Oil History Question II

[MolaKule]

What was the stated SAE Grade for the first oil marketed by Amsoil (AMZOIL)?


This question is not open to oil marketers, tribologists, chemists, formulators, mathematicians, physicists, any engineering discipline, astrologers, or Savants.

 

[addyguy]

10W-40

 

[MolaKule]

Let me rephrase the question to be more specific:

What was the stated SAE Grade Printed on the very first oil cans to be marketed by Amsoil (AMZOIL)?


This question is not open to oil marketers, tribologists, chemists, formulators, mathematicians, physicists, any engineering discipline, astrologers, or Savants.

 

[walterjay]

20 wt

 

[addyguy]

I stand by my answer - the first Amsoil was an API-SE 10W-40 diester based synthetic oil.

 

[Eddie]

20 20w

 

[shanneba]

10w-20w-30-40

 

[MolaKule]

Shanneba is the proud owner of the virtual BITOG mug with the embossed

on it and with the correct answer of 10W-20W-30-40 as shown in the photograph.

Later cans and bottle packaging only had the SAE 10W40 labeling on them, but the first ones were labeled SAE 10W-20W-30-40.

It did indeed have a diester base oil, was formuiated by Hatco, and the additive package was rumored to have been supplied by Lubrizol

Thanks to all who participated.

 

[addyguy]

If you go the Blackstone article on testing e-bay oils, they have a 1970's can of Amsoil 10W-40, I thought it was a really early one.

...but it is a slightly later one, the name being spelled 'Amsoil', and the viscosity being just 10W-40.

It looks very similar to this one, which is what threw me off. Good one, Mola!

 

[Tom NJ]

The original was indeed based entirely on a diester (Ditridecyl Adipate, aka DTDA), the DI adpak was from Oronite, and the VII was a dispersant type PMA (Hatco also supplemented with an anti-oxidant). The brand name started as Amzoil, but Pennzoil claimed to own the "zoil" part, so they changed it to Amsoil. Amway then filed suit but Amsoil prevailed.

The DTDA basestock properties are as follows:

Viscosity @ 100°C = 5.35
Viscosity Index = 135
Pour Point = -75°F (-60°C)
Flash Point = 470°F (243°C)
Noack Volatility = 7%

 

[MolaKule]

I remember being in an STLE meeting in Kansas City at the old airport and Al was there giving a presentation as the featured speaker. Interestingly, he was accompanied by the Chief Lubrizol Lab director. The funny thing was, the president of the local STLE group owned the Chevron/Oronite distribution center in KC (Olathe) Kansas.

I recall that Al was joking about the Pennzoil and Amway "tussle." He thought it silly that both Pennzoil and Amway wanted to "slice and dice" letters from the English alphabet.

 

[Tom NJ]

And I recall my old boss Harry Reid flew out to testify on Al's behalf during the Amway troubles.