Is Anyone Else Disappointed with modern engine oils?

Status
Not open for further replies.
We didn't race where we lived. We tried to do tricks but mostly hung around trying to look cool 😎
Straying from oil. Found an old pic of myself back in 2005
1763606485389.webp
 
Oh it's not just the motor oils, it's the CVT transmission fluids, and maybe the fact that not all petrol stations are high detergent fuel but instead a bunch of garbage swill that I would not even want to run in my weed eater.
Its simply a reminder to me that as long as boutique fluid companies are still in business, making a profit, and making new innovation that the average box store oil 🛢️ still doesn't cut it for enough of the people who have too much demand or passion to just allow good enough inside of their car.
Think about it 🤔, companies like CRC had to come to the rescue and make a gasoline direct injection cleaner with high-end detergents and cleaners to get rid of the problems left behind from standard fuel and lubrication issues. Same for BG in Wichita with their EPR and the two part rinse for sludge. Then comes both High Performance Lubricants and Valvoline to help people with carbon and varnish in the engine. High Performance Lubricants also is doing a cleaner for some of the transmissions that use gear ⚙️ oil too.
The oem cvt fluid is complete garbage but thankfully Amsoil, Redline, Torco and a few others see that market for providing a better alternative which nets better performance, mpg, cleaning, and durability for right around the same money.
While not a boutique, I have a soft spot for both a company out in St Louis MO and their Moly #132 additive as well as a certain German company that has some additives that have never done me wrong. Liquimoly Motor Oil Saver has almost sealed my RMS that was leaking. The Ceratec had been used probably five times and I did try the Molygen with Mos² paired together.
 
You can't tell me an engine will last as long and run as clean on Supertech or normal Mobil 1 as it will with Valvoline Restore and Protect.
Valvoline Restore and Protect can certainly help with defective crap engines.

I have a Nissan VQ40 with 420K miles that uses no oil and ran its life on conventional or blend. My Ford 4.6, Jeep 4.7 and several Ford 300-6 before that went 200K+ miles with no oil usage, again run on whatever cheap stuff was available back then.

Most well built engines outlast the car there put in.

I agree Valvoline Restore and Protect is a very helpful band aid for poor engine design or initial owner abuse - aka no oil changes - on an older engine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RBT
Here’s the kicker. Buying an expensive new vehicle with an engine that has no track record yet. Do you gamble with a regular synthetic oil and if a problem arises switch to R&P? Or run R&P from day one and never worry about stuck rings?
 
Here’s the kicker. Buying an expensive new vehicle with an engine that has no track record yet. Do you gamble with a regular synthetic oil and if a problem arises switch to R&P? Or run R&P from day one and never worry about stuck rings?
Valvoline Restore and Protect has no track record of use in new vehicles yet either, so its the same argument.

I have yet to find a truly free lunch that Valvoline Restore and Protect appears to be. If it is in fact the proper engine oil to run from day 1, it will be the first free lunch.

Also, 15 years from now someone will refute this statement - but they likely will have also changed their oil at proper intervals.

Again, not denying the benefits of Valvoline Restore and Protect to an already compromised engine.
 
Valvoline Restore and Protect has no track record of use in new vehicles yet either, so its the same argument.

I have yet to find a truly free lunch that Valvoline Restore and Protect appears to be. If it is in fact the proper engine oil to run from day 1, it will be the first free lunch.

Also, 15 years from now someone will refute this statement - but they likely will have also changed their oil at proper intervals.

Again, not denying the benefits of Valvoline Restore and Protect to an already compromised engine.
I don’t disagree, guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Having bought a new car that turned into an oil burner at 60k miles on 5k oci’s with good oils I had my beliefs changed. I was a die hard 5k on any synthetic for decades. Next new vehicle I’ll probably be dealing with DI problems…..can’t wait 🤣
 
I don’t disagree, guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Having bought a new car that turned into an oil burner at 60k miles on 5k oci’s with good oils I had my beliefs changed. I was a die hard 5k on any synthetic for decades. Next new vehicle I’ll probably be dealing with DI problems…..can’t wait 🤣
You just never know I guess.

Funny you bring up GDI. Some engines have zero problems with GDI. For some its a scourge. Same with turbo's.

