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PQIA SUPPORTERS
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Afton Chemical
Chemlube International
CHS Inc.
Chevron Products
CITGO
Eni USA R&M Co. Inc.
Lubricating Specialties Company
Universal Lubricants
Lubricant Distributor Supporters
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Please contact PQIA at the link below if you too would like to support PQIA's efforts to help assure the quality of lubricants in the marketplace.
tglenn@pqiamerica.com
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PQIA ADVISORY BOARD
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The Petroleum Quality Institute of America's Advisory Board comprises a distinguished group of professionals with prominence in a broad range of fields in the lubricants business.
The role of the Advisory Board is to provide PQIA's management with guidance, advice, recommendations and counsel in how to best pursue PQIA's purpose and mission.
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PQIA's mission is to serve the consumers of lubricants by testing and reporting on the quality and integrity of lubricants in the marketplace.
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RelaDyne Expands Recall of Bullet
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On March 29, 2013, the Petroleum Quality Institute of America issued a Consumer Alert on RelaDyne's Bullet brand 5W-30 motor oil. Bullet brand motor oils were observed on the shelves at convenience stores operated by Gilligan Oil Company, United Dairy Farmers, and others in the Ohio market.
 Understanding the fluid in the bottle falls far short of meeting its labeled, and notably obsolete specifications, and would likely cause harm to an engine, PQIA was pleased that RelaDyne took action to recall the product after we published the alert.
The recall included the 5W-30, 5W-20, and 10W-30 grades of Bullet branded motor oils. In addition PQIA appreciates the fact that John Matarese with ABC News WCPO in Cincinnati did a piece on this recall in an effort to help get the word out to consumers.
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Click for ABC News 9 ON YOUR SIDE |
With the consumer's best interest in mind, PQIA contacted RelaDyne following their announced recall of the motor oils to advise they should also examine the quality of their Bullet Premium Non-Detergent 30 Wt motor oil and Bullet Premium Type A Transmission Fluid still on retail shelves. Putting aside the fact that both of these products are labeled as meeting obsolete specifications that have not been suitable for use in automobiles for decades, the samples PQIA obtained appeared to be the same product as those recalled. It takes little more than a shake of the bottle and note of its solvent like odor to raise suspicions.
Subsequently, RelaDyne advised PQIA that it is also "replacing" the Bullet Premium Non-Detergent 30 WT motor oil and Bullet Premium Type A Transmission Fluid currently on the shelves and issued a press release about the recall the day after PQIA brought this issue to their attention.
Further, RelaDyne's CEO informed PQIA that it will quarantine the recalled products pending receipt of test results from an independent laboratory to assure these products do not contain hazardous materials that may be harmful to consumers and/or the environment.
PQIA is pleased that RelaDyne is promptly addressing its quality issues. At the same time, we remain hopeful RelaDyne will revisit its decision to continue to sell obsolete engine oils and transmission fluids, that are, in RelaDyne's words, "positioned only as an entry level, lowest price point product, and one that does not meet todays' specifications for the customer looking for that level of product."
PQIA believes such obsolete motor oils with a real potential to cause harm to most vehicles currently on the road have no place on retail shelves, especially when labeled "Premium" and containing no warning about their limited use.
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Cancelled!
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 As noted in last week's issue of PQIA news, we found trouble in the drum when looking into complaints received about Silogram motor oils sold in the New York Metro Market. In taking it to the lab, PQIA found that the Silogram 5W-30 API SN, GF-5 tested did not meet the requirements stated on its label. As a result, we issued a consumer alert.
In addition to PQIA's findings on the Silogram oil, it should be noted that the API has cancelled several Silogram API certifications, as well as the Auto Club brand PQIA reported on in June 2012. (click for API cancelled list).
 But buyer beware, although Auto Club's API certifications have been cancelled, PQIA observed Auto Club motor oil bearing the API donut on the shelves at high traffic convenience stores in NY and NJ just this this past weekend.
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Behind the Scenes
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PQIA's mission is to serve the consumer of lubricants by testing and reporting on the quality and integrity of lubricants in the marketplace. While our website and newsletters are important vehicles to achieve this goal, a good deal of our activity takes place behind the scenes.
In addition to testing and publicly reporting on the quality of lubricants, another effective way to serve consumers is to work to remove low quality potentially damaging oils from retail shelves. PQIA is very active in this regard, working behind the scenes with the EPA, Weights and Measures, States Attorney's General, Consumer Affairs departments, and others to help protect consumers from lubricants that can cause harm to their engines, transmissions, and other equipment.
In addition, PQIA publishes press releases and reaches out to television stations, newspapers, trade journals, weblogs, and other media in an effort to inform consumers about the quality of products in the market.
We also field many questions each day that come in through our "hotline," and follow-up on your concerns.
Keep in mind, we do it all with funding from our supporters.
PQIA's supporters are required to comply with our stringent Code of Ethical Business Conduct and are not exempt from our testing programs and scrutiny. They choose to support PQIA for one simple reason - they share PQIA's passion for protecting consumers from unscrupulous and predatory oil marketers.
By funding PQIA's activities, our supporters are helping to establish a level playing field where fair and honest competition advances oil technology and delivers quality products for consumers to choose from. Together, PQIA and its valued supporters are determined to make a difference in the lubricants market that will benefit everyone.
Please contact me at tglenn@pqia.org to find out more about how you can help support PQIA's efforts to assure the quality and integrity of lubricants in the market.
Thomas Glenn
President
Petroleum Quality Institute of America
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Visit the PQIABlog and Let Us Know What you Think About the Bullet Recall and other Quality Issues
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Report Quality Concerns
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 Report Concerns About Lubricant Quality to PQIA. Information provided is Treated as Confidential and Callers can remain anonymous. Or email PQIA at: tips@pqia.org
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