Is there any data, aside from the anecdotal "data", of a synthetic oil that will remove varnish and sludge significantly better than others? Over the years some people make claims of this or that oil leaving varnish and running a specific brand at a short interval to clean things out. Personally, I roll my eyes a bit at these "anecdotes". Given the name brands in the $25ish price at, say, Walmart or Costco or NAPA on sale, is one going to make my engine internals super clean and shiny compared to others? And if so, where's the comparison data that's not from some random, unscientific YouTube type data source. If not, thanks for helping me sleep at night because I use whatever brand is about $20 for 5 quarts. Or TGMO if I'm lazy and let the dealer do it (they do say they use TGMO).
Is any synthetic REALLY better at cleaning than others?
- Thread starter HowAboutThis
- Start date
dnewton3
Staff member
Are "synthetics" better at cleaning over "other" base stocks? No.
Are the esters and ANs which can be present in many products better at cleaning than others without them? Absolutely yes.
If you want a product that offers good cleaning abilities, pick a lube that includes esters and ANs. Don't focus on a brand or the word "synthetic", as those don't assure you anything.
Are the esters and ANs which can be present in many products better at cleaning than others without them? Absolutely yes.
If you want a product that offers good cleaning abilities, pick a lube that includes esters and ANs. Don't focus on a brand or the word "synthetic", as those don't assure you anything.
But I'm wondering how much better to even know if it's worth the time and money.
Much to my surprise, HPL has shown to clean existing deposits from engines that were previously ran on synthetics. Not all, but some.
Some oils focus heavily on preventing deposits/sludge through the use of heavy detergents and good dispersant add packages. Also, strong oxidation resistant base oils and ashless cleaning boosters.
Then there are some synthetics that use ultra-high performance classes of base oils found in the Group V category - POE and ANs more specifically. They're expensive so not often found in your typical synthetic oil. These base oils have high solvency and can actually breakdown deposits.
34.8907653%.
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2021
- Messages
- 506
PYB kept my engines clean in my previous vehicles that didn’t require synthetic
All that wax wouldn't let anything stick
Here are a few previous threads on cleaning, many also discuss "which one is better than another".
What kind of deposits do you have now that you're trying to clean?
What kind of deposits do you have now that you're trying to clean?
What motor oil does the best job of cleaning?
Suppose you had an engine with a bit of deposits in the top end and you wanted to use an oil that would help clean it up. Or maybe you bought a used car with unknown history and you wanted to clear out any crud that may have built up from missed maintenance. Are some motor oils better for...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best synthetic oil for cleaning out an engine.
Is there any synthetic oil that cleans out an engine better than others? Like pennzoil platinum might clean better than mobil1.
bobistheoilguy.com
What Determines an Oils Cleaning Ability ?
In the specific realm of cleaning ability and keeping an engine's internals clean - what additives in the oil are responsible ? Calcium ? , Calcium + Base Oil ?
bobistheoilguy.com
Why ester based oil can provide better cleaning effect?
By reading topics on AutoRX and other full syn. oil, it seems to me that the ester in those Group 4+5 engine oil / AutoRX can provide much better cleaning effect compared to base oil from other group. Is it correct and is there any reason that is responsible for that?
bobistheoilguy.com
High Performance Lubricants Engine Cleaner
Since the topic has come up a few times I am posting the PDS in the PCMO, Diesel, and Euro sections. This is a safe path to clean varnish and or sludge left behind by other oils. There are no solvents in this oil. It has enough ester to clean but still be safe with elastomers. Simply add a quart...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best Oil for Cleaning Out Varnish?
When I replaced the valve cover gasket on my '97 Camry, I noticed it had a lot of varnish but no sludge. I've been using Pennzoil Ultra or Platinum, whichever Walmart had in stock. The PP and PU may have already cleaned out a lot of varnish, I don't know. I just wondered if there was a better...
bobistheoilguy.com
HPL Ester based cleaning versus solvent based engine flush.
Just wanted to tap the expertise of the BITOG community. Lets make the assumption that the vehicle owner has verified sludge / varnish under the valve cover, and has already made their decision to clean out an engine so we can discuss the merits of both options below. There are 2 decent...
bobistheoilguy.com
So what is the deal with HPL Oil?
