This was a film strength test run by 540 RAT over at Speedtalk.com. He used an oil load carrying capacity/film strength” tester to test 44 motor oils. The psi each oil supported was calculated, yielding the value of its load carrying capacity/film strength.
All oils were tested at 230 degrees F.
I have excerpted below but here is the link to the full write-up: Film Strength Test
Please note: I'm aware that this was posted once before on here. However, I'm posting it now simply to discuss the film strength measurements and to consider whether they do or do not demonstrate anything of value.
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Some questions for discussion on BITOG
--- Isn't greater film strength better?
--- If one oil tests higher for film strength than another, then at the very least, shouldn't these results be considered relationally valid? If not, please explain why you feel that way?
--- Regular Mobil 1 5W-30 had a film strength of 105,875 psi while Mobil 1 5W-30 EP only had a film strength of 83,263 psi. Anyone find that surprising?
Here are the results he came up with:
1. 5W30 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM = 115,612 psi
(No API SN available for this test)
2. 10W30 Lucas Racing Only = 106,505 psi
3. *** 5W30 Mobil 1, API SN = 105,875 psi
4. 0W30 Amsoil Signature Series 25,000 miles, API SN = 105,008 psi
5. 10W30 Valvoline NSL (Not Street Legal) Conventional Racing Oil = 103,846 psi
6. 5W50 Motorcraft, API SN = 103,517 psi
7. 10W30 Valvoline VR1 Conventional Racing Oil (silver bottle) = 103,505 psi
8. 10W30 Valvoline VR1 Synthetic Racing Oil, API SL (black bottle) = 101,139 psi
9. 5W30 Chevron Supreme conventional, API SN = 100,011 psi
10. 5W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 99,983 psi
11. 20W50 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 96,514 psi
12. 30 wt Red Line Race Oil = 96,470 psi
13. 0W20 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy, API SN = 96,364 psi
14. 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability, API SN = 95,920 psi
15. 5W30 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 95,717 psi
16. 10W30 Joe Gibbs XP3 Racing Oil = 95,543 psi
17. 5W20 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 95,543 psi
18. 5W30 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 95,392 psi
19. 10W30 Amsoil Z-Rod Oil = 95,360 psi
20. 5W30 Valvoline SynPower, API SN = 94,942 psi
21. 5W30 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 94,744 psi
22. 5W20 Mobil 1, API SN = 94,663 psi
23. 5W20 Valvoline SynPower, API SN = 94,460 psi
24. 5W30 Lucas conventional, API SN = 92,073 psi
25. 5W30 O'Reilly (house brand) conventional, API SN = 91,433 psi
26. 5W30 Red Line, API SN = 91,028 psi
27. 5W20 Royal Purple API SN = 90,434 psi
28. 5W20 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 90,144 psi
29. 30 wt Castrol Heavy Duty conventional, API SM = 88,089
30. 10W30 Joe Gibbs HR4 Hotrod Oil = 86,270 psi
31. 5W20 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM = 86,034 psi
(No API SN available at test time)
32. 5W30 Royal Purple API SN = 84,009 psi
33. 20W50 Royal Purple API SN = 83,487 psi
34. *** 5W30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15,000 mile, API SN = 83,263 psi
35. 0W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 82,867 psi
36. 5W30 Royal Purple XPR (Extreme Performance Racing) = 74,860 psi
37. Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 Nitro 70 Racing Oil (semi-synthetic) = 72,003 psi
38. 0W30 Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 (semi-synthetic) = 71,377 psi
39. 10W30 Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 (semi-synthetic) = 71,206 psi
40. 15W50 Mobil 1, API SN = 70,235 psi
41. 5W30 Motorcraft, API SN = 68,782 psi
42. 10W30 Royal Purple HPS (High Performance Street) = 66,211 psi
43. 10W40 Valvoline 4 Stroke Motorcycle Oil conventional, API SJ = 65,553 psi
44. Royal Purple 10W30 Break-In Oil conventional = 62,931 psi
All oils were tested at 230 degrees F.
