SVTPerformance Oil Futures Index : Royal Purple HPS Review
Is the oil you buy now as good as it used to be? Surprisingly it may not be. For several years, the American Petroleum Institute (“API”) has been reducing the maximum limits of common zinc/phosphorus anti-wear additives in motor oils via their self-governed licensing program. Those of you familiar with oil standards may have noticed the current API certification on the back of oil containers.
Notice the API logo.
The newest oil specifications are now more focused on emissions equipment compatibility than valve train and bearing protection. Knowing that those of us in the high-performance scene would find that unacceptable Royal Purple decided to release a new line of motor oil aimed at the street/performance enthusiast market. Royal Purple High Performance Street (“HPS”) motor oil is made for consumers with performance/modified engines and vehicles that have exceeded the factory warranty period. HPS is formulated with Royal Purple’s proprietary Synerlec® additive technology and utilizes a more robust zinc/phosphorous anti-wear package than the API standards currently allow.
Royal Purple claims Synerlec provides exceptional oil film strength and the load carrying capability needed by flat tappet and/or high lift camshafts, as well as outstanding oxidation resistance as compared to common mineral or synthetic API-licensed engine oils. What does this mean to SVTP members? Put simply, Royal Purple HPS is better capable of withstanding the temperatures and physical forces inside of a high power engine. Oil film strength and load carrying capability become crucially important in supercharged applications (think Terminator, Lightning, and GT500) and high RPM (5.0L Coyote) engines.
Royal Purple still sells API licensed motor oils for owners with cars under warranty who are fearful that using a non-API approved oil may put their warranty in jeopardy. For those of us wanting more performance and wear protection, without resulting to buying the expensive XPR racing oils, and are either no longer under warranty or are not concerned with the implications of selecting a non-API certified oil we can select HPS. Royal Purple HPS is currently available in several grades: 5W20, 5W30, 10W30, 10W40 and 20W50.
We decided that with about 1,000 miles on the 2012 SVTP GT Mustang it was about time to get the factory fill oil out of it. Naturally, we are not really all that concerned with warranty issues on this car since it’s going to be modded to Asgard and back, so we decided to go with Royal Purple HPS. Not only that, be we deviated from the factory recommendation of 5W20 and went with 5W30 instead. I felt that the higher viscosity oil would provide more protection under the extreme conditions the 5.0 under the hood is likely to see. We’ll be doing a used oil analysis on the factory oil and this HPS when we drain it sometime in the future.
We finished off our oil change with a Royal Purple oil filter. For those of you unfamiliar with Royal Purple’s oil filters you may be interested to know that they feature: a 100% screen-backed,100% synthetic micro-glass media for superior particle removal with 99% filtration efficiency at 25 microns; a silicone anti-drain back valve that prevents dry starts; and an ultra-strength filter housing enabling higher burst strength than conventional filters. In my opinion it is one of the finest oil filters available on the market. The only downfall to this filter, other than being a bit expensive, is that it can be tough to find. Royal Purple should try to get some more shelf space for it in auto parts stores. Until then, I’m sure we can continue having a discussion every three days or so about which oil and filter someone should use. I can almost feel a noob posting another thread about it right now.
Out with the old.
In with the new.
Wouldn't be finished without a Royal Purple oil filter.
Ubiquitous product glory shot.
This should make it pretty clear that we have a lot more plans that involve Royal Purple in the near future.
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