As the title says... what is the deal with HPL oil? I am seeing it heavily talked about on the forum but nowhere else. What's special about it? How do you buy it?
bobistheoilguy.com
Do short oil changes really clean better?
I was thinking of the best way to clean a possible dirty engine. 1. Short oil changes 2. Run high detergent oil 3. Use a quick flush product 4. Use a slow cleaning/flush product Does running an oil to a reasonable oci leave enough detergent/dispersant that short changes are just a waste? Your...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best cleaning oils for short OCIs
Hi everyone, I have a 2013 Volvo S60 T5 with slight oil burning - around 1qt/3k. Seems like the issue is badly designed low tension piston rings with small grooves, where carbon can plug up the drain holes. I want to clean them out without pulling the pistons and changing the rings. Sure, a...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best Synthetic Oil For Cleaning
My sons new style 2004 F-150 Lariat with the 5.4 3 valve engine, 60K miles, still seems to be a bit dirty inside the engine. He has been letting the Ford dealership he works at, change his oil every 3-5K miles. When he was changing it this past weekend l noticed it was very dirty for 5K miles...
bobistheoilguy.com
What oil would you consider or say is a cleaning oil
So, we hear a lot that this or that oil cleans varnish off some areas etc. I always thought Mobil 1 was a pretty good cleaning oil and hear PUP/PP are too. What say the BITOG faithful?
bobistheoilguy.com
Red Line/Ester based oils for engine cleaning?
A prior post of mine had numerous comments about detergents not actually meant to clean but keep engines from getting dirty. Ester oils were mentioned as the true stars of cleaning. So would that mAke Red Line or another Ester oil based brand the go to oils for cleaning up a neglected engine?
bobistheoilguy.com
Recommendations for an oil with excellent “clean up” properties?
What oil would you recommend as having very good ‘clean up’ type properties for a newly acquired older car with some varnish / discoloration deposits? (170,000 miles with an unknown oil change history.) There’s no sludge, just more discoloration than in other vehicles I own with the same engine...
bobistheoilguy.com
Cleaning oils, who's best?
I was just reading about Valvoline being an excellent cleaning oil or an oil that doesn't leave a lot of deposits, and rather than hijacking that post, it got me wondering, as I have read/heard that Pennzoil oils are known to be the best in that regard, if there is any data/proof of which one...
bobistheoilguy.com
Oil for maximum cleaning?
I’ve posted a couple of threads about my 2009 Scion with the oil burning 2az-fe engine so I won’t elaborate here and just jump straight to the question. What oil and change interval would you use if you were trying to flush out your oil control rings? I was thinking a synthetic 0w-20, but that’s...
bobistheoilguy.com
Group V Cleaning
2018 Silverado 3500 with 6.0L gasser. 99k miles. So the past 6-7 oil changes I've been running 4 quarts of M1 5w30EP + 2 Quarts M1 M1 Racing 0W50. The added AW agents was my biggest reason for running 2 Quarts of the 0W50 with the towing I've been doing lately. So at 99k miles, I'm thinking of...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best oil for medium sludge cleaning
My old Toyota Landcruiser 3fe (1988) needs an oil that is a bit higher in zinc like Rotella T4/T6 or Valvoline VR1 racing oil... Which one of these or is there another one with decent zinc levels will clean the best? Looks like it was run with 10w30 dino oil for ages and it has some baked on...
bobistheoilguy.com
Thick oil vs. thin oil, and cleaning..pls. discuss
I'm just wondering if the viscosity of an oil affects it's 'cleaning' ability. Forget the actual add-pack of the oil, JUST focus on the viscosity and it's relative cleaning ability. Lets say you have an engine with a light to moderate amount of sludge and deposits in it, and you want to clean...
bobistheoilguy.com
Ultimate sludge cleaning.
Stole this from another thread, but it seems to provide results so good that it deserves a thread of it's own. I'm sure similar results are possible with MMO and/or SeaFoam in the oil, but it would take many thousands of miles. These are some amazing results for a few hours of work, just judging...
bobistheoilguy.com
Rotella used as gas engine cleaner?
read somewhere that heavy duty oil such as rotella or delvac has such high additive content that u can use it as a gas engine cleaner if u leave it in for 500 miles or so then drain it. anybody have any experience with this? sounds like a good alternative compared with others.
bobistheoilguy.com
Best oil for cleaning and stopping blow-by
Hi everyone, recently bought another MB diesel, a 97 W202 C250 Turbodiesel this time, with the OM605 turbocharged engine. It has 370k km (about 230k miles). It has quite a bit of blow-by, the cap isn't really dancing but it looks and sounds like it would fill up a plastic bag in no time. I...
bobistheoilguy.com
Best cleaning oils have high calcium?
