VRP: what tests/evidence would convince you one way or another?

[cammyfive79]

I did the first oil change to me yesterday after I purchased a 2014 Acura TSX (K24 engine) with 25k miles. Since the prior OCIs were around 7k-ish miles but 2-3 years on average I wanted to start fresh and since VRP is the talk of the forum and affordable I decided to run that along with a bottle of HPL EC30 I had lying around.

I do not have the depth of knowledge as some of you so I’m curious how I - or any of you - could be convinced in your own car that 4 OCIs worth did “work”. Since HPL EC30 is part of my initial mix and since I asked Dave on its usage in another car I used it in, I will be doing a quite short initial drain/refill 2000-ish miles from now per his recommendation and changing the filter; will be cutting open the old filter for inspection. What else, short of doing a full tear down, would be a good test/evidence for its purported effectiveness after 4 normal OCIs?

 

[dnewton3]

Well, for starters, it's not good protocol to mix two variables and then attempt to draw a conclusion on one of them ....

As for things to check:
- pull the valve covers and take some pix (subjective, but can be good anecdotally)
- pull the plugs and check compression (objective, if there's any variation from normal values and improvement happens)

 

[mt23]

A convincing test for me or display of evidence besides oil consumption changes would be seeing piston rings before and after test, say on an EJ subaru. I would remove a wrist pin access plug, rotate the engine by hand to the point of seeing the rings. Before and after pics.

 

[cammyfive79]

Well, for starters, it's not good protocol to mix two variables and then attempt to draw a conclusion on one of them ....

As for things to check:
- pull the valve covers and take some pix (subjective, but can be good anecdotally)
- pull the plugs and check compression (objective, if there's any variation from normal values and improvement happens)

Good point. I should have clarified that testing would be done after the 4th VRP OCI; only the 1st would have the HPL EC30.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

No other tests needed. Valvoline has already provided enough proof.

 

[cammyfive79]

No other tests needed. Valvoline has already provided enough proof.

I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, was just curious what the most skeptical would consider definitive proof.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, was just curious what the most skeptical would consider definitive proof.

Unless you do a tear down before and after showing the pistons, I don’t think you can sway the most skeptical folks here. Dipstick cleaning, valve cover cleaning, and less oil burning isn’t enough for the doubters

 

[TurboZedd-R]

I change the oil on my K20 that I purchased new every 3-4k miles with break in changes happening at 500 and 1500 followed by 3-4k. It started it's life on Molygen but then I had a jug leak before shipping back to FCP, so I swapped to pennzoil ultra or castrol edge gold, pending what is on rollback or my mood. At such a low mileage interval the oil isn't really "dark".

Now we all know oil color means absolutely nothing, however I am going to run R&P my next interval and see if it ends up being dark enough to show me anecdotal evidence of cleaning. I would be willing to bet just about anything the car doesn't have any carbon buildup, but maybe R&P does do what it claims and will make the engine spotless.

 

[cammyfive79]

I change the oil on my K20 that I purchased new every 3-4k miles with break in changes happening at 500 and 1500 followed by 3-4k. It started it's life on Molygen but then I had a jug leak before shipping back to FCP, so I swapped to pennzoil ultra or castrol edge gold, pending what is on rollback or my mood. At such a low mileage interval the oil isn't really "dark".

Now we all know oil color means absolutely nothing, however I am going to run R&P my next interval and see if it ends up being dark enough to show me anecdotal evidence of cleaning. I would be willing to bet just about anything the car doesn't have any carbon buildup, but maybe R&P does do what it claims and will make the engine spotless.

Right. This first OCI will only be approx 2k miles so if the color darkens considerably, that certainly could support some anecdotal evidence to follow up on.

 

[KnappAttak]

When you take a stuck oil ring engine, and go from consuming mega oil, to consuming zero oil. I'd call that a win! Also, the fact you continue to run that same engine and put many miles on it and it continues to run fine and not use oil tells me its doing what it's supped to do. After all, the previous Euro Castrol 5-40 stuck the rings in the first place making it gobble oil, (referring to our Audi Q7), now the VR&P is doing its job in cleaning up and keeping it clean from now on.

