Motor Oil Samples
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America reports on three brands of SAE 5W-20, two brands of SAE 5W-30, and two brands of SAE 10W-30 motor oil recently tested.
The results of the tests conducted on samples of the products shown below meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE viscosity grade listed on the product label. In addition, the phosphorus content and Noack volatility meet the specifications required for the claimed API Service Categories and the concentration of zinc, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and boron in the samples are consistent with the claimed API Service Categories.
The test data and PQIA assessments of the samples are available by clicking on either the bottles or brand names shown below:
| SAE 5W-20 | ||
 DuraMAX Luquid Armor API SN/ILSAC GF-5 |
 FVP API SN/ILSAC GF-5 |
 Thorntons Premium API SN/ILSAC GF-5 |
| SAE 10W-30 | ||
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| SAE 5W-30 | ||
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Antifreeze/Coolant Samples
The Petroleum Quality Institute of America reports on two brands of antifreeze/coolant.
The results of the tests conducted on samples of antifreeze/coolant shown below meet the products’ labeled freeze point claims and, based on the results of the other physical properties and ion chromatography tests performed, there are no issues with the products.
The test data and PQIA assessments of the samples are available by clicking on either the bottles or brand names shown below:
 Star brite® Extended Life Coolant Premium Pre-Mixed 50/50 |
 Final Charge Global 50/50 Prediluted Coolant/Antifreeze Nitrite-Free Extended Life |
As shown in the reports for the samples above, one product is orange and the other is red. The color of an antifreeze/coolant typically denote differences in the chemical composition of antifreeze and its suitability for use in various vehicle make and model years. Color, however, is not always representative of the coolant technology since there are no industry standards or regulations requiring the use of certain colors for specific technologies. Moreover, the color of an antifreeze is not a measure of its quality, instead it is a visual indicator often, but not always, used by manufacturers to differentiate product technologies. An example of the latter is seen in the sample of Star brite®. Although the sample of Star brite is orange (a color commonly used to represent a Dex-Cool® product), its label does not declare it meets Dex-Cool specifications.
So, whereas color is a good indicator of the antifreeze technology, consumers are advised to always read the labels to determine if the specifications meet the requirements of their vehicle.
See chart below for the colors typically associated with the various antifreeze technologies.
Click to Enlarge
Dex-Cool® is a trademark registered of General Motors
Related story:
Antifreeze: What’s the Difference?
