LSJr. The TRUTH About Valvoline's BOLD Engine Cleaning Claims

[4WD]

We don’t “block” Project Farm videos but we do restrict his oil tests because they are so poorly conducted.

He might as well compare them by taste for all the validity of his oil tests methodology.

Dozens of PF’s other tests are still in various threads on the forum.

But blatant misinformation has no place on BITOG.

PF maxes out with try 6 adhesives on the same material …
Stack weights to failure …

 

[KnappAttak]

I think some smart azzes and naysayers missed the part where Lake mentioned the VR&P combined oil sampling miles run, and wear metals has shown lower than average wear metals per 1000 miles than all the oils thru his lab..... He's had months of sampling the VR&P from clients to gather this data, its not just from his wife's one single van like some think.

Don't understand the hate on some of these posts for Lake at all. He has the knowledge base and a lab to back up his science. He's way smarter than anyone on here with oil and oil sampling. Guess some people are just going be jealous and bound to be hatters.

 

[kschachn]

I think some smart azzes and naysayers missed the part where Lake mentioned the VR&P combined oil sampling miles run, and wear metals has shown lower than average wear metals per 1000 miles than all the oils thru his lab..... He's had months of sampling the VR&P from clients to gather this data, its not just from his wife's one single van like some think.

Don't understand the hate on some of these posts for Lake at all. He has the knowledge base and a lab to back up his science. He's way smarter than anyone on here with oil and oil sampling. Guess some people are just going be jealous and bound to be hatters.

You contend that this video is an analytically valid assessment of the product?

 

[SC Maintenance]

Remember that the oil control ring groove has ports so the wiped oil can escape. There is movement of oil in the oil control ring groove, but there is no movement of oil around the compression rings, grooves, and lands.

Yes, but the compression rings are not super tight in their ring groove, and as they and the cylinder wall wear they expand out by design, leaving room for oil on the back side of the ring groove. On the downstroke (when the cylinder wall has the most oil) there should be oil on the bottom of the 2nd compression ring. Yet the line between clean and not clean is distinct in that piston - just above the oil ring spotless. Back side of compression ring groove - nothing.

The top is equally confusing - but possibly oil is getting into the combustion chamber from worn valve guides. So some cleaning on top.

It just looks strange to me - the cleaning pattern and its distinct locations. I would expect some stratification, not an abrupt line in the sand.

 

[OVERKILL]

He's way smarter than anyone on here with oil and oil sampling. Guess some people are just going be jealous and bound to be hatters.

You are aware that we have, and have had, several tribologists/formulators on this forum that have contributed to it significantly over the years, including current member @MolaKule, right?

Personally, I have no dislike for Lake and he's produced some good (albeit, lacking brevity) informative videos that will be educational for Joe Average and enthusiasts alike.

Not sure what hatters have to do with anything however, even if they are mad ones

 

[4WD]

You are aware that we have, and have had, several tribologists/formulators on this forum that have contributed to it significantly over the years, incurrent current member @MolaKule, right?

Personally, I have no dislike for Lake and he's produced some good (albeit, lacking brevity) informative videos that will be educational for Joe Average and enthusiasts alike.

Not sure what hatters have to do with anything however, even if they are mad ones
View attachment 251784

C’mon man - that’s not your standard O/K … these guys mentioned are from the different kind of backgrounds I get in the room daily - even when they don’t like what I call “good tension points” …
You would like it - we say titles on the hat rack folks

 

[buster]

Could just be Valvoline R&P is average or worse than average in terms of other things like oxidation resistance, shear stability etc, but can overachieve in cleaning. I think that's kind of what this product looks like to me so far.

 

[edyvw]

Could just be Valvoline R&P is average or worse than average in terms of other things like oxidation resistance, shear stability etc, but can overachieve in cleaning. I think that's kind of what this product looks like to me so far.

That could be very well the case too.
But we don't know until someone does some serious testing, if ever.
In reality, it is marketing aimed at an unsuspecting customer who thinks at 40k they need to "restore" their engine.
Who are those people? Stick around the WM aisle for 20-30 minutes and observe how people buy oils.

 

[CarlB]

That could be very well the case too.
But we don't know until someone does some serious testing, if ever.
In reality, it is marketing aimed at an unsuspecting customer who thinks at 40k they need to "restore" their engine.
Who are those people? Stick around the WM aisle for 20-30 minutes and observe how people buy oils.

