Dave M

Stopped by the local Autozone to replentish my stock, and all they had was a new red packaged Syntec 0w-30 that did not meet any of the required specs. This store has always had the German formulation in the past. I ended up getting M1 0w-40 that I'll use for this summer, and I have one more fill of GC 0w-30 left that I'll put in next winter.

Audi Junkie

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The guys have been picking it up for $1/q because some AZ stores are not going to be carrying it anymore. I got about 100q of Mobil 1 and Havoline synth (FP=498f!)for $1 on close-out. I'm actually saving my GC stash for when I get a newer car, I have 95k and PLENTY of Mobil 1. We/I am curious if/when batches of GC with M05-XXX date codes come in from Germany or where ever. Rememeber, there are some rare red-label, US-Made that does not carry the Euro Specs, that does not mean it's different than the current in-spec US version, just no specs on the bottle. Look out for Pennzoil Platinum, GTL Gas-to-Liquid base and the new Mobil 1 EP with the latest antimony and boron additve pack. BTW- I am a sponsor of a $1000 set of Gas Cromatography tests to learn more about GC. It so far has some unique and mysterious componets. Those German GC Elves are tired from blending extra SLX for the USA, I say give them a break!

Dave M

And I did not even look to see where it was made. I guess it's not so critical to use the GC as there are finally other (readily available) oils out that meet the specs.

Audi Junkie

other oils, unique. The NMR and Gas Spectroscopy tests should prove interesting.

For the Record, USA 0w-30 is green, smells like Gummi Bears too and WILL carry the mfg specs.<ul><li><a href="http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=42;t=001063;p=7">ht tp://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=42;t=001063;p=7</a</li></ul>

akula-ssh

GC would be good though; maybe a GC-MS is the test you want to run?

Audi Junkie

IIRC NMR is the only way to discern basestocks by vibrating the molecule at different angles or something. I'm only a BS in H&amp;SS, Tribology is just a hobby but it could make a great Masters thesis in History &amp; Sociology of Science.

akula-ssh

Though, NMR is mostly good for identifiying a particular compound, and really quite bad at identifiying a mixture of compounds. Somehow I'd think the basestocks are still not quite homogeneous, but I might well be wrong. (By the way, NMR is Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: medical MRI is a version of the technique)

I'm thinking it may work better if you do a fractional distillation on the basestock before checking out what the various distillates are using NMR

Audi Junkie

Base is homogenous, thin 20 weight PAO can 'o worms. I have some PhD's working on it now! ;0)