I was watching Horsepower TV today and they showed a dyno comparison between Royal Purple and regular dyno oil. The results were suprising to me. Something like an increase in torque of 6 ft lb 8 HP increase...

How does synthetic oil increase HP and torque?

Is this legit, and another reason to switch to synthetic?

O K (youve just started a oil war you bastard!) lol

i SWEAR by Royal Purple, but be prepaired to pay 7$ a qt

on that show you watched, did they also tune up the engine at the same time?? or just oil

ive seen 2 shows that used RP and dynoed it but one they changed rear fluid, transfer fluid, front diff fluid, trans fluid, and eng fluid all to RP..and got like 9hp, this wanast just the crank case oil

andother they did an oil change to RP and did a tune up and gained like 11hp..still kinda gay that they would throw a variable in there.

ive ran it (and still do) and can say it will give any engine a pick up.

another thing, its formulated to NOT leak past seals like other syns. RP is a very weird/good motor oil, its acually been proven to physically change the texture of metal, it smothes out rough cam lobes, crank journals, pushrod ends, rocker balls, berings..its "scientifically" alltered to do this in a way thats only binificial, so even after you ran it if you go back to dyno oil..you still ended up gaint a few extra ponies just due to the metal surfaced being smoother (less friction)...not to mention it keeps parts cooler.

ALSO RP used to be used by major fabricating industries as a machine, and drill lubricant, it COULD NOT be beat, they drove Marvel Mystery oil right out of every shop across america this dates back all the way into the early 40's they started to engineer RP in 1934, then in the 80's it was altered to be used in automobiles, then again sweeped the nation as the worlds BEST motor oil..still is no comparisons at all! it was Founded by a fellow named John Williams, he was a synthetic lubricant pioneer scientist.

[This message has been edited by 88 Silver Formula (edited 10-07-2007).]

quote Originally posted by topcat: I was watching Horsepower TV today and they showed a dyno comparison between Royal Purple and regular dyno oil. The results were suprising to me. Something like an increase in torque of 6 ft lb 8 HP increase... How does synthetic oil increase HP and torque? Is this legit, and another reason to switch to synthetic?

Well, 88FieroFormula is a registered Royal Purple dealer... !!!

But seriously, these are modern times for the combustion engine. Synthetic oil is pretty much the only way to go. I use it in pretty much every gas powered machine that I have. It DOES provide more power simply by the fact that it reduces the friction on the moving parts. This in turn reduces the drag on the rotating mass and allows it to spool up faster.

But, keep in mind, they were working on a high horsepower V8. If your Fiero is stock, it's a 140hp 2.8. You can expect maybe 1hp and 2ft-lbs of torque, assuming your motor was "like new".

But I highly recommend it.


Just remember a couple things about synthetic oil...

The ones that you can buy off the shelf for ~$5, those are really not fully synthetic oils. They make up only 50% synthetic (even though they say "FULL SYNTHETIC". They also offer a semi-synthetic oil (like Castrol does) that's about $3 bucks a quart. That's also good, and it's something like 25% synthetic.

Either one is an improvement over regular motor oil. Especially today's motor oils. They no longer contain the feel-good additives like Shell Rotella does.

If you want ultimate power / reliability / longevity... then you can get Royal Purple, or Redline Synthetic, or some of the other brands. Those typically go for about $7-9 a quart. But you can leave it in longer (just change the filter).

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Todd,
2006 Pontiac Solstice
2004 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible (Wife's Car)
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 (3.2) 5-Speed
1984 Porsche 944 5-Speed
1981 Pontiac TransAm (Olds 455BB)
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter

quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: But, keep in mind, they were working on a high horsepower V8. If your Fiero is stock, it's a 140hp 2.8. You can expect maybe 1hp and 2ft-lbs of torque, assuming your motor was "like new".

I saw that too, TIVO'd it actually...That engine went from 376 ft-lbs to 388 ft-lbs and 465hp to 473 hp, so it's a bit misleading to think you'll get measurable increase for a stock motor.

To answer teh question on if they tuned the engine with the oil change... no. They only changed the oil. I guess it makes sense that reduced friction equates higher HP, but even still I was amazed with the results. And yes it was a high Perforamce ZZ430, or something like that.

