JAG
Thread starter
Results are in for M1 0W-20 EP and Castrol 0W-40. The M1 was bought within the last year and the Castrol is from around 2010-2011.
Abbreviations: M1 and Castrol
M1 basically did a repeat performance of the last test. A quite large amount of varnish was scraped off from where M1 attempted to clean the varnish spot...it did NOT dissolve the varnish well. Castrol, in the other hand, behaved like Amsoil SS 5W-20 did in the previous test: it dissolved the varnish so well that the straight razor did not scrape off any varnish. I am quite shocked and disappointed in M1 0W-20 EP. I have only tested it and two other excellent oils in this way. Maybe the M1 cleaning ability is typical of modern oils sold today and oils that clean as well as Amsoil SS 5W-20 and Castrol 0W-40 are in the small minority. Or maybe the not-so-good cleaning ability of this particular M1 is in the minority. Only way to know is test a lot of oils and I’m not going to do that but I will test some oils of particular interest to me or others here. Pics follow:
Plate after creation of varnish (from M1 0W-20 EP...did not burn) and where each fresh oil was going to go.
After 24 hours of fresh M1 oil soaking and removal of oil with throttle body cleaner. No rubbing. Before scraping with straight razor.
Likewise for Castrol.
M1. After scraping half of the varnish deposit, stopped to photograph to show that the deposit literally comes off. You can see the scraping on the edge of the razor.
M1. All varnish scraped off. Got a rather large amount on the blade’s edge.
Castrol. No varnish was there in sufficient thickness to scrape off.
Entire plate. Pile of varnish that M1 could not dissolve is visible in the picture.
Abbreviations: M1 and Castrol
M1 basically did a repeat performance of the last test. A quite large amount of varnish was scraped off from where M1 attempted to clean the varnish spot...it did NOT dissolve the varnish well. Castrol, in the other hand, behaved like Amsoil SS 5W-20 did in the previous test: it dissolved the varnish so well that the straight razor did not scrape off any varnish. I am quite shocked and disappointed in M1 0W-20 EP. I have only tested it and two other excellent oils in this way. Maybe the M1 cleaning ability is typical of modern oils sold today and oils that clean as well as Amsoil SS 5W-20 and Castrol 0W-40 are in the small minority. Or maybe the not-so-good cleaning ability of this particular M1 is in the minority. Only way to know is test a lot of oils and I’m not going to do that but I will test some oils of particular interest to me or others here. Pics follow:
Plate after creation of varnish (from M1 0W-20 EP...did not burn) and where each fresh oil was going to go.
After 24 hours of fresh M1 oil soaking and removal of oil with throttle body cleaner. No rubbing. Before scraping with straight razor.
Likewise for Castrol.
M1. After scraping half of the varnish deposit, stopped to photograph to show that the deposit literally comes off. You can see the scraping on the edge of the razor.
M1. All varnish scraped off. Got a rather large amount on the blade’s edge.
Castrol. No varnish was there in sufficient thickness to scrape off.
Entire plate. Pile of varnish that M1 could not dissolve is visible in the picture.