Good day folks. If both oils were priced same; which one would you buy? M1 ESP 5w-30 or 0w-30 or Restore and protect
Valvoline restore and protect or M1 ESP?
- Thread starter 53' Stude
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I can tell you Mobil 1 ESP 5w-30 doesn't clean ring packs. Ran it for 2 years and my fuel dilution even gained during it's use on my Hyundai. And I think I have seen here that Valvoline Restore & Protect (<-VRP) has some of the top lowest of wear #s on multi posters UOAs. I think one was a turbo car too. Redline Performance 5w-30 Euro was the oil that cleaned my rings and almost fully reduced my fuel dilution. But I don't use their oils anymore because of price gouging. I do run VRP in the off summer months, to make sure I never have jammed rings again. If I were going to choose for you, VRP would be my choice, and with multiple UOA finding it has some of the lowest wear #'s why wouldn't you run it?
I have no need for high HTHS euro oil. So no ESP. If I had a clunky 2.5L four banger I would try it.
I don't know what is going into my lease car next month. Thinking VR and P 5W30 or maybe PUP. It says 5w30 on the fill cap. Maybe I will just act like a typical lease looser and let the FF stay in for a year!
On a side note, I put Valvoline Maxlife HM 0W20 in the wife's subaru with 50K and it seems to be doing some aggressive cleaning. I see no more brown gunk and varnish down the fill hole were I can almost see down to the intake cam phaser. I wonder if it too has some of that VR&P special sauce mixed in? - Arco
I don't know what is going into my lease car next month. Thinking VR and P 5W30 or maybe PUP. It says 5w30 on the fill cap. Maybe I will just act like a typical lease looser and let the FF stay in for a year!
On a side note, I put Valvoline Maxlife HM 0W20 in the wife's subaru with 50K and it seems to be doing some aggressive cleaning. I see no more brown gunk and varnish down the fill hole were I can almost see down to the intake cam phaser. I wonder if it too has some of that VR&P special sauce mixed in? - Arco
For use in what application?
Isn't the 0W30 ESP the only one with some synthetic ester where there is none in the 5W?
ESP 0W-30 and R&P 5W-30 are currently my OTS favorites. IMO R&P is the perfect 5k oil that cleans engines and pistons. Perfect for oil burners. For severe service and/or longer oci’s ESP 0W-30 is the right choice with some cleaning power that will 100% keep engines clean.
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- Jun 20, 2025
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Neither, Rotella for the win!
Before everyone start telling me how the cheap base oil in that (even thoguh t6 has gtl) killed all my neurons if I truly believe that: I am just joking, calm down folsk.
Both names you mentioned are superb oils, and I would guess for 90% of the applications, they both are more than good enough (assuming correct grade). There are edge cases where I would choose one over the other.
Case 1:
You just bought a 20 year old truck with 200,000 miles on the odometer? I would definitely go with VRP, especially for the first a couple of OCIs. That way I would get it all cleaned up and get it in as good condition as possible. Then I would consider changing it to a different oil.
Case 2:
You have a car that calls for xw30 oil and you are looking to take it to the track, or tow? I would go with M1 ESP for sure (preferably 0w30 rather than 5w30 due to better base oil). M1 ESP essentially is a very highh quality oil with the HTHS of an hugher grade, so your xW30 ESP oil rivals xW40 oils in high demanding scenerios such as towing or track duty. It is also a great choice if you have a car with a turbo in it.
So some context might be more useful choosing between these two. Because even though both are pretty much the highest quality oil you can find below boutique prices, where they shine are quite a bit different.
Before everyone start telling me how the cheap base oil in that (even thoguh t6 has gtl) killed all my neurons if I truly believe that: I am just joking, calm down folsk.
Both names you mentioned are superb oils, and I would guess for 90% of the applications, they both are more than good enough (assuming correct grade). There are edge cases where I would choose one over the other.
Case 1:
You just bought a 20 year old truck with 200,000 miles on the odometer? I would definitely go with VRP, especially for the first a couple of OCIs. That way I would get it all cleaned up and get it in as good condition as possible. Then I would consider changing it to a different oil.
Case 2:
You have a car that calls for xw30 oil and you are looking to take it to the track, or tow? I would go with M1 ESP for sure (preferably 0w30 rather than 5w30 due to better base oil). M1 ESP essentially is a very highh quality oil with the HTHS of an hugher grade, so your xW30 ESP oil rivals xW40 oils in high demanding scenerios such as towing or track duty. It is also a great choice if you have a car with a turbo in it.
So some context might be more useful choosing between these two. Because even though both are pretty much the highest quality oil you can find below boutique prices, where they shine are quite a bit different.
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Specification wise the ESP is the better oil. The 0w-30 ESP has the PAO/Ester blend.
The R & P seems to excel at cleaning up ring grooves.
Pick your poison but I don't think you can lose w/either of them. I don't think you'll be doing extended drains?
5w-30 R&P
https://sharena21.springcm.com/Public/Document/18452/
Their claim to fame
https://www.valvolineglobal.com/en/blog/product/restore-protect-motor-oil-explained/
0w-30 ESP
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-personal-vehicles/our-products/products/mobil-1-esp-0w-30
5w-30 ESP
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/for-personal-vehicles/our-products/products/mobil-1-esp-5w-30
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Patman
Staff member
For that I would run 4 intervals with VRP 5w-30 (5000 miles per interval) and then switch to ESP 0w-30 after that. That’s kinda what I did in my Civic only it was two intervals of VRP 0w-20 and one interval of VRP 5w-20 followed with ESP 0w-20
^ I would do exactly the same.
Carlostrece
$100 Site Donor 2025
It depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. They're only $2 difference in price at Walmart. So money is not a factor for me in this choice.
Well, so far into the R&P journey I will say no noticeable difference in engine. Will run the oil to 3-4k and drain and pull the white can ST filter off and put either PENTIUS XL or Toyota D1 filter on. Wondering after few runs of Restore and Protect of Valvoline EPHM will do as good at keeping things clean
Patman
Staff member
I don’t think the other versions of Valvoline are quite as good at keeping things clean like an ester based oil would (like Amsoil, HPL, ESP 0w-30). Valvoline should really start using some of its “magic ingredients” in all versions of their products, not just VRP. Would be another boost in sales too (although I bet they are already pretty thrilled with the money they’ve been making with VRP since it came out and has been flying off the shelves!)
True to a point. BrendanC has some cut apart filters that had Valvoline EPHM ran and it cleaned I’ve saw
But yes, valvoline could do better with some of their other oils.
ESP, either one.
I just changed the valve cover on my 18 rogue with the 2.5 that had maxlife ow20 from new till 85k. This thing was absolutely spotless, not even a speck of varnish ar discoloration. The car has 113k on it and since the maxlife has had schaeffers and Hps but I doubt that had anything to do with it.
