Valvoline Racing Synthetic VR1
03-08-2016, 03:54 PM
#16
Burning Brakes
I think you are probably right that many times the better oil cleans away the gunk that is filling the holes. In my case the '96 Camry I have was taken care of very well prior to my getting it with 200k miles. It was my Moms. She maintained if very well and my Dad changed the oil every 3k miles. However, I know my Dad and am sure he put whatever oil he could get on sale into it. So it may not be maintenance as much as that the better oils have better detergents in them. If that is the case then going to VR1 Synthetic might be ok, because race oils have fewer detergents. Just a guess.
03-10-2016, 10:59 AM
#17
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Well, there always is the fact that gaskets/seals ARE wear parts, and will not last forever, no matter what. So at 200k.... I think anything will likely leak some no matter what you put in it!
03-10-2016, 02:10 PM
#18
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I to have had the experience of running synthetic and leaks starting. It took several thousand miles but they started. I have heard that synthetics have gotten a lot better about this though. I ran Mobil 1 back 13 years ago and now run vr1. Btw, once the leaks start changing back does not fix, but will slow them down.
A friend of mine tried synthetic in his vintage Ducati and this is his experience posted on the motorcycle forum:
Beware of synthetic oil, it can do terrible things to you and your beloved vehicle. It will not only leak out of your engine faster than you can put it in, but it will also cause your oil filter to clog and implode, dumping debris and dirt into your lubrication system. It also will make every part of your bike permanently slippery because of its linear molecular chain dispersion action. Then it will leak onto your kickstand causing it to retract automatically, dropping your bike on the ground! But that's not all...
Synthetic oil will round off your gears and spin your bearings. It will also splatter onto your seat causing your girlfriend to fall off in the apex of a turn and she'll never ride with you again. Synthetic oil coats your sight window and your timing window with a whitish pro-emulsification additive that is both non-removable and highly corrosive. Synthetic oil will completely leak onto the ground overnight and your dog will drink it and die.
Synthetic oil will wear out your tires and make your battery leak. It will give you the desperate need to urinate after you put your full leathers on and then jam your zippers shut. It will contaminate your gasoline causing your bike to stall on railroad tracks and accelerate uncontrollably near police cars. It will make it rain during rallies and on weekends. It will lubricate your timing belts causing them to jump teeth and break your valves to bits. Synthetic oil chemically weakens desmodromic valves and causes the clearances to change every six miles. Then it melts the black soles of your riding boots right before you walk across your new carpeting.
While riding past groups of attractive women it will cause both of your handlebar grips to slip off at the same time so you smash your windscreen with the bridge of your nose. It also causes your swingarm to crack, your studs to break, and your rotors to warp, and then it voids your warranty by changing your odometer reading to 55,555. It also dries out your wetclutch and wets your dryclutch. It makes your clutch slave cylinder seal fail in the heaviest traffic on the hottest day of the year while putting an angry wasp in your helmet for good measure.
Synthetic oil hides your 13mm socket and puts superglue on your earplugs. Synthetic oil will scratch your faceshield and make your gloves shrink two sizes night before trackday. Synthetic oil stole your neutral and sold it to the Chinese for $1.25. Synthetic oil will make you grow a tail. Synthetic oil will write long crazy e-mails to your Internet friends and then sign your name at the bottom
Synthetic oil will round off your gears and spin your bearings. It will also splatter onto your seat causing your girlfriend to fall off in the apex of a turn and she'll never ride with you again. Synthetic oil coats your sight window and your timing window with a whitish pro-emulsification additive that is both non-removable and highly corrosive. Synthetic oil will completely leak onto the ground overnight and your dog will drink it and die.
Synthetic oil will wear out your tires and make your battery leak. It will give you the desperate need to urinate after you put your full leathers on and then jam your zippers shut. It will contaminate your gasoline causing your bike to stall on railroad tracks and accelerate uncontrollably near police cars. It will make it rain during rallies and on weekends. It will lubricate your timing belts causing them to jump teeth and break your valves to bits. Synthetic oil chemically weakens desmodromic valves and causes the clearances to change every six miles. Then it melts the black soles of your riding boots right before you walk across your new carpeting.
