Valvoline Restore & Protect

I searched the Forum for an existing thread but couldn't find one so i apologize if this topic has been discussed before.

This is non-4runner related but could be applicable to any vehicle really.

So a little backstory, I bought a 1990 mustang GT with 167k-ish miles on it just over a year ago and have been slowly doing some work on it. I've done all the regular maintenance stuff (plugs, wires, cap/rotor, oil change, coolant change, PS fluid change, all new PCV filter and valves, etc). I've also added a supercharger and as well as other things.

When i changed my plugs (pre and post supercharger) i noticed that cylinder #7 plug was super gunked up with oil, like pretty bad to where it was failing the cylinder balance test these Mustangs can run in diagnostic modes. I've tried tackling this issue from both the top end (intake side) by redoing all the PCV system parts (of which the existing PCV filter screen looked horrendous) but i think i'm still fouling/gunking up this plug. I've removed and had my injectors cleaned and flow tested (and repaired - one pintle was cracked!). From the bottom end, i recently ran Seafoam in the crankcase prior to my last oil change, and did a LiquidMoly engine flush through it (so oil with Seafoam, changed oil, LiquidMoly engine flush, changed oil) and have now replaced and am running the Valvoline Restore & Protect oil.

My suspicion is i have a stuck piston ring allowing too much blow-by in that cylinder. I am curious if anyone else has used the Valvoline R&P and if so, what are your thoughts and experiences with it. Car is currently burning through a little bit of oil. Its my 'project car' so it doesn't see too many miles per year, like maybe 500, but i'm trying to daily drive it to work as much as i can now just to get some miles on it with this oil.

I'm really hoping to not have to do a whole engine rebuild at this time. It will happen one day, just hopefully not today, lol. So in the meantime i'm going to run the R&P oil and see if i see any improvements.

Pic:

 

I've been using Restore and Protect in my 4Runner for 3 oil changes now.

I've also been using it in my wife's Subaru Outback (I'm on 4 oil changes with R&P in that car).

The 4Runner has always ran perfect. My reason for using it in that application is to maintain engine cleanliness as long as I can. I will say that I've noticed a consistent half a mile per gallon increase in mileage by using both Restore and Protect and a Techron fuel additive once every oil change. Maybe it's one or the other. Maybe both together? I don't know. Those results didn't happen right away. It took a couple of oil changes before I saw this slight improvement. Nothing else was changed.

The wifes Outback has burned about a quart of oil every oil change after 50k and it was always stark black coming out. Now with four cycles of R&P, the car burns about half of what it did before and the oil is starting to come out slightly cleaner.

That's all I know.

 

I also run Valvoline R&P on Outback, hoping it will decrease mild oil consumption. It have not so far with 1 oil change. I will try again in the spring.

 

I hope we are not unknowingly married to the same wife. LOL. What color is the Outback?

 

Must be a thing for us to have the runner and the wife to have an Outback

At this point you could get lined up for a compression and cylinder leak down test. Between those two, You should be able to dial in on the issue with #7 Cylinder.

 

Ya i really need to do a compression test since thats fairly easy. For a leak down, i don't have an air compressor nor the proper gauge to do that myself. Might need to take it in somewhere. I'm just trying to knock of the easy (potential) 'fixes' first. Gonna run some Redline SI-1 through a couple tanks as well.

If its something like the valve stem seals that are leaking into the combustion chamber, i have a set of TrickFlow aluminum heads sitting on my garage shelf ready to go as well.

 

For a project car my thinking is to jump straight to a piston soak instead of signing up for the multi-OCI process of using R&P.

 

100% would normally agree. Long story short I just started (beginning of January) a major home remodel where I have to move out for 7-9 months and currently living with my parents in a condo complex. So wrenching time is limited (or not allowed?) and I have to move the car often (or i'll get an HOA violation). Couple that with work and a baby and a 4 year old my time is limited to non-existent to work on the car.

If I was living at my house where I would normally park the car in the garage and can work on it at night I would be doing a piston soak regimen for sure.

 

Silver.

 

Well I pulled my drivers side spark plugs to inspect. A while back when i changed out the plugs for the supercharger the drivers side bank all looked pretty gunky, however, i couldn't determine if there was a 'problem' or if the PO just neglected the car (which it seems he did). Today, cylinders 5,6 and 8 all looked perfect for being slightly used. #7 was fouled and had oil in the threads, which is NOT news to me. I've been having trouble with that cylinder since i bought the car.



So i popped in a fresh plug and will continue driving it to see if the Valvoline R&P helps. What i've been having to do is clean/replace this plug every so often once it gets oily/fouled. I can't say for certain it was the R&P that helped out the other cylinders on this bank, but something improved.

