Anyone who has had the pleasure of working on vintage cars knows the challenges of finding replacement parts. Its not easy, and for good reason.
Whether its a brass carburetor float or throttle shaft for a 1929 Ford Model A, a door handle for a 1964 Chevy Impala, an emergency flasher button on a 1980 Saab, or heaven forbid, trim or glass for a jalopy, these parts can be hard to find. To get them, you may have to brave bees and snakes while rummaging through junk yards, spend endless hours searching eBay, or pay big bucks to have the parts custom made. Thats because, aside from a few buggy whip manufacturers making parts for vintage vehicles, demand is far too low to justify it.
But, thats not the case with motor oils.
If you are looking for antique motor oils, they are easy to find. Just stop by convenience stores in urban areas and other surrounding communities. Chances are you will find motor oils on the shelves that only meet the API SA service category. The American Petroleum Institute retroactively established this motor oil category in 1970 and meant it for use in cars built prior to 1933. These oils have no detergents, antiwear additives, corrosion or oxidation inhibitors, viscosity modifiers, antifoam or any other additives to enhance performance. Instead, they were simply what we now call Group I base oil.
Although it was slippery stuff and lubricated engines, even back in its day, SA motor oil did not do a particularly good job. As a result, engines often died an early death due to sludge, varnish, wear and other lubricant related issues. Because of this, and advances in additive technology, these oils are now deemed obsolete by the API, which says they can cause equipment harm.
Products in the obsolete API SA category are not the only antiques seen on the shelves. You can still find API SB through SH at some convenience stores. Although they appear to be of more recent vintage, oils claiming these specifications are also obsolete and can cause equipment harm. Whats more, you may get parts for your old Chevy, but you cant get parts to run valid engine tests to prove compliance to these categories.
In addition to convenience stores, its not particularly challenging to find obsolete motor oils at discount stores. As an example, in a recent visit to a Dollar General, we observed a solid showing of Dollar General (DG) brand motor oil labeled as meeting API SF. For those unfamiliar with “SF,” its an obsolete API specification formulated for use in cars built prior to 1988.
Obsolete motor oils are also seen on the shelves at big box and auto parts stores, and they stock some big brands in the business. Shells SAE 30 ND non-detergent motor oil (API SB), for example, was recently observed on the shelves at Pep Boys. Valvolines non-detergent API SB is marketed online at NAPA and Grainger, and available at auto parts stores. We also see non-detergent products on the shelves at AutoZone, OReilly Auto Parts and Wal-Mart.
To their credit, some oil makers and marketers do provide cautionary statements on the back labels about their limited use. But what about the many others who dont? Im speaking about the manufacturers and marketers of obsolete motor oils that prominently label the front of their products with such words and phrases as premium, special and protects like no other, with images of modern cars, Hi-Po engines and other graphics suggesting modern technology.
In addition, what about those selling multigrade API SA motor oils? Take for instance the Xcel Premium brand 20W-50 claiming to meet an API SA, SB service category. It cant happen. This is because by definition, API SA motor oils contain no additives, and to make a 20W-50, you have to use a healthy dose of viscosity modifier (an additive).
Whats the deal with these motor oils and those making them? Are they crafting these obsolete brews to quench the thirst of the small number of antique cars on the road? Or are they stocking retail shelves with them to make hay by taking advantage of the fact that most consumers have no idea what API Sx means?
As they say, who am I to judge?
But imagine if someone bought tires, lights or wiper blades at a retail store for their family van, only to find out after a deadly accident there was a little-known industry code on these products saying they were obsolete and designed for use in cars built prior to 1933. Further imagine that these products were marketed side-by-side with others meeting todays standard, and it was well known within the industry that they were obsolete and potentially dangerous. Moreover, there were few if any laws to protect consumers from them.
You can bet if that happened there would be class action lawsuits, panel discussions with Wolf Blitzer in CNNs Situation Room, hours of chatter on The Factor, a feature story by John Stossel and congressional hearings. But such action is unlikely when it comes to the damage obsolete motor oil can cause. Thankfully, its use does not threaten human life. Instead, its a threat to the life of the engines currently on the road.
With that in mind, maybe its time for the API, Petroleum Quality Institute of America, Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, National Council on Weights & Measures, automakers and others to work together to find solutions to protect consumers from harmful motor oils.
Tom Glenn is president of the consulting firm Petroleum Trends International, the Petroleum Quality Institute of America, and Jobbers World newsletter. Phone: (732) 494-0405. E-mail: tom_glenn@petroleumtrends.com