Royal Purple
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Royal Purple
Due to the cold and horrible winter we're enduring here in the UK my beloved Torch Red C5 Coupe 6 speed is off the road until at least the end of March. The good side is that I can do some maintenance jobs such as:
Column lock bypass kit
New plugs and leads
Change engine oil and filter
Change gearbox oil
Change diff oil
I'd bought some Mobil 1 for the engine but I'm told the stuff we buy in the UK isn't a patch on the US stuff. So after reading many posts here on CF my choice of oils was narrowed down to Amsoil or Royal Purple. I've been lucky to find a local supplier of RP so I've gone for this for everything. My dealer showed me a test report of several oils and their ability in preventing wear etc, Amsoil and Royal Purple were streets ahead of the others. So i've done all the engine, gearbox and diff with RP, can't wait to try it out but I'm sure I've made the right choice.
The bad part is that RP is more than twice the price here than in the US, but why buy crap stuff to lubricate a Corvette? So for now it's Royal Purple for me.
Column lock bypass kit
New plugs and leads
Change engine oil and filter
Change gearbox oil
Change diff oil
I'd bought some Mobil 1 for the engine but I'm told the stuff we buy in the UK isn't a patch on the US stuff. So after reading many posts here on CF my choice of oils was narrowed down to Amsoil or Royal Purple. I've been lucky to find a local supplier of RP so I've gone for this for everything. My dealer showed me a test report of several oils and their ability in preventing wear etc, Amsoil and Royal Purple were streets ahead of the others. So i've done all the engine, gearbox and diff with RP, can't wait to try it out but I'm sure I've made the right choice.
The bad part is that RP is more than twice the price here than in the US, but why buy crap stuff to lubricate a Corvette? So for now it's Royal Purple for me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
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I'm sure that RP and Amsoil make excellent synthetic engine oils however, please realize that they do not have the GM4718M approval for high performance engines and are not listed in the GM approval list. I don't want to start another engine oil debate but just thought you'd like to know. Of course, this does not mean that they won't do an excellent job but it is something that you may want to take into consideration when choosing your engine oil.
Last edited by Cybermind; Feb 4, 2010 at 02:24 PM.
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From: SE Pennsylvania
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Oldtimer
I'm sure that RP and Amsoil make excellent synthetic engine oils however, please realize that they do not have the GM4718M approval for high performance engines and are not listed in the GM approval list. I don't want to start another engine oil debate but just thought you'd like to know. Of course, this does not mean that they won't do an excellent job but it is something that you may want to take into consideration when choosing your engine oil.
I agree 100%. Mobil-1 is a perfect motor oil, but so many people have reservations against Mobil that it's almost a cult hate culture by now. I've used Mobil-1 and other Mobil products in my automobiles for years without a single problem, But in the theme of community harmony, I'd have no problem saying Royal Purpil is a VERY excellant motor oil. But for some reason it either doesn't pass GM4718M specs, ( However I'm sure they do in fact pass that test) But Mobil-1 and Amsoil developed synthetic first. I'm not sure who did it first, but I'm sure it was one of them.But it's your car, and you should be happy using whatever motor oil you feel confident in your engine. I personally visited four different auto parts stores, and I found only four motor oils that displayed the fact that they passed GM4718M, Mobile, Quaker State Platinum, I think, Pennsoil synthetic and one other, but I can't remember the brand right now. But almost all motor oils pass the GM 6094M specs, Chrysler MS6395, and Ford WSS-M20o929-A and they all meet API CF or API CD. But please remember that's the only four that I found that displayed the specs on the back of the bottle. But personally I've never heard anything but praise for RP.
Last edited by killain; Feb 4, 2010 at 04:35 PM. Reason: addition
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From: King George VA
As for meeting GM 4718M, I don't want to get drawn into another debate as well so I'll through out my thoughts and jump out. The owners manual states that oil has to meet GM Standard 4718M. AMSOIL has two oils (the AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic 0w30 (Product Code SSOQT) and the AMSOIL SAE Synthetic 5w30 (Product Code ASLQT) ) with this spec listed.
IMO, GM's website of oils certified to meet GM Standard 4718M is a marketing tool and a way for GM to make money. Your owner's manual does not state that you need to use an oil certified by GM to meet the spec. It says that it must meet it. It the oil company states that it meets it, then you are in comliance with your owner's manual.
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RP works just fine in our cars, You might try Summit Racing and see if you can save a few bucks next time, I know they ship to the UK.
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Lots of owners here use Royal Purple in their cars and I don't recall any reports of problems with it in the car. I think you'll be just fine. And hope the weather clears over there so you can get out and enjoy the car sooner rather than later.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 8
From: Belleville Il
You should do just fine!!I guess I would get swatted by the Castrol guy!! Any good BRAND NAME full synthetic is fine,,including Castrol!!!I would just follow the DIC oil life monitor and get my monies worth out of the oil,,don't change it prematurely and enjoy your ride!!!
Last edited by itzza427; Feb 6, 2010 at 02:49 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Wichita KS
I used to use RP in my vette but after going to a few auto x's and finding out my oil pressure would drop to 19psi after a few runs made me change it, it thins to water when it gets hot (225+ deg), I now use Amsoil
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,479
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As for meeting GM 4718M, I don't want to get drawn into another debate as well so I'll through out my thoughts and jump out. The owners manual states that oil has to meet GM Standard 4718M. AMSOIL has two oils (the AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic 0w30 (Product Code SSOQT) and the AMSOIL SAE Synthetic 5w30 (Product Code ASLQT) ) with this spec listed.
IMO, GM's website of oils certified to meet GM Standard 4718M is a marketing tool and a way for GM to make money. Your owner's manual does not state that you need to use an oil certified by GM to meet the spec. It says that it must meet it. It the oil company states that it meets it, then you are in comliance with your owner's manual.
IMO, GM's website of oils certified to meet GM Standard 4718M is a marketing tool and a way for GM to make money. Your owner's manual does not state that you need to use an oil certified by GM to meet the spec. It says that it must meet it. It the oil company states that it meets it, then you are in comliance with your owner's manual.
If Amsoil meets (or exceeds) the GM4718M specification, then why doesn't Amsoil have the oil certified? I don't buy the excuse that the expense is too high. Why wouldn't Amsoil want to advertise that their engine oil is certified to meet the engine oil requirements of America's fastest Corvette ever built (ZR-1)? That would be pretty nice advertising which would far outset the expense of achieving the certification, don't you think?
As I stated previously, I am sure that Amsoil and RP are excellent oils for our cars, but it is a shame that both websites lead the consumer to believe that those oils are certified to meet the spec when in fact they are not. Having 22 years of manufacturing experience in the aerospace industry with 10 of those years testing aircraft turbine engine components, I can confirm that there is a huge difference between a manufacturer simply stating that an oil meets requirements and a manufacturer certifying that an oil meets requirements.
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From: Taildragers rule! USA1
No need to pay extra for hyperbole and advertising (Amsoil, RP).
Walmart's synthetic meets GM4718M, and costs a whole lot less.
image courtesy Dudeurgettnavette
Walmart's synthetic meets GM4718M, and costs a whole lot less.
image courtesy Dudeurgettnavette
Last edited by ztheusa; Feb 7, 2010 at 12:34 PM.
Le Mans Master
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From: Belleville Il
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From: King George VA
The point I was trying to make is that AMSOIL has two oils that state GM 4718M on the bottle and though they aren't listed on GM's website of oils certified to meet 4718M, it shouldn't matter.