I had been running Mobile One in my SC3800, but I guess I will give Royal Purple a shot. The car is on stands right now anyway.

Here is a story for 'ya.

My dad had a 1960 Olds that I learned to drive on. It was a 394 ci 315 hp engine. Being 16 with a new license, I took it out and could only manage 95 mph on a nice straight stretch.

I told my dad I thought it needed an oil change so I emptied the REALLY black sludge that passed for oil (my dad was not a car guy) and put in some Quaker State. I took the car back out and ran the speedo right off the scale.

Yeah, oil makes a difference. Tranny oil choice makes a difference, and engine oil choice makes a difference.

Arn

One thing that I did notice was that the dead dinosaur oil they used was 10w30 and the synthetic was 5w30. Not much difference, but if they were trying to prove a point, the same weight should have been used. No doubt that the synthetic is better, if not for the added horsepower, then for the longer engine life.

Think of really nice oil as a way to increase your horsepower as a percentage, I doubt its much more than 1%.

royal purple!...god i couldnt remember that name to save my life in one of my other threads! lol

I saw this.

Yes, they should have used 5W-30 or 10W-30 for both batches. It was an engine dyno rig and they did warm up the engine so that water and oil were the same heat for both pulls. I don't know if the oil was hot enough to reduce the effect that the W number may have had. Still the gain is so small that I'd want to see a more reliable test or at least a longer coverage of that test on their web site. They only gave it a few seconds of air time.

And while they tested RP... I'd have to wonder how it does against Mobil 1 and others, which are usually less expensive and easier to find.

Is it possible? Yes. Better oil can free more power due to less friction inside the engine. It's pretty simple. This is also part of why many engines today call for lower viscosity oils like 5W-30 and 0W-20 so they have full oil flow when cold or hot. Using 20W-50 oil, popular years ago with many racers, is now a good way to ruin an engine because the oil is too heavy. Besides lubrication, the oil is a coolant for places that the water system can't cool and if the oil is too thick the bearings and other things you are trying to protect can be both oil starved and over heated. The wrong oil can absolutely shorten the life of an engine in a major way.

Beyond any HP increase it might have... I use Mobil 1 just for the fact that is doesn't turn into sludge even when neglected. It's just about impossible to sludge up an engine on Mobil 1.

As long as you have an engine in good shape to start with, there is no reason not to put synthetic in it regardless of age. Synthetic won't cause leaks but it you have any minor ones it could make them more obvious by washing the crap out that was probably falsely making it look better than it really was.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

i saw a study on gm performance web site where they took every high end syn oil..i think there were 4 brands, RP, amsoil, mobil 1..and something else, then they tested additives that claim higher hp, tested lucus, all i remember is that lucus hurt hp, and RP was on top bar none.

Synthetic oil will give a very small increase in horse powerbecause its slippery,more so than regular oil,there are many dyno test proving this. Mobile 1 is the best of the lower price oils tho as it gains in popularity it seems to climb closer to R Purple and amsoil in price, the reason to use a synthetic in a fiero is because synthetic oil moves to heat... the real developement of synthetic came when it was improved for jet engines because they run so hot! in a fiero synthetic is worth it because fiero,s overheat.. in the 80s I thought it just a waste of money but in the 90s the car rags convinced me.. this battle was fought in the 90s with synthetic the clear victor,, I'm to cheap for $7.00 oil so i use a syn blend I buy for $3.oo at big lots..if you have ever been in a car that overheated and caused problem with the engine ??? you know the value of this product,,mobile one is as good as you need,also synthetic in some cases rejuvenates oil seals,but its slippery and will leak more readily,,any one know if synthetic is easier on filters for certain,, every fiero should have synthetic oil.. Im so cheap I flip my girl friend for dinner .but there is synthetic in my oil pans

In use Mobel 1 myself. Also agree that the viscosites should have been idential for such a test as well as the same exact engine and fluids temps and no change in ambient air temp or humidity. Hmmm... now this has me thinking; maybe I should change to lower viscosity water and thus reduce the load on my water pump.

