6000 SYNSHIELD ™ MAX MPG SAE 10W - 30 API FA - 4

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I know there has been a lot of hollerin' about the new FA-4 diesel oils in diesel engines. Here is the sheet on Schaffer's. If you were looking at using it from a gas engine's point of view
smile.gif
, what would you think from looking at the sheet?



http://www.schaefferoil.com/documents/297-6000-td.pdf
 
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For some reason, I don't see an SN there, but on other FA-4 varieties I have. In any event, I've been meaning to ask our formulators here how close an FA-4 seems to be to an A5/B5 lubricant.
 
Originally Posted By: bigj_16
I know there has been a lot of hollerin' about the new FA-4 diesel oils in diesel engines. Here is the sheet on Schaffer's. If you were looking at using it from a gas engine's point of view
smile.gif
, what would you think from looking at the sheet?



http://www.schaefferoil.com/documents/297-6000-td.pdf
buy a QT and do a VOA to see the add levels. That will give a heads up.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
For some reason, I don't see an SN there, but on other FA-4 varieties I have. In any event, I've been meaning to ask our formulators here how close an FA-4 seems to be to an A5/B5 lubricant.


I don't expect Schaeffer to go the low phosphorus route, thus no SN rating. It probably would pass the SN tests just fine, though. If you want an A5/B5 type oil, wouldn't a CK-4 10W30 (3.5 or higher HTHS) fit the bill? I think FA-4 oils are meant to be in the range of 2.9 - 3.2 HTHS, right?

I'm just thinking out loud, Garak. You know more than me about this stuff.
 
I mentioned A5/B5 because that spec is the lower HTHS 30 grade, kind of like FA-4, whereas the CK-4 stuff is closer to the A3/B4 stuff by way of HTHS. Most of the A5/B5 oils are also ILSAC certified (at least in North America), but ours are all pretty much 5w-30 options. Other places get, I believe, 10w-30 A5/B5 options, so for those looking for an alternative in North America while insisting on a 10w-30 versus a 5w-30, might this be the answer?

I do wonder about what some of the additive packages would look like on these FA-4 oils. Of course, a $30 UOA has huge limitations, but that doesn't stop me from being curious about zinc, phosphorus, and the other elements.

I'm also wondering how much more "robust" an FA-4 10w-30 might be over a more ordinary ILSAC 10w-30 one might find out there. It's not a huge practical concern for me, given my climate and the value I place on a 5w-XX, but it is pretty interesting.
 
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Thanks for straightening me out Garak. I'm sorry to say that I had them mixed up in my little mind.

I'm half tempted to try Delo's FA-4 oil (low phos/zinc) in my Detroit this winter. Detroit Diesel has made FA-4 an acceptable option for their DD platform engines going back to 2010 models.

Bigj_16, as far as using this oil in a gasoline engine, I'm sure it would work fine. I'm not sure if there's any benefit with this oil over a dedicated SN oil, except for the (probable) high phos/zinc levels that some people desire.
 
I'd have been tempted a bit harder if they came out in a 5w-30, like the thicker E6 stuff. But, I haven't seen any yet. Some of the FA-4 stuff I've seen hasn't been priced too badly, at least by Canadian standards.
 
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