Is it correct that the more Calcium in oil, the more it cleans? So certain HM oils, certain Euro oils eg M1 0w40, and certain HDDO oils, would be the best choices for cleaning?
bobistheoilguy.com
Royal Purple good cleaning oil?
I've used Mobil one for years. Have used PP for 2 ocis, 5K and 8k and just did 6K on PP/M1 mix (what was left of two different jugs). Anyways, I bought some RP on sale and changed it monday. It was very clear the 1st day but 200 miles later the oil is fairly dark. My oil never has gotten this...
bobistheoilguy.com
Engine oil cleaning ability vs Oil temperature
I have been reading about different engine oils cleaning abilities here on the forum but have not seen much regarding how engine oils cleaning ability is affected by the oil temperature. Does the detergents in the oil need to reach a certain temperature to be effective?
bobistheoilguy.com
Do modern oils clean Piston Rings?
Do modern engine oil clean (SN) Piston Rings? Also, do synthetic oils do a better job at cleaning rings? Thank you!
bobistheoilguy.com
Well that got to the point
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
Keeping an engine clean isn't the same as cleaning an engine that is varnished and sludged and that may have certain oil passages obstructed.
Shel_B
Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,167
Gotta applaud your thoroughness ...
Ah man, don’t spoil the fun. You have to hold something back as a surprise for later…
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Some engines produce higher oil temps and this is important when picking an oil. Synthetics are better where oil temps reach extremes and sludge forms during extended OCIs engine temp extremes and fuel dilution extremes will mess with your wear protection and oxidation numbers. So I trust synthetic oils to fight-the-fight considerably longer than conventional oil.
Since most vehicles on the road today are either GDI or TGDI and you never mentioned what vehicle you drive - what model it is - what year it is and what engine you have, I apologize if this reply returns you to being a restless sleeper the next few nights.
Yeah, but so many of those I've seen over the years are anecdotal or like pseudoscience. The Civic I had for about 200k miles was fed a steady diet of M1 and QSUD at the time over 5-6k intervals. Lots of city driving and brutally cold winter driving around town. When adjusting valves things were beautiful. But a small amount of varnish. Pennzoil Platinum used to be described by some on here as a good cleaning oil. If I had run that over 200k would it have made a difference? Would the small amount of varnish been non-existent? I can't imagine it would've made a difference, but as you pointed out it's an often discussed topic but when I skim the threads seems like a lot of feelings and lacking actual data.
It's a 17 Corolla. So I could run store brand vegetable oil for 5k intervals (mostly joking).
My understandings are with synthetic oil it has better cold pump-ability, less volatile to extreme heat and overall intended to go further longer. It is advertised that oil in general weather be full synthetic or blend”conventional” has cleaning abilities in my mind it’s not like laundry detergent where you can run a specific oil for xxx miles dump it and expect a cleaner engine. I do believe running a good oil at appropriate recommended oci’s you’d get good results at keeping an engine clean.
This is my understanding. But with all the posts about people taking a used car they just got, a car with infrequent oil changes, etc. and running X-brand oil for a couple of 1000 mile drain and fills to clean things up and whatnot, I was curious where that idea was taken from? Is there actual data saying M1 or QSUD or whatever will clean better than Kirkland or NAPA or whatever else?
I run about 7500 miles which is a change about every 5-6 months. I'm not worried, personally, but tend to run the cheapest, name brand synthetic I can find. Or TGMO if I take it to the dealer. But if someone has actual scientific data saying the extra $5-10 for a more expensive name brand will leave a significantly cleaner engine I'd contemplate it.
Yes, there’s no data beyond oils meeting the requirements of whatever specs they carry approvals for. Only a few anecdotes and reading into formulations otherwise. I just run a good oil and change it frequently.
Similar threads
- Question
- Locked