NO additives !

 

[Sayjac]

Quote:
hey man, that City Star is API rated..SA...
lol You mean like Accel SA "Meets API classification SA. This classification has no performance requirements."

http://www.wd-wpp.com/specsheet/accel001.pdf

 

[cp3]

Hmmm....Nice VI of 50 and a 40cSt of 134! What more could one want?

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
lol You mean like Accel SA "Meets API classification SA. This classification has no performance requirements."

http://www.wd-wpp.com/specsheet/accel001.pdf

 

[BigCahuna]

Another API mystery is that there is no API spec for motorcycle oil. If you check any motorcycle specific oil it usually states it "meets" some spec,but then again it may not. And doesn't have the API stamp. Harley's oil does not even mention that it meets or exceeds any spec, but Harley's.,,

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I miss the days when Dollartree carried TropArtic.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: BigCahuna
Another API mystery is that there is no API spec for motorcycle oil. If you check any motorcycle specific oil it usually states it "meets" some spec,but then again it may not. And doesn't have the API stamp. Harley's oil does not even mention that it meets or exceeds any spec, but Harley's.,,


I think that is because more often than not, auto (or in this case, motorcycle) manufacturers don't often recommend a certain API spec. Rather, they specify their own spec. Both of my Fords, for example, specify Ford WSS-930a-MC2 oil. Nowhere in the owner's manual does it say anything about an API cert required for the oil to be used in the car. However, it does seem that that specific Ford spec correlated with API SM oil, because when the SN spec was introduced, Ford then came out with WSS-945a, which superceded the old spec. Or like how most, if not all new GM cars require some form of Dexos oil, not a certain API spec. Now (and I'm not sure) it may be true that in order to achieve such a manufacturer spec, the oil must first meet a certain API spec as a prerequisite.

 

[Astro14]

SA might be rated for use in cars prior to 19XX, but there is no way in Hades that I would use it in a car I cared about...like the Packard...good grief!

 

[Bluestream]

I think we have to keep in mind who this oil is meant for; Cheap dollar store buyers who need to top up their oil. No one would ever use this stuff in a car of any value, no matter what year. But topping up with this is better than running your engine low on oil. Its going to mix with existing oil, so some additives will be present.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
I think we have to keep in mind who this oil is meant for; Cheap dollar store buyers who need to top up their oil. No one would ever use this stuff in a car of any value, no matter what year. But topping up with this is better than running your engine low on oil. Its going to mix with existing oil, so some additives will be present.


I agree. My point though is that I found it crazy that whatever was inside those sealed bottles of 10w40 had the consistency of water.

 

[DR Racing]

API SA is good for seating rings on a new motor but the problem is that it is not good for breaking in the cams. Dan

 

[dwendt44]

that cheap stuff is for cars that use more oil than gas.
Good for killing mosquitoes and oiling hinges.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

I use SA only for lubing hinges/cables and compressors + pumps. All the Dollar stores here only have American XT in SM or SN. It's fine for top off or short OCI's.
I use it in 10w-30 for my Packard that has no filter system and it gets changed around 1500 miles per the manual.

 

[hattaresguy]

Its like my friend with his work truck, he used all the junk oil like that, figured it was better than nothing.

I guess that's one way to look at it, even junk oil is probably better than no oil.

 

[cb_13]

Anyone know who makes the american xt? I thought i remembered the wpp logo on the bottom, not sure though. I used their trans fluid in all kinds of vehicles while in high school.

 

[MolaKule]

Quote:
SA is pure base stock oil, with NO additives


Actually, most of these SA rated oils do contain one additive, a defoamer.

By all means, never use one of these SA-rated oils in a modern engine.


All oils will show some bubbles after shaking or pouring.

For grins have it analyzed,