Valvoline Restore & Protect experiment

[rdezs]

We just pulled the timing cover. I'd have to say it's pretty conclusive on the Valvoline actually cleaning the inside of the engine. Keep in mind this is only two oil change intervals. You can clearly see where the oil slings off the gears.



Overall I'm liking what I see. Going forward I think I'll just switch my vehicles over to the Valvoline.

Looking at the areas where the chain flings the oil on the engine side of things, such as the back side of the oil pump it's obvious.


Even in an engine still running well as this one was, everything inside should have that gold hue to it.... But clearly, now it's possible to not even have that. That makes for one pretty damn clean engine. And clean is good.

 

[rdezs]

Opened up the pressure relief valve in the OEM oil pump. No accumulated debris of any kind. I expected to find at least a little bit of crud, but the plunger wasn't sticking at all and appears to be working as expected. This is one area I expected maybe to find some debris from all the cleaning, but nothing to note.



It's starting to look like his lower than normal oil pressure was probably that failed o-ring on the pickup tube. Once we get the cam out, that will probably be the deciding factor. There's also the possibility that pressure relief valve in the oil pan was weak as well. Not going to bother testing it, will be just blocking it off. Judging from where the Valvoline cleaned the gold deposits, it actually looks like that relief valve was sure relieving a lot of oil...

 

[j91z28d1]

to my eyes, that seems pretty conclusive. the stuff is working.


seems worth while to use, since I don't really see a downside.

 

[rdezs]

It is a couple dollars more for 5 quart jug, but after this experiment I think it's worth it. I've never seen any sort of additive actually clean that gold layer on the inside of the engine. That gold layer is harmless, but the way I look at it is if it can clean that, it pretty much cleans anything in the engine. Have to admit I'm impressed, and I had my doubts when I embarked on this experiment, LOL.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Is this it?

 

[donjetman]

Is this it?View attachment 453544

yes

 

[Tonyrodz]

I'd like to try it out. I've always used conventional oil, and never synthetic. I've read a few guys have had some of their gaskets leak when they've switched from conventional to synthetic. Have any if you ever heard about that or have personal experience?

 

[j91z28d1]

I personally have never noticed an engine have zero leaks, switch to synthetic and it start leaking. but if an ls oil pan isn't leaking by 130k. it's a miracle. so it just might.


wasn't there's a big thing about Mobil 1 synthetic being the oem fill for gm ls engines? or was that just marketing for the sports cars?

 

[homesick]

I'd like to try it out. I've always used conventional oil, and never synthetic. I've read a few guys have had some of their gaskets leak when they've switched from conventional to synthetic. Have any if you ever heard about that or have personal experience?

I don't remember specifics, but I used to hear similar stories quite a lot. It seems like a bunch of them pertained to Harley engines. My old Evo specified conventional oil, so that's what I ran.

joe

 

[rdezs]

One final thought in this teardown following the Valvoline, I did notice the underside of the VLOM play have that golden hue that is normal.... And I could clearly see where oil had been leaking past either the o-rings or other components near the solenoids. I'll try to get a picture up tomorrow. So I guess it's kind of useful as a diagnostic of sorts. In the end, it appears this engine was running under 20 psi at a hot idle due to the o-ring, the oil pressure relief valve in the oil pan bleeding off excess oil, and the VLOM plate.... I have to conclude that all three played a part.