Valvoline Restore Protect 5W20
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Tuned
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Valvoline Restore Protect 5W20
Changed oil two months ago with Valvoline Restore Protect using 5W20 and have roughly 1500 kms thus far.
Oil level is stable and have not had to add any more.
Used it on the highway harder accelerations.
In prior oil changes using Valvoline Restore Protect 5W30 at around 1500 kms, I would need to add a half quart.
I used super tech 5W30 before starting to use the Valvoline Restore Protect and the same issue with needing to add a half quart of oil every 2000 kms.
Which makes no sense because 5W30 is thicker than 5W20.
You'd think the oil burning would slow down.
Last 2-3 oil changes I started changing the oil after the engine was nice and hot.
I don't know if using this method or maybe the Valvoline Restore Protect is cleaning the sludge or carbon off the piston rings.
But a noticeable difference.
Anyone chime in ?
Oil level is stable and have not had to add any more.
Used it on the highway harder accelerations.
In prior oil changes using Valvoline Restore Protect 5W30 at around 1500 kms, I would need to add a half quart.
I used super tech 5W30 before starting to use the Valvoline Restore Protect and the same issue with needing to add a half quart of oil every 2000 kms.
Which makes no sense because 5W30 is thicker than 5W20.
You'd think the oil burning would slow down.
Last 2-3 oil changes I started changing the oil after the engine was nice and hot.
I don't know if using this method or maybe the Valvoline Restore Protect is cleaning the sludge or carbon off the piston rings.
But a noticeable difference.
Anyone chime in ?
Last edited by F150_4x4; Feb 28, 2026 at 09:20 PM.
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From: Southern California
My dad was a mechanical aerospace engineer in the early days of our aerospace program and he always drove into me to use Valvoline in the trans and diffs, which I have always done for decades until a couple of years ago. With the exception of Mercon V, I will not use ANY Valvoline products anymore- not only was the company "busted' in California for falsifying and marketing which caused the ban of one of their tranny fluids, here's my personal story about their tech support...
I have a 1965 Mustang with Ford/Warner designed T10 ultra-close ratio 4 speed. The car was my moms since new (special order) and been in our family since then. I learned to drive in this car as well, and in 1986 I bought it from them, did a ground up rebuild and have about 10k miles on the car to date. The tranny was rebuilt by guys in downtown Los Angeles who were very well known and been around since the 50’s, replacing the bushings and syncros as the gears, etc. were in really good shape. When I reinstalled it, I filled it with Valvoline 90w gear oil…. The same tried and true tested gear oil my dad (engineer and racer) used for decades and myself as well. The tranny always worked very well!
About 2 years ago, I needed to top off the tranny with about 1.5 ounces…. Was out of the 90w so made a trip to slep boys and bought a quart of Valvoline 75-90w gear oil, which stated on the label it was compatible with GL-4 spec oil (which is what our tranny’s call for). I also called Valvoline tech support and verified that the compatibility was a non-issue, which they affirmed.
Over the next 2 years I slowly began noticing that at times it was becoming increasingly difficult to downshift into 2nd gear… no grinding, just acting overly firm. As the tranny warmed up higher, this occurred in 1st gear as well. Finally got to the point where, as soon as the tranny warmed up, it was difficult to downshift into 1st or 2nd gear without bringing the car to a complete stop.
Ok, so since I am old school, and still trouble shoot by seeing, listening and feeling, I checked out the tranny……shift linkage was dead on, clutch seemed good but I added a little more reach (1/4”) for it, gear oil look good, visually through fill hole- the internals looked good as well. Took her for a drive, and still the same.
At this point I’m sitting back in my chair giving this some deep thought since it doesn’t make any sense…… and I come the conclusion that this didn’t start until after I added oil…… checked around and found that over 100 people online are griping about the same thing, most are dropping their tranny’s and rebuilding them finding excessive parts wear (bushings, synchro’s).
Although I am now thinking about pulling the tranny to see what’s going on inside, I just haven’t convinced myself that this is mechanical related….. it has to be chemical related especially since it appears to be temperature related.
So out of mere “Gut Instinct”, I did a little R&D and found Brad-Penn makes a GL-4 specific gear oil…. Called and spoke to an engineer… he was great and after going through everything, he also agreed that although there was nothing else to indicate, he agreed, the chemistry issue was a real potential…. and he offered me a free oil analysis.
I let “Betsy” sit for 1 month allowing all the oil and particulates to settle. I bought 4 quarts of BP GL-4 and dumped the oil…. The 1st 8 ounces I drained into a bottle for analysis…. This would also show the highest contamination but would give us the best idea of what was going on. I flushed the tranny with 1 quart of the GL4, then filled her up.
The oil analysis came back indicating early signs of bushing specific wear….. just what I thought was happening…. The Valvoline oil was reacting improperly and instead of transferring heat away, it was increasing the heat causing the bushings to swell and in essence being way too big forcing the sychro’s way out of alignment……. In short, what a way to destroy a tranny!!!!
