How were the engine oil substitutes options tested?

Each option was put through: compression test before and after use, engine previously gummed up with canola oil; lubricity and film strength test against 10W-30 motor oil using a bearing wear rig; visual crankcase cleanliness check through a see through engine panel; used fluid filtered through a coffee filter to check for metal contamination and sludge; carbon build up comparison on piston, exhaust valve, and intake valve; 1 hour continuous engine run test, under load and no load.

Where can I watch the full test?

The complete hands-on test video is on the original creator's channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE2F-vefQdA

Myth test1 productsMyths & Experiments

Engine Oil Substitutes: The Test Results

A head-to-head test of 1 engine oil substitutes options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.

The verdict

Ranked first

Havoline Dexron VI ATF (automatic transmission fluid)

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The measured results

Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.

Product	Lubricity test vs 10W-30 motor oil	Compression test before and after use in a canola oil gummed engine	Crankcase cleanliness via see through engine panel	Used fluid filtered for contamination	Carbon build up on piston and valves vs regular motor oil	1 hour continuous run test
1Havoline Dexron VI ATF (automatic transmission fluid)	more scoring on the automatic transmission fluid bearing than the 10W-30 bearing, so 10W-30 has better film strength than automatic transmission fluid, but the fluid did not lose lubricity after 1 hour of use	three readings before and three after using ATF, per video chapters the reading went from 95 PSI to 115 PSI, a significant improvement	the same spot inside the crankcase looked a little bit cleaner than before using automatic transmission fluid	some metal flakes found in the used fluid, host could not determine if the flakes were caused by the ATF or were already in the engine	left less carbon build up on the piston than regular motor oil, but about the same build up around the exhaust valve and intake valve	engine ran for a full hour, sometimes under load and sometimes not, and survived

How it was tested

compression test before and after use, engine previously gummed up with canola oil
lubricity and film strength test against 10W-30 motor oil using a bearing wear rig
visual crankcase cleanliness check through a see through engine panel
used fluid filtered through a coffee filter to check for metal contamination and sludge
carbon build up comparison on piston, exhaust valve, and intake valve
1 hour continuous engine run test, under load and no load

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