No engine disassembly needed. I don't know anyone who's going to take apart a street engine in the car for giggles anyway, I'm just saying, its not a race engine. Valvoiline already di the testing on it in there own in-house engine labs when they designed the oil. VR&P really does remove piston deposits and cleans up oil control rings and piston drawback holes of carbon. I'd love to see it in a 0-40 or 5-40 Euro spec. or grade anyway, until then I'll use it in the 5-30 flavor in our Q7 as its a know low tension oil ring sticker, and I'll do 5000 mile changes with it going forward, not the 10,000 mile Euro spec. Audi recommends.

 

[Patman]

Sadly there are quite a few members here who think that Valvoline is lying to us about the effectiveness of this oil and nothing will convince them otherwise

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

So I was thinking of the VRP as doing its job cleaning the piston ring grooves. I has been stated the formulation will effectively cleaning pistons,…..can an oil analysis show this? Would the carbon or anything spike when the deposits start to dissolve?

 

[Glenda W.]

The true test would be before and after pics of pistons. But for me a reduction in oil consumption after dealing with it for years with no change would be an indicator. I’m currently on my 4th and final oci with R&P in my oil burner. Full results will be posted in about 3800 miles. No other additives were used, just R&P at 5k intervals.

 

[4WD]

Sadly there are quite a few members here who think that Valvoline is lying to us about the effectiveness of this oil and nothing will convince them otherwise

Maybe it’s not that many - just most frequently the loudest …

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I might just pull the filter and replace at 2k then cut for inspection and base the OCI from there. The concern as I interpret is filter clogging and going to bypass. If you don't have a lot of carbon and junk in the filter then I would use the EC30/VRP for full OCI.

With only 25k and some documented 7k changes I don't think there should be too much junk.

I did that with the EC30 and other oils (not VRP) in 3 of my cars, filter swaps at 2k then full OCI for oil. The Forte with least history had most junk but that was already at like 160k. I know I posted pictures I think in the EC30 thread.

Borescope pictures through oil fill maybe if not valve cover off? Same thing through oil drain plug? Maybe you can get to see bottom of pistons?

 

[ATex7239]

I wouldn’t necessarily disagree, was just curious what the most skeptical would consider definitive proof.

The most skeptical around here wouldn’t believe it even if VL personnel did testing on their engine and God came down to independently verify the results.

 

[Hermann]

Sadly there are quite a few members here who think that Valvoline is lying to us about the effectiveness of this oil and nothing will convince them otherwise

Probably invested in the "grail oil" or because the Saudi's own it now.

 

[Bill7]

The true test would be before and after pics of pistons. But for me a reduction in oil consumption after dealing with it for years with no change would be an indicator. I’m currently on my 4th and final oci with R&P in my oil burner. Full results will be posted in about 3800 miles. No other additives were used, just R&P at 5k intervals.

Very interesting test. Please keep us posted.

I’ve noticed a trend concerning the posts on Valvoline R&P in this forum. The earlier posts were showing miracle like cleaning. But some of the later posts are showing that the 4 OCI with Valvoline R&P had disappointing results. Either the earlier posts were just the placebo effect, or perhaps Valvoline weakened their cleaning formula.

I am currently starting an HPL EC30 1:5 ratio with SuperTech HMFS 5W-30 for the next six 5,000 mile oil changes in my 2007 Honda Odyssey to try to fix an engine ticking issue. The oil cost for that is about the same as using Valvoline R&P. Just a possible alternative in case the R&P doesn’t help your oil burn situation.

 

[JohnnyG]

I change the oil on my K20 that I purchased new every 3-4k miles with break in changes happening at 500 and 1500 followed by 3-4k. It started it's life on Molygen but then I had a jug leak before shipping back to FCP, so I swapped to pennzoil ultra or castrol edge gold, pending what is on rollback or my mood. At such a low mileage interval the oil isn't really "dark".

Now we all know oil color means absolutely nothing, however I am going to run R&P my next interval and see if it ends up being dark enough to show me anecdotal evidence of cleaning. I would be willing to bet just about anything the car doesn't have any carbon buildup, but maybe R&P does do what it claims and will make the engine spotless.

It doesn't claim to make the engine spotless, just clean the pistons.

 

[TurboZedd-R]

It doesn't claim to make the engine spotless, just clean the pistons.

I didn't say it did. I said maybe it will do what it claims "which is clean" AND in turn make a new engine with suspected very little deposits spotless.