Microgard Select msl57502 after Valvoline Restore and Protect

[Faawrenchbndr]

So here’s a deal. About 5k miles ago I put Valvoline Restore and Protect in the Toyota FJ. It has 146K miles. I’ve owned it since new in 2008 up until most recently. I’ve been running Mobil 1, usually a Mobil 1 or a Toyota filter and changed at 5K or before.

Decided to start running Valvoline Restore and Protect due to a little bit of valve guide smoke on start up. So here’s cut away of the micro regards select MSL 57502 after 2500 miles.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

So the filter details are pretty much about like every other Microgard select, so I didn’t focus on those details. It was mainly more about seeing what the Valvoline Restore and Protect had loosened up.

One note there was a little bit of sloppy glue. However, I could not get it off with a thumb nail.

You can see the two pictures of the pleats. Black “carbon spots” present, however, they were not grainy or granular, as soon as they were touched, they essentially melted away into the pleat material. They did not leave a black but a brown residue on the fingertip.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

Almost impossible to get a pic from the valve cover filler……..but it’s very clean. No varnish, carbon or residue visable. Possibly just not a good representation of Valvoline Restore and Protect capabilities

 

[buster]

So the filter details are pretty much about like every other Microgard select, so I didn’t focus on those details. It was mainly more about seeing what the Valvoline Restore and Protect had loosened up.

One note there was a little bit of sloppy glue. However, I could not get it off with a thumb nail.

You can see the two pictures of the pleats. Black “carbon spots” present, however, they were not grainy or granular, as soon as they were touched, they essentially melted away into the pleat material. They did not leave a black but a brown residue on the fingertip.

Valvoline Restore and Protect actually dissolves carbon, which is what makes it very safe over a typical OCI.

I just don't know what is normal or not being most don't look at oil filters before they start using Valvoline Restore and Protect or any other cleaning type product.

Based on your photos, it looks like Valvoline Restore and Protect did remove some carbon but again that could just be typical for any OCI/oil.

We know Valvoline Restore and Protect works based on the lab testing done by Valvoline with actual piston photos.

 

[kschachn]

So the filter details are pretty much about like every other Microgard select, so I didn’t focus on those details. It was mainly more about seeing what the Valvoline Restore and Protect had loosened up.

One note there was a little bit of sloppy glue. However, I could not get it off with a thumb nail.

You can see the two pictures of the pleats. Black “carbon spots” present, however, they were not grainy or granular, as soon as they were touched, they essentially melted away into the pleat material. They did not leave a black but a brown residue on the fingertip.

Were those black grains present in the filter before you used Valvoline Restore and Protect?

One thing in these discussions about oil filter contents, Valvoline states that the deposits that are removed by Valvoline Restore and Protect are dissolved in the oil and are eliminated at the oil change, not trapped by the filter. Essentially in solution not suspension.

 

[Urshurak776]

Looks good. Nice PG filter.

Had you cut open any of the fiters while running the mobil 1? I would think the Mobil 1 at 5K oil change intervals would have kept that engine clean.

 

[GW.]

Thanks for the detailed write up. To me it appears some cleaning is happening already at only 2500 miles. Could be piston deposits. Keep it up for the full 4 oci’s.

Oh…and the filter looks good!

 

[Sayjac]

Microgard Select, nice filters.

Thanks for c&p.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

Valvoline Restore and Protect actually dissolves carbon, which is what makes it very safe over a typical OCI.

I just don't know what is normal or not being most don't look at oil filters before they start using Valvoline Restore and Protect or any other cleaning type product.

Based on your photos, it looks like Valvoline Restore and Protect did remove some carbon but again that could just be typical for any OCI/oil.

We know Valvoline Restore and Protect works based on the lab testing done by Valvoline with actual piston photos.

Yes, so I’ve been cutting filters apart for I don’t know going on 25 years. It’s kind of always been done thing in the aviation world and it’s always kind of followed over into automotive for me. Paragraph I honestly don’t recall ever seeing these little black specs whether it’s carbon or what I don’t know, but I don’t really remember this being present with Mobil 1.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

Thanks for the detailed write up. To me it appears some cleaning is happening already at only 2500 miles. Could be piston deposits. Keep it up for the full 4 oci’s.

