Oil comparison thread

Joe Wicked · #1 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 08:02 AM

I remember reading a comparison on oil filters and on different oils. I found the oil filter, but I can't seem to find the oil comparison. I remember it showing wear on a block from a spinning cam. If anyone can remember the time frame this was posted, I may be able to find it.

Thanks.

patrickt · #2 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Wicked

I remember reading a comparison on oil filters and on different oils. I found the oil filter, but I can't seem to find the oil comparison. I remember it showing wear on a block from a spinning cam. If anyone can remember the time frame this was posted, I may be able to find it.

Thanks.

You might be remembering a study done by Charles Navarro at lnengineering. I remember they hooked up a cam machine to check wear based on a spinning lobe and different oils. You can read more here http://www.lnengineering.com/oil.html or you can just use Brad Penn and forget about it all.

Joe Wicked · #3 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 09:16 AM

That sounds exactly like what I was remembering. I wanted to forward the study to a co-worker. We were talking about different maintenance items today and oil and oil filters came up.

I looked on that page but I cannot find the test.

patrickt · #4 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Wicked

That sounds exactly like what I was remembering. I wanted to forward the study to a co-worker. We were talking about different maintenance items today and oil and oil filters came up.

I looked on that page but I cannot find the test.

Send Charles and email at charles@lnengineering.com -- he's also active on the Pelican Parts Porsche forum if you want to post there: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/

patrickt · #5 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 09:36 AM

They called it the "Cam and Lifter Spintron." Here's a video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZDu_olrnOI

Joe Wicked · #6 (**permalink**) 08-20-2008, 11:52 AM

I emailed him thanks. I was hoping it was a reference that stayed online. But I guess it could have been a PDF that someone posted.

Joe Wicked · #7 (**permalink**) 08-22-2008, 03:59 PM

He did email me back and let me know the page I am looking for is buried on the site somewhere, but there may not be a link to it on the site. He did not have time to look right now, so I am back to searching for the original thread here on CC. Does anyone remember the thread starter that posted it here? I can hopefully find it that way.

patrickt · #8 (**permalink**) 08-22-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Wicked

He did email me back and let me know the page I am looking for is buried on the site somewhere, but there may not be a link to it on the site.

Uhhh, am I getting closer? http://www.lnengineering.com/motoroi...whitepaper.pdf

Joe Wicked · #9 (**permalink**) 08-22-2008, 08:17 PM

I appreciate your help in trying to locate the page Patrick. I found that page on the site, I thought that it had to be it when I saw it was a PDF loading with a "whitepaper" title. The one that I am referring to showed pictures of the wear on the blocks from the spintron machine. It detailed the oil type (mobile 1, motorcraft, royal purple, etc...), showed the wear, detailed the depth and type of wear (scratches, gouges, smooth, etc...) and also told the amount of current the machine was drawing during the test. The pictures were in color and showed detail.

I will find this one way or another.

Joe Wicked · #10 (**permalink**) 08-22-2008, 08:23 PM

Well it looks like I finally found it but the page doesn't exist anymore.

When you click the link on this page to see the results of the testing the page doesn't exist anymore. http://www.lnengineering.com/oiltable.htm

Ronbo · #11 (**permalink**) 08-22-2008, 11:23 PM

You looking for this?

http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf

Posted by 2006GT in this thread:

http://clubcobra.com/forums/showthre...t=90009&page=2

Joe Wicked · #12 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 06:32 AM

Ronbo,
That was it exactly. Thank you. I thought it was older than that, so I guess that is why I couldnt find it.

madmaxx · #13 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 07:37 AM

Take these results with a grain of salt. The way to excell in this test is very very simple, load your oil with EP addiditives. The only issue with to much EP addidtives is they are very corrosive. Working in the petrochemical industry RP would bring this apparatus into a conference room in front of 20 engineers and perform the test with theirs and Mobil's products. Yes RP outperformed in this particular test but there are about 20 other attributes (test) of an oil you need to consider. I get either for free all I want. I am not an expert, not even close but there are many other items to consider when making an oil selection.

Our equipment runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 50 mph, that is 1200 miles per day or 36,000 miles per month. We have gear boxes running for 10 years or over 4 million miles, some 20 years. True gearboxes do not have the side effects of combustion but we have agitators, compressors etc. For as little as we drive any oil we be acceptable unless you have flat tappets then use Valvoling VR-1.

Bob In Ct · #14 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 01:08 PM

I once saw the same test done using Clorox bleach, it performed quite well.

Just my $0.02

Bob

Ronbo · #15 (**permalink**) 08-23-2008, 02:18 PM

Max this test also rated Valvoline very high so it must also contain too many EP's???

Bob, bleach is a good lube for the back tires.

madmaxx · #16 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 09:38 AM

Valvoline VR-1 which they did not test contains high amounts (1200 ppm as compared to 800 ppm) of zinc and phosphorous, which all oil did until the EPA felt the zinc and phosphoruos damages catalytic converters.

We pressured the Mobil engineer into why the RP performed better in this test and that is the reply we were given. I asked did the corrosion occur over 1 year or 20 years and did not get a definitive answer. RP is an incredible story they obtain their PAO from the plant next to us and add some additives and botte it. There whole operation is about the 1/4 the size of a standard walmart. Shows you what advertising can do. The size of Mobil compared to RP is like comparing the size of the earth to a volleyball. NOT THAT BIG IS BETTER.

Their lab employs about 10 people, with one guy being the brains of the operation and I think he actually invented it. Just North of Houston. They originally supplied lubricant to offshore platforms, a customer wanted to a unique color to tell if his equipment was leaking the lubricant, voila they made it purple.

I have used royal purple and have had great luck with it in my cars and at work. It is application specific. I have also used Mobil and have great luck with it. 99% of bearing failures are attributed to contamination, improper installation, lack of lubrican, very very very rare is it ever due to lubricant failure.

Ronbo · #17 (**permalink**) 08-24-2008, 05:06 PM

I've always based my opinions on oils from engines I've stripped and been able to find out what oil was normally run in them. Wear is kinda tough to gauge as the engine design itself has a lot to do with it. One of the worst was the Pontiac BB's (terrible oiling system). The best I've seen being Oldsmobile. (great oiling system + high nickel castings) The Pontiac engine seems to wipe the bores out no matter what oil was used, the Olds was just the opposite.

Valvoline for some reason keeps things pretty clean with little (if any) build-up on the cylinder heads. Quaker state leaves so much wax in the heads you half expect to see a wick sticking out of it. I've only pulled apart a couple engines that have run synthetics, both were extremely clean. Kinda wierd not to even see any varnish with this stuff.

What little I've heard about RP over the years has always been positive, but very few people run it because of the high price.