LEADFOOT_

Alright you oil gurus; I went to Wal-Mart today to get Mobil-1 for my next oil change and next to the Mobil-1 was this. It caught me eyes with a 300,000 mile warranty and in the past I know Valvoline has been very good oil as they were late marketing their synthetic oils. Well what do you guys know about their synthetic oils? Here's their claim:

“Valvoline chose to claim 4X better wear protection than Mobil 1 in order to ensure statistical accuracy. Valvoline actually provides 9X better wear protection than Mobil 1, based on the average of our Sequence IVA test results for Mobil 1 and SynPower”

Hell I favor nobody as I'm not in the Mobil-1 cult follower. If it is a better product then that's better for the competition. Let's hear that facts about this household name's synthetic oils.

mr.beachcomber

Valvoline makes excellent oil products; however, the hyperbole regarding the Sequence IVA (four-a) cam lobe wear testing that Valvoline paid for is getting to be ridiculous. (According to Valvoline's paid, independent lab, Mobil 1 actually failed the Sequence IVA test! Geez, how did Mobil 1 get the certification in the first place then? )

To learn more about what the test entails, what it simulates, what constitutes "statical difference", read zealots on both sides argue back and forth, etc., go to Bob Is The Oil Guy. It's a good source of information if you weed through the rubbish some insist on adding to the discussion.

I've used Mobile 1 on both my '89 Vettes for years (234K & 75K respectively) although I wouldn't hesitate to use Valvoline if Mobil 1 weren't available when I needed it.

BTW, back in 2004 (?), Valvoline gave all the SCCA Regional Executives several certificates for discounted cases of their new synthetic oil. I gave out the certificates to our regional racers who used the oil in their tow vehicles or personal cars. (Using Redline Oil in your race car pays in SCCA racing!) All users reported satisfactory results especially those going from Dino to Synthetic. Even the Mobil 1 users were happy!

1991Z07

My engine builder only uses Valvoline Synthetic oil...

I've not seen any problems with it, and I've been running it for 7+ years.

tc sr

I have been using valvoline oil for the past nine years in my 95 vet awesome product!

runner140*

Sorry, I use any fully synthetic name brand that is on sale at Walmart.

LEADFOOT_

Is there anywhere that shows a comparison on the different brand of synthetic oils like they do in shoot like they compare cars? I have been using the Mobil-1 in the vette since it was new. Now I also have a 07 Ford Expedition with less than 9K and I'm thinking of switching to the Valvoline synthetic. I know that Mobil-1 has always been the standard in synthetics but has the rest of the mainstream brands caught up?

corvette-pilot

I saw this too. Haven't gone to the website yet to see what the fine print is?? If it seems reasonable it would be worth changeing over.

Guarantee

StealthLT4

I was talking to someone at the local shop who's pretty "in" with the racing scene, and according to him Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic is the only synthetic oil on the market that's actually a full synthetic. Most of the "full synthetic" labels just mean that a certain percentage of the oil is synthetic, earning them that label. I thought Mobil 1 was 100% synthetic as well, but I haven't checked it out.

'Shifter

I've run RedLine for a long time, and I'm very satisfied with their product, but recently, their pricing just got
too out of hand for me...($10/qt).

I actually prefer Amsoil, but I like my oils to be available to me locally....the dealers in my neighborhood are a
little flaky....

I sell Valvoline, and I just made the switch to their product at nearly half what I was dropping for RedLine...

BTW: I still change oil at 3k, regardless of what's in the crankcase....

mr.beachcomber

Then you would be the perfect candidate for the Valvoline engine guarantee since it requires a 3Kmile OCI (oil change interval) up to 300K miles.

'Shifter

I wonder if it still applies when I'm already sportin' 130k?

KoRnitup

How friggin' awesome would that be! Unfortunately the cutoff is 75,000. Looks like I just barely made it; she needs an oil change right about now too.

EDIT: Looks like there is a much bigger catch: they won't cover anything within the first 18 months...

pkazsr

Soon the Wal-Mart parking lot will be full of Vettes. Pics of that would be

C66 Racing

This Nov 08 AMSOIL commissioned test contains both Mobil 1 Extended Performance (which outperforms Mobil 1) and Valvoline SynPower so you can see how the two compare. Summary: the Valvoline outperformed the Mobil 1 EP in the 4-ball wear test, but the Mobil 1 EP outperformed the Valvoline in the rest of the tests.

Motor Oil Comparison Test

Note: This is an un-"tagged" link, so if you use it and go to the AMSOIL Online Store, your purchase will not be credited to the forum. If you decide to try AMSOIL, would appreciate it if you used the info in my sig.

NEO1

Oh no not the 4-ball wear test again. LOL

Nothing wrong with any oil meeting GM 4718M. I prefer Mobil 1, but Synpower would work well.

Demonic85

The only synthetics I have used are Mobil 1 and Castrol, both are great but Mobil 1 is cheaper. Ever notice how all synthetics are compared to Mobil 1, even though there are others that are supposed to be better?

c4cruiser

Valvoline and Pennzoil full synthetics both meet the GM 4718M spec (as does the Quaker State full synthetic). As long as you get oils that meet that spec, you should be fine.

GM worked with Mobil to design that spec so that their Mobil-1 full synthetic could be used as the factory fill in Corvette motors beginning with the 1992 LT1. And Mobil-1 is still used today so there is something that keeps GM buying it. A full synthetic handles heat better than conventional oils so GM dropped the L98 "oil cooler" as it was no longer needed and saved both weight and costs.

I attended a seminar in Monterey CA back in 2002 and I asked Dave McLellan about oil temps in the LT1 motors. He said that oil temps approaching 250-270 degrees was not a problem in the LT1 with a full synthetic oil. That temp range is common in race cars even with coolers and for street use, that temp range is hardly ever seen for any length of time.

onedef92

I've used both M-1 and Valvoline SynPower synthetic motor oil with no problems. I think they're both excellent products.