Valvoline's Testing Capability

[buster]

Valvoline has one of the best engine labs among all the oil brands. They are capable of running all 5 API engine tests in-house. Valvoline remains a brand that suggests you follow your owners manual for oil drain intervals. I can't say I blame them, but I'd like to see them put out a premium, top tier oil that is on the level of Mobil 1/Amsoil/Edge EP. Their "Modern Synthetic" was poorly marketed and just doesn't add up. The price is high for a product that has no explanation of why it's better than competing brands for intake valve deposits. I would even argue Mobil 1 was way ahead of them on that as their Noack is better and the SA levels are .8. Valvoline is a quality oil though and I'd use it in a heartbeat. The Noack volatility of the regular Valvoline FS 5w20, 5w30 and 10w30 are quite impressive at 7.6%, 9.3% and 8.0%. Not bad....

I've had a good experience at their VIOC as well during the few times I had to go there for my gf's car.

Link

"While most other lubricant companies outsource test capabilities, Valvoline keeps research in-house, providing consumers with an added level of assurance, setting us apart from our competitors and providing consumers with an unparalleled level of product security."

 

[Imp4]

Can the Mods please move this thread to the advertising forum???

 

[buster]

Gradma's Creampuff, this is an oil forum where all brands and companies are discussed. I don't see the issue.

 

[loneryder]

He likes Valvoline. So do I. Maybe they know something we don't as far as 15k oci's.

 

[4WD]

I went looking to see if this industry leader still chaired the committee … surprised by this
(if posted here I missed it)

 

[buster]

Oh wow

 

[77GrandPrix]

Originally Posted by loneryder
He likes Valvoline. So do I. Maybe they know something we don't as far as 15k oci's.

I like Valvoline too! I personally believe that their Advanced Full Synthetic is every bit as good as the other brands that Buster mentioned. As far as extended drains, I don't have time to look for and post the UOA's but, I've seen, on this site, UOA's of some of the brands that tout extended drain capability that looked pretty depleted with far fewer miles than they say they can handle. By the same token, I've seen some Valvoline UOA's that indicated that they were capable of going a lot more miles. I think that Valvoline is wise to direct folks to follow the owner's manual instead of claims made by motor oil makers.

 

[PimTac]

I like Valvoline's direction on going by the owners manual instead of saying their oil is good for 10 or 20 thousand miles. An oil itself might be capable of those intervals but only if the engine it's in will allow it.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Why must an oil advertise 15-20K to be superior? I view 15-20k proponents as having a screw loose in their heads. Why labor your cheap oil, inside something that just cost you $30-70K?
Valvoline is smart, in that they let the oil abusers shop elsewhere. I wouldn't want their business either. Only a small minority of abusers are out there anyways. That 5-10% of shoppers can take their abuse to another company, like Castrol or Mobil-1.

Keep up with the premium oil @ mid-level prices Valvoline.... and I've heard differently that Modern Engine does provide good UOA's here. Go read all those UOA board back-pages again. Stay current with SN Plus / Dexos. Staying current is what matters-most. Not the product originally introduced and not available, unless you find outdated jugs for $4-$5, like some have found.

Current Modern Engine is noted for a top-shelf base oil. Don;t read the add-packs like they must have numbers that exceed everyone else. Sometimes more is not better.

 

[77GrandPrix]

Originally Posted by PimTac
I like Valvoline's direction on going by the owners manual instead of saying their oil is good for 10 or 20 thousand miles. An oil itself might be capable of those intervals but only if the engine it's in will allow it.

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Why must an oil advertise 15-20K to be superior? I view 15-20k proponents as having a screw loose in their heads. Why labor your cheap oil, inside something that just cost you $30-70K?
Valvoline is smart, in that they let the oil abusers shop elsewhere. I wouldn't want their business either. Only a small minority of abusers are out there anyways. That 5-10% of shoppers can take their abuse to another company, like Castrol or Mobil-1.

Keep up with the premium oil @ mid-level prices Valvoline.... and I've heard differently that Modern Engine does provide good UOA's here. Go read all those UOA board pages again.

 

[buster]

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Why must an oil advertise 15-20K to be superior? I view 15-20k proponents as having a screw loose in their heads. Why labor your cheap oil, inside something that just cost you $30-70K?
Valvoline is smart, in that they let the oil abusers shop elsewhere. I wouldn't want their business either. Only a small minority of abusers are out there anyways. That 5-10% of shoppers can take their abuse to another company, like Castrol or Mobil-1.

Keep up with the premium oil @ mid-level prices Valvoline.... and I've heard differently that Modern Engine does provide good UOA's here. Go read all those UOA board back-pages again. Stay current with SN Plus / Dexos. Staying current is what matters-most. Not the product originally introduced and not available, unless you find outdated jugs for $4-$5, like some have found.

