Vr1 oil

[Davemate]

Whilst looking for local supplier on line I can across this on a corvette forum

[ferny]

What have people responded with? I've never used it myself but others have and seem to notice an increase in oil pressure, could be down to the weight of it though rather than contents (as such). I had an oil distributor knock on the door a while back and I was speaking to him about VR1. He didn't rate it highly but then he probably wasn't completely impartial!

[Clive]

Worth checking the spec from Valvoline.
When I tried it it was better than the comma product I was using previously by 5psi or so when hot.
better still is millers css 20-60 but usually v expensive (mine was £19 a tub bargain!)

If worried about ZDDP levels, you can add zddplus or similar. I got some when I was visiting Bill in the states, much cheaper than over here.

[Davemate]

Since I started useing millers in the herald there was a noticeable increase in oil preasure.
I've put vr1 in the saloon as I couldn't get any millers on the day I decided to change the oil and filter.
The oil presure is good in the saloon so I can't really say ifs it's better that what was in there !
If I could have got millers I would have used it but only because that's what I've been using in the herald.

I'll see if I can find the link for the forum

[Davemate]

I just typed on Google
Vr1 oil review
And it's the top one

[rotoflex]

cliftyhanger wrote:

If worried about ZDDP levels, you can add zddplus or similar. I got some when I was visiting Bill in the states, much cheaper than over here.

That really doesn't sound like a practical solution to me.  As much as older cars leak/burn oil, a separate ZDDP tank with gravity feed would be essential to accommodate the times oil was needed but no time/place to get ZDDP additive, forgetting, etc.

[Ridgetone Triumph]

VR1 suits 'Poo' and I ran the race car on it for years, I guess modern oils are far better than what was produced in the early days  :-/
Castrol for the moderns and Valvoline for the older oops............. I mean classics  :)

[nang]

How about Castrol 20/50,  the one advertised for 'older' cars? Available over here fairly cheaply at present. Any thoughts ?
Tony.

[ferny]

962 wrote:

VR1 suits 'Poo' and I ran the race car on it for years, I guess modern oils are far better than what was produced in the early days  :-/
Castrol for the moderns and Valvoline for the older oops............. I mean classics  :)

I used to use Castrol (I was able to get it for free) but don't any more after reading how rubbish the American version of it was. Plus I read some other bits which I forget but still leave a question mark in my head. I'm now partial to Shell Helix.

edit - this is for moderns

[uksnatcher]

Heres some Q&A's from Valvoline about VR1 and Valvolines non street legal Racing oil:

http://www.valvoline.com/faqs/motor-oil/racing-oil/

Quote:
Which oil has more zinc/ZDDP: VR1 or "Not Street Legal" racing oil?

Valvoline VR1 Racing Oil contains .13 percent of zinc and .12 percent of phosphorus compared to the Valvoline "Not Street Legal" Racing Oil which contains .14 percent of zinc and .13 percent of phosphorus.

Some test results from this Porsche forum:
http://rennlist.com/forums/911-forum/526946-oil-analysis-of-valvoline-vr-1-racing-oil.html

Quote:
it does indicate it meets or exceeds API SM requirements. According to information I dug up elsewhere, the Z&P content is around 400 ppm too high to meet the 'official' API SM requirement which if I recall is 0.085% or so. They get away with it as its marketed as a very low volume racing oil which typically is used with older cars without 'cats'.

pdf files:
Valvoline spec sheet:
http://rennlist.com/forums/attachments/911-forum/389162d1254264046-oil-analysis-of-valvoline-vr-1-racing-oil-vr-1_racing_motor_oil.pdf
Oil analysis report:
http://rennlist.com/forums/attachments/911-forum/389163d1254264062-oil-analysis-of-valvoline-vr-1-racing-oil-d89441.pdf

VR1 or the other Valvoline racing oil is fine, plenty of ZDDP for our cars and the Porsche chaps rate it from facts not hearsay.

[CHRIS211083]

Castrol is the same as the comma stuff.

I used 20/50 vr1 and had good oil pressure etc. Was very impressed as it started thinner than the other stuff so cold cranking was easier but it didn't get any thinner when hot. ideal if you ask me. I also tried halfords but it wasnt as good as vr1.

Chris.

[uksnatcher]

Yes Chris....i totally agree, avoid Comma Sonic/Motorway/Classic 20/50 and also Halfords Classic 20/50 aka re-branded Castrol GTX.

Best stuff is VR1 20/50, Millers 20/60 ......Penrite 20/50 or 20/60 is good oil too.

[Deleted User]

with my 1300 engine I tried VR1 for two oil changes and found no difference to the Halfords Classic stuff. I still changed my oil every 2500 miles and wow it needed changing and made a difference.

Glad I don't have to mess with expensive oil now, I can buy fully synthetic oil for my zetec for 15 quid and it needs changing every 2 years. Mine has now done 3500 miles and the oil is still clear.

Rob

[tiggrr1]

As far as I can find out Valvoline VR1 has 1300 ppm of zddp anti wear additives and is a good choice of oil as used by many on this very forum,

I use Penrite HPR 30 which is a 20W60 oil with 1580 ppm of zddp.

To my way of thinking it gives me better protection when running hot (10CR, RBRR) and has more anti wear/friction protection.
Yeah I know I'm an add mans dream (gullible?)

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/tech_pdfs/149%20LATEST%20ZINC%20LEVELS.pdf

http://www.penriteoil.com.au/tech_pdfs/204%20-%20Technical%20Bulletin%20-%20What%20is%20the%20Penrite%20Extra%20Ten.pdf

Can't find anything from Valvoline about zddp levels but this does mention it in the text

http://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=9478.0;wap2

Anyway I'm not knocking anyones choice to use VR1 (it may look like it but I'm not  ;) ) It is a quality product.

Just that to me the specs of Penrite HPR30 look better so thats what I use.

[Bainzy]

I used VR1 last oil change based on loads of recommendations on this forum, and whilst it held good oil pressure, on an engine that leaked a little bit, it ended up leaking a lot more.

On Easter Weekend I did quite a lot of driving in the car (1000 miles), and found to my horror that the oil level had dropped below the minimum when I'd got home - despite being filled up to a smidge over maximum when setting off at the start of the weekend.

I guess it's an endorsement in some sense for the oil, that the engine didn't blow up doing 80mph for several hours with less than minimum oil in the sump. Fortunately the oil cooler will have helped too, as reducing oil capacity will have increased the oil's propensity to overheat.

I might try it again some day but not on an engine that has a bit of a leak.

[nicmk1est]

i just go down to tr enterprises near me and ask for oil,millers classic performance 20-50,i was converted from comma 20-50 after it fucked up my 2000mk1,,turn in to jelly for some reason,,didnt get to the bottom of it,,,not tried vr1

[thescrapman]

I use both vr1 and millers classic sport. The vr1 givez 10psi less than the millers. But neither drop even on a rbrr.

[Mioraet]

VR1 here is Api SJ , so I guess it's different for the US market.