Valvoline oils-Any good?

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Thanks Johnnydc. I couldn't help it.
I just love that scene in Goodfellas.
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Originally Posted By: Dually
To me they seem to be a smaller oil company compared to Mobil and Pennzoil.I don't hear much about their products.
Wow! Valvoline is a huge company and has been in business for decades. I'd guess that Valvoline is one of the biggest.

I just found this on their site.

When was Valvoline Founded?

Valvoline was founded by Dr. John Ellis who formulated a petroleum-based lubricant in 1866 and trademarked the Valvoline name in 1873 in Binghamton, NY.



And this.

How large a company is Valvoline?

Valvoline reported $1.4 billion in sales in 2009. Best known for its lubricants, Valvoline also markets Eagle One® appearance products, Car Brite® car restoration products, Zerex® antifreeze, SynPower® performance products, Pyroil® automotive chemicals and MaxLife® products created for higher-mileage engines. Valvoline also has a stake in the quick-lube market with its Valvoline Instant Oil Change® unit, the second largest quick lube chain in the U.S. with some 900 service centers.
 
Based on browsing the discussions here, and some UOAs, I got the following idea:

Valvoline Premium Conventional and NextGen Conventional:

This is an average conventional oil. Neither bad nor exceptionally good. UOAs tend to be good. Keep the OCI at 5,000 miles or less due to poor TBN, or take a UOA.

Maxlife and Maxlife NextGen:

Slightly thicker than Valvoline conventional oils of the same grade. Better than average additive pack with good starting TBN. Exotic additives like Moly and Boron. A good amount of synthetic base used in the oil (this used to be officially called synthetic blend oil). OCI can be usually extended way past 5,000 miles. Good UOAs. Many reports claiming slowed or eliminated oil consumption.

Durablend:

No one seems to be using this. Seems like Maxlife with a weaker additive pack.

Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).
 
Originally Posted By: johnnydc
Originally Posted By: johnnydc
Valvoline is a good quality lubricant. Been using it for 20+ years with good results. Clean inside, no blowed up engines. The only con is it is not a extended drain oil.
Off subject. Beast3300, do you race them there 2 Buicks on a weekly basis?

Sorry, I see one is a Pontiac. It's a shame GM dumped the Pontiac brand. I thought they were nice lookin' cars.



I loved Pontiac. They should have dropped GMC instead!

As for Valvoline, they are my favorite. Good stuff, check out Max Life.
 
Valvoline has a oil recommendation area on their web page. You enter your vehicle information and they make their recommendation.

I drive a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI with the CBEA engine. My car calls for a VW 507.00 low SAPS oil exclusively. One viscosity, one formulation - PERIOD.

Valvoline's web page says to use their 15W-40 premium blue simply because it's a diesel engine.

When I questioned Valvoline I learned that they get their technical information from AllData and not directly from the manufacturer. I got the AllData information for my car, sent it directly to the manager over this area of the company, and they still refuse to make the correct recommendation for my car.

There are some internal issues at Valvoline. I have no doubt their products are excellent,, but don't expect competence if you need to speak to someone about a technical issue.

To this day Valvoline still recommends the improper product for the common-rail Volkswagen and refuses to comply with VW's standards. They do make a 507.00 oil but it just isn't sold in North America. Unlike other companies that don't sell the proper product, Valvoline prefers to make a inaccurate recommendation rather than tell the consumer they don't have a product that meets their needs.

So, I choose not to do business with companies like this.
 
VWB did well in both of our Mercury Grand Marquis, I will no doubt use Valvoline agian when my stash of Havoline runs out.
 
I have used many Valvoline oils from time to time. Between Valvoline White Bottle(VWB) and DuraBlend to MaxLife and they have all served me well.
 
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).

True that TBN has been lower than comparable competitors, but that doesn't necessarily tell the full story from what I understand. According to Blackstone, as they noted in my SynPower UOA, "That's mainly due to the differences in the calcium level."
 
