I did some research on Royal Purple before I added it to my truck. I like it... so far, but right now I can't afford to change it out at the prices I've seen them at.

 

They better have updated their RP line of multi-grade synthetics. I tried out their 5W-30 in my Neon a couple of years ago, and here's what I figured out:

Royal Purple was by far the worst oil I ever used, mineral or synthetic. It almost acted like it didn't have any additives in it at all. I had only a few thousand miles on my car (and previously used Mobil1 synthetic) when I drained the Mobil1 and tried the Royal Purple. The filter I put on was the same brand filter (Wix) that I had used before. After only 1800 miles on the Royal Purple, it was completely broken down to the point of failure in my opinion.

I took my valve cover cap off and found that it foaming to some extent... meaning the hydraulic properties of the oil were completely shot. It was about 30 degrees out that night, and I pulled the plug from my cold oil pan off, and the black black black Royal Purple gushed out like water.

I switched back to Mobil1, and problem solved. Royal Purple might be okay for the weekend racer at the dragstrip... who will change his oil every weekend that he goes out... but for the everyday driver, this stuff was terrible. Unless Royal Purple sent me a case of this stuff for free and some heavy documentation to prove to me that this stuff has been worked on, advanced, tested, and proven... until that happens, you couldn't pay me to put it back into my motor again.

 

RP is a Group III oil, so it isn't a full (true) synthetic oil. Mobil 1, AMSOIL, and Pennzoil Platinum are Group IV oils which are fully synthetic.

 

Thanks das for the answer - I was not sure and could not find it on there web page - was about to check other web pages for the answer!

Is it just me or does this bearing look worn in comparision to the other pictures of before and against a leading other synth?
If this Oil was good - I would except this bearing to look like the 1st picture of a New Bearing.

Bearing after switching to Royal Purple

 

I'm sorry but you are a little missinformed. We use Group IV PAO not Group III.If you have any further questions please feel free toemail me ourtech. department at rpautotech@royalpurple.comfor more details.

 

The bearing is polished, not worn. The magnification shows how well it has been polished, but I guess it could be construed as worn looking at it at this magnification.

 

Are there any independent Test done to compare Synthethics? I checked with Consumer Reports and did not see one on Synthethic Oils?

Could not find a lot of History of RP - how long has RP been around?

 

Royal Purple was founded in 1986.

Here is a link to our website which has some independent tests http://www.royalpurple.com/video/video.html

Here is a link to a PDF that has additional. The PDF hasn't been updated in a little while.
http://www.highperformanceprose.com/...ummary1205.pdf

 

Thanks for the info about RP I think I go back to AMSOIL they always done me good besides I need to order some 2 Stroke mix anyways.

 

I find it interesting that all of the photos are of the same exact bearing... new, then worn, then after RP...

It seems to me that in the "worn" photo, some of those grooves look pretty damn deep. And after using RP (if you assume the photo is correct), the grooves are gone and the surface is polished. This basically tells me that through the course of using the RP, it shaved the surface of the bearing down until the grooves disappeared. This would cause even more of a loss of tolerance.

I can't remember the list of companies that do it, but I would like to know if RP also uses what they call "anti-friction" agents. These agents are in some oils, and are in reality small micro-particle abrasives that are designed to remove small tolerances from bearing surfaces, etc., in order to free-up parasitic hp in the motor from rotating resistance. This leads me to believe that RP would be similar... a true non-abrasive, protective lubricant would not make those lines disappear like that... it wouldn't do much to it at all actually. In other words in my opinion, if RP had EXCELLENT lubrication properties, there should be almost no difference between the 2nd photo and the 3rd... maybe a little shiny polishing between the gaps, but not a removal of the gaps altogether. Any answers?

Oh and on a sidenote, I still use the Mobil1 on occasion, but I have found Pennzoil Platinum to be quite reliable as well... just as a sidenote. Maybe I could also get an answer from the RP guy in here as to why I had such a horrible result with the RP I used in my car a couple years back (posted earlier in this thread). I would like to know why that was, and if RP has made any changes.