Valvoline Restore and Protect skepticism

[gunnellett]

That sounds about as expected. The sad part , just like many businesses today , the name Castrol means nothing special anymore.
The company actually seemed to lose its way with all sorts of abrupt changes without much advertisement or explanation to the customers even well before it was sold.

Even though changes were happening well before being sold by BP, I'm guessing an impending sale was very much related.

 

[EllieMae94]

I’m in the middle of a QSFS varnish clean up experiment as we speak. Details by year end. A hint QSFS was not up to the task causing the varnish. ESP is the cleaning test subject.

Between Restore and Protect and Mobil1 ESP 0w30, which in your experience did a better/faster job of cleaning varnish?

 

[Japanese]

No

Why don't you try it first for a few oil changes and then express skepticism, if any?

 

[Glenda W.]

Between Restore and Protect and Mobil1 ESP 0w30, which in your experience did a better/faster job of cleaning varnish?

I’d give the edge to R&P. But ESP is no slouch.

 

[TomYoung]

Why don't you try it first for a few oil changes and then express skepticism, if any?

I don’t have any cars that require engine cleaning, so not exactly sure what I would learn.

 

[tired]

I don’t have any cars that require engine cleaning, so not exactly sure what I would learn.

You've inspected your piston rings?

 

[TomYoung]

You've inspected your piston rings?

No. I am all over maintainance, but could not possibly see tearing down engines with no discernible issues.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I don’t have any cars that require engine cleaning, so not exactly sure what I would learn.

You don't have any that require cleaning that you know of.

Not VRP at that time. My sons high mileage Forte, didn't burn any oil, I've cut every filter for last 6 years and 50K+, always clean pleats and can. It used to have a decently loud piston slap type sound when cold (worse in winter). I did BG EPR flush, didn't change anything that I could tell, no junk in filter all the times running M1 AFE and PP. I decided to run some HPL EC30, about 1/2 way through the OCI it was noticeably quieter at start up to the point my wife asked what I had done. All I can guess is that rings got freed up some allowing proper movement/centering in cylinder. At the end of that OCI this was in the filter with a lot of little carbon specks in pleats. It had a leaking VCG for awhile and when I tackled that right about same time as EC30, the top end looked like this with about 185k. It always looked clean through fill port prior. It's currently running VRP 5w-30, I'll see it at Thanksgiving for it's first oil change from that. We'll see how filter looks.

 

[busdriver]

I used VRP for 3 oil changes....Did it do anything?.....I have no idea...

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I used VRP for 3 oil changes....Did it do anything?.....I have no idea...

Did you cut the filter? Was it burning oil before? Is it now? Observable varnish before or after.

If none of those checked prior of after then nope, you won’t have a clue if it did anything.

 

[Adambomb7777]

Currently running VRP on a high mileage 1.6 ecoboost (225k miles) that doesn’t burn or use any oil. It runs very smooth. Good stuff

I have no idea if it’ll clean anything out, but it is VERY smooth running (I had to say it twice)

 

[Pablo]

At least no one wrote "butt dyno" yet

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

This oil is pretty solid, but has definitely become a go-to for wishful thinkers and folks who have not faced the truth that their engine is clapped out. Go ahead and use it, but we need to get off the idea that it does more than clean up old engines a little bit. Also, need to call out folks who are suggesting that they should use it on brand new cars. That makes no sense, and, in fact there are better, cheaper oils holding manufacturer specifications readily available. The product has its place, for sure, but also seems to have folks drinking the Kool Ade.

Imo what will be interesting is how Valvoline competitors respond. Shell (aka Pennzoil) and M1. They have a lot to lose with their bloated product line.

As for what VRP does? Well it does what any other oil does on a 5k oci except it has the added benefit of keeping internals ridiculously clean. Other than possibly price and/or availability I can't invision a reason not to use VRP on a 5k oci. Imo your post implies that VRP is deficient in some aspect because of its cleaning ability so I'm curious, other than a high HTHS application, why chose something else for use on a 5k oci?