I don't always use conventional oil but when i do it's Valvoline...stay lubricated my friends.
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Valvoline is a top notch oil, have used many quarts in the past. It was my oil of choice through the 90's and actually up until a couple years ago when i started using a majority of synthetic. If i were to switch back to conventional it would be back to VWB.
 
Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).[/quote]


i wouldnt jump to say it isnt as good. is it meant for a 10-15k mile drain, certainly not. it does however protect just as good or better than most according to UOA's here.

Most people will change their oil before 10k miles, and so i believe valvoline has created an oil that provides low wear without using excessive additives, that most people are going to waste by changing early anyway.

M1 and the others do have a superior add pack on paper, and longer drain capability, however this does not mean they protect better than synpower, but that they can provide deposit control and performance longer.

on a typical 3-8k OCI, which most people use, i believe synpower will provide just as good of protection or better than M1, Amsoil, castrol ect. from reading UOA here this is the conclusion i have come too.

However, if a long drain 8k+ OCI is what you are after then M1, Amsoil, Castrol, PP/PU are more than likely superior in the longer drain.

bottom line According to UOA's, Weak add pack or not, Synpower is doing what and oil is supposed to do, provide minimal engine wear, and this it does very very well.
 
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IRON 9
CHROMIUM 1
LEAD 0
COPPER 6
TIN 2
ALUMINUM 6
NICKEL 1
SILVER 0
SILICON 15
BORON 91
SODIUM 10
MAGNESIUM 16
MANGANESE 1
CALCIUM 3712
BARIUM 0
PHOS 733
ZINC 778
MOLY 157
TITANIUM 0
POTASSIUM 11
FUEL VIS 100 9.69
WATER 0
COOLANT 0
TBN 3.4
This is Amsoil 5/30 ss. Not saying it's not good. But I don't see anything stellar about this uoa with only 6500 miles on it. PC or not, it's costly and I really don't see that much of an advantage by these numbers versus other otc oils. Just my opinion. Right, Valvoline is not a extended drain oil. That's for sure. But the wear numbers show good wear control.
 
Aluminum - 4
Chromium - 1
Iron - 17
Copper - 2
Lead - 0
Tin - 0
Molybdenum - 104
Nickel - 0
Manganese - 0
Silver - 0
Titanium - 0
Potassium - 1
Boron - 65
Silicon - 14
Sodium - 6
Calcium - 2201
Magnesium - 282
Phosphorus - 764
Zinc - 862
Barium - 2

SUS Viscosity @ 210°F - 59.2
cSt Viscosity @ 100°C - 9.98
Flashpoint in °F - 410
Fuel % - Antifreeze % - 0%
Water % - 0%
Insolubles % - 0.3%

Here's Mobil 1 5/30 with 7000miles. I like Mobil products but again , Nothing stellar here either. I see more wear metals in this than most Valvoline uoa's.
 
It's good just like other major brand. It is AWESOME if you are willing to go through the rebates to get it cheap / near free.
 
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Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Quote:
Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).



i wouldnt jump to say it isnt as good. is it meant for a 10-15k mile drain, certainly not. it does however protect just as good or better than most according to UOA's here.


I'd gladly buy synpower on an unusually good sale, but as is, I don't see the value here. If Synpower has a weaker additive than M1 or Castrol Edge, why should it be used even for short OCI considering that M1 or Castrol cost the same? I didn't get impression that Synpower protects any better than other major brand synthetics even for medium to short sized OCI. Most people who don't demand longer OCI will probably just use conventional oil anyways.
 
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Originally Posted By: 2KBMW
Thanks Johnnydc. I couldn't help it.
I just love that scene in Goodfellas.
cheers3.gif
08.gif
34.gif




Joe played quite a roll in that movie. Great movie!
 
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Quote:
Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).



i wouldnt jump to say it isnt as good. is it meant for a 10-15k mile drain, certainly not. it does however protect just as good or better than most according to UOA's here.


