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  • Javelin

    Sept. 1, 2010 11:16 p.m. Javelin UltraDork

    Once is my fault, three times is a trend. I think Royal Purple changed something, and now it's killing three of my engines. Long story short, I have very recently changed the oil on all three cars (01 Grand Prix GT, 3.8 N/A, 01 P71 4.6 SOHC, 93 Miata 1.6 DOHC) at their regular intervals with Royal Purple as usual (10W30, 5W20, and 5W30 respectively). All three oil changes have less than 1500 miles, no car has burned more than a 1/2 qt/5000 miles, and now suddenly all are 2+ quarts low! It's not dripping, it's leaking into the cylinders. I started the Miata for the first time in 10 days and was greeted with the blue smoke of doom. After shut down, checking, and adding oil it ran great. WTF is going on?

    I'm not really happy with this, as I've been a RP user for 6-7 years and have had consistent, measurable performance gains (MPG and tenths in the 1/4) with it before. I'm nervous about the stuff from RP that's also in the transmissions and axles of said cars!

    Anybody else having issues? Heard anything?

  • neckromacr

    Sept. 2, 2010 12:02 a.m. neckromacr Reader

    I'm having similar luck with their gear oil. Put some in my VW 020 tranny because its rated GL4 to keep the synchros happy and was available at a local parts store.

    Months later I start getting noise from the differential thats grows into a full on "rock crusher" differential is fried. No biggie, it was an old junkyard trans that had come with the car.

    Another junkyard tranny that looked good all over. RP was still readily accessable, filled it up. Now only a few months later I'm getting diff noise again.

    I know my case is hardly conclusive, they were very used trannys, but really? Two trannies in a row consume their diff bearings in almost the same way. Diff bearings aren't even really a weak spot on these trannies.

  • gunner

    Sept. 2, 2010 12:57 a.m. gunner New Reader

    thank you for this post. I was going to switch to RP from mobil 1 in the M5 when I got it.

  • Feedyurhed

    Sept. 2, 2010 5:15 a.m. Feedyurhed HalfDork

    gunner wrote:

    thank you for this post. I was going to switch to RP from mobil 1 in the M5 when I got it.

    Ya me too. After years of M1 use with no problems I was just going to make the jump to RP. Although none of this is conclusive I think I will hold off for a bit now.

  • ZOO

    Sept. 2, 2010 5:39 a.m. ZOO Dork

    Weird. Have you called them and asked if there has been a change in their formulation? My M3 is due for an oil change, and I've been using Royal Purple in it with great success.

  • DaveEstey

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:08 a.m. DaveEstey Reader

    I'll stick with M1 or Castrol Syn

  • 44Dwarf

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:15 a.m. 44Dwarf HalfDork

    I've had no luck the two times i've used there engine oil stuff has let go at high rpm. I've had good luck with there trans MAX ATF. realy seemed to like it in my f150 tow rig even flushed and used it in the power steering too.

  • 1988RedT2

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:25 a.m. 1988RedT2 Reader

    I've never understood what made RP so much better than M1 that it could justify the huge price premium. I've used M1 for years, with an occasional purchase of Castrol Syn.

  • Javelin

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:47 a.m. Javelin UltraDork

    I confirmed that the formula has recently been "improved" in their regular rated oils. You have to buy the racing-only to get the original, which is of course, more expensive. After 7 years I am saying no more RP. Back to M1 for me, hopefully it's not too late. If even one of these 3 lets go RP is going to have a bleeding ear...

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:50 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker UberDork

    Ok look! Another oil thread! Goody.

    You cannot properly lubricate anything except the crotch of a woman with your opinions. If you do not have numbers from an independent test then this is just 6 pages of "I like oil!" plus possibly a small flame war over change intervals. Have you people not been on the internet for over a month and seen this before?

    Wanna know if its working or too late... Blackstone labs is your friend. /thread

  • DukeOfUndersteer

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:57 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer UltraDork

    From what i have read, GL4 eats away at the brass syncros in VW trans. I have read on Royal Purple's site that their GL4 is safe for GL5 applications (my Vw Pedovan is almost complete and since my dad's old BMW team was sponsored by Royal Purple, we have cases upon cases of motor and trans oil...) I was going to use it in my trans. Its only when the gear oil reaches a certain temperature, it will break down the brass syncros...

  • Javelin

    Sept. 2, 2010 9:08 a.m. Javelin UltraDork

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

    Ok look! Another oil thread! Goody.

    You cannot properly lubricate anything except the crotch of a woman with your opinions. If you do not have numbers from an independent test then this is just 6 pages of "I like oil!" plus possibly a small flame war over change intervals. Have you people not been on the internet for over a month and seen this before?

    Wanna know if its working or too late... Blackstone labs is your friend. /thread

    Um, did you even read it? I used to have measurable performance gains, which is why I used it. But now it's causing engines to eat it at an alarming rate. 3 in 1 go, who have never eaten oil before. I don't need a lab to tell me that that is not right, and most likely the oil's fault.

  • Sept. 2, 2010 9:14 a.m. z31maniac SuperDork

    I had the same experience in my M20.

    Switched to RP, started slurping down a qt/1k miles, went back to regular ol Castrol GTX, 1/2 qt/3k miles.