I have excerpted below but here is the link to the full write-up: Film Strength Test
Please note: I'm aware that this was posted once before on here. However, I'm posting it now simply to discuss the film strength measurements and to consider whether they do or do not demonstrate anything of value.
------------------------------------------------------------
Some questions for discussion on BITOG
--- Isn't greater film strength better?
--- If one oil tests higher for film strength than another, then at the very least, shouldn't these results be considered relationally valid? If not, please explain why you feel that way?
--- Regular Mobil 1 5W-30 had a film strength of 105,875 psi while Mobil 1 5W-30 EP only had a film strength of 83,263 psi. Anyone find that surprising?
Here are the results he came up with:
1. 5W30 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM = 115,612 psi
(No API SN available for this test)
2. 10W30 Lucas Racing Only = 106,505 psi
3. *** 5W30 Mobil 1, API SN = 105,875 psi
4. 0W30 Amsoil Signature Series 25,000 miles, API SN = 105,008 psi
5. 10W30 Valvoline NSL (Not Street Legal) Conventional Racing Oil = 103,846 psi
6. 5W50 Motorcraft, API SN = 103,517 psi
7. 10W30 Valvoline VR1 Conventional Racing Oil (silver bottle) = 103,505 psi
8. 10W30 Valvoline VR1 Synthetic Racing Oil, API SL (black bottle) = 101,139 psi
9. 5W30 Chevron Supreme conventional, API SN = 100,011 psi
10. 5W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 99,983 psi
11. 20W50 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 96,514 psi
12. 30 wt Red Line Race Oil = 96,470 psi
13. 0W20 Mobil 1 Advanced Fuel Economy, API SN = 96,364 psi
14. 5W30 Quaker State Ultimate Durability, API SN = 95,920 psi
15. 5W30 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 95,717 psi
16. 10W30 Joe Gibbs XP3 Racing Oil = 95,543 psi
17. 5W20 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 95,543 psi
18. 5W30 Castrol GTX conventional, API SN = 95,392 psi
19. 10W30 Amsoil Z-Rod Oil = 95,360 psi
20. 5W30 Valvoline SynPower, API SN = 94,942 psi
21. 5W30 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 94,744 psi
22. 5W20 Mobil 1, API SN = 94,663 psi
23. 5W20 Valvoline SynPower, API SN = 94,460 psi
24. 5W30 Lucas conventional, API SN = 92,073 psi
25. 5W30 O'Reilly (house brand) conventional, API SN = 91,433 psi
26. 5W30 Red Line, API SN = 91,028 psi
27. 5W20 Royal Purple API SN = 90,434 psi
28. 5W20 Valvoline Premium Conventional, API SN = 90,144 psi
29. 30 wt Castrol Heavy Duty conventional, API SM = 88,089
30. 10W30 Joe Gibbs HR4 Hotrod Oil = 86,270 psi
31. 5W20 Pennzoil Ultra, API SM = 86,034 psi
(No API SN available at test time)
32. 5W30 Royal Purple API SN = 84,009 psi
33. 20W50 Royal Purple API SN = 83,487 psi
34. *** 5W30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance 15,000 mile, API SN = 83,263 psi
35. 0W20 Castrol Edge with Titanium, API SN = 82,867 psi
36. 5W30 Royal Purple XPR (Extreme Performance Racing) = 74,860 psi
37. Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 Nitro 70 Racing Oil (semi-synthetic) = 72,003 psi
38. 0W30 Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 (semi-synthetic) = 71,377 psi
39. 10W30 Brad Penn, Penn Grade 1 (semi-synthetic) = 71,206 psi
40. 15W50 Mobil 1, API SN = 70,235 psi
41. 5W30 Motorcraft, API SN = 68,782 psi
42. 10W30 Royal Purple HPS (High Performance Street) = 66,211 psi
43. 10W40 Valvoline 4 Stroke Motorcycle Oil conventional, API SJ = 65,553 psi
44. Royal Purple 10W30 Break-In Oil conventional = 62,931 psi