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Trueleo.com/fiero.htm
RSpiderII@aol.com

I found Royal Purple at a local speed shop for 6 bucks a quart. So I picked up 5 quarts and a Wix filter. I know I will not be able to feel any change, but who knows?

quote Originally posted by topcat: I found Royal Purple at a local speed shop for 6 bucks a quart. So I picked up 5 quarts and a Wix filter. I know I will not be able to feel any change, but who knows?

Side question: My Fiero (V6) is due for an oil change. What's a good filter to get, and where do I get it? (I understand that I should stay away from FRAM)
Still thinking about switching my Fiero to synthetic. Grew up with it. My parents put synthetic into everything from our cars to our shredder and our lawnmowers. (we use the lawnmowers on a steep slope that they weren't designed for. Conventional starved the engine of oil. (rod or piston blew, don't remember, but one could see inside the cylinder, blew a big chunk out of the block) We hadn't had nearly as many problems with synthetic. The Fiero currently has 20W50 (that's what the last owner had in it and swore by it) I'd like to switch the Fiero to synthetic, but a big part of me doesn't "want to mess with a winning team, that worked so far." Either way, I need to pick a filter.

You have to remember that those hot-rod shows are 50% commercial....I mean they are always boasting about this product or talking up something or another. They are so scripted. They start to sound like salesman through the program, but the cars are nice to look at and so is the sales girl.....Courtney. She could sale snow to eskimos.

quote Originally posted by RotrexFiero: You have to remember that those hot-rod shows are 50% commercial....I mean they are always boasting about this product or talking up something or another. They are so scripted. They start to sound like salesman through the program, but the cars are nice to look at and so is the sales girl.....Courtney. She could sale snow to eskimos.

Jessi is better lookin I cant even watch 'trucks' anymore as its so full of 'commercials'. And i dont like the new guys anyway, something about that blonde guy just isnt right..


But about RP, could it help an older tired engine as much as it could help a new one ? I have a 2.8 at 200k miles, still good pressure and runs well. And another 2.9 at 90k that has lowish pressure at idle. ( not dangerously low, and i know its 90k.. apparently it wasnt taken care of as well as the other.. when it does go a crate 3.8SC is in the cars future. I think its time to move up to 10/30 as well.. a bit thicker )

If you think about it, if they weren't commercial, how would they pay for their stuff? I don't remember which product it was, but they reviewed a product which is considered total rubbish (sorry, watched too much Top Gear. ) They reviewed the product as being good. I couldn't even watch it. (wasn't the Tornado, but along those lines..)

Um yeah, sythetic oils can show some increase in horsepower but not very much. I wouldn't waste the money for the 1hp gain. Most car shows are really just long spliced together ads with a little bit of "how-to" thrown in and more important.

TOP GEAR totally rocks!!!

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Virginia is for horsepower lovers....

Nobody has mentioned this, but it's probably not beneficial to use these full syn. (or partial for that matter) oils for break-in . . . DUH!

Norm

[This message has been edited by gt88norm (edited 10-15-2007).]

I bought my GT on e bay 4 years ago. I bought the car because it was in good shape and had always used synthetic oil ( or so the previous owner said). Synthetics are far better in all weather conditions for an engine. I use Amsoil, the FIRST company to develop synthetic motor oil products in the mid 1960's. Mobil One and Royal Purple are on a par with Amsoil, but are late comers to the synthetic industry. Amsoil permits purchases over the internet and you may become a preferred customer and purchase the oil at prices they charge their dealers. Everyone who uses a synthetic has a special preference, mine happens to be Amsoil.
But, I am doubtful of anyone who claims an increase of more than 1% in HP just because of a synthetic vs. petroleum based stuff.
In the case of a 2.8 rated at 140hp, that's 1.4 hp because of synthetic oil; any more than that is wishful thinking. And yes, stay away from Fram filters, they used to be the best until the number crunchers in Allied decided to make all the insides out of cardboard and charge more because of the Fram name. Use the original filter, the AC version, PF 52 I believe. Ed

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quote Originally posted by gt88norm: Nobody has mentioned this, but it's probably not beneficial to use these full syn. (or partial for that matter) oils for break-in . . . DUH! Norm

Yea, and one should use a "break-in additive". IIRC.

quote Originally posted by Austrian Import: Yea, and one should use a "break-in additive". IIRC.

And a break-in additive is NOT 'Bon-Ami' dust down the intake, now I'm showing my age!

Norm