mobil 1 fiasco: who's switching? who's going down with the ship?

[tbomb]

well, im sure that by now most of us have heard about the deal with mobil 1 oil not really being a fully synthetic product (though, its probably still a damn good oil.) i was just curious as to who is still going to use it and why? and who is switching to something else, and what youre switching to?

i was thinking about switching to some other readily available fully synthetic oil. i think pennzoil makes one, and a handfull of other companies, but i wanted to get some more opinions. i guess, until i figure out what im going to do, ill still use mobil 1.

 

[ok89]

I read about that. Its too bad Mobil 1 is giving in to the lower cost "synthetic". I wish there was a website like that oil filter study website but for oil instead of filters.

 

[Flight_951]

I just recently switched from Mobil 1 to Red Line Synthetic. (The car was a Porsche 944 turbo but the results should be consistent with Explorers too. I also have a 97 Ex sohc and that's why I'm here.)

I had been using Mobil 1 15-50 and a Mahle oil filter (Porsche OE). I switched to Red Line 10-40 with a fresh Mahle oil filter 300 miles ago. In the last 300 miles, I have noticed less valvetrain noise (especially at start up), slightly higher oil pressure, and slightly lower coolant temerature. I'm hoping it will slow my car's oil consumption too but it hasn't been in long enough to measure yet. Red Line 10-40 has a thicker oