I just got back from Advance Auto and noticed that Valvoline's Durablend (syn blend) is now SM/CF. That is a step up from their SL which did not have the CF included. I noticed that Castrol, Penz, Quak, etc...do not have the CF either. The only other blend to carry that is Mobil 7500.

I was actually going in to purchase Castrol syn blend and ended up going with the Durablend instead. Not sure yet, but if anyone can back up Valvoline, they may have won me back. I use to be strictly a Valvoline user.

I've also heard several people comment lately that even the All Climate isn't really that bad.

 

I think Valvoline is making some great oils these days. Maxlife Synthetic is one of the best you can buy anywhere.

 

the problem is cf diesel oil is pretty easy to meet. cf is a pretty old standard for diesel oil the current one is CI-4+.

 

You spend way too much time thinking about this.

And ford390gashog is correct. CF is an very old diesel standard. Why pay API to "certify" your oil to an old standard? And if your engine runs on gas, why do you care?

You need a hobby.

 

I just about spit coffee all over my screen in laughter when I read your hypocrital comment about how I need to find a new hobby. Geez Jschira...if anyone does, that would be you. Hell, you post as much and actually more than me or just about anyone on this forum. So you should recant and think about that idiotic comment you just made. Nobody else on here seems to make illogical comments like you towards others who may inquire on things they don't have as much knowledge about as myself. Let me know what your new hobby is when you find one since you seem to reside in this forum. Actaully, are you a real person, or a a computer? And actually, I do have a hobby, one in which you would probable drop dead if you attempted to keep up with me. I won't even waste my time explaining to you what that is since the comment you made towards me would indicate a mental capacity similar to that of a 3 year old.
Anyone else on here find Jschiras comment rather idiotic?

 

No offense taken. I know the truth can hurt. It's not you, it's the oil talking.

I'm here for you. I'll help you work through it.

 

LOL!!! Ok Jschira...I'm beginning to think you might be ok. Sorry if my preveous message was a bit terse. Maybe I over reacted.
No bad blood on my side.

 

I guess jschira is all right. He's just a bit too direct for some of us.

If you want a certification that is worthwhile, find an oil that has the European ACEA A3 rating. The SL Durablend 10w40 had SL/CF ACEA A3, but I did not see either the CF or the ACEA A3 on the SM Durablend, but I looked many months ago. So now if they have the CF on there, maybe the 10w40 SM has the ACEA A3. I'll have to check.

Hey, I kind of thought that the CF was on there for light duty diesels, like in passenger car and light trucks, whereas the CF-4 was the full blown big rig diesel stuff. No?

 

CF is now only for off-road diesels. Farm tractors, construction equipment and marine engines. Anything without emissions equipment. If I remember correctly, it will also allow for fuels with a higher sulfur content. I think that's why you still see oil with that designation. There is still a market for it.

BTW, you guys are crack'in me up, LOL!

 

OK. I will explain my position again.

I don't have any problem with anyone putting $100/qt. super exotic emu oil in their engine if that's what they want, but you need to realize that motor oil is one of the most heavily marketed products out there. Whenever the marketers get involved, the truth is usually the first to suffer. Remember, the marketer's job is to create demand where none exists. To convince you that you need something that you really don't. Very few products "Sell themselves".

I try to help separate fact from fiction. Reality from hype.

So, if the questions are "Can I put expensive oil in my engine?", my answer will always be "Yes, but why would you want to?" or "Do I need to put expensive oil in my engine?", my answer will always be "No".

These answers usually pi$$ people off, because many of them have already convinced themselves that they need to spend mega$$$ (and the bottles are already in the garage). So my answer is the same as telling them that they are wrong and that they just wasted their money. People don't like to be told that.

Too many people ask questions looking for validation, not information.

So more specifically explaining my "Need a hobby" post, I don't study oil bottles. I don't need to. I only look at 3 things:

1. Price;
2. SL/SM; and
3. 5w-30 or 10w-30.

In that order. If #1 doesn't pass muster, I never even move on to #2 or #3.

BTW, just in case you are curious, currently I am running brand name oil, Shell, Exxon, PZ and QS, but I bought it all on sale. The Shell and Exxon for $0.59/qt., the QS for $0.79/qt. and the PZ for $0.89/qt.

In my Powerstroke, I am running Tractor Supply-Brand 15w-40 that I bought for $1/qt., and my UOA came back great.

As a parting note, I will remind everyone of a news tip that I posted a while back. API last year, as part of its quality control efforts, tested just about every oil on the store shelves against the API specs. Fully 50% of the oils were out of spec (usually viscosity range). API did not release any brand names, but did say that the bad oils were pretty evenly spread across both generic and brand name oils. So paying extra for the "Brand Name" oil may not be getting you anything. More importantly, the generics were no worse (and no better) than the brand names.

Hype . . . . . Reality.

 

[QUOTE=horsepuller]CF is now only for off-road diesels. Farm tractors, construction equipment and marine engines. Anything without emissions equipment. If I remember correctly, it will also allow for fuels with a higher sulfur content. I think that's why you still see oil with that designation. There is still a market for it. [QUOTE]But that is when the oil has CF only, not SL/CF right? For sure Durablend SL/CF is not high sulfur.

jschira makes an excellent point, but there is some advantage to higher quality oils such as a good synthetic, which will handle heat and cold better. In extreme cold I would run nothing but synthetic. If my car had a turbo I probably would run only Redline oil. Cheap conventional leaves more engine deposits, so you can get a sludged up engine, but it may not matter as many engines still go longer than the body lasts (here in the rust belt) in that condition.

Also, playing around with motor oil creates a diversion for us married middle aged men. Better oil than we be chasing women and closing the bar or getting in some other trouble. So for some, whether they know it or not, motor oil is entertainment. At least I will admit it.

 

I have the valve covers off of my 1954 Dodge "Red Ram" [real] hemi engine. If the engine in this car has ever been pulled, it was a long, long time ago.

The valve covers and the heads are not new looking, but there is suprisingly little deposit build-up. Most of this engine's life was run on oil that wasn't even SA-rated. If it had been fed a steady diet of SL or SM oil, I would expect a mirror shine on the inside.

And I agree with the sludge comment (sludge is more a function of condensation in the oil that does not get burned off because the oil doesn't get hot enough), but you don't need expensive oil to fix that. I grew up in Ohio. I changed my oil in December, and then again in March or so. Down here in God's country, my engine is at operating temp before I get 1 mile down the road, even in January. Sludge just isn't a concern where temps don't get too cold.

Oh no. It is far, far worse than that. A religion. And as with any religion, based more on faith than fact.

 

ACEA A3 requires an HTHS viscosity of 3.5 or higher. That pretty much eliminates SAE 30 grades. The only one Ive seen is BMW dealer 5W-30 synthetic, made by Castrol. Castrol Syntec Blends (10W-40 and 20W-50) are rated A3. For you Valvoline fans, BMW used to sell repackaged 5W-40 Valvoline synth. They went to 5W-30 for CAFE.

Jim

 

Or mis-interpretation of the facts as in certain religiously held "scientific" theories.