Royal Purple smoothes metal surfaces?

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http://www.royalpurple.com/techa/whyrpa.html

Page about half way down and look at the pictures of a bearing surface.

"The oil layer responds to increased pressure with increased viscosity until the metal peaks (asperities) undergo deformation and flow into the low spots. Over time, the metal surface becomes extremely smooth and can even develop a mirror-like surface."

I thought this was interesting and was wondering if any experts could shed a little light on this. Is this unique to RP? Maybe this explains why the motor can generate more power using RP.
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Mind you though:

Bearings used on automotive (technical name: babbitt bearings) are made with soft, malleable metals such as tin, etc. that has a tendency to "flow" and smooth themselves out in certain "stressed" operating conditions" (you may perceive this as a form of "wear").

To me, RP is just throwing a sales pitch to those who doesn't know the properties of babbitt bearings.
 
Well, they did show a picture after using a "leading synthic oil" and it doesn't look anything like the surface after using RP. I don't doubt it's hype, but why wouldn't it do it with the 'other' oil? Maybe they didn't use the other oil nearly as long, giving the RP more time for the bearing to wear.
 
If I'm not mistaken, not all oils exhibit or to a like degree, pressure/stress induced thickening. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Perhaps RP is one of those with this "quality" where as it's competitor was of lesser "quality" in this area.
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Stresses of these kind can also lead to momentary deformation of the component surfaces, which could lead to fatigue failure if my reading proves fruitful. Again, please correctly if I'm wrong.

Thanks for the post glxpassat.
 
I would assume that all these great things they say about RP would also apply to good oils like M1, Redline, Amsoil, etc., right?
 
to my way of thinking, it is wear caused by metal to metal contact that smooths the peaks, that's what happens during break-in periods, highly unlikely that an oil would do it.
 
Royal Purple's street oils have primarily Group IV (PAO) synthetic basestocks, similar to Mobil 1. I believe they have a little Group V in them as well. This would give them the ability to say that RP has higher film strength than "other oils" What other oils? Well, they're choosing their words carefully.

They say that it "creates an ionic bond that adheres to metal parts..." this suggests that it has some Group V basestock blended in, because this is an inherent characteristic of esters.

In general, they are using laymen terms and picking their verbage carefully. It's a good product, but the way they word it, you'd think they walk on water, when they don't even manufacture oil - they purchase basestocks and additives, blend, package and sell it.

And about those pictures....

When an engine is running with full oil pressure, you are getting hydrodynamic lubrication. That means that there is absolutely no metal-to-metal contact. Remember, the devil is in the details. Here's a possible scenario:

They take a new bearing, take a photomicrograph (figure 1), install it in an engine with a new crank or camshaft and crank it over while filled with a "leading synthetic oil". The lack of oil pressure upon inital startup results in "boundary lubrication", causing significant metal-to-metal contact. Then they take the engine apart, pull the bearing and take another photomicrograph (figure 2). Voila! abrasion!!

Then they stick it back in the engine. With a bypass filter on the engine to prevent large particulates from scratching the bearing surface they start the engine a few hundred times. The "boundary lubrication" condition during startups will gradually hone the bearing surface and the mating shaft surface to an "extremely smooth" condition (figure 3).

Are they lieing? No. But they aren't referencing a scientific procedure, nor are they doing an unbiased side-by-side comparison. They're trying to convince you that RP is good for your engine.
 
I have noticed that RP seems to be big on hype. Some of their adds show test results from non standard tests that nobody else does so you can't really compare them. Where I live the RP is super expensive also.
 
There is no mention of Group 4 or 5, PAOs or esters, ANYWHERE on their website concerning their MOTOR oils.
 
Kinda off topic, but how much Group V does Mobil 1 have? And can somebody give me a link that compares the different groups of oils?
 
Originally posted by Undummy:
quote:

There is no mention of Group 4 or 5, PAOs or esters, ANYWHERE on their website concerning their MOTOR oils.

They're long on hype and short on technical info. I found through a BITOG search that their product is likely primarily PAO based with some ester basestock, and some Group 1 carrier for their add pack. Here are some earlier discussions on this:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008031#000019

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005656

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=003835
 
IIRC, Tooslick described the same "polishing" happening with amsoil too. If so, then it is not just an RP thing. Maybe TS will chime in if he is still lurking.
 
You can look at it like sand paper,

300 grit vs 1200
dino vs true synthetic

300 will erode more material and give a rough surface

1200 is ultra fine and will polish. 1200 is used for color sanding paint for a show shine. The true synthetic is more like the 1200 grit and the others are more like a 300 grit.
 
Unless we know how the testing was really done, we know nothing. If the testing is not side-by-side with the 'other' oil it's worth nothing. If their statments are just marketing hype they are nothing. Purple is a pretty color, isn't it.

RP has done well in dyno runs during a magazine engine run off. Beyond all the hype RP is probably a very good oil. Their market is not this web site.
 
I believe this has to do with moly additive. The moly is what plates on the surfaces to smooth them out. Bob has made similar statements in the past about Schaeffers. Thus, this characteristic is not exclusive to RP.
 
Their TFOUT Oxidation test is just ridiculous. I don't buy it for a second.
 
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