Valvoline Restore & Protect

Went by WM this afternoon and thought I'd give VL R&P a try in the truck (22 F150, 2.7 ecoboost, 40k mi).

The "service writer" tried to tell me he couldn't put it in my truck because it's not Dexos certified... and that Pennz Plat was "better" as it was featured as their "best" option. After some hemming and hawing, I have a sump full of R&P and an XG11955.
Dexos for a ford…? Hmm
 
No, my truck is a fine product of the Ford Motor Company, so no GM Dexos requirement/recommendation. Only mention in the manual is WSS-M2C961-A1, which is of course on the back of the jug (or 963-A1 for 'extremely cold climates').

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While I commend the young gentleman at Walmart for making sure that vehicles that recommend Dexos oils get Dexos, I found it funny that he thought my Ford was a vehicle that called for Dexos oil.
Many are young with very minimal "on the job training" who have not many to help educate them. Especially working at places like QuickieLubes or WalMart Tires & Auto. Not thier fault. Plus those places have a tough time retaining good workers due to hard working conditions with minimal pay rates. Soon as a guy learns enough and decides to stay in that line of work, it is off to a dealership or a better paying employer.
 
Went by WM this afternoon and thought I'd give VL R&P a try in the truck (22 F150, 2.7 ecoboost, 40k mi).

The "service writer" tried to tell me he couldn't put it in my truck because it's not Dexos certified... and that Pennz Plat was "better" as it was featured as their "best" option. After some hemming and hawing, I have a sump full of R&P and an XG11955.

That when you say, "Sir, I'm at a Walmart getting an oil change. Look around. I'm standing in line with a man shoplifting meat and a pregnant woman chain smoking. Can we stop pretending this is a Koenigsegg?"
 
Many are young with very minimal "on the job training" who have not many to help educate them. Especially working at places like QuickieLubes or WalMart Tires & Auto. Not thier fault. Plus those places have a tough time retaining good workers due to hard working conditions with minimal pay rates. Soon as a guy learns enough and decides to stay in that line of work, it is off to a dealership or a better paying employer.
Of course. The bar is low, but all things considered, the folks at the WM store did a good enough job while I shopped for diapers and baby formula, and didn't wreck my (non-GM) truck, so I will call it a win. I'm glad they were being overly cautious, even if incorrect, shows that they are at least doing _some_ form of training. One of these days I'll just start doing OCIs myself... probably once extended warranty is out. For now, WM seems to do the trick just fine... using the VL R&P product.
 
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It could just be the valve stem seals, basically when they go bad it can allow oil to drain down onto the pistons and when you start it there's a cloud of smoke from the exhaust, when the engine burns away the excess oil it clears up and typically happens on vehicles that have been sitting for awhile. If you have an inspection camera you could try removing the plugs after it has been sitting for awhile to see if the pistons have oil on top of them.
Could be, but I don't think so. There is something that I did not mention, but I do have my reasons for suspecting clogged turbo drainback.
I found traces of clean oil in the intake tract right after the turbo, as well as the intercooler. I mean if it was valve stem seals alone, I wouldn't be finding oil before the combustion chamber, correct ?
 
Could be, but I don't think so. There is something that I did not mention, but I do have my reasons for suspecting clogged turbo drainback.
I found traces of clean oil in the intake tract right after the turbo, as well as the intercooler. I mean if it was valve stem seals alone, I wouldn't be finding oil before the combustion chamber, correct ?
PCV.
 
Many are young with very minimal "on the job training" who have not many to help educate them. Especially working at places like QuickieLubes or WalMart Tires & Auto. Not thier fault. Plus those places have a tough time retaining good workers due to hard working conditions with minimal pay rates. Soon as a guy learns enough and decides to stay in that line of work, it is off to a dealership or a better paying employer.
This was in no way meant to belittle the young workers. Its just sad that now a days they have far less opportunity to learn many mechanical skills that a lot of us older guys were able to be exposed to growing up. There was always someone working on cars or there was even so many part time jobs every where for young men to pick up skills in the 60s / 70s / 80s. Seems like from the early 90s on when so many jobs were exported right out of North America to the rest of the world that opportunity to exposure / learning of many crafts without going to dedicated schools has been lost. There are still places to learn the crafts but not like once was so easily available. Lots of managers at places tell me they offer all sorts of sign on bonuses and specific "paid for" training to folks who want to learn YET they have lots of trouble finding candidates who will sign up for that. SHAME.....
 
On the bandwagon. For my son's Focus next change. Signed up and submitted my receipt for my $5 back.

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Same. Just finished a 3k mile run of HPL EC30 in my parents 14 Outback and put 5 quarts of R&P in this morning. The engine hasn’t had any issues, I just figure after 10 years and 168k miles it wouldn’t hurt to try some cleaning.

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My son's car, which was my car, has ~135K on it/had it 12 years. I figured why not, it's only a few more bucks over ST or QS and may be a good thing for it.
 
I made the mistake of accumulating a huge oil stash, over 3 years worth of Full Synthetic High Mileage 5W-30 oil.
The reason this was a mistake is you never know when some new unforseen oil breakthrough will occur (like Valvoline Restore and Protect), and you have to wait 3 years to deplete your stash before it makes sence to buy more oil.
I see what you're saying!

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@K24

is that a factory k24 head? Reminds me of my b16 head.
It's an RBC intake manifold that i once planned to install onto my K24. Semi abandonned that plan now that the car is nearing 500k km and perhaps only runs 1000km per summer.

The piston to the left is from a 2.4l Toyota Sludge Monster and the piston and rod are from a 3.5l direct injected 2016 Tacoma that decided to operate one of it's DI injector in blowtorch mode. The cat failed on that side, the DI injector literally melted the piston into the bore and that one broke in the ringland. Presumably due to expansion from the neighboring cylinder and clogged cat.

By chance, it's not happening often!
 
It's an RBC intake manifold that i once planned to install onto my K24. Semi abandonned that plan now that the car is nearing 500k km and perhaps only runs 1000km per summer.

The piston to the left is from a 2.4l Toyota Sludge Monster and the piston and rod are from a 3.5l direct injected 2016 Tacoma that decided to operate one of it's DI injector in blowtorch mode. The cat failed on that side, the DI injector literally melted the piston into the bore and that one broke in the ringland. Presumably due to expansion from the neighboring cylinder and clogged cat.

By chance, it's not happening often!
Nice I was running a skunk2 until I blew a connecting rod through the side of my block. Dumped 4 qts of oil in 50ft in the road
 
Did the third drain of R&P on my 2013 BMW X5. There is a noticeable amount of carbon in the filter. There was also slivers of non-ferrous metal that I don’t recall seeing before. I should send off a sample to Blackstone for analysis. Hopefully everything is okay.

My oil consumption went from needing to add a quart after 4000 miles to not needing to add anything during the entire 5000 mile interval. So, it’s definitely doing something.

On to the fourth run. I’m supposed to have a spotless engine now, right?

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