But maybe these very highly rated (in their homeland particularly) US oils just don't have the technical ability to be safe in the more advanced EU engines we run here, so I will heed our very knowledgeable members advice and stick to the Selenia stuff in my TA for now I think! But if I have another small-block in the fleet to feed, then maybe I'd be using still.
Sensitive things these engines I think.....
That exactly it, with the greatest of respect to our American brethren, there is a reason their engines are called "pig iron"
A good example would be the ford modular/triton V8, massively popular and still one of the US markets most advanced home designed engines which is still being sold new today.....however it has clearances and tolerances that make a BL O Series look impressive, poor power output for its displacement, drinks oil and blasts out so much pollution in a year that the average euro engined car would take 10 years to make the same contribution!
Because of cack tolerances, rubbish anti pollution systems (sometimes none at all depending on what state your in and local rules) lack of serious lifetime emission testing (like our mot), oils which are loaded with insane amounts of Zinc, Phosphorus and Ash which protect the engine really well but cause massive pollution and certain death to emissions systems and tight tolerance engines, US bred lubricants are just plain unsuitable over here for the most part.
Other thing is that the US market is still obsessed with 3-6k oil changes, absolutely insisting if they are not done the engine with explode in about a week.
A lot of US marketed lubricants, some from the company I work for too, have crap longevity in comparison to the European blends, they aim for high short term performance and short drain intervals, whereas here it's all about keeping the performance consistent over a longer period. People over there are slowly getting out of this habit and the industry is trying to convince people it isn't needed, but the majority still do it.
Some people think oil is just oil, in my job I'm shown daily that just isn't the case at all [emoji15]