Is this stuff as good as I think it is?

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Gday all. Hope youre up for a read.

virgin poster here. Anyway the one and only reason for me coming here is to hopefully get some experienced opinion on a no-name oil I've started using, and telling everyone I know about.

PM Lubricants (www.pmlubricants.com.au) produce their own oil, hydraulic fluids, greases, fuel additive etc. They are a small family business doing their own research & develop. and selling only out of the one premesis. They do produce a synthetic oil, but most of them are marketed as highly refined mineral.

started with their fuel additive that was given to me, I was so surprised at the results I wanted to find out more. I started using their oil in my 1999 VT Commodore V6 and noticed a difference- slightly more power but more than anything she was quieter, and far smoother with hydraulic lifter rattle eventually dissappearing. Changed to their Auto tranny fluid (Dex II) with a full service and pump through and felt no great difference. Just changed a little more predictable. I'm finding the VT gets better with time- she just has the torque to pull from low (still no V8) but enough that you dont have to rev it if you want to take it easy

The big difference was my bike. 2003 zx6r changed from Motul synthetic to PM lubricants. The first,most obvious thing was the change in sound. Just sounded slightly different. when I took her out I found the an incredible loss of vibration through the bars, and amazing increase in torque. This thing just pulled from 3000-4000 revs like it usually pulls from 7000. For a slightly thinner oil, it's using bugger all oil compared to before as well. at a guess, once a week (450 k's) i'd put in i suppose about 250ml-400ml. I just topped up yesterday (2nd sumpfull) about 250 ml where I haven't topped up for probly 3 weeks at least. i think theres better economy but I'm interested in power mostly.

My mates have started using it. They are noticing-
better fuel economy- we took note of a mates VX series II trip computer before changing 2.0 l/hr after 1.8 crept down to 1.6 l/hr
more power/ torque
smoother
quieter
use less oil

PM also have a 'monitor'- (dialectric measurer?) regularly (for free) they take a sample of motor/ gearbox oil or fluid and test it. I'm getting around 25 000 k's in the VT (with a few short shop trips in there) and getting currently 10 000 in the bike, on their old oil (which wasnt meant to last long) What really impresses me, is when they get a reasonably high reading I just say I'll change it just to be safe. They keep telling me not to and lecturing me on why the oil is still fine and I can get another 10 000 k's out of it...i've never had a company tell me not to buy their product before. They said I can, but they generally say not to bother getting lab analasys done unless there is an unusually high reading (this machine detects metals as well as fuel, water etc) as they say their experience is that if the machine doesnt pick it up, it isnt there.....


In short, I'm finding it hard to believe that just changing oil (from well known, high price brands) can make such a difference, and I haven't yet found someone who can objectively and honestly say 'yes' or 'no'.

I can get tech data sheets, some comparison analasies, a few other bits and pieces, but I was really hoping someone could shed some light on their products with a constructive eye.

Please, let me know if you are keen to help.

Cheers

Brad
 
I can't shed any light on these lubes but, just wanted to say that I love when I come along an unfamilier product(s) that not only fit my budget but also, I'am surprised by their steller performance/reliability. This has only happened to me on several occasions throughout my life. Before Toyota was popular in my circle, I had a '72 Corrona that ran forever. Several years later I purchaced an Alpine car stereo for another vehicle and the Alpine blew my mind. Purchaced a set of no name Glass Belted Radial tires for a 77 Chevy Camaro that wore like iron and these products were quite inexpensive then. Turns out that most of these products become very popular due to their lower initial cost compared to the competition and great customer satisfaction. Their cost has risen significantly since then but were once unpopular products that exceeded customer expectations. You seem to be very pleased with the lubricants that you have discovered. No doubt that PM Lubes will soon have quite a following. How is the price compared to the mass quantity of lubes already in existance?
 
bradcad

welcome.gif



Thoughts on no-namer companys are same as above, but should would like to see a virgin oil analysis and a used oil analysis of the product.

Keep us up to speed!
 
thanks for the reply guys.

ok virgin and used- obviously thats before and after. I'll have to see what I can do. The only lab i know about tests all of their samples, so I imagine it would be best doing it on the sly...although they probably should have a virgin analasys handy wouldn't they?

price comparisons (from memory so lets see how accurate I am)

gtx about $20
magnatec about $40
penrite about $40 up (dont know about the new syn range)
mobil 1 $80
royal purple $90
there are always ads for valvoline 6 litres for 5 price (about $25 i think)
I believe the castrol edge and that sort of thing are up there as well in price

So the average supermarket stuff is about the $25 to $30 mark. Better oils are about the $80 or $90 for 5 litres

PM is about $50 for 5 litres for most of their oils. They have a race oil that's about $90 but they have a more 'everyday' version of this for $55 I think. They say the racing stuff is really only worth it in serious motors working hard. like a 6 second drag car type thing.

What do you think about the 'dielectric' testing? They say if the motor is good, and there are no short trips, the average petrol car should get 40 000 out of one sump. bikes less as you'd expect from something revving to 16500!

Thanks again

fuel additive $25 for 1 litre treats 1000 litres

so it's more
 
...actually most of my mates are on 25w60 which is making more power from the 20w50 they were on.....and the VT is the same weight as what it was before.....the bike is thinner- but would that account for such an increase in power?
 
Why is oil so extremely expensive in Australia? I can get a 5 quart jug of Maxlife for $12.88. Castrol GTX is $2.09 a quart. If I'm not mistaken, a quart and a litre are almost the same.
dunno.gif
 
"but would that account for such an increase in power?"

Sorry no put down intended but how do you know that there is any power increase at all?
dyno or drag strip runs?
and if so is the oil only thing changed and all test conditions the same?

Seat of the pants is not relable at all.

looks like a few years old style chemisrty but sounds like they use a some preventitive and predictive analysis which would be PART of the way to safely get longer drians and thus a lowering of lube relates costs. I still like a full metal spectro to see whats going on.

The various "meters" mesure various stuff and do not give the full picture of oil they are at best a "ballPark" look at oil condition.
But I guess that something is better than nothing.

All of what is shown on web site can be done by any Major at a lower cost, sometime lab work is even free or used to be if you have a fleet or used large amounts of oil.

So nice mom and pop nothing to intersting here other than them pointing out how OCI,s can be exstended with routine testing and trending.

bruce

[ August 14, 2006, 11:56 PM: Message edited by: bruce381 ]
 
yeah that's the thing the dielectric thingy is just an idicator, then if it ends up unusually high, send it off to the labs

the oil change was the only thing done on the bike. (and filter of course)

How accurate is my butt dyno? I've got a reasonable idea about the change in my vehicles, which usually is like'oh yeah I think it feels a bit stronger', which is what I said about the VT. The bike was more like 'holy **** I've just cracked it open like I usually do in second and the front wheel is off the ground' sort of thing. Yes, there was a noticeable improvement.

What is a Major?

lab work is a third person, nothing to do with them.

I'll work on getting a lab thingy done. Thanks Bruce

by the way you reckon its expensive here? Try New Zealand- close to double the price than here
 
The other thing is if you mean Majors as being 'brand names' there isnt much cheaper than the PM at $50 for 5 litres.

There are a few that are cheaper, but i've seen the results of extended oil changes..not pretty. I had a VL Commodore which was full of carbon & sludge, and my grandfather's escort is a classic case. He doesn't believe in changing oil. Needless to say with the 25w60 pm she is running a lot better
 
hi bradcad, only 100 k away from you


you are paying heaps to much for oil. i shop at supercheap on the sunshine coast, much cheaper, ie 30 bucks for penrite (run it in my HD, used to use motul), magnatec $32, mobil 1 $69, RP $75 at autobarn etc


but hey, please keep us up to speed on PM
 
quote:

Originally posted by Clyde65:
Why is oil so extremely expensive in Australia? I can get a 5 quart jug of Maxlife for $12.88. Castrol GTX is $2.09 a quart. If I'm not mistaken, a quart and a litre are almost the same.
dunno.gif


Do you ever post and not mention Valvoline?
 
Yeah john, i started not liking Penrite as much 'cause they were going from $25 for 5 litres to $35, (about a year ago) so i'm kinda surprised its only $30 at stupercheap. I'll have to check around me again.
 
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