Home

Product Tested

front label

Click above for larger image

back label

Click above for larger image

AP Lubes, Inc.

Company and Product Information

Corporate Office:
AP Lubes, Inc.
Gary, IN 46402

Website(s): No Website Found

PETROLEUM QUALITY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA TEST PROGRAM

The Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) is an independent resource for information and insights on the quality of lubricants in the marketplace. Our mission is to serve the consumer of lubricants by randomly sampling and independently testing lubricants taken from the field. Test results are posted along with the brand names on the PQIA website. This webpage provides an analysis on the brand detailed below.

The following are the test results for the sample examined.

AP Lubes Supertech
5W20 Motor Oil

Product: AP Lubes Supertech
Viscosity Grade: "5W20"
Labeling: "THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT MEET ANY KNOWN OIL SERVICE CATEGORIES"

Manufactured By: AP Lubes, Inc., Gary, IN

Purchased at: Chicago Heights, IL

Date of purchase: 11/30/2016

 

Website(s): No Website Found

Test Results and Assessment:


The results of the tests conducted on this sample do NOT meet the SAE J300 specifications for the SAE Viscosity Grade listed on the product label. The Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C is 32% lower than the minimum viscosity specification for this SAE grade. In addition, the organometallic additive levels in this sample indicate the product is NOT suitable for use in the majority of automobile engines currently on the road, and the metal analysis results for this sample indicate the product may be contaminated with used oil and abrasive material. The label on this product does not list any API Service Category, instead it states "CAUTION: THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT MEET ANY KNOWN OIL SERVICE CATEGORIES."

Note: The labeling on this product is a potential source of confusion for consumers. The front label on the bottle prominently displays the “Supertech” name and the back label shows both “Supertech” and "SuperTech.” Understanding that “SUPER TECH” is a registered Trademark owned by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., use of the Supertech name on the AP Lubes bottle could confuse customers to think they are buying a Wal-Mart motor oil.

bottle icon Physical Properties pass
Elemental Analysis pass
Labeling warning

Note: Although laboratory tests alone cannot be used to establish if engine oil meets an API Service Category, they can be used to determine if it doesn't.

PHYSICAL TESTS (click for test details) - a Standard AP Lubes Supertech
TBN, mg KOH/g (ASTM D2896) 1.49
Viscosity @ 100ºC, cSt (ASTM D445) 6.9 to <9.3 4.7
Viscosity @40ºC, cSt (ASTM D445) 24.4
Viscosity Index (ASTM D2270) 111
Viscosity @-30ºC mPa s (cP) (ASTM D5293) 6,600 Max 4,287
ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS (click for test details) - a, b
Additives
Calcium 71
Magnesium 4
Phosphorus, ppm 216
Zinc, ppm 244
Molybdenum,  ppm 0
Barium, ppm 1
Boron, ppm 5
Silicon, ppm 48
Potassium, ppm 12
Manganese, ppm 0
Titanium, ppm 0
Copper, ppm 10
Sodium, ppm 8
Vanadium, ppm 0
Contaminants
Silver, ppm 0
Aluminum, ppm 0
Chromium, ppm 0
Iron, ppm 30
Nickel, ppm 1
Lead, ppm 0
Antimony, ppm 0
Tin, ppm 0
  1. Standards, shown in yellow are established by API, SAE and others.
  2. Test Method for metal analysis is ASTM D5185.
  3. This specification is expressed to two significant figures, therefore results up to 15.5 are considered on specification.