I'd argue the folks buying oil in the WM aisle for DIY maintenance don't have fresh cars with low mileage.

 

[4WD]

That could be very well the case too.
But we don't know until someone does some serious testing, if ever.
In reality, it is marketing aimed at an unsuspecting customer who thinks at 40k they need to "restore" their engine.
Who are those people? Stick around the WM aisle for 20-30 minutes and observe how people buy oils.

If we could be you one day … Just one day …
(but for the pay cut) …

 

[KnappAttak]

You contend that this video is an analytically valid assessment of the product?

I proves to me that Rat540 and his blog Q&A is dead wrong about VR&P wearing an engine out in a short time. He claimed it would ruin an engine with its cleaning capabilities and wash the cylinders clean making for extreme wear. With the many used oil VR&P samples as Lake has done, it proves to me that any concern of wear isn't going to be an issue on normal drain intervals.

If one was going to assess the product as it was designed, it needs an engine tear down to see the piston and ring condition after many miles of use. Another assessment is taking an oil burner with stuck rings and freeing them up or lowering the consumption which many have already experienced as well.

Its one thing to clean up varnish and the engines internals, its entirely another thing to clean the carbon from the oil control rings and ring lands along with the piston drainback holes, which VR&P seems to be doing with people putting the miles on and using it and finding less oil consumption as the miles pile on. Its working very well in our Audi Q7 3.0t we bought used that was gobbling oil from stuck oil control rings, that much I know for a fact.

 

[4WD]

I proves to me that Rat540 and his blog Q&A is dead wrong about VR&P wearing an engine out in a short time. He claimed it would ruin an engine with its cleaning capabilities and wash the cylinders clean making for extreme wear. With the many used oil VR&P samples as Lake has done, it proves to me that any concern of wear isn't going to be an issue on normal drain intervals.

If one was going to assess the product as it was designed, it needs an engine tear down to see the piston and ring condition after many miles of use. Another assessment is taking an oil burner with stuck rings and freeing them up or lowering the consumption which many have already experienced as well.

Its one thing to clean up varnish and the engines internals, its entirely another thing to clean the carbon from the oil control rings and ring lands along with the piston drainback holes, which VR&P seems to be doing with people putting the miles on and using it and finding less oil consumption as the miles pile on. Its working very well in our Audi Q7 3.0t we bought used that was gobbling oil from stuck oil control rings, that much I know for a fact.

1. VRP seems to be a good product we will stay tuned to.
2. Rat has lost radio contact with BITOG and Earth.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Example of what I mean by the marketing. From valvolines own website. One of dozens of reviews exactly like this. Now videos? LSJ went on a crusade against marketing hype in some of his other videos. What happened?

There are tons of short videos across social media of influencers showcasing this oil, all hitting the same talking points, shilling for Valvoline like this. The marketing push for this product has been massive, and this place has taken the bait, hook, line and sinker.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Most people are reporting lower oil consumption.

Some people that are reporting this don't even believe that checking their oil level with the car in a level, repeatable position is that important.

I take people's word here about rate of consumption very, very lightly.

 

[4WD]

There are tons of short videos across social media of influencers showcasing this oil, all hitting the same talking points, shilling for Valvoline like this. The marketing push for this product has been massive, and this place has taken the bait, hook, line and sinker.

Where is Rod Knock when you confirmation ?
Oh, sorry …

 

[benjy]

i watch + enjoy LSJ vids, very clear + understandable unlike many others!!!

 

[CarlB]

There are tons of short videos across social media of influencers showcasing this oil, all hitting the same talking points, shilling for Valvoline like this. The marketing push for this product has been massive, and this place has taken the bait, hook, line and sinker.

Marketing existing isn't mutually exclusive with the product working.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Where is Rod Knock when you confirmation ?
Oh, sorry …

I don't understand.

 

[cheesepuffs2]

Marketing existing isn't mutually exclusive with the product working.

I didn't say it was, but some people here have zero sense of skepticism when it comes to marketing, which I find to be odd for a "data driven" group.

 

[4WD]

Marketing existing isn't mutually exclusive with the product working.

There you go - just today the young (3.8-4.0 for us) engineer tells me that our (vendor) product development manager needs to move on bcs contracts have been signed. Said, hey - but he’s been seriously dedicated - and took on a product line management role at no cost shooting for future work - let him pull the wagon we all pull …