Someone tried to start a "engine with known issues" thread, and someone that had problems once would post that engine was terrible. Sample of 1. The thread was a complete waste.

My two most reliable cars were on the consumer reports do not buy list :ROFLMAO:
 
You just never know I guess.

Funny you bring up GDI. Some engines have zero problems with GDI. For some its a scourge. Same with turbo's.

Someone tried to start a "engine with known issues" thread, and someone that had problems once would post that engine was terrible. Sample of 1. The thread was a complete waste.

My two most reliable cars were on the consumer reports do not buy list :ROFLMAO:
That was my thread🤣

I do believe there’s some useful info in there. But yes it was meant to be engines with known problems.
 
That was my thread🤣

I do believe there’s some useful info in there. But yes it was meant to be engines with known problems.
Sorry...

Yes, I was very excited about that thread also - and yes there are some nuggets. But it sort of turned into "list any engine you ever had a problem with" thread.

I mean I had a 4.6 ford that burnt up a valve at 80K miles. I understand that mine was clearly built on a Monday morning, because overall that engine has proven to be very reliable for everyone else. Some people don't understand that there are always outliers.
 
Modern oils aren’t impressive?

I’m about to dump 20,000 mile oil. How is that not impressive? I wouldn’t be surprised if it could go to 25k but we’ll see what the analysis says on the change.

Maybe we blame poor engine design for some of these problems?
 
We keep getting told modern oils are so advanced, over-engineered and overkill yet time and time again we see engines using good oil and good OCIs having sludge and varnish inside them as well as clogged rings. It's not even the typical low quality Kia/Hyundai cars. It's every brand: take any run of the mill car on the road with more than 20k miles, it has sludge and varnish forming inside and the owner will likely tell you it uses a quart or more between changes.

That thread about the 2 Broncos running HPL and Valvoline Restore and Protect really got me thinking. Why are modern engines so sludge/clogged ring prone? Are turbos cooking the oil? Is GDI diluting the viscosity and additives? Are OLMs not coming on soon enough? Are low tension rings spreading soot throughout the engine?
Or are these overhyped modern oils simply not up to the task of keeping modern engines clean?

I think Valvoline Restore and Protect and presumably it's new competition from Mobil 1 is the start of a new generation of oils that can actually handle keeping modern engines clean. Valvoline Restore and Protect has shown time and time again it can clean an already dirty engine but it looks like that level of active aggressive cleaning that other oils don't have is also needed just to keep a modern engine clean throughout it's life from 0 miles to junkyard.

But why did it take all this time just for us to only have 1 (possibly 2) adequate oils for these engines that have been in production for 10+ years since the mass market adoption of GDI, VVT and turbos?
Not disappointing at all because I’m not buying disappointing oils. In fact, I’ve become quite excited about oils over the past couple years because of how excellent they actually are.
 
Just curious
What makes Mobil 1 Full Synthetic 0W-40 so special ??
Not sure about 0w-40, but have used Mobil 1 advanced fuel economy exclusively in my 05 Corolla. Had to pull the valve cover last weekend & shocked to see how clean it is @ 200,000 + miles. Oil has been changed annually at up to 12,000 mile intervals. Was wondering if sticking to the same brand of oil helps to keep the engine clean inside?

4acdfa1a-3c5d-4157-a1b8-0a67a4b5721a-1_all_3005.webp
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Not sure about 0w-40, but have used Mobil 1 advanced fuel economy exclusively in my 05 Corolla. Had to pull the valve cover last weekend & shocked to see how clean it is @ 200,000 + miles. Oil has been changed annually at up to 12,000 mile intervals. Was wondering if sticking to the same brand of oil helps to keep the engine clean inside?

View attachment 312490
Nah, cleanliness is not related to consistency in brand use.
 
Nah, cleanliness is not related to consistency in brand use.
What do you think will be the main reason? With the amount of stop and go driving I have done over the years and not really changed the oil more often I thought I would see a bit more discoloration or sludge.
 
Not sure about 0w-40, but have used Mobil 1 advanced fuel economy exclusively in my 05 Corolla. Had to pull the valve cover last weekend & shocked to see how clean it is @ 200,000 + miles. Oil has been changed annually at up to 12,000 mile intervals. Was wondering if sticking to the same brand of oil helps to keep the engine clean inside?

View attachment 312490
Looks great for 200k!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom