Red Line Oil

[BlindBaby]

Anyone on the forum using Red Line oil, transmission fluid or gear oil? If so, what are you using it in, what oil filter have you paired it with and what are your drain intervals? Thinking of making the switch from Amsoil and was looking for motivation.

ETA: What are your thoughts on running it in an engine that specs Dexos 1? IMHO, it shouldn't hurt, the Amsoil didn't cause it to grenade.

ETA 2: 09 Chev Silverado, 4.8L V8, 95% highway/5% paved secondary roads.
07 Dodge Ram 1500, 5.7L V8, 50% paved secondary roads with some brief off-road trips/50% highway.
06 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, 5.3L V8, 100% highway.


All driving is done within the speed limits; I'm not a spirited driver.

 

[Phishin]

Yeah, lots of people use Red Line products.

But first, tell us about the vehicle(s) you plan to use it in. We can't recommend intervals until we know about your vehicle and your driving styles.

And let's just cut to the chase, everyone here is going to tell you to screw a Fram Ultra to your engine.

 

[mazdamonky]

I would never pay for their engine oil. Or Amsoil's for that matter. But I do use Redline MT90 in all of my manual Mazda vehicles. Both this and Amsoil have pretty much gotten rid of any notchiness or synchro issues I had when running GL5 off the shelf oils. Sadly Most Japanese transmissions need the GL4 rated stuffs and those were the easiest ones to find.

 

[BlindBaby]

Originally Posted By: Phishin
Yeah, lots of people use Red Line products.

But first, tell us about the vehicle(s) you plan to use it in. We can't recommend intervals until we know about your vehicle and your driving styles.

And let's just cut to the chase, everyone here is going to tell you to screw a Fram Ultra to your engine.


I currently use either FU or Wix/Wix XP, but I'm looking into the efficiency rating for the M1 filters.

 

[HemiHawk]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
I would never pay for their engine oil. Or Amsoil's for that matter. But I do use Redline MT90 in all of my manual Mazda vehicles. Both this and Amsoil have pretty much gotten rid of any notchiness or synchro issues I had when running GL5 off the shelf oils. Sadly Most Japanese transmissions need the GL4 rated stuffs and those were the easiest ones to find.


I kind of have the same setup here. I have used redline oil one time, in a high reving Civic Si. Did it help anything? who knows. but it was pretty expensive. But, I put their transmission fluid in that car, in my mustang, and in a mini cooper S.

In a high performance application I can certainly see the appeal of their oil, as I'm sure its good stuff. I just don't run my cars hard enough to justify the cost. Something like a modified BMW turbo would probably benefit though...

 

[robertcope]

I love their gear oils and have used them in pretty much everything I've owned. I've used their motor oils in the past, but like others have said, I don't know that I have a real need for them and Mobil 1 0W-40 has never caused a failure.

robert

 

[kschachn]

I've used both the Amsoil product (available at my nearest NAPA) and Redline (at a local race store) interchangeably in my ECHO manual transmission and both have worked fine. No grinding and no missed shifts. Currently I have the Amsoil product in there.

For what it's worth I once used M1 gear oil and that worked acceptably well despite all the screaming you may hear on this site. The manual allows either GL-4 or GL-5 so I did it and nobody died

 

[Vuflanovsky]

I think RL's engine oils are a little too dear for both my vehicle and what I'd be willing to pay...however, I've used their gear oil in my manual transmissions for several years. I noticed a bigger difference with the MT-90 I used in an older Mazda3 versus the MT-85 used in my current Hyundai. I think that's probably due to correction of the slight notchiness and apparent slight MPG boost in the Mazda being due to the nature of the car...whereas the Hyundai is more efficient to begin with and doesn't have the smoother Honda/Mazda "snick-snick" of the gates/gear linkage...the Hyundai came with semi-synthetic gear oil from the factory and the Mazda didn't...so from an anecdotal perspective, it's definitely application-dependent in my experience.

 

[CT8]

The important thing about an oil filter is that it doesn't fail. Pick an oil and use it.

 

[DrRoughneck]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
I would never pay for their engine oil. Or Amsoil's for that matter. But I do use Redline MT90 in all of my manual Mazda vehicles. Both this and Amsoil have pretty much gotten rid of any notchiness or synchro issues I had when running GL5 off the shelf oils. Sadly Most Japanese transmissions need the GL4 rated stuffs and those were the easiest ones to find.

Same here. Good experience with their gear oil and premium is justified. But engine oil premium not justified over M1 or PP.

 

[Camprunner]

I believe that if there was solid proof that Red Line and Amsoil would cause significant less wear in today's engines I think more people would pay the price. The thing is even a quality conventional oil will most likely keep today's engines running way past the point that most people want to keep the car so why bother to spend money on Red Line etc? I suppose I could see it for a real high output engine that may see some advantage esp in a track use situation but for the average street car/truck I see no need.

 

[OneEyeJack]

Check my UOA posted recently, lots of details. I use Red Line products and Mobil 1 oil filters. Check the results.

 

[bchannell]

Originally Posted By: mazdamonky
I would never pay for their engine oil. Or Amsoil's for that matter. But I do use Redline MT90 in all of my manual Mazda vehicles. Both this and Amsoil have pretty much gotten rid of any notchiness or synchro issues I had when running GL5 off the shelf oils. Sadly Most Japanese transmissions need the GL4 rated stuffs and those were the easiest ones to find.


Right on, brother!
Count me there right with you. Their oil is no doubt great, but way overkill. The flip side is that the MT90 transformed my 5 speed Tacoma into a smooth driving machine.

 

[BrocLuno]

You'all think it's expensive ... I got a friend who runs blown alcohol digger and buys Redline 50 by the 55 gallon drum. Once pass and it's gone. 2.5 gallons a whack. Pre-heated to 150*F before being put in the oil tank. Dry-sump motor. Fire-up, Burn-out, back-in, stage, R's up, run ... Sometimes it runs on it's own power back down the access road. Maybe 2~4 minutes per change

I agree with many here, MTL and MT90 are superb manual transmission fluids. Explosion Proof is a great rear end oil. Their motor oils are great too. But you don't buy them for daily driver street cars...

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Check my UOA posted recently, lots of details. I use Red Line products and Mobil 1 oil filters. Check the results.


Wow, 3ppm iron in 10k...you can't argue with results! I wonder what the ppm would be with any of the other oils mentioned in this thread - OR if anyone using another oil would be willing to try RL for one OCI and see if there was any difference for THEIR engine.

I've used 99% Amsoil for the past 10 years and am considering trying RL...

 

[BlindBaby]

Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Check my UOA posted recently, lots of details. I use Red Line products and Mobil 1 oil filters. Check the results.


That is the best UOA I've seen, thanks for sharing.

 

[BlindBaby]

Originally Posted By: Kuato
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Check my UOA posted recently, lots of details. I use Red Line products and Mobil 1 oil filters. Check the results.


Wow, 3ppm iron in 10k...you can't argue with results! I wonder what the ppm would be with any of the other oils mentioned in this thread - OR if anyone using another oil would be willing to try RL for one OCI and see if there was any difference for THEIR engine.

I've used 99% Amsoil for the past 10 years and am considering trying RL...


I'm going to try it in my Ram; got an OC coming in about 2,000 miles AND I'll spring for a UOA.

 

[OneEyeJack]

If you don't want to use Red Line engine oil because someone else told you it was only for racing and should never be used in a DD then check my UOA here on the board. Then ask you friends if they can understand the description of the conditions of use and the results of the lab work. They'll still badmouth Red Line so be sure to ask them what oil you should use. With friends like that you're sure to get excellent advice. More people that have no experience with Red Line products know more about them than anyone else here at BITOG and can explain how their products are over priced and don't work. You should go to them to get the latest information.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Explosion Proof is a great rear end oil.


Do you mean Shock Proof? I'm running that in my Corvette.

 

[Charlie2015]

I have a 98 accord 4 cyl. I use redline D4 and 5w30. The transmission shifts better on D4 than any other fluid I have used. The oil is really good at cleaning. It dissolved so much of the harmless varnish inside my engine.