I'd gladly buy synpower on an unusually good sale, but as is, I don't see the value here. If Synpower has a weaker additive than M1 or Castrol Edge, why should it be used even for short OCI considering that M1 or Castrol cost the same? I didn't get impression that Synpower protects any better than other major brand synthetics even for medium to short sized OCI. Most people who don't demand longer OCI will probably just use conventional oil anyways.


That is the downside to a competitor like SynPower from Valvoline.

There is no huge reason to choose it when it doesn't seem extra special and is probably not as easy to find as the big names. Furthermore, being a bit harder to find, means it's harder to find on sale.

As sad as it is (not so sad to me because I like the product), that is what makes Mobil 1 such a draw. Everyone has it, so you can choose the cheapest place when you need it.

On the other side, when considering high mileage oils for another top of vehicle, Valvoline Maxlife *is* very common and often on sale, so it's a good default in that category.
 
Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
jonnydc - It is unfortunate that you have posted UOAs in this Forum! There is a Forum for UOAs!!


What's the big deal? I just wanted to help give some information on this subject so the op can see how other oils perform. Some of you folks on this board get your feathers ruffled to easily. Lighten up Francis
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Valvoline worked with Lubrizol to create a new form of ZDP called Hyper ZDP. They also introduced their NextGen recycled oil, which I think is a great idea.

From a quality standpoint, they are top notch other than long drains. They appear to use very good additive packages and their oils have historically shown very good wear control.

I'd like to see Synpower boosted more for long drains. It's a very good oil now and probably as good as any other than longer drain intervals.

I don't think it's quite as good as Mobil 1 in very high temperature situations.

Quote:
While Valvoline’s formulations are a trade secret Valvoline has at its disposal, Group III, Group III+, Group IV (PAO) and various Group V base oils and we use these as appropriate to meet our high standards. Valvoline is free to choose whatever base oils and additives we desire to meet our performance goals. Many of our competitors, due to corporate affiliations may not have this freedom. The processes during re-refining eliminate almost all of the used and unused additives and contaminants that are present in the used oil, leaving only the good lubricating oil molecules as the output. At Valvoline, very strict quality standards are established to ensure the re-srefined oils we use are of or above the desired quality.
 
Originally Posted By: Ayrton
Originally Posted By: Zako2
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Quote:
Synpower: Poor TBN retention seen in UOAs helped to form a consensus that this is not as good as competing synthetic motor oils (Mobil 1, Castrol, etc).



i wouldnt jump to say it isnt as good. is it meant for a 10-15k mile drain, certainly not. it does however protect just as good or better than most according to UOA's here.


I'd gladly buy synpower on an unusually good sale, but as is, I don't see the value here. If Synpower has a weaker additive than M1 or Castrol Edge, why should it be used even for short OCI considering that M1 or Castrol cost the same? I didn't get impression that Synpower protects any better than other major brand synthetics even for medium to short sized OCI. Most people who don't demand longer OCI will probably just use conventional oil anyways.


That is the downside to a competitor like SynPower from Valvoline.

There is no huge reason to choose it when it doesn't seem extra special and is probably not as easy to find as the big names. Furthermore, being a bit harder to find, means it's harder to find on sale.

As sad as it is (not so sad to me because I like the product), that is what makes Mobil 1 such a draw. Everyone has it, so you can choose the cheapest place when you need it.

On the other side, when considering high mileage oils for another top of vehicle, Valvoline Maxlife *is* very common and often on sale, so it's a good default in that category.



I think regardless, people will choose Mobil 1. 90% of the consumers do not study or have a wealth of knowledge on oil add packs, and the technical data. they do however see M1 advertised well, and being factory filled in many cars. M1 is also usually the biggest section at WM or most major stores, along with PYB. this alone leads people to buy it over Valvoline or QS or any other excellent brand.

the point is, if Synpower's add pack was spectacular and built for a 15k mile drain, it still wouldn't outsell M1.

The point i made in a previous post was that in the normal drain interval Synpower will protect just as good as M1. is it a better value? no. M1 is a better value, because it will hold up longer add pack wise. however, in a typical 3-8k mile drain Synpower has proven that it is highly competitive at minimizing engine wear.
 
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