<VV> oil question; using Bob Helt's chart

[BobHelt at aol.com]

Hi Bob,
I think that it is all the media's fault. O'l man television has got us. It 
 is they who have taught is to worry about EVERYTHING. They tell us that 
the  planet is warming. They tell us that the Chinese will overtake us soon. 
They  tell us that the value of the dollar is dropping. And now all of the US 
nuclear  plants are going to kill us too. They tell us that the price of 
oil is  skyrocketing. Worry Worry. It's a wonder that we can barely get thru 
the day as  it is. 
 
Please see below.
Regards,
Bob Helt
 
In a message dated 4/14/2011 3:05:29 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,  
Vairtec at optonline.net writes:

Neat  chart, Bob, it provides the plain-spoken guide I was seeking.  
Thank  you for sharing it.
    Maybe you should buy a couple of my  books and get caught up on things.
 




Now, to ensure that I understand it correctly, I have  grabbed a bottle 
of Quaker State 10w-40 that I purchased only a few days  ago for use in 
my wife's modern car.

Starburst on the front?   No.

Two-letter designation at the top of the donut?  Not  quite.  The top 
half of the donut reads API SERVICE SN, so if what  you mean is that the 
two-letter designation should be at the 12-o'clock  position, it isn't.  
But if what you mean is that the designation  should be in the top 
portion of the donut, it is.

Hey, the top as opposed to the  bottom.
 
But I wonder just WHY you are planning to use  that oil in a MODERN CAR? 
 
Any modern car SHOULD be using oil with the  Starburst. 
Do we need another diagram for that? 
 
 


Since the two-letter designation is SN, does it say ENERGY  CONSERVING or 
RESOURCE CONSERVING at the bottom of the donut?  No --  the bottom of the 
donut is blank.

So I reach the "OK to use"  box.  Correct?



Correct

Next I grabbed the only other  oil currently in the garage, a lone bottle 
of Shell Rotella T  15w-40.

Starburst on the front?  No.

Two-letter designation  at the top of the donut?  Here again, it is the 
top half of the  donut, reading API SERVICE CJ-4/SM.

Since the two-letter designation  includes SM, does it say ENERGY 
CONSERVING or RESOURCE CONSERVING at the  bottom of the donut?  No -- the 
bottom of the donut is  blank.

So again I reach the "OK to use" box.   Correct?


correct
 


Now,  Bob, what about the carryings-on about zinc and phosphorous and 
things not  in modern oils that ought to be in our old cars?  Does the 
guidance  provided by your chart mean that I can not worry about this?  
Or  should I still seek out the oils that claim to have higher levels of 
these  ingredients and/or are marketed to the collector car crowd?  Or  
should I add something like ZDDP Plus or  Cam-shield?


Worry, worry, worry. You are sure welcome to continue  worrying. But the 
chart should keep you pretty safe. Of course you could worry  that the 
required amount of Phosphorus really isn't defined for flat lifter  cars. (oh no!) 
It is thought to be somewhere between 1000ppm and 1800ppm. But  what is the 
"right" number? And too much is said to be bad too. How much is too  much? 
More stuff to worry about. 
 
And how much zinc is required anyhow? The "stupid" API has failed to  
specify how much zinc should be in our oils. What is the matter with them  
anyhow? Don't they know we need to know this or that we will worry  ourselves to 
death? What if the amount of zinc isn't sufficient? What if it is  too much?
 
 
(You do know, don't you, that zinc is NOT an API  specified ingredient in 
oil?)
 
Anyhow, thanks for the chance to poke a little fun at the subject.
 
Regards,
Bob Helt
 


--Bob Marlow