How to Identify Genuine Engine Oil?
3 Answers
There are many methods to identify genuine engine oil. The following is a detailed analysis and introduction: 1. Check the anti-counterfeiting code: Look at the anti-counterfeiting code on the barrel. The anti-counterfeiting code on genuine engine oil barrels is very clear. Fake engine oil may not have an anti-counterfeiting code, and even if it does, it is likely to be blurry and easy to rub off. 2. Check the oil cap: The outer edge of a genuine oil cap is usually neat and flat, and the sealing cap is a one-time cap. If the oil cap is rough and there is no "pull-tab" seal at the opening, but instead it can be directly twisted open, it is likely to be refilled oil. 3. Check the material and workmanship of the oil barrel: Genuine products have complete material and workmanship with clear printing, while counterfeit products often have burrs and feel uneven to the touch. 4. Smell the odor and feel the viscosity: Genuine oil has a light smell, with a slight fragrance like crystal wax; fake oil has a strong and irritating odor. For oils of the same viscosity grade, the viscosity feels low at room temperature, while inferior oil feels sticky and may exhibit a stringy phenomenon when touched by hand.
I'm totally qualified to speak on this – I got scammed last year! Fake engine oil packaging can be super convincing, but the devil's in the details: Genuine bottles have perfectly smooth serrated cap edges, while fakes feel jagged. When you twist open the cap, authentic ones have a one-time breakable sealing ring. Real oil has a faint burnt aroma, whereas adulterated versions either lack odor or smell suspiciously fragrant. Here's my freezer test trick – authentic oil maintains good low-temperature fluidity without solidifying, while fakes turn into lard paste within two hours. Pro tip: Always scratch off official anti-counterfeit labels and scan the QR code twice – even barcodes can be faked with high precision nowadays!
Last time I almost got scammed during maintenance, now I've become half an oil identification expert. The most straightforward method is to check the laser engraving on the barrel: genuine products have sharp character edges like knife cuts, while counterfeit ones have blurry laser engravings with rough edges. When shaking, genuine oil has uniform and small bubbles that dissipate within ten seconds, whereas fake oil has large bubbles like soda. Pouring the oil into a transparent cup, genuine oil appears clear with a slight blue tint, while fake oil looks turbid like gutter oil. Remember to ask the merchant for an electronic invoice - major brands now support online verification. Input both the invoice code and anti-counterfeit code for dual authentication to ensure peace of mind.
