I can see your layouts causing issues with them being too strong...too much flare too early causing over flaring which can cause what your seeing as well
The ball may be slowing down ok but too much flare can cause the ball to transition too quickly or flaring out...

Nope not always...the ball can lose it's rotational integrity so early and quickly you don't realize it
Surface is what slows the ball down, then the core has a chance to effect the reaction but if you combine too much surface and too much flare the lane becomes too long or flares/rolls out

Not going to lie, this feel like lane reading 101.  I should know this, but it's one of "those spots" that I get hung up on.

Great topic... I have the exact problem. If I may say so, I don't think the answers you're getting are to the question you have posed. The question is not why you're having the problem, the question is how do you tell the difference between the two potential causes. I just came back from a practice session where I had the exact same issue, so this is fresh in my mind at the moment. I have to say that I run into this same issue time after time and I can't tell the answer either. The only thing I have been able to figure out is that if I take a weaker ball and I get a better reaction, my oil ball is burning up, whereas if the problem is really oil, the weaker ball will by default also slide. If the weaker ball fails to react, then I can advance to the next level of finding out how to get the oil ball to react more appropriately. However, until you know and can recognize which condition you're facing, you will be at a disadvantage as I feel I am.

For example, this morning at practice, I was throwing three identically cleaned balls with identical surface and similar, although I admit not equal, layouts. I truly believe, for purposes of this discussion, the layouts were close enough to not be materially significant to the discussion...)

I started throwing a AMF Darkness followed by a Brunswick Maxxed Out,  both of which looked weak, yet when I pulled out my Torrid Affair I got an increased reaction and stronger pin action. Therefore, I assumed that even though I was seeing substantial oil rings on all the balls, the Torrid Affair (although good) was not stronger than the other two balls and they must have been burning out.

Great question, I look forward to reading further discussion. I have much to learn in this area also.

I'll go into a little more detail.

My normal specs - 17-18 MPH, 325-350 RPM, axis tilt 17, rotation 45 (but can tone down to 30)

The tournament was a one day deal.  44 ft., high volume, 2:1 ratio, on old wood...and when I say old wood, I mean, there are visible patches in the heads.

On Friday night, there was a sweeper where they ran the tournament pattern over top of the league shot.  That was fun.  I threw straight up 10 with a Reax (1500, 45 x 3 1/4 x 30) and could hit the 2 pin (LH) square in the face.  Anything out stayed there.  I ended up pointing it, cutting the speed down to 15.5-16 MPH and just tried to pipe it up the lane. 

Toward the end of the set, I saw some guys getting a pinch of reaction out of shiny stuff/pearls, so I pulled out my Diva (shiny, 45 x 4 x 65...pin under ring, CG out) and got an inkling of motion.  Just prior to that I'm still seeing nice big oil rings on my Reax, but I was actually trying to go more direct and go up the back to try to pick up some push inside.  Lo and behold my first shot I leak, but get a little hand in and get some reaction (by reaction I mean there was some lateral movement).  Mind blown.  Some of the guys I traveled with said thay thought that I might be getting some burnout, but I was scoring OK (570...enough to profit in brakets) and left it alone.

OK, so the next day, fresh, stripped backends.  I bowl A squad because a) I need what backends are there b) I'm pretty sure the righties will blow a hole in the track by the B squad and this is a tough shot.  I start out with the Diva and have basically the same reaction.  My other options are a Brutal Nightmare (box finish, 45 x 5 x 50)which goes longer than the Diva, but just doesn't quite get there) and a 1500 Marauder Madness which i figure will burn up, too.

I bowl OK, but can't make a spare.  Then I see a lefty 2 pairs down from me hooking an IQ Tour Pearl.  Now, he's probably at 14-14.5 MPH, but he's getting actual hook playing up 5 (I got ZERO there) and creating some hold, too. 

So, on building on the OP, I would never in a million years have ever considered a pearl on this.  Wood or not, 44 ft and high volume I figure that's a good idea for shooting the corners.  When I see that Reax go 60 feet and never really do anything but spin and flare, I just don't see the friction. 

How do I get past this or is this one of those times you just make an educated guess?  My physical game is better than it should be coming off a long layoff, but I've got some real work to do on my equipment choices and moves.

As I stated before if your rev rate is that high your layouts are TOO strong...the ball is flaring out which in turn creates am earlier than desired reaction (usually not visual) and can also create or mirror a carry down reaction...

Funny thing is that I when i got the Reax, I posted some suggested layouts for this very condition and that's what Mo suggested.

It rolls great on house shots, but I'll have to reevaluate on touranment patterns.  Surface change may be in order.....or just throw it on house shot.

House shots EVERYTHING tend to roll good due to a build up of conditioner in the middle and friction outside therefore 'flaws' will show up differently

Shhhhhh.  My 220 looks really good there.