While riding past groups of attractive women it will cause both of your handlebar grips to slip off at the same time so you smash your windscreen with the bridge of your nose. It also causes your swingarm to crack, your studs to break, and your rotors to warp, and then it voids your warranty by changing your odometer reading to 55,555. It also dries out your wetclutch and wets your dryclutch. It makes your clutch slave cylinder seal fail in the heaviest traffic on the hottest day of the year while putting an angry wasp in your helmet for good measure.
Synthetic oil hides your 13mm socket and puts superglue on your earplugs. Synthetic oil will scratch your faceshield and make your gloves shrink two sizes night before trackday. Synthetic oil stole your neutral and sold it to the Chinese for $1.25. Synthetic oil will make you grow a tail. Synthetic oil will write long crazy e-mails to your Internet friends and then sign your name at the bottom
03-10-2016, 07:48 PM
#19
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I have used the VR1 conventional for the reasons already cited above. I have not had experience with the synthetic, but did want to let anyone interested that I saw it on the clearance shelf at my local branch of the advance auto store. Might be worth checking out, they weren't giving it away, I think it was around $6 a quart.
03-12-2016, 03:07 PM
#20
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I switched from conventional VR1 to synthetic VR1 awhile back and have had no problems. My car used to smoke quite a bit on cold start up and used a little oil between changes, and when I made the switch, both problems diminished noticeably. I have no idea why, but there you go. I was disappointed to see Advance Auto stop carrying it, I now get it from
by the case and have to plan my oil changes ahead a little.
Last edited by NC951guy; 03-13-2016 at 01:06 PM.
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DeanErb (07-05-2023)
03-12-2016, 03:21 PM
#21
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Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear, specifically from someone with first hand experience.
Everything else was just noise, speculation, hearsay, misinformation, and mostly BS.
Thanks again for shedding some light on the subject.
Everything else was just noise, speculation, hearsay, misinformation, and mostly BS.
Thanks again for shedding some light on the subject.
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DeanErb (07-05-2023)
03-12-2016, 07:10 PM
#22
Proprietoristicly Refined
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I use Valvoline VR1 20-50 racing oil in both cars---for the Zinc to protect the engine.
I did a search and NAPA has an explanation I was not aware of:
From:
http://knowhow.napaonline.com/how-a-...nverter-works/
I still plan on using Valvoline VR1 RO.
Edit-Valvoline VR1 RO, I use Castrol in the Jeep.
Thanks,
J_AZ
I did a search and NAPA has an explanation I was not aware of:
From:
http://knowhow.napaonline.com/how-a-...nverter-works/
I still plan on using Valvoline VR1 RO.
Edit-Valvoline VR1 RO, I use Castrol in the Jeep.
Thanks,
J_AZ
Last edited by John_AZ; 03-13-2016 at 03:04 PM.
03-12-2016, 11:30 PM
#23
Three Wheelin'
03-13-2016, 11:57 AM
#24
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I started using Mobil 1 in my truck back in the mid-70's It lasted about 325K before I gave it away. It was a Ford with a 351 Windsor in it. Now I drive our 93 Camry. It just passed 444444 miles. Our Ford explorer with a 4.6 in it just passed 265K. I currently run about 10K between changes with a filter change at about 5k. the Ford gets 5-20W extended and the Camry gets Castrol 5-30 extended. I quit using regular oils. I know that this is a conversation about VR1 but since it has digressed to a discussion about synthetic vs dino oils, I thought that my .02 cents should be in there. My Porsche, when it hits the road, will get synthetic right after break in and ring seating. I am a firm believer in synthetic oils adding to the engine life, due to their "engineered" creation. I will be using a zinc additive in addition to the oil. Thanks.
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heliolps2 (04-17-2023)
03-13-2016, 01:28 PM
#26
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Before the study that theorized ZDDP killing catalytic converters, the average level was around 1100-1300ppm of ZDDP.
When the EPA pushed for longer catalytic life, this study was used to knock that level back to 600-800ppm. This can be an issue for any car with flat tappet camshafts (like the 944). ZDDP or more specifically zinc is able to withstand significant pressures such as those between the camshaft and the lifter.
