Interesting Tidbit About Gear Oil

[rbattelle]

Today I went to one of the big oil distribution warehouses for this region to get a case of Pennzoil Synchromesh (can't find it at any local stores). While I was there I asked if they had any Valvoline Synpower 75W90 gear oil, since that's what I use in my axles. The manager said they didn't have any, but they did have Pennzoil, Kendall, and Mobil 1. That's not the interesting part. The interesting part is that he said "it doesn't matter, because they're all made by the same company and just put in different bottles. " He claimed that since gear oil is sold at too low volume for any single brand name to make it worth their while to make in-house, it was "farmed" out to a single producer who bottles it in containers appropriate for each brand name. He said there's one chemical company that makes Mobil 1, Valvoline, Kendall, Pennzoil, Chevron gear oils.



He claimed the company that produces these products is Emery Chemicals, which is located at 4900 Este Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. Indeed, I found that Emery Chemicals does make synthetic base stocks suitable for automotive use - gear oils in particular. But I can't find the website for Emery itself. Here's a link that talks about some of the base stock formulations that Emery makes.



Unfortunately, I have not been able to determine whether any of these base stocks are used by any of the aforementioned oil brands.



On edit: I discovered that Emery Chemicals is owned by a company called Cognis . They specifically state that they manufacture synthetic gear lubricants (at least the base stocks).



-Ryan

P. S. I ended up with a case of Kendall Elite 75W90 GL-5 full synthetic.

 

[klenger]

I wonder if the supply Amsoil too.

 

[rbattelle]

I was able to verify (via the corporate sections of Cognis' website) that Exxon, Conoco (who makes Kendall), Shell, and Chevron all purchase Cognis products. Can't find specifically which products, however. Such information could very well be protected.



-Ryan

 

[KBertetto]

I wonder if the supply Amsoil too.

I'm now wondering the same.

 

[rbattelle]

There's no reason Amsoil couldn't be a customer. I doubt Amsoil is manufacturing their own oil or additive packages [anyone know for sure?].



-Ryan

 

[Badunit]

It might be the "same" oil or it might not be. Just because one manufacturer makes it all (assuming that this is actually the case) doesn't mean it is all identical. They could be choosing slightly different additive packages.

 

[rbattelle]

It might be the "same" oil or it might not be. Just because one manufacturer makes it all (assuming that this is actually the case) doesn't mean it is all identical. They could be choosing slightly different additive packages.

This is very true.



-Ryan

 

[jwduke]

Humm... ... ... . This is interesting!

 

[amsoilman]

I wonder if the supply Amsoil too.

Amsoil is not Diester based, and they do not get their base stock or additives from this Company. Most Amsoil lubes have a (PAO) Polyalphaolefins Base. They get most of their additive package from a Company called "Lubrizol".



Wayne

amsoilman