Valvoline Restore and Protect
- Thread starter Scott S
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The good thing with VRP is it's not the base oil that is doing the cleaning. So if it dropped from GTL to III I wouldn't be concerned.
If you're looking for certainty right now - Amsoil, HPL are most likely not going to drop base oil type.
If you're looking for certainty right now - Amsoil, HPL are most likely not going to drop base oil type.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
It can't "drop from GTL to III" because GTL is III.
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Eh, technically correct but GTL is often referred to as Group III+ and has been for a very long time. GTL is legitimately a cut above standard hyrocracked Group III.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Marketing. Group "III+" is not officially recognized by API. It's a made up term.
GTL to standard III.
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Dismissing “Group III+” as marketing is incorrect.
You cannot stamp “Group III+” on a retail jug.
API EOLCS, SAE J300, and ATIEL force finished-oil labels to say “Full Synthetic” or simply “Group III.”
Shell’s own technical literature lists PurePlus/GTL as API Group III for the simple reason that API 1509 contains no “III+” category.
Zero consumer-marketing upside.
The term is B2B engineering language, not ad-agency terminology.
It was coined by refiners and additive companies (Infineum, Lubrizol, Oronite) for base-oil interchange guidelines and technical data sheets.
When API 1509 defined Group III it set an open-ended floor: VI ≥ 120.
Conventional hydrocracked Group III landed at roughly 120–128 VI.
Commercial GTL delivered 135–145+ VI with near-zero sulfur/aromatics, and much lower Noack.
The industry needed a practical label for that step-change.
“Group III+” is that label.
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"GTL is legitimately a cut above standard hyrocracked Group III."
Not necessarily and / or by a lot that's makes much difference.
Not necessarily and / or by a lot that's makes much difference.
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You’ll need to define what “a lot” or “makes much difference” actually means.
I don't need to do anything you started by saying
"GTL is legitimately a cut above standard hyrocracked Group III"
I said "Not necessarily and / or by a lot that's makes much difference"
You define why its a cut above.
"GTL is legitimately a cut above standard hyrocracked Group III"
I said "Not necessarily and / or by a lot that's makes much difference"
You define why its a cut above.
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Seems to me like restore and protect 5w-30 can put down some very impressive results at 10K OCI with just that 30-60 % GTL. Here is a UOA at 10K on a 4Runner with Iron 3 and aluminum 3.
Who says Valvoline Restore and Protect is not an extended OCI oil? This has got to be one of the best used oil analysis I have ever seen!
It's a 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium with the 4.0 port injected 1GR-FE dual VVTI V6 engine. Nothing fancy. It just gets the job done. Also, this 4Runner has Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) and all the 4WD goodies like Crawl Control.
It's a 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road Premium with the 4.0 port injected 1GR-FE dual VVTI V6 engine. Nothing fancy. It just gets the job done. Also, this 4Runner has Toyota's Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) and all the 4WD goodies like Crawl Control.
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Fair enough.
GTL sits objectively above standard hydrocracked Group III for these reasons:
GTL offers a 15–20+ point higher Viscosity Index (135–145+ vs 120–128).
Higher natural VI means less shear-prone VII is needed to hit 0W-16 / 0W-20 targets, which improves shear stability and reduces deposits.
It also delivers 20-25% lower Noack at equivalent CCS viscosity.
Because it is made from pure methane, it has near-zero sulfur and aromatics and therefore better inherent oxidative stability.
Those differences are large enough that formulators treat the two stocks as non-interchangeable in tight low-viscosity applications.
Now what's the threshold of “a lot” or “makes much difference”?
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In a fully formulated PCMO the advantage is for the formulator to reduce costs in less additives such as PP,VII perhaps AO. A GTL shows better in a low formulated oil like a Turbine oil.
I have not seen specs that show a 15-20 point VI improvement.
Love to see that spec sheet.
I have not seen a Novak improvement of 20% either but have not really paid much attention.
I have not seen specs that show a 15-20 point VI improvement.
Love to see that spec sheet.
I have not seen a Novak improvement of 20% either but have not really paid much attention.
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SK Yubase 4 (Standard III): VI 122, NOACK 14.2%
S-Oil Ultra-S 4 (Standard III): VI 123, NOACK 14.5%
Shell Pearl GTL 4: VI 140, NOACK 10.2%
https://www.narmaktrade.cz/en/products/base-oils/base-oil-yubase-4
https://www.knowde.com/stores/s-oil/products/ultra-s-4
https://www.shell.com/business-customers/gtl-fluids/gtl-performance-chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.infineuminsight.com/media/2620/emea-base-stocks.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/public...e_David_J_Wedlock_Base_Oil_Technology_Manager
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I do not see a VI of 140 or a Noack of 10.
You are right but even at 130VI and Noack 11 or 12.
But I still maintain that with correctly formulated PCMO GPIII oils would be very hard to show much improvement.
NOT in lab but real world. But then you have the new 4-5 cSt esters that are VI>165, Noack 1 and Flash >290C
You are right but even at 130VI and Noack 11 or 12.
But I still maintain that with correctly formulated PCMO GPIII oils would be very hard to show much improvement.
NOT in lab but real world. But then you have the new 4-5 cSt esters that are VI>165, Noack 1 and Flash >290C
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Yes, but you can't convince some people who want to make up their own specifications. The professional chemists, engineers, and tribologists that make the standards say no, but there are always shoe salesmen who know better.
OK
OK
Wow! I think we all need to realize something here, forget about NOACK, HTHS, and what Group OIL VRP has and also the VI Number. Also the Ester and An thing, we have an oil that does what it claims in cleaning piston ring deposits. We have some members who have used some really good oil's at reasonable OCI's and they have had oil consumption, they went to VRP and the oil consumption was less.
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