Valvoline Restore & Protect---Any Formulation Change Recently?

[IndyFan]

With the war causing a supply disruption of base oils and additives, have we heard anything about Valvoline Restore & Protect adjusting the formulation to adapt? I know Mobil 1 has not only adjusted, but they have issued a statement about it.

Just curious because I need about 6 jugs of VRP to give each vehicle in my fleet 2 OCI´s. I just put it into my Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator for their first OCI. The Compass and Vette will get a run eventually, but I have some Mobil 1 0w40 FS to run for the next year, so I´m not as concerned about supply for it.

 

[Patman]

I wouldn’t worry about that too much because with VRP it has never been about the base oil but it has been about their secret ingredient. I don’t think that ingredient has been affected by world events

 

[Hirev]

Just no way to know. I also would not worry about it. Valvoline always makes a good quality products. Its the special pixie dust with it you want.

 

[IndyFan]

I appreciate the responses.

Nobody really knows what the magic is in it or how/where it is produced, but I figured someone would chime in if there´s been any indication of a change. It sounds like there has not, especially if Valvoline has not made any changes to their claims.

Here´s to hope that the sauce is produced in Kentucky! LOL.

I´m going to go snag the rest of what I need tomorrow and put it in my banked-up supply.

 

[f355spider]

I appreciate the responses.

Nobody really knows what the magic is in it or how/where it is produced, but I figured someone would chime in if there´s been any indication of a change. It sounds like there has not, especially if Valvoline has not made any changes to their claims.

Here´s to hope that the sauce is produced in Kentucky! LOL.

I´m going to go snag the rest of what I need tomorrow and put it in my banked-up supply.

If you had purchased a week ago, you could have avoided the $7 a jug price increase at Walmart and other retailers.

 

[IndyFan]

If you had purchased a week ago, you could have avoided the $7 a jug price increase at Walmart and other retailers.

Well that just sucks.

 

[Foxtrot08]

I wouldn’t worry about that too much because with VRP it has never been about the base oil but it has been about their secret ingredient. I don’t think that ingredient has been affected by world events

I wouldn’t be too certain it’s not about the base oil.

That’s my .02.

 

[tired]

with VRP it has never been about the base oil but it has been about their secret ingredient.

This is a good point, and I think Valvoline as a whole seems to pick a base oil mix that just ensures it's not the rate-limiting step and really puts their focus on the additive package.

 

[Japanese]

With the war causing a supply disruption of base oils and additives, have we heard anything about Valvoline Restore & Protect adjusting the formulation to adapt? I know Mobil 1 has not only adjusted, but they have issued a statement about it.

A couple of things we found out:
• Valvoline lowered the zinc and phosphorous.
• Valvoline started to print a date code on the back of the jugs.
• The oil is still using the old label and is still API SP / ILSAC GF-6A.

 

[4wd]

A couple of things we found out:
• Valvoline lowered the zinc and phosphorous.
• Valvoline started to print a date code on the back of the jugs.
• The oil is still using the old label and is still API SP / ILSAC GF-6A.

So same as this?

J

Thread 'GF-7 Timing Chain Wear'

Aug 27, 2025

The Valvoline site shows this spider of GF-7 vs GF-6, and also notes "Timing chain wear protection" and "Piston cleanliness". I've used the search feature, and forgive me if I have some how missed where someone touched in this, but what exactly changed between the two specs to increase timing chain wear protection and piston cleanliness?

• Johnny248
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

• 

 

[IndyFan]

So same as this?

J

Thread 'GF-7 Timing Chain Wear'

Aug 27, 2025

The Valvoline site shows this spider of GF-7 vs GF-6, and also notes "Timing chain wear protection" and "Piston cleanliness". I've used the search feature, and forgive me if I have some how missed where someone touched in this, but what exactly changed between the two specs to increase timing chain wear protection and piston cleanliness?

• Johnny248
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

• 

That graph is fascinating. It only shows the minimum standard, though. It doesn´t tell when an oil, for example, maybe VRP, rated SP/GF6, actually performs better than the minimum in one or more areas. It´s great to understand the starting point and the improvement over the previous standards.