Oh…and the filter looks good!

Yeah, I don’t remember ever seeing little deposits like this in the previous filter. I suppose it could be carbon from pistons.

I did start using Valvoline Restore and Protect because of the engine started to smoke a bit. Normally just on start up. But with 140k+ I thought I would give it a try. I will say, a small poof of smoke on start up as generally valve guide seals.

That is now less prevalent. I actually didn’t notice it this morning.

At this point, I don’t plan on just running 4 oil changes of this Valvoline Restore and Protect. I’m gonna run it for the duration. It really kind of bugged me to change oils.

 

[kschachn]

And just to be really clear (and I’m guilty as well by using “solution” above) nothing really dissolves carbon. It’s not really in solution but it is being removed in such a way that the particles/aggregates are so small they neither settle out nor are they captured in the filter, per Valvoline.

 

[53' Stude]

So here’s a deal. About 5k miles ago I put Valvoline Restore and Protect in the Toyota FJ. It has 146K miles. I’ve owned it since new in 2008 up until most recently. I’ve been running Mobil 1, usually a Mobil 1 or a Toyota filter and changed at 5K or before.

Decided to start running Valvoline Restore and Protect due to a little bit of valve guide smoke on start up. So here’s cut away of the micro regards select MSL 57502 after 2500 miles.

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Awesome write up and pics sir. Guessing same filter and oil on and on? Thank You very much.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

Awesome write up and pics sir. Guessing same filter and oil on and on? Thank You very much.

Yes, to a point yes
This was 2500 miles into a 5K OCI
Wanted to pull the filter to see if anyone thing had been dislodged at the 2500 mile point

 

[53' Stude]

Yes, to a point yes
This was 2500 miles into a 5K OCI
Wanted to pull the filter to see if anyone thing had been dislodged at the 2500 mile point

Thank You for additional info sir

 

[Fair enough]

Valve stem seals may be the cause of oil smoke. Not so easy to do on those engines. Your engine looks clean as silk in there.

 

[fantastic]

You plan to keep running the R&P from this point forward? It does look like R&P is cleaning, especially seeing how clean it looks down in that fill hole. It has to coming from somewhere & sounds like you've run good oil at good intervals.

 

[kschachn]

You plan to keep running the R&P from this point forward? It does look like R&P is cleaning, especially seeing how clean it looks down in that fill hole. It has to coming from somewhere & sounds like you've run good oil at good intervals.

What are you comparing it against? This is often the problem with these “cleaning” threads, there’s no actual comparison. My old ECHO at over 300,000 looked clean too, and I never used Valvoline Restore and Protect in it.

 

[ZeeOSix]

One thing in these discussions about oil filter contents, Valvoline states that the deposits that are removed by Valvoline Restore and Protect are dissolved in the oil and are eliminated at the oil change, not trapped by the filter. Essentially in solution not suspension.

There have been a lot of Valvoline Restore and Protect users on this board, and some have shown lots of debris in the filter that was a result of Valvoline Restore and Protect use. So I don't think it totally "dissolves" and puts everything into solution based on many user's filter cut & posts.

 

[ZeeOSix]

You plan to keep running the R&P from this point forward? It does look like R&P is cleaning, especially seeing how clean it looks down in that fill hole. It has to coming from somewhere & sounds like you've run good oil at good intervals.

Some engines can have what looks like perfectly clean parts looking down the fill hole, but the rings can be gunked up with deposits. The YouTuber "I Do Cars" who tears down tons of engines showed a prime example of that. The whole engine looked spotless inside, but just the rings were all gunked up and stuck in the ring grooves. It was wild, never seen that before, but it can happen apparently.

 

[fantastic]

Some engines can have what looks like perfectly clean parts looking down the fill hole, but the rings can be gunked up with deposits. The YouTuber "I Do Cars" who tears down tons of engines showed a prime example of that. The whole engine looked spotless, but just the rings were all gunked up and stuck in the ring grooves.

Right, it has to be some build up somewhere & we know R&P works the best in the rings. Kind of nice that on some cars folks can look down inside the fill hole though. My XC90 has a silly plastic "baffle" right at the top of the fill hole that doesn't allow me to see anything.