Anyone used or tested Napa 15w40?

[MoreCowbellAz]

I've been using Rotella 15w40 for some time in all my bikes, Harley, CRF450 dirt bike, and road race bikes. I happened to see the new O'Reilly ad with Rotella at $14/gal, and also the Valvoline Premium Blue for $13/gal. Cool, thought maybe I may try some next OCI. Then I saw over at Napa their 15w40 for $10/gal. I did a little digging and what I did manage to find suggests that oil is well regarded but I can't find much in the way of bike UOA's or many direct user accounts or comparisons. I figured if anyone Sunruh would've sampled some but if so I'm not finding it.

What say you?

 

[FastGame]

I thought all Napa oil is/was re-bottled Valvoline, I'm I wrong ?

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

I heard that too, just never saw anything conclusive. The price is right, that's for sure.

 

[FastGame]

I use Rotella in my bikes and I think the price is right on that.

 

[Jimzz]

I have used it and worked fine.

And yes its made by Ashland, same company that owns/makes Valvoline oil. Its written on the napa bottle.

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Any idea what the difference is between their two 15w40 oils? Both are CJ-4, one says diesel the other says "diesel and gasoline mixed fuel operator", at $16/gal and $10/gal respectively. Their info on the web site is limited.

 

[Jimzz]

Here's a 2013 test of the Napa oil...
http://www.pqiamerica.com/May 2013/NAPA1540.htm

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

Originally Posted By: Jimzz
Here's a 2013 test of the Napa oil...
http://www.pqiamerica.com/May 2013/NAPA1540.htm


That's really interesting, thanks. I see there's no JASO spec listed, but my understanding is that may not mean it's not safe with wet clutches. I see Delo doesn't list it either.

 

[6starprez]

That link is outdated now. That was from here:

http://www.pqiamerica.com/March2013PCMO/HDEO SUMMARYrev2.html


The link of newer test results doesn't include a NAPA brand but it may have less additives like the others:

http://www.pqiamerica.com/June 2014/consolidated HDEO 2015.html

 

[Cardenio327]

I used it for 7 years in an old Ford pickup when it was $24.10 a bucket. When the price went up I started getting the same stuff at Carquest.

It's oil, it meets spec. Weak sauce Valvoline that is just a little bit weaker than the regular Valvoline. All the cars I have used Napa oil in started leaking oil everywhere after years of use. Maybe it caused the leaks, or maybe it didn't, who knows. I called Ashland asking about Napa oils in 1995 and the annoyed engineer that finally took my call said they used the same additive pack as Valvoline. I think he also said it was made from a percentage of recycled oil, but that may have been a rumor I heard while I worked at a Napa store. I used Napa oil almost exclusively for 12 years, they were great except for the leaking. I don't see myself using them ever again.

 

[BikeWhisperer]

Originally Posted By: FastGame
I thought all Napa oil is/was re-bottled Valvoline, I'm I wrong ?


Yes it is from Ashland Inc. which is the parent company of Valvoline...however VOA's that I have seen on a few of their products indicate that Valvoline and Napa oils use a different additive package so I wouldn't go so far as to call it "re-bottled Valvoline".