I saw a entry over on the 540Rat blog regarding this oil that I thought I would share. This if course should be served with salt but he has placed this 5w20 VME at #11 out of 200 some odd oils that he has tested so far.
I noticed that he has added another category above Incredible which he calls Fantastic. VME falls into this new category.
Below is the excerpt from his blog so you don’t have to scroll through all the self hoopla.
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“11. 5W20 Valvoline Modern Engine Oil, for engines 2012 and newer, API SN, synthetic = 120,531 psi
This new line of motor oil came out at the beginning of 2018, and claims to fight carbon build-up on piston crowns, combustion chambers, valves and Turbochargers, in GDI (Gas Direct Injection) and other newer engines. This oil’s impressive wear protection psi value, certainly makes it an excellent choice, in that regard. But, in spite of their claims, do not expect it to keep those engine components any cleaner than other quality motor oils. Here’s why: Even if this oil has more or better cleaning agents as it implies, those cleaning agents cannot do any cleaning if those engine components are not exposed to the oil.
Any engine in good condition that does not blow blue smoke out the exhaust pipe, and does not consume oil between oil changes, does not have any significant amount of oil on those engine components, for any cleaning to take place. So, some might say that those claims of cleaner engine components are misleading at best, or outright false at worst, as it relates to most newer engines.
The only way this oil has any chance of providing any additional cleaning on those engine components, is if it is used in an engine that goes through enough oil to blow blue smoke out the exhaust pipe and consumes measurable amounts of oil between oil changes, which would expose those components to the oil. But, nearly all cleaning of those components in engines in good condition, normally has to come from the cleaning agents in the “fuel” being used, NOT the oil being used. But, that is a problem for Direct Injection engines, since fuel vapor does not wash over the intake valves, like it does with Port Injection engines.
zinc = TBD
phos = TBD
moly = TBD
This oil was tested Spring 2018. The psi value of this oil, which came from testing it at the normal operating test temperature of 230*F, put it in the FANTASTIC Wear Protection Category.
However, I went on to also test this oil at the much higher temperature of 275*F. At that elevated temperature, any hotter and thinner oil is expected to experience a drop in Wear Protection Capability. And this oil experienced about a 12% drop in capability. But, even at that elevated temperature, it produced 105,567 psi, which put this much hotter and thinner oil in the INCREDIBLE Wear Protection Category.
I also tested this oil for the onset of thermal breakdown, which was 260*F.”
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So while it may be mysterious as to the composition and debatable as to the price point, this testing as it may provides a bit more fodder to chew on.