thx for ur reply. Bcox I can buy it with only RM93 with delivery to my door step.

Tks bro for clearing my doubts. I was a little hesitant to buy thinking it may be imitation.I'm actually looking out for Mobil 1,but atm they have only 50 & 40 viscosity. I'll wait for 0w-30 or 5w-30.

The date stamped on the bottle, usually coded at the bottom behind,refers to end of shelf life or manufactured date?

so cheap? where u saw ?
yesterday my friend went to Tesco melaka n check, they are selling RM157.95

Mine was from Tesco Bukit Tinggi Klang. Now not sure whether the promotion still valid or not lol

Google search brought me to this post, informative indeed.

I did read about API, ACEA and JASO but it seem that many of the members here discuss about API only. Why eh?

I remember back then during my study, API is American Petroleum Institute?
Is API only apply to the cars being sold in America? Since ACEA lubricant is specially designed for Europe car.

Which one shall we follow for Malaysia cars?

There are so many engine oil brand out there, really confusing to me. Now, I'm still sticking to major brands, pay a bit more for the peace of mind.

few simple reasons:
- majority of cars are using API as requirements (refer to your owner's manual) with few exceptions, particularly the higher class/segment cars such as from VW/Audi/Mercedes/BMW or even the super cars /sports cars such as ferrari/R35 nismo so on so forth.

- you cannot query ACEA/JASO publicly. or at least i do not know a method to.
if someone knows how to query ACEA/JASO publicly please share

in the meantime on API:
https://engineoil.api.org/Directory/EolcsSearch

- API is applicable to cars sold worldwide.
and no ACEA certified lubricants are not specifically/specially designed for European cars, like wise JASO for Japanese cars.
It's a standard that provides certification for a market segment (eg: majority of europeans go by ACEA, but that's not to say a Malaysian car cannot go by ACEA, assuming it is a legit certification)

Why SM better than SN? Isn't newer better?

generally anti wear additives.
however those additives may accelerate catalyst poisoning condition

remember that my keywords is may, not hard fact/determined that SM is better than SN

API and manufacturer certification, which actually more stringent when come into requirement?

Chat with a chemist yesterday and he mentioned that of MB229.5 specification, the oil will require to have less than 10% NOACK value being heated at 250c while for API SN, as long as it is below 15% NOACK value will do.

So is it safe to say that the oil meeting API SN but not MB229.5 can be more inferior to those meeting MB229.5 spec?
And whatever meeting MB229.5 spec will be automatically in the group of API SN or perhaps the future grading, SP?

This post has been edited by john300: Oct 21 2015, 10:56 AM

depends.
in certain cases API will be more stringent, while some other cases will be manufacturer.
you have to understand API caters to every/any car on the road, while manufacturer only caters for their own car, ignoring other cars or other criteria (may not be totally ignored, else you'd have another VW shit to deal with, but you get the idea) such as emissions or service intervals.

now on noack, despite 15% tolerance (bear in mind this is for SN, which is set many years ago while MB229.5 is newer)
try looking at this:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbth...ous_about_NOACK
http://www.amsoil.com/lit/g3115.pdf
for example petro canada is under 10% NOACK, but its not mb approved, means this oil is inferior?

https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html
pdf
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&es...L1gL9na4xR7Gy1A
read: i said majority, which means not all.

so no, it is not to safe to say that an oil not meeting manufacturer approval but meeting API is inferior.
there are many factors such as emissions and oil longevity, and the hard fact that not all oil sellers bring their oil to Mercedes for example, to have their oil approved.
if the target audience for your oil is normal low budget passenger cars, do you think it makes sense for an application with mercedes for their approval?

in fact, MB doesnt particularly specify clearly what it takes to be approved other than referring to ACEA, and API requirements compared to ACEA isnt that far off:
http://www.oilspecifications.org/mercedes_mb.php
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/221.0_en.html

the key thing is transparency, and how it allows a consumer to make a proper judgement. not everyone drives a MB, or a supercar

just for the fun of it:
https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/bevolisten/229.5_en.html

https://engineoil.api.org/Directory/EolcsRe...brandName%3Dzic

cheapo SK lubricants zic X9 is BOTH API and MB approved... why spend more on expensive lubricants? go SK lubricants!

That hologram can be easily made by the local Malaysia sole distributors. IMHO it just means that the oil with that hologram comes from them, but does not mean it's fake Shell! Like bro Izso had explained, Tesco imported those oils themselves directly from Europe, so it might have different packaging and hence may lack such hologram too, but it still comes from original Shell in Europe. Same case with AEON that imported Shell US oil (called Formula Shell) which got another different packaging.

Those shops that you ask will of course claimed that it's fake because they cannot match Tesco prices and they want you to buy from them and not from Tesco. It's up to us consumer to be more smart about this and not easily conned by ridiculously regulated high prices of monopolized local sole distributors and their network of shops!

this.

and if you want a 100% guaranteed surefire way to know, a VOA/UOA and match datasheets/specs

They are genuine la. Just not from Asiapacific sources. And most of the time they are from European ExxonMobil, not Middle-East. The Middle-East produce oil but they don't blend engine oils.


Erm.. I forgot. But if it's in the future it's probably shelf life. If the date stamped is 20/10/2020 - that can't be the manufacturing date mah. Hahaha.. but generally it should be manufactured date. They don't usually put shelf life on the print.

It'll be a long time before you see 0W30 on Tesco shelves. Very rarely you'll see 5W30. It used to be an uncommon viscosity which is why you don't see it often. But these days cars are requiring these thinner oils so you might see them more in future.

This post has been edited by izso: Oct 22 2015, 03:49 PM

Mana beli? I asked around and looked around, macam no one selling leh...

The front number not relevant to our climate, it is winter viscosity. For us, we just need to look at the number at the back. So 0W30 and 5W30 technically works the same in our climate.

You can reference to Quazacolt's write up and some of the past postings.

Only seen bike oils, haven't come across car, just heard from Davidke20

I'm sure bro izso already knew that as he's also an enthusiast similar to most people who's active around the f&f forums.

Probably just used to including the winter viscosity, or the fact that there is some minor overall viscosity difference (ignoring the viscosity range tolerance, and the fact that the difference is probably within the decimal value) which may or may not matter to enthusiast in their spirited driving or even track days.

If the date is 31/12/15, can I buy this, but intend to use some time end of 2016.