Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I started writing an epistle on BigNasty's thread concerning a remote oil filter adaptor, which I think will be an advantageous item to have on the 2013's. (I was at the CMEP and became puzzled on how to remove the oil filter due to the tight quarters and could foresee, if I ever win the lottery and buy the truck of my dreams, that a remote oil filter is a must have. ) My discussion got off the subject and I thought it better to open a separate thread before getting off on lubrication.
So, let me mention that the trip was well worth the effort if for no other reason than the seminar given by the gentleman with Valvoline. He is a trainer I understand for their sales and marketing personnel as well as a chemical engineer. His presentation, while in depth, was presented in such a manner that most of us got the essence. His answers to our questions included both the reasoning and histories (and of course, the politics) behind the decisions.
CI verses CJ oils: first, CJ oils are backward compatible. When the government mandated the use of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel, a number of suppliers were caught holding significant inventories of the old product. CI oil was specifically formulated to be used with the pre-ULSD due to the formation of sulfuric and nitric acids as contaminants in the crankcase. CI class oil was treated so as to have a more alkaline base to neutralize these contaminants. Suppliers caught with this old inventory of Diesel naturally wanted CI oils to be available until the supply was consumed. Now, all the old Diesel is out of the system and therefore there are fewer acidic contaminants caused from the sulfur. Hence, the introduction of Class CJ oil which has a lower pH than Class CI. At least, that's the way I understood his presentation; correct me if I'm wrong, somebody.
Synthetics? I was one of the minority that raised his hand when asked if I was using a dino oil. Okay, I was in a crowd of enthusiasts, and my learning curve is steep at the present time. Our speaker ignored my professed ignorance and explained that most of the wear and tear happens during startup and warmup and a synthetic provides better lubrication to the wearing surfaces during this critical period due to the specifically manufactured long-carbon molecules that "the engine loves". He also touched on the additive package that enhances this added lubrication feature of a synthetic. Summing up, he pointed out that superior lubrication provided by a thinner weight oil which is now possible because of tighter machining specifications results in better MPG.
After all this, you may be asking yourself why some peckerwood in Alabama is concerned about lubrication during startups? It's true I'm not worried as much about the warmup because most of the time it's already warm, but lubrication in this hot weather is critical and from now on I will put my trust in synthetics. Oh, I don't work for Valvoline; I'm just an old retired cop, so what I shared with you is what I considered valuable and carried away from the CMEP Tour.
Robert and his Staff, as well as all the fine folks at CMEP deserve a real pat on the back for a job well done. I'm real sure it's difficult to keep the interest and enthusiasm as high as it was without being well organized and having a very managed approach, especially with 385 enthusiasts to deal with. To put it nautically, "Bravo Zulu". Ed
So, let me mention that the trip was well worth the effort if for no other reason than the seminar given by the gentleman with Valvoline. He is a trainer I understand for their sales and marketing personnel as well as a chemical engineer. His presentation, while in depth, was presented in such a manner that most of us got the essence. His answers to our questions included both the reasoning and histories (and of course, the politics) behind the decisions.
CI verses CJ oils: first, CJ oils are backward compatible. When the government mandated the use of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel, a number of suppliers were caught holding significant inventories of the old product. CI oil was specifically formulated to be used with the pre-ULSD due to the formation of sulfuric and nitric acids as contaminants in the crankcase. CI class oil was treated so as to have a more alkaline base to neutralize these contaminants. Suppliers caught with this old inventory of Diesel naturally wanted CI oils to be available until the supply was consumed. Now, all the old Diesel is out of the system and therefore there are fewer acidic contaminants caused from the sulfur. Hence, the introduction of Class CJ oil which has a lower pH than Class CI. At least, that's the way I understood his presentation; correct me if I'm wrong, somebody.
Synthetics? I was one of the minority that raised his hand when asked if I was using a dino oil. Okay, I was in a crowd of enthusiasts, and my learning curve is steep at the present time. Our speaker ignored my professed ignorance and explained that most of the wear and tear happens during startup and warmup and a synthetic provides better lubrication to the wearing surfaces during this critical period due to the specifically manufactured long-carbon molecules that "the engine loves". He also touched on the additive package that enhances this added lubrication feature of a synthetic. Summing up, he pointed out that superior lubrication provided by a thinner weight oil which is now possible because of tighter machining specifications results in better MPG.
After all this, you may be asking yourself why some peckerwood in Alabama is concerned about lubrication during startups? It's true I'm not worried as much about the warmup because most of the time it's already warm, but lubrication in this hot weather is critical and from now on I will put my trust in synthetics. Oh, I don't work for Valvoline; I'm just an old retired cop, so what I shared with you is what I considered valuable and carried away from the CMEP Tour.
Robert and his Staff, as well as all the fine folks at CMEP deserve a real pat on the back for a job well done. I'm real sure it's difficult to keep the interest and enthusiasm as high as it was without being well organized and having a very managed approach, especially with 385 enthusiasts to deal with. To put it nautically, "Bravo Zulu". Ed