But it sure explains the standard well. By that graph, Mobil 1 Advanced Clean, which is GF7, is at least that strong in piston cleanliness, which is good. But I´d love to see where VRP lands...probably off the scale on that graph for that, if I had to guess.

Thanks for posting that. Really interesting!

Question...Does ¨piston cleanliness¨ have any bearing on sticking rings? Meaning, does a higher standard for piston cleanliness mean less liklihood of stuck rings?

 

[4wd]

That graph is fascinating. It only shows the minimum standard, though. It doesn´t tell when an oil, for example, maybe VRP, rated SP/GF6, actually performs better than the minimum in one or more areas. It´s great to understand the starting point and the improvement over the previous standards.

But it sure explains the standard well. By that graph, Mobil 1 Advanced Clean, which is GF7, is at least that strong in piston cleanliness, which is good. But I´d love to see where VRP lands...probably off the scale on that graph for that, if I had to guess.

Thanks for posting that. Really interesting!

Question...Does ¨piston cleanliness¨ have any bearing on sticking rings? Meaning, does a higher standard for piston cleanliness mean less liklihood of stuck rings?

Yeah, I’m going to stick with advanced clean in my GM V8 under warranty …
And I think the ESP’s are good for my 2 TGDI mills …
The Jeep will have valve train issues before anything else …

 

[IndyFan]

Yeah, I’m going to stick with advanced clean in my GM V8 under warranty …
And I think the ESP’s are good for my 2 TGDI mills …
The Jeep will have valve train issues before anything else …

I´ve got a stash of about 6 jugs of Advanced Clean, so I´ll be back to it very soon. I bought it before the formulation change from the war, along with the 2 jugs of VRP. So I´m set for awhile. LOL.

 

[4wd]

I´ve got a stash of about 6 jugs of Advanced Clean, so I´ll be back to it very soon. I bought it before the formulation change from the war, along with the 2 jugs of VRP. So I´m set for awhile. LOL.

Yes, think my 3 jugs are the PAO/GTL mix and are dexos …

 

[Japanese]

So same as this?

J

Thread 'GF-7 Timing Chain Wear'

Aug 27, 2025

The Valvoline site shows this spider of GF-7 vs GF-6, and also notes "Timing chain wear protection" and "Piston cleanliness". I've used the search feature, and forgive me if I have some how missed where someone touched in this, but what exactly changed between the two specs to increase timing chain wear protection and piston cleanliness?

• Johnny248
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Passenger Car Motor Oil (PCMO) - Gasoline Vehicles

• 

I'm still very confused and doubtful how all oils (conventional, syn. blend, and full syn.) cover the same API and ILSAC requirements?
And that's been that way for a very long time.

 

[ZeeOSix]

• The oil is still using the old label and is still API SP / ILSAC GF-6A.

The spec sheet has shown API SQ and ILSAC GF-7A for quite a while. If you contact Valvoline they will tell you the oil in those old marked jugs meets the SQ/GF-7A specs.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I'm still very confused and doubtful how all oils (conventional, syn. blend, and full syn.) cover the same API and ILSAC requirements?
And that's been that way for a very long time.

A conventional formulation may just meet the minimum spec thresholds, but a full synthetic beat it by a lot. A very well formulated oil meant to meet GF-6 may also meet GF-7 without even changing the formulation.

 

[Japanese]

A conventional formulation may just meet the minimum spec thresholds, but a full synthetic beat it by a lot. A very well formulated oil meant to meet GF-6 may also meet GF-7 without even changing the formulation.

O.K. Then why not have different ratings for conventional and full synthetic? By covering the same approvals they look equal.
One thing is for sure—there is no conventional or syn blend oil which covers the German car approvals. So, that's that.

 

[ZeeOSix]

O.K. Then why not have different ratings for conventional and full synthetic? By covering the same approvals they look equal.

It just says they all meet the same spec, not how they rank within the spec.

One thing is for sure—there is no conventional or syn blend oil which covers the German car approvals. So, that's that.

There ya go, because those are tougher specs to meet.