Well $#!^, I just ordered 6 qts. of the MPT 20W60. Now it may end up at the bottom of the list
Just kidding Jim. But I did order the MPT.
Ed
Follower scar oil tests (2018)
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Well $#!^, I just ordered 6 qts. of the MPT 20W60. Now it may end up at the bottom of the list
Just kidding Jim. But I did order the MPT.
Ed
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Well $#!^, I just ordered 6 qts. of the MPT 20W60. Now it may end up at the bottom of the list
Just kidding Jim. But I did order the MPT.
Ed
So did I. It got here yesterday. And I'm not worried. [I have already re-tested it a few times.]
I tried Lucas gear oil in my gearbox several years ago (after seeing the auto parts store demonstrator) and Gerry Bristow sent me a link to a video warning about the aeration super clingy oil can cause. I can't find that email but I did find this
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Just saw this online today. Maybe it should get tested?
Don't.know where to buy, maybe Starbucks?
Don't.know where to buy, maybe Starbucks?
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Frankly, I would just go with Jim's comment that Mobil 1 Twin worked well for him. The best "test" of oil is how well it functions in the engine in question and if someone routinely works oil hard, as he does in his bike, and it holds up well, then that oil has proven itself in the application. That is the case whether the oil is Mobil 1, some super duper boutique oil or used french fry oil! If it works, it works. 
Frankly, I would just go with Jim's comment that Mobil 1 Twin worked well for him. The best "test" of oil is how well it functions in the engine in question and if someone routinely works oil hard, as he does in his bike, and it holds up well, then that oil has proven itself in the application. That is the case whether the oil is Mobil 1, some super duper boutique oil or used french fry oil! If it works, it works.
"The best "test" of oil is how well it functions in the engine" .
" If it works, it works".
The old it didn't fail, so it must be good test. She was runnin' the best she ever ran, just before she blew!
Without a complete teardown of the engine you have no idea how well the oil performs. That engine could be a hair's breadth from a total blowup. No, the best practical tests of oils are the ones Jim Comstock is now doing.
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jaydee75
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From new, I used 1970's Castrol GTX 20W50 which we all thought was great. Now I wonder how much damage I did until the Synthetics came out. Now I've got 21000 miles on it and only had the head off once. It would be fun to test one of the old oils, Castrol or Quaker State Red label. I'm using Mobil 1 now and am watching Jim's test with interest. Maybe we should call him "Jim the oil guy".
Jaydee
Jaydee
motorson
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I just watched an Amsoil promotion from an outfit in Arizona that sells it. They put up all the graphs about everything from acid to the famous 4 ball wear test. Then they went into a long discussion of oils recommended by manufacturers and why they don't always choose an oil that is good for their customers but favor oils that give them a kickback. Of course, Amsoil came out on top of all the oils tested except in the acid test where they came in second and admitted that they gave ground on that one to get an advantage in another test.
Jim's tests have born out the results I saw on the these tests except for one major thing. That is friction! Jim's tests show Amsoil to be high friction compared to some other oils and especially on the one I have had in my bike for the last 3000 miles. I have a huge heat problem and Jim's test showed the 15w-50 Dominator Racing oil to have a runaway heat problem. Of course, THAT test was not in the tests done on the Amsoil and it's competitors.
I also ordered the MPT 20w-60 and have high hopes that it will be what I need.
I used to run Castrol GTX back in the 1970s because it was the only "off the shelf" oil that worked well. The guy I bought my 1970 Fastback from was using Belray 40w. I became quite partial to Castrol over the years and always liked the fact that none of my stuff ever got sludge in it. A friend worked at Dyna-tune and they took valve covers off of cars every day. The ones that were sludged up were running Quaker State and Pennzoil. The super clean ones were running Havoline. (Junk yards in TX at the time would give a little guarantee with engine sales unless you used Havoline because it would clean the engine and clog the oil filter)
As you can tell, I have had a sort of "shoot from the hip" method of oil analyses over the years. I was super impressed when my favorite, Castrol GTX 20w-50 was "Turbo Approved" before they had time to get the new turbo designation on their containers indicating that it was already up to the spec. A racing friend in Longview, TX told me about a race where he blew a lower radiator hose 2 laps from the finish and his dad told him over the radio to finish the race. They won and when they were draining out the hot oil (Castrol GTX of course) to get it out of there so it wouldn't cook onto everything it melted the pan and bubbled the tarmac. On tear down, the engine showed no ill affect and they just bolted it back together and raced it some more.
To say the least, I am a big fan of these tests. I would love to see them published and continuously available for everyone. I think a lot of oils have gotten better which explains the high mileage attainable on modern engines. Not much has changed down inside as far as metallurgy is concerned. (well, maybe on some high zoot engines I don't know about.)
I want to see Jim's test of my old faithful Castrol GTX 20w-50 and would also be interested in seeing some Belray tests. (Belray feels like Havoline to me these days.)
Cheers to all. Go Jim! (Let us all know if you need anything.)
Jim's tests have born out the results I saw on the these tests except for one major thing. That is friction! Jim's tests show Amsoil to be high friction compared to some other oils and especially on the one I have had in my bike for the last 3000 miles. I have a huge heat problem and Jim's test showed the 15w-50 Dominator Racing oil to have a runaway heat problem. Of course, THAT test was not in the tests done on the Amsoil and it's competitors.
I also ordered the MPT 20w-60 and have high hopes that it will be what I need.
I used to run Castrol GTX back in the 1970s because it was the only "off the shelf" oil that worked well. The guy I bought my 1970 Fastback from was using Belray 40w. I became quite partial to Castrol over the years and always liked the fact that none of my stuff ever got sludge in it. A friend worked at Dyna-tune and they took valve covers off of cars every day. The ones that were sludged up were running Quaker State and Pennzoil. The super clean ones were running Havoline. (Junk yards in TX at the time would give a little guarantee with engine sales unless you used Havoline because it would clean the engine and clog the oil filter)
As you can tell, I have had a sort of "shoot from the hip" method of oil analyses over the years. I was super impressed when my favorite, Castrol GTX 20w-50 was "Turbo Approved" before they had time to get the new turbo designation on their containers indicating that it was already up to the spec. A racing friend in Longview, TX told me about a race where he blew a lower radiator hose 2 laps from the finish and his dad told him over the radio to finish the race. They won and when they were draining out the hot oil (Castrol GTX of course) to get it out of there so it wouldn't cook onto everything it melted the pan and bubbled the tarmac. On tear down, the engine showed no ill affect and they just bolted it back together and raced it some more.
To say the least, I am a big fan of these tests. I would love to see them published and continuously available for everyone. I think a lot of oils have gotten better which explains the high mileage attainable on modern engines. Not much has changed down inside as far as metallurgy is concerned. (well, maybe on some high zoot engines I don't know about.)
I want to see Jim's test of my old faithful Castrol GTX 20w-50 and would also be interested in seeing some Belray tests. (Belray feels like Havoline to me these days.)
Cheers to all. Go Jim! (Let us all know if you need anything.)
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Similar story about Castrol GTX.... I was already using it and then moved to a plant site that had an oil lab. These guys tested oil from pumps, turbines, compressors etc. all day every day. Of course, they would bring in their personal vehicle oil to test for particle count etc. after their oil changes. Every guy who worked there used nothing but Castrol products. Probably a coincidence...
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I have Castrol gt 20-50 here to test.
I stuck a thermocouple in the sump plug strainer in my stock MK3 and went for a ride this afternoon. The ambient temp was ~97F.
After 40 miles on the highway [20 out and 20 back] the temp in the sump plug strainer was 260 degrees and still slowly rising.
I am working on a better test procedure
The 220 degree tests I have been doing are great for determining the oils friction and the amount of heat produced by this friction.
But I am moving the main load test to a higher temp. [Probably 300 degrees]
I am not going to be testing till failure at 220 degrees and will be doing the 220 degree test at a set load to determine how much heat is being produced in a set amount of time.
Then the temp will be raised to 300 and the load will be increased till failure.
I stuck a thermocouple in the sump plug strainer in my stock MK3 and went for a ride this afternoon. The ambient temp was ~97F.
After 40 miles on the highway [20 out and 20 back] the temp in the sump plug strainer was 260 degrees and still slowly rising.
I am working on a better test procedure
The 220 degree tests I have been doing are great for determining the oils friction and the amount of heat produced by this friction.
But I am moving the main load test to a higher temp. [Probably 300 degrees]
I am not going to be testing till failure at 220 degrees and will be doing the 220 degree test at a set load to determine how much heat is being produced in a set amount of time.
Then the temp will be raised to 300 and the load will be increased till failure.
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o0norton0o
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Jim, how much oil do I have to send you in order to make a test? Should I send it unmarked and then reveal it's name and grade after the test?? Would that be interesting or not? Something tells me you would get a laugh out of it, and if it's expensive oil and it tests poorly, then even a bigger laugh...
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I don’t think you need to keep it a secret from him. He’s not too biased except for the VR1.
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My new oil cup holds 125cc. So send at least 250CC so I can do a couple spins if needed.
And don't tell me what it is. As long as it doesn't smell like fish....
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Frankly, folks are discussing this like we are operating Moto-GP motors running at 100% constantly instead of very mildly-tuned motors that most folks won't spin to redline at all and seldom cruise at much above 70MPH. It's too bad there is not an easy way to correlate Jims oil test to actual engine loads on the oil; I suspect if there was, we would discover that there is no need to look far or pay much for satisfactory oil in these engines.
Who has REALLY ever had a OEM engine of any kind "blow up?" The only time I have ever seen or heard of such a thing was AFTER someone had worked on it/modified it!
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Euuuuuh, OEM Combat engines blew. Ducati bevel engines blew. Kawasaki triples and 2-stroke Yams blew.
I think he meant specifically oil quality related blow-ups. That is this thread's purpose IMHO.
Cheers, Martin
I think he meant specifically oil quality related blow-ups. That is this thread's purpose IMHO.
Cheers, Martin
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