 

There is an old trick with ATF in a cylinder to try to get rings unstuck. There are also treatments that could work (BG, etc.). While I like the idea of using Valvoline Restore & Protect, if I had an actual issue, like spark plug fouling, I'd try more things to try to get it resolved.

 

I don't know if you saw this response, but yes I would normally be more drastic in my attempts to 'externally' fix it. But this is where i'm at for now unfortunately.

 

Just a small update not necessarily tied directly to Valvoline R&P. So i've been running the R&P for roughly 300 miles (I know, not much) but i'm also running the Redline SI-1 Fuel Additive in my latest tank, of which i still have a little more than a 1/4 tank left. Here are some photos showing progress in my troublesome #7 cylinder:

Pre R&P or any additives (sorry for bad borescope photos, i got a better one now)

This is the piston top:

And this is the top of the piston and the head/valve:


With Valvoline R&P and Redline SI-1:







So you can see major improvements on the piston top and sides. The valves and head are still gunked up pretty bad as you can see. I currently don't know where my oil leak is coming from, whether its valve stem seals or stuck piston rings. I'm just throwing everything i can at this to see if there is any improvement before bowing down to an engine rebuild.

Once my oil burns down a little more i'm going to add in a can of Engine Restore.

I also have not done any compression or leak down tests, which i really need to do anyways. I also have to clean and/or replace the spark plug in this cylinder like once every 50-100 miles driven. I know i have a major problem, i'm just trying to prolong the life of the engine (or hopefully fix it) until I shell out for the rebuild.

 

Change your oil filter often too since those deposits are coming off quickly.

 

Ya i'm definitely going to do a much shorter oil interval. The Ford Motorcraft FL1-A filters are pretty beefy (what this Mustang takes), so i'll probably do like a 1,500-2,000 mile oil change for the first one.

 

WOW! Thats a huge difference from the photos. Thats just after 300 miles? Damn

 

Give it about 4 oil changes with R&P to really see a difference. I would recommend no longer than 5k oil changes.

 

If you wanted to try something dump a little seafoam down the bad cylinder. Somewhere around 1oz 3x a couple days apart and let it sit a day or so after the last dose and then give it a workout on the interstate. I'd do that 200ish miles before you change the oil and let it run with the seafoam until then.

 

I think a lot of it is the Redline SI-1 fuel additive too, but i'm sure the R&P is working as well. For anyone curious about fuel additives, just make sure they contain a high concentration of PEA.

Thats the plan. And i'll be doing much shorter oil change intervals. I'll hit a time limit on the oil before mileage anyways.

I wish i could, and that would have been my plan. My wife and i started a major home renovation this January where we had to move out of our house for like 7-9 months. We are currently living with my parents in their condo so 1. i have to street park the car, 2. i have to move it every so often so i need the car drivable, 3. i don't even know if i'm technically allowed to 'work' on the car without getting an HOA violation, and 4. my 4 month old and 4 year old take up every second of my time i'm not working until they go to sleep at like 8 and by then i'm beat anyways. Our currently living situation is less than ideal (for both us and my parents), but they took one for the team and are letting us stay for free so i suppose i can't complain.

Once we move back into our house and the car can go in the garage there will be some major wrenching time going on and i can do piston soaks and all that at my leisure.

 

Heck running in-between soaks might be a good idea anyway. Best of luck getting your house finished!

 

I don’t think the engine oil is cleaning the top of the cylinder. Oil isn’t supposed to be getting up there.

 

You're right, i'ts not, but it is, lol. My theory (without any tests being conducted) is I have an issue with stuck piston rings on cylinder #7 allowing oil blow-by. I'm burning oil, misfiring (shortly after swapping/cleaning the plug) and from one of the photos you can see a small pool of oil sitting on top of the piston. I have not ruled out leaking valve stem seals either. Something isn't right and as i mentioned i'm just trying the 'easy' stuff first, before taking it in for a rebuild. This is just a 'progress' thread sort of now.

I did mention, the cleaning effect on the piston top is probably more due to the Redline SI-1. That's good stuff.

 

Oil has burned down enough where I added the Engine Restore product today. We'll see if that helps in any sort of way. Only got to drive it my commute home which is pretty short so i'll give it until the end of this week or next to really see if there is any improvement.

I also swapped the #7 plug with a fresh one. Interestingly, i still got some low rpm 2nd gear bucking/misfiring. Usually that goes away with a fresh plug. Probably not good news, lol.

 

Just a day later update. Drove the car to work this morning (with the freshly added Engine Restore and new spark plug) and damn, the car really did feel a lot better. Nothing is conclusive, just an observation. Probably a combination of the fresh spark plug (mostly) and MAYBE the Engine Restore actually did what it says it does, help seal rings and bring compression back up. Looking forward to my commute home to get more seat time.