Valvoline Restore and Protect skepticism

[CleanSump]

If it indeed can do as such I am sure Mobil would be advertising it as such. Since they aren't that speaks volumes. They have fallen behind and are surely hemorrhaging market share to R&P, hence this latest marketing stunt.

I don't think Mobil is "falling behind" so much as Valvoline leaped ahead. And by Valvoline's own admission, the leap was serendipity.

 

[Boge60]

I don't think some here quite fathom the technological leap that R&P is and more importantly that other cos. are rendered essentially 'impotent' by patents viciously defended by hordes of $500+ per hr. legal teams. The "self cleaning" factor has literally changed the playing field. Whatever Mobil, Chevron, et al, may do they will have to work around the R&P patents. I am sure these other cos. have reverse engineered what exactly is the new synthetic molecule in R&P, but they are nonetheless legally hamstrung by patents. That's gotta hurt, but it's business.

 

[ZeeOSix]

That´s great. But I´ve seen the valve train on my old 2008 Jeep 3.8 that ran it´s nearly 200k and it was spotless and running perfectly. And a tech who replaced my valve cover gaskets on my 2018 Wrangler said that valve train was spotless, too. He said it looked brand new. So my expectations for Mobil 1 products are standing on a foundation of first hand experience.

Being visibly clean in the valve train doesn't guarantee the piston rings are also clean. If your engine isn't burning oil, then the rings are most likely free and working well. Here's an engine that was spotless inside, but the oil control rings were filled with oil deposits and stuck. Look near the middle of the video to see how clean the rest of the engine looked.

 

[Hermann]

Just another shelf filler. In my eyes at least. And won’t use it either

Luddite Alert.

 

[IndyFan]

Being visibly clean in the valve train doesn't guarantee the piston rings are also clean. If your engine isn't burning oil, then the rings are most likely free and working well. Here's an engine that was spotless inside, but the oil control rings were filled with oil deposits and stuck. Look near the middle of the video to see how clean the rest of the engine looked.

There is zero evidence of any issue with my pistion rings. I can sit and dream or imagine they are dirty, but I´ve got no sort of performance issue in any of my engines to indicate they have any problem, dirt, whatever. I am only running the VRP as a preventative or precautionary move because there is simply no downside to it other than a jug being $4 more than the usual Mobil 1 I tend to run. But $4 ain´t a big deal.

The cleanliness of the valve train is, in fact, evidence (I did not say proof). So the preponderance of evidence....including performance and economy along with the clean valve train, leads the judge (me) to conclude the engine is clean.

 

[4wd]

There is zero evidence of any issue with my pistion rings. I can sit and dream or imagine they are dirty, but I´ve got no sort of performance issue in any of my engines to indicate they have any problem, dirt, whatever. I am only running the VRP as a preventative or precautionary move because there is simply no downside to it other than a jug being $4 more than the usual Mobil 1 I tend to run. But $4 ain´t a big deal.

The cleanliness of the valve train is, in fact, evidence (I did not say proof). So the preponderance of evidence....including performance and economy along with the clean valve train, leads the judge (me) to conclude the engine is clean.

I don’t think stuck piston rings have been a problem for me.
If there was ever a real database - we’d see a few engines way worst than others. We also have 2nd/3rd owner used vehicles with an unknown history of lubes and fuel used.

My current worry would be with lubes not holding some type of OEM approval - less likely to know they were forced to - or decided to cheapen the formula …

 

[CleanSump]

in the middle of a Quaker State Full Synthetic varnish clean up experiment as we speak. Details by year end. A hint Quaker State Full Synthetic was not up to the task causing the varnish. ESP is the cleaning test subject.

I'm in the middle of a Castrol Euro BMW LL-01 approved, and BMW recommended, varnish with 5k mile OCIs clean up experiment as we speak. I'm using HPL Supercar though.
Some people have closed minds and refuse believe what they see with their own eyes.

 

[ZeeOSix]

There is zero evidence of any issue with my pistion rings. I can sit and dream or imagine they are dirty, but I´ve got no sort of performance issue in any of my engines to indicate they have any problem, dirt, whatever. I am only running the VRP as a preventative or precautionary move because there is simply no downside to it other than a jug being $4 more than the usual Mobil 1 I tend to run. But $4 ain´t a big deal.

As mentioned earlier, if your engine isn't burning oil then the oil control rings are probably working fine. Still doesn't mean they are spotless, and as you say running some VRP certainly isn't going to hurt, just in case.

The cleanliness of the valve train is, in fact, evidence (I did not say proof). So the preponderance of evidence....including performance and economy along with the clean valve train, leads the judge (me) to conclude the engine is clean.

It's evidence that the valve train is clean ... but not evidence that the pistons and rings are clean, just like that video proved. You'd have to tear down the engine and pop the pistons out to verify their condition.