Current Modern Engine is noted for a top-shelf base oil. Don;t read the add-packs like they must have numbers that exceed everyone else. Sometimes more is not better.


I don't entirely disagree, but I could flip that and say you're an oil waster. Also, for folks in sales or doing 50k miles per year, it's good to know there are oils built to last longer. I agree oil is cheap, including the long drain oils like M1 AP and Amsoil, so cutting corners on oil when your car is thousands of dollars doesn't seem practical.

Take M1 AP - $35 for 5 qts - potentially up to 20k miles.
If you drove 40k miles a year, that's 2 oil changes for $70.
Cut that down if you don't like the 20k mile drain and do 10k mile drains. 4 oil changes x (M1 EP $25) = $100 per year.
So the cost is insignificant compared to the cost of the vehicle.

 

[1978elcamino]

I read a thread yesterday about a Valvoline promo at one of the parts stores, the guy was taking advantage of a 15% rebate or discount or something. Anyhow, as I read through it many members here seem to agree that Valvoline had some of the best UOA's among all the oils. This got me looking at Valvoline's site and browsing their products. Online at Walmart.com Valvoline can be purchased for the same price as Mobile 1 and other premium oils. Are Valvoline products an overlooked diamond in the rough?

 

[buster]

To me, Valvoline oils are as good as they "need to be". There are levels or tiers. Amsoil and M1 AP are over-engineered for a reason.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by PimTac
I like Valvoline's direction on going by the owners manual instead of saying their oil is good for 10 or 20 thousand miles. An oil itself might be capable of those intervals but only if the engine it's in will allow it.

+1

I don't see anything wrong with touting the virtues of your favorite brand. We all have our favorite, for me it happens to be Chevron but I've got nothing "bad" to say about Valvoline.

Originally Posted by 1978elcamino
Are Valvoline products an overlooked diamond in the rough?

Like QS or ProDS or ST full syn?? If these 3 had the same marketing machine behind them as some of the more popular brands, they'd be household names and flying off the shelf more than they currently are.

 

[stanlee]

Originally Posted by buster
To me, Valvoline oils are as good as they "need to be". There are levels or tiers. Amsoil and M1 AP are over-engineered for a reason.


Valvoline makes off the Walmart shelf synthetic oil in the category of vanilla and vanilla high mileage Mobil 1, vanilla PP and PPHM, vanilla Castrol and Castrol HM. In the realm of those it is not inferior or less engineered. Vanilla Mobil 1 is only as good as it needs to be otherwise there wouldn't be about 6 other Superior M1 oils. EP would be standard M1.
There is no Valvoline platinum plus, extended drain, euro 0w-40, advanced fuel economy etc. The closest they've come to even attempting to produce a higher grade product is modern engine and even that is not marketed to do anything particularly special like PUP or EP/AP.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted by Imp4
Can the Mods please move this thread to the advertising forum???

How I read it, he's actually criticizing Valvoline, in a constructive manner, not shilling in the least. I've also questioned why certain premium synthetics don't advertise or stand behind an extended drain capability. It's a fair question.

 

[bbhero]

Originally Posted by loneryder
He likes Valvoline. So do I. Maybe they know something we don't as far as 15k oci's.



True...

Like fuel dilution vehicles, GDI and turbo boosted motors...

Those vehicles are not necessarily good candidates for long, long runs. Unlike a naturally aspirated motor that is EFI and no turbo. Apples and oranges.
Plus using thin 5w30 or even thinner 0w20s... Unlike in Europe where 5w40s and 0w40s are used that meet fair amount tougher specifications too.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by bbhero
Originally Posted by loneryder
He likes Valvoline. So do I. Maybe they know something we don't as far as 15k oci's.



True...

Like fuel dilution vehicles, GDI and turbo boosted motors...

Those vehicles are not necessarily good candidates for long, long runs. Unlike a naturally aspirated motor that is EFI and no turbo. Apples and oranges.
Plus using thin 5w30 or even thinner 0w20s... Unlike in Europe where 5w40s and 0w40s are used that meet fair amount tougher specifications too.



Waiting for the day someone initiates a class action suit naming both the oil and vehicle mfgs (colluding) to turning a blind eye/failing to address the severe conditions of these (t)gdi engines with regards to lubrication. Maybe Valvoline sees that day on the horizon and doesn't any part of it, thus explaining why they don't spec their oils for extended drain intervals???

 

[bbhero]

Could well be the case....

Avoidance beats the cure

 

[pbm]

When I first came to BITOG there was a lot of criticism of Valvoline products...."weak formula"...."low on additives"....."shouldn't run it more than 3K (dino)"...."uses cheap sodium additive package" etc....Now it is a darling of the site.

I like Valvoline and actually have their synthetic 5w20 in one of my vehicles currently.....I have never seen a bad UOA from Valvoline.
Having said that, I would choose Mobil 1 or Castrol Edge Gold if I were going to extend my OCI beyond 7500 miles....