With the BP GL4 oil in her, I took her out and immediately noticed a difference…even just the feel, vibrations, sound. I ran the freeway at 70+ mph, downshifting through the all the gears and can only describe it as “Silky-Smooth”. On my return trip I did the same thing, but when I exited the freeway and downshifted through the gears, I use no throttle- just merely pushing in the clutch and shifting the tranny….. same result….. absolutely “Silky Smooth”! Honestly the tranny has never ran quieter (although it was quiet before)……. And Valvoline gear oils will never touch any vehicle I ever own again!
BTW, when I called the Valvoline tech support line and advised them on what had happened, the 20 something young lady, reading the PC said I must have bought the wrong oil. So much for consumer/product support.
Anyway, I hope this helps those in need!
As far as high mileage oils, I personally prefer to stick with the brand of oil that has been in the vehicle since day 1... changing brands of oil can easily cause all sorts of issues because of chemical reactions. In my wife's car, I run Quaker State 10-40 high mileage oil (it has done excellent) and is the brand of oil that has been in the car since new), Penzoil, Motorcraft, Brad Penn, Texaco/Chevron are all excellent oils.
I have a 1965 Mustang with Ford/Warner designed T10 ultra-close ratio 4 speed. The car was my moms since new (special order) and been in our family since then. I learned to drive in this car as well, and in 1986 I bought it from them, did a ground up rebuild and have about 10k miles on the car to date. The tranny was rebuilt by guys in downtown Los Angeles who were very well known and been around since the 50’s, replacing the bushings and syncros as the gears, etc. were in really good shape. When I reinstalled it, I filled it with Valvoline 90w gear oil…. The same tried and true tested gear oil my dad (engineer and racer) used for decades and myself as well. The tranny always worked very well!
About 2 years ago, I needed to top off the tranny with about 1.5 ounces…. Was out of the 90w so made a trip to slep boys and bought a quart of Valvoline 75-90w gear oil, which stated on the label it was compatible with GL-4 spec oil (which is what our tranny’s call for). I also called Valvoline tech support and verified that the compatibility was a non-issue, which they affirmed.
Over the next 2 years I slowly began noticing that at times it was becoming increasingly difficult to downshift into 2nd gear… no grinding, just acting overly firm. As the tranny warmed up higher, this occurred in 1st gear as well. Finally got to the point where, as soon as the tranny warmed up, it was difficult to downshift into 1st or 2nd gear without bringing the car to a complete stop.
Ok, so since I am old school, and still trouble shoot by seeing, listening and feeling, I checked out the tranny……shift linkage was dead on, clutch seemed good but I added a little more reach (1/4”) for it, gear oil look good, visually through fill hole- the internals looked good as well. Took her for a drive, and still the same.
At this point I’m sitting back in my chair giving this some deep thought since it doesn’t make any sense…… and I come the conclusion that this didn’t start until after I added oil…… checked around and found that over 100 people online are griping about the same thing, most are dropping their tranny’s and rebuilding them finding excessive parts wear (bushings, synchro’s).
Although I am now thinking about pulling the tranny to see what’s going on inside, I just haven’t convinced myself that this is mechanical related….. it has to be chemical related especially since it appears to be temperature related.
So out of mere “Gut Instinct”, I did a little R&D and found Brad-Penn makes a GL-4 specific gear oil…. Called and spoke to an engineer… he was great and after going through everything, he also agreed that although there was nothing else to indicate, he agreed, the chemistry issue was a real potential…. and he offered me a free oil analysis.
I let “Betsy” sit for 1 month allowing all the oil and particulates to settle. I bought 4 quarts of BP GL-4 and dumped the oil…. The 1st 8 ounces I drained into a bottle for analysis…. This would also show the highest contamination but would give us the best idea of what was going on. I flushed the tranny with 1 quart of the GL4, then filled her up.
The oil analysis came back indicating early signs of bushing specific wear….. just what I thought was happening…. The Valvoline oil was reacting improperly and instead of transferring heat away, it was increasing the heat causing the bushings to swell and in essence being way too big forcing the sychro’s way out of alignment……. In short, what a way to destroy a tranny!!!!
With the BP GL4 oil in her, I took her out and immediately noticed a difference…even just the feel, vibrations, sound. I ran the freeway at 70+ mph, downshifting through the all the gears and can only describe it as “Silky-Smooth”. On my return trip I did the same thing, but when I exited the freeway and downshifted through the gears, I use no throttle- just merely pushing in the clutch and shifting the tranny….. same result….. absolutely “Silky Smooth”! Honestly the tranny has never ran quieter (although it was quiet before)……. And Valvoline gear oils will never touch any vehicle I ever own again!
BTW, when I called the Valvoline tech support line and advised them on what had happened, the 20 something young lady, reading the PC said I must have bought the wrong oil. So much for consumer/product support.
Anyway, I hope this helps those in need!
As far as high mileage oils, I personally prefer to stick with the brand of oil that has been in the vehicle since day 1... changing brands of oil can easily cause all sorts of issues because of chemical reactions. In my wife's car, I run Quaker State 10-40 high mileage oil (it has done excellent) and is the brand of oil that has been in the car since new), Penzoil, Motorcraft, Brad Penn, Texaco/Chevron are all excellent oils.
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Shanemh
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
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Dec 18, 2006 09:19 PM