Red Line oil

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It was my understanding that they were purchased by ConocoPhillips...but even if that's true you probably won't find that on their website.
 
Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Red Line was purchased recently, but not by Shell. I think it was ConocoPhillips.


Phillips 66, which was spun off from ConocoPhillips a few years ago. ConocoPhillips is now strictly an exploration company. Well - to be more specific, Red Line was bought by Spectrum, and then Phillips 66 bought Spectrum.

http://investor.phillips66.com/investors...er/default.aspx

I'm wondering if they're going to change them much. Although they had their own bottle shapes, Red Line always had the feel of some sort of home-brew outfit. I know they were competent, but it always felt kind of like a mom and pop operation.
 
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Although they had their own bottle shapes


Which BTW, suck for dispensing oil (needs a wider mouth); if the mother ship changes anything, start and end there. lol
 
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Originally Posted By: SKVenture
I hope they continue to allow the engineers at Redline to do what they do best.

Really? I don't the lubricant developers at Red Line are necessarily any better than at the major oil companies. I'd think they probably have fewer resources at their disposal than a multibillion dollar oil company. However, they have a niche that the major oil companies generally don't want to serve.
 
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: SKVenture
I hope they continue to allow the engineers at Redline to do what they do best.

Really? I don't the lubricant developers at Red Line are necessarily any better than at the major oil companies. I'd think they probably have fewer resources at their disposal than a multibillion dollar oil company. However, they have a niche that the major oil companies generally don't want to serve.


Any better? No. I would agree not better. I did not say that though.

They can do things others can't at the "major" companies.

Resources available are for not when your tasked with building a product to meet a price point as a primary factor of development.

This is my opinion! Not stating facts here!
 
Originally Posted By: subzerospeed
Ya i hope that Redline continues to produce solid ester-based oils.


solid oils CONTAINING ester...could also be "solid zinc based oils"
 
Originally Posted By: SKVenture
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Originally Posted By: SKVenture
I hope they continue to allow the engineers at Redline to do what they do best.

Really? I don't the lubricant developers at Red Line are necessarily any better than at the major oil companies. I'd think they probably have fewer resources at their disposal than a multibillion dollar oil company. However, they have a niche that the major oil companies generally don't want to serve.


Any better? No. I would agree not better. I did not say that though.

They can do things others can't at the "major" companies.

Resources available are for not when your tasked with building a product to meet a price point as a primary factor of development.

This is my opinion! Not stating facts here!



Im not going to explain how the oil blending business works again, but these types of posts indicate you have no idea, whatsoever. But everyone falls for the marketing the ad agencies put out.
 
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Redline's user base is their lab. They have exposure to pro teams running week in and week out and they find out early when things go awry. That is not what most big oil companies do (track race teams across the country) ...

Most of the big refiners (if they are involved in racing) are in a few series/classes. They track sponsored team results. It's a slightly different take ...

Redline's method exposes them to some builds that are more bizarre, or out there, like twin turbo's with NOS which can be making ferocious rod loads about 3/4 track (drag racing). Getting a look at how the bearings hold up is key to tweaking the oil products ...
 
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Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Redline's user base is their lab. They have exposure to pro teams running week in and week out and they find out early when things go awry.

Redline's method exposes them to some builds that are more bizarre, or out there, like twin turbo's with NOS which can be making ferocious rod loads about 3/4 track (drag racing). Getting a look at how the bearings hold up is key to tweaking the oil products ...


+1

I began calling on Red Line over 30 years ago and at one time knew the founders very well. We sold them quite a bit of polyol esters back then. What attracted me to them was their relationships with racing pit crews and mechanics, giving them the ability to be present during tear downs and observe the immediate effects of formulation changes. I was also impressed by the stacks of praise and endorsements they had from top racers, piled high in their office and not used for marketing. I appreciated their willingness to pay more (a lot more) for the highest performing ingredients. They embraced new higher performance POEs without asking about the price, very rare in this industry, and did most of their own formulating with guidance from additive companies and racing feedback.

Companies change over time and I can't speak for the Red Line of today as I have been retired for 10 years, but there remains a warm spot in my heart for them. They were a refreshing stand out in a sea of profit driven marketers.

TomNJ/VA
 
Originally Posted By: Tom NJ
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Redline's user base is their lab. They have exposure to pro teams running week in and week out and they find out early when things go awry.

Redline's method exposes them to some builds that are more bizarre, or out there, like twin turbo's with NOS which can be making ferocious rod loads about 3/4 track (drag racing). Getting a look at how the bearings hold up is key to tweaking the oil products ...


+1

I began calling on Red Line over 30 years ago and at one time knew the founders very well. We sold them quite a bit of polyol esters back then. What attracted me to them was their relationships with racing pit crews and mechanics, giving them the ability to be present during tear downs and observe the immediate effects of formulation changes. I was also impressed by the stacks of praise and endorsements they had from top racers, piled high in their office and not used for marketing. I appreciated their willingness to pay more (a lot more) for the highest performing ingredients. They embraced new higher performance POEs without asking about the price, very rare in this industry, and did most of their own formulating with guidance from additive companies and racing feedback.

Companies change over time and I can't speak for the Red Line of today as I have been retired for 10 years, but there remains a warm spot in my heart for them. They were a refreshing stand out in a sea of profit driven marketers.

TomNJ/VA

I have a soft spot because they're local. They used to be located in Martinez, which is where I've been for jury duty. They're in Benecia now, which is just across the Carquinez Strait. However, I suppose Chevron is local too, with its HQ in San Ramon and the lubricant division at the Richmond refinery. I don't know how "local" a big multinational oil company could really be.

I did like how back in the 90s I contacted Red Line and I had a rep answer every single question I had.

I've only used their gear oils and fuel additives. Their engine oils seemed to reflect the price is no object philosophy that your post indicates. However, other than racing use or extended OCI, I never saw the point of spending that much on motor oil. They also never got any API certs for anything, which can be a deal breaker with many potential customers. They did have interesting gear oils. Many felt uncomfortable using engine oil in Honda manual transmissions, and MTL seemed like a reasonable answer to the issue of synchro engagement. It took Honda a few years before they came up with their own dedicated manual transmission fluid. Then their 75W90NS seemed like a good way to handle the issue of LSD additives affecting performance in GL-5 spec'ed manual transmissions. SI-1 was the only fuel additive I recall that had a maintenance dose rather than recommending dumping the entire bottle. I also had a local source that sold it for less than $4 a bottle.

I understand that the owners sold the business because they were looking forward to retirement. I didn't mean to denigrate their development people, but I was just thinking that the technical competence of any major oil company's tribologists is probably such that they could pretty much do what Red Line did if given the same mission. I'm thinking Shell's Formula 1 program may be the most advanced racing lubricant program anywhere, but it's questionable how much that benefits the local, unsponsered racer.

They certainly haven't tried to look like they're anything but a small operation, although I'm sure they're pretty big. Their bottle labels look like something ordered from the local printer and glued on by hand. I'm pretty sure they could have gone to silk screened labels or at least die cut labels, but never did.
 
To me, Redline is the go-to source for lubrication when you have to. If I can get good service from a big refiners products, I'll go that way.

But rear-end gears take a beating in drag racing and Redline's products are second to none.

MTL is a god-send to some tranny's.

And their racing engine oils - hey if you have a $25,000 engine trying to tear itself apart, a few $ more for oil is nothing ...

You (I) don't go there (Redline) unless I need to. but when I do, they ALWAYS come through.

I suspect that Phillips 66 will be bringing back their racing oil division and Redline will help them get their act together there. If they can do it right (?), they can two-tier it and have Phillips Racing oils for most markets (volume) and Redline for folks who just have to have the best for some application.

I agree that most street cars do not come close to needing their stuff. But sometimes ...
laugh.gif
 
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I guess part of their appeal is that they're different. Kind of like Amsoil, they might fudge with the specs a bit, with the rationale that full compliance means some sort of compromise. However, part of the appeal to some is that expensive or quirky must be better. But for street vehicles, I don't really see the point. However, I'm pretty sure that's where their bread is buttered, judging by the Red line stickers I see on Honda Civics, etc.

I was OK with the higher prices on their transmission lubes, since that's a fairly long change interval.

I get that their racing participation is what gets them publicity without having to heavily advertise. The main issue I have with that kind of marketing is that the average user isn't really getting what's used in a racing application. However, that's the same for any manufacturer. Those are specialty lubricants, and it's just basking in the glow of the high visibility label, even though it barely has any resemblance to what goes into street vehicles. It's kind of what people have said about golf equipment. The pro is using equipment that's nowhere near what the weekend golfer should be using. But they carry the same brand name. Or outdoor equipment. I remember one of the big outdoor clothing company CEOs was saying that their roots were in hardcore expedition-level gear, but they ended up making their money with "lifestyle" clothes and equipment that will most likely never even be used on a dirt trail.

I'm not a racer. I only occasionally push my car to the limit, and I'm sure some weekend racers might even disagree with that. I get a good quality motor oil from WM and call it a day.
 
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