is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

General engine tech -- Drag Racing to Circle Track

Moderator: Team

rewguy
Expert
Expert
Posts: 954
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:45 am
Location:

is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by rewguy »

say it isnt so. its been our goto oil for 20 years or so.
any insight?
PF-racing
New Member
New Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2022 5:13 am
Location: Sweden
Contact:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by PF-racing »

No i use many oil brands in my builds one of them are Valvoline vr-1 . Never had any problems with that oil. :D
Engine builder and developer. From full competition engines to stock street.
Own engine builder shop with engine Dynos and Rolling road dyno Since 2002.
User avatar
juuhanaa
HotPass
HotPass
Posts: 1193
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:14 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by juuhanaa »

I made a mistake with too tight bearing clearances and the 10-60 valvoline didnt help in that situation. Renault f7r engine on a rally (endurance) aplication it keeps the oil press higher than example castrol 10-60 oil.



-juhana
A balanced person dares to stagger, and modify ports bigger
RDY4WAR
Expert
Expert
Posts: 516
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:58 am
Location:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by RDY4WAR »

What engine damage are you referring to? Where are you hearing this?
ArizonaGuy
Member
Member
Posts: 138
Joined: Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:25 pm
Location: Phoenix, Arizona

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by ArizonaGuy »

I flog the sh*t out of my deal on VR-1. I do oil analysis each oil & filter change, no problems here.
bentvalves
Expert
Expert
Posts: 537
Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2016 3:37 pm
Location:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by bentvalves »

roller cam?
rp930
Pro
Pro
Posts: 227
Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:47 pm
Location:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by rp930 »

Troll?
swampbuggy
Guru
Guru
Posts: 1575
Joined: Mon Apr 04, 2011 8:54 pm
Location: central Florida

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by swampbuggy »

To original poster, of course Not !! :roll:
PackardV8
Guru
Guru
Posts: 7619
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:03 pm
Location: Spokane, WA

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by PackardV8 »

Yes, Valovoline VR1 is the Chicom knockoff being flogged at a bargain price on AliExpress; it can be recognized by the intentional misspelling of the brand name to get around international copywrite laws and that it arrives in a case of 23 bottles.
Jack Vines
Studebaker-Packard V8 Limited
Obsolete Engineering
rewguy
Expert
Expert
Posts: 954
Joined: Mon Jun 12, 2006 2:45 am
Location:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by rewguy »

On facebook about 3 weeks back, someone did a write up of how VR1 absolutely was the cause of an engine failure. I can't for the life of me remember who wrote it, BUT they were a reputable name. Not some internet troll. I've done a couple searches for it, but I cant find the post. That's why I asked. It was a pretty well known name in the industry. I'm shocked noone on here has heard of the post. I'll continue to look and see if I can find it. I only use VR1, so I hope its nothing.
User avatar
juuhanaa
HotPass
HotPass
Posts: 1193
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:14 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by juuhanaa »

rewguy wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 10:47 pm On facebook about 3 weeks back, someone did a write up of how VR1 absolutely was the cause of an engine failure. I can't for the life of me remember who wrote it, BUT they were a reputable name. Not some internet troll. I've done a couple searches for it, but I cant find the post. That's why I asked. It was a pretty well known name in the industry. I'm shocked noone on here has heard of the post. I'll continue to look and see if I can find it. I only use VR1, so I hope its nothing.
Just some old graph about different oils. Left to right duration of surface pressure, scratch mark and load time. I can pm full 42 page summary, if any interested, but its writtin in Finnish..


motor oil comparison.png


-juhana
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
A balanced person dares to stagger, and modify ports bigger
maxracesoftware
Vendor
Posts: 3627
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2004 4:04 pm
Location: Abbeville, LA
Contact:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by maxracesoftware »

rewguy wrote: Tue Aug 02, 2022 10:47 pm On facebook about 3 weeks back, someone did a write up of how VR1 absolutely was the cause of an engine failure. I can't for the life of me remember who wrote it, BUT they were a reputable name. Not some internet troll. I've done a couple searches for it, but I cant find the post. That's why I asked. It was a pretty well known name in the industry. I'm shocked noone on here has heard of the post. I'll continue to look and see if I can find it. I only use VR1, so I hope its nothing.
i would need to find the Dyno Sheets ( i definetly have Hard Copies )
and see back then if it was "Valvoline VR1 ???" ... it was brand new type Valvoline back then when we tested it

here's the SpeedTalk Link :
viewtopic.php?p=915954#p915954
MaxRace Software
PipeMax and ET_Analyst for DragRacers
https://www.maxracesoftwares.com
User avatar
juuhanaa
HotPass
HotPass
Posts: 1193
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:14 am
Location: Finland
Contact:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by juuhanaa »

Yea the VR1 can be anything between engine oil to brake fluid... Anyway the comparison i was referring to had this VR1, and they found better oils. Sorry about foggy pictures,

Screenshot_20220803-134039.jpg
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
A balanced person dares to stagger, and modify ports bigger
RDY4WAR
Expert
Expert
Posts: 516
Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2017 12:58 am
Location:

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by RDY4WAR »

[quote=juuhanaa post_id=922000 time=1659505345 user_id=34837]
[quote=rewguy post_id=921994 time=1659494831 user_id=1306]
On facebook about 3 weeks back, someone did a write up of how VR1 absolutely was the cause of an engine failure. I can't for the life of me remember who wrote it, BUT they were a reputable name. Not some internet troll. I've done a couple searches for it, but I cant find the post. That's why I asked. It was a pretty well known name in the industry. I'm shocked noone on here has heard of the post. I'll continue to look and see if I can find it. I only use VR1, so I hope its nothing.
[/quote]

Just some old graph about different oils. Left to right duration of surface pressure, scratch mark and load time. I can pm full 42 page summary, if any interested, but its writtin in Finnish..



motor oil comparison.png



-juhana
[/quote]

Scar testing is mostly irrelevant to engine oils. It can give it indication of additive response but that's about it. It's highly sensitive to phosphorus which can skew results. It's easily manipulated and very difficult to get repeating results with the same oil. For example, I could put a bunch of tricresyl phosphate (TCP) in the oil and scar test it, it'll show an excellent scar result. However, a flat tappet lifter would chew itself up in seconds on that. It can't provide an anti-wear function in the real world.

The thin oils used by NASCAR cup engines and Pro Stock engines produces a rather large scar in those tests, yet those engines very rarely have wear problems. You can add non-P anti-wear and friction reducing additives like molybdenum dithiocarbonate (MoDTC) and moly-sulfur complex that'll synergize with ZDDP to boost anti-wear function in an engine, but won't move the needle in a scar rig.

What a scar rig shows and what actual engine data shows, the data more often than not doesn't reflect each other.
miniv8
Expert
Expert
Posts: 896
Joined: Mon Sep 11, 2006 5:22 pm
Location: ICELAND

Re: is Valovoline VR-1 really hurting engines?

Post by miniv8 »

Not related to the VR-1 specifically,
But the LS boys are many and all around, and the LS running stock lifters, doesn’t seem to like any weight oil above zero weight.
I had a guy recently going bananas over lifter ticking that was cured by going from VR-1 10w60 to thinner oil.
Magnús Aðalvíkingur Finnbjörnsson
Post Reply