Some say the 944/928 do not have radical enough camshaft lobes for this to really be an issue. I've talked to engine builders who have seen odd / premature camshaft wear / damage they could only chalk up to inadequate oil.
I said "theorized" above since studies since have stated the ZDDP risk was heavily overblown. You also need to keep in mind newer cars since the ZDDP change have much more strict oil control systems that dump more oil / vapor back into the intake versus older cars. Do a search on the VW / SAAB / Toyota etc... oil sludge issue of the late 90's........
The new requirements were so radical two of the biggest automobile companies took years to figure it out.
Take my wife's SAAB for an example. I picked it up with 96k miles on it. I've used Mobil 1 Delvak in the winter and Valvoline VR-1 in the summer. Both have the "old" ZDDP levels. This year we should reach 200k miles with this car and the catalytic converter is original. I'm not using these oils for the ZDDP, I just like these oils for a turbocharged engine.
On a side note, running your car rich will kill the CAT a hell of a lot faster than any amount of ZDDP in your oil.
As for synthetic versus dino oil..... I use dino VR-1 in the 928's simply because none of them see a whole lot of miles in the 6-7 months they are on the road. The daily drivers get synthetic.
I'm simply amazed it's 2016 and we still have threads on synthetic oil causing leaks.
When the EPA pushed for longer catalytic life, this study was used to knock that level back to 600-800ppm. This can be an issue for any car with flat tappet camshafts (like the 944). ZDDP or more specifically zinc is able to withstand significant pressures such as those between the camshaft and the lifter.
Some say the 944/928 do not have radical enough camshaft lobes for this to really be an issue. I've talked to engine builders who have seen odd / premature camshaft wear / damage they could only chalk up to inadequate oil.
I said "theorized" above since studies since have stated the ZDDP risk was heavily overblown. You also need to keep in mind newer cars since the ZDDP change have much more strict oil control systems that dump more oil / vapor back into the intake versus older cars. Do a search on the VW / SAAB / Toyota etc... oil sludge issue of the late 90's........
The new requirements were so radical two of the biggest automobile companies took years to figure it out.
Take my wife's SAAB for an example. I picked it up with 96k miles on it. I've used Mobil 1 Delvak in the winter and Valvoline VR-1 in the summer. Both have the "old" ZDDP levels. This year we should reach 200k miles with this car and the catalytic converter is original. I'm not using these oils for the ZDDP, I just like these oils for a turbocharged engine.
On a side note, running your car rich will kill the CAT a hell of a lot faster than any amount of ZDDP in your oil.
As for synthetic versus dino oil..... I use dino VR-1 in the 928's simply because none of them see a whole lot of miles in the 6-7 months they are on the road. The daily drivers get synthetic.
I'm simply amazed it's 2016 and we still have threads on synthetic oil causing leaks.
03-13-2016, 03:26 PM
#27
Proprietoristicly Refined
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Hacker-Pschorr
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Thanks for the expanded explanation on the Zinc content PPM.
I checked my 2015 Arizona vehicle inspection results (every 2 year test):
NOX applicable standard allowed 2.50.
'87 924S with about 150K actual miles -NOX 1.85
'88 924S with exactly 75K actual miles-NOX .91
Original cat on each car.
J_AZ
Super Moderator - Cracklin' Rosie,
Thanks for the expanded explanation on the Zinc content PPM.
I checked my 2015 Arizona vehicle inspection results (every 2 year test):
NOX applicable standard allowed 2.50.
'87 924S with about 150K actual miles -NOX 1.85
'88 924S with exactly 75K actual miles-NOX .91
Original cat on each car.
J_AZ
03-13-2016, 09:24 PM
#28
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05-28-2016, 03:28 PM
#29
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Thread Starter
For those using synthetic oil in their 944's, what is your oil change interval and how often do you change your oil filter?
I'm coming up on 3,000 miles since switching to Valvoline Synthetic VR-1 and I'd like to continue using it.
I'm coming up on 3,000 miles since switching to Valvoline Synthetic VR-1 and I'd like to continue using it.