    I'm running the Pennzoil ultra premium synthetic or whatever in the Speed3 since it's supposed to have the best resistance to fuel dilution according to BITOG

  • minimac

    Sept. 2, 2010 10:41 a.m. minimac SuperDork

    One guy having a problem....who knows? A few guys experiencing the same problem-looks like a trend. Thanks for the info. I know the oil companies have been cutting back on the zinc content in their oils. My 911 should have a higher zinc content oil, being air cooled. I 've been using Mobil 1 For V-Twins- the formulation is different than regular Mobil 1, Amsoil, or Brad Penn when I can find it. There are pages of oil stuff on the Pelican board. Some is personal preference, some is fact based. Lots of reading material on the subject of oils and their performance.

  • Giant Purple Snorklewacker

    Sept. 2, 2010 10:48 a.m. Giant Purple Snorklewacker UberDork

    Javelin wrote:

    Um, did you even read it? I used to have measurable performance gains...

    May I see your measurements?

  • mrwillie

    Sept. 2, 2010 12:32 p.m. mrwillie Reader

    bobistheoilguy.com is a great resource for any fluid that's automotive related. I would do more digging there to get info on your RP issues. They've got chemists and "oil scientists" that regularly post there. Kinda like GRM for motor oil, and stuff.

  • neckromacr

    Sept. 2, 2010 2:21 p.m. neckromacr Reader

    DukeOfUndersteer wrote:

    From what i have read, GL4 eats away at the brass syncros in VW trans. I have read on Royal Purple's site that their GL4 is safe for GL5 applications (my Vw Pedovan is almost complete and since my dad's old BMW team was sponsored by Royal Purple, we have cases upon cases of motor and trans oil...) I was going to use it in my trans. Its only when the gear oil reaches a certain temperature, it will break down the brass syncros...

    020 trannies are supposed to run GL4 because of their brass syncros.

    Usually Redline MT90 is the preferred oil(GL4 as well). I swapped out the RP for that stuff and the the difference in shifting was immediate. Hopefully running the Redline will buy me some extra time while I rebuild the next trans.

  • Paul_VR6

    Sept. 2, 2010 2:56 p.m. Paul_VR6 Reader

    For VW's Redline is junk, and RP is extra junk, too much slippery to even make the syncros even think about working. GM syncromesh is the only 'regular' one I'd think about using.

    I use Torco RTF and it actually works.

    On the cheap, I used to use literally THE CHEAPEST gear oil Napa would have on any given day and other then replacing all the syncros once a year it worked and shifted great.

  • dean1484

    Sept. 2, 2010 3:31 p.m. dean1484 Dork

    This is very timely as I have always been a fan of M1 but had been considering trying RP. I had never heard anything bad about them and in fact they were always recommended by many. I think they may want to change back as this could result in a serious image problem.

  • dean1484

    Sept. 2, 2010 3:31 p.m. dean1484 Dork

    This is very timely as I have always been a fan of M1 but had been considering trying RP. I had never heard anything bad about them and in fact they were always recommended by many. I think they may want to change back as this could result in a serious image problem.

  • Sept. 2, 2010 3:42 p.m. robertcope New Reader

    Paul_VR6 wrote: For VW's Redline is junk, and RP is extra junk, too much slippery to even make the syncros even think about working. GM syncromesh is the only 'regular' one I'd think about using.

    Eh? Red Line gear oils are great. I run it in all of my VWs. Improved shifting, no failures so far.

    I've heard good things about GM Syncromesh, too, but haven't had any reason to try it.

    robert

  • Timeormoney

    Sept. 2, 2010 4:29 p.m. Timeormoney Reader

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

    Javelin wrote:

    Um, did you even read it? I used to have measurable performance gains...

    May I see your measurements?

    Only if you can read his original post.

  • bruceman

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:26 p.m. bruceman New Reader

    When I want to know about an oil I look here: http://eolcs.api.org/DisplayLicenseInfo.asp?LicenseNo=0777 It shows me RP makes no attempt to certify their oils to the higher GF-4 specifications. Several of their oils are less than API's current SM specification. Basically I don't see any attempt here by RP to produce a quality oil

  • Javelin

    Sept. 2, 2010 8:55 p.m. Javelin UltraDork

    Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

    Javelin wrote:

    Um, did you even read it? I used to have measurable performance gains...

    May I see your measurements?

    Well it's moot now as I'll never use their stuff again. I put regular NAPA (Valvoline) dino oil in the Miata and suddenly it doesn't eat oil anymore. Anyways, back in the day I was able to average 0.15 quicker in the 1/4 with RP and like 1.5MPG over clean/new normal synthetic. Now I think it would be slower as it's sucking down oil like a rotary.

    I'll be switching all RP fluids out post haste.

  • CaptainSpaulding

    Sept. 2, 2010 9:23 p.m. CaptainSpaulding Reader

    robertcope wrote:

    Paul_VR6 wrote: For VW's Redline is junk, and RP is extra junk, too much slippery to even make the syncros even think about working. GM syncromesh is the only 'regular' one I'd think about using.

    Eh? Red Line gear oils are great. I run it in all of my VWs. Improved shifting, no failures so far.

    I've heard good things about GM Syncromesh, too, but haven't had any reason to try it.

    robert

    I have used the RP and BG in all of my VWs. The only problem I have ever had with gear oils and the O2O trans is when I filled one with synthetic Valvoline. After about 100 miles the 1-2 shift would crunch. I switch ed back to the BG syncroshift and no more 1-2 shift crunch noises. The synchros have less than 10k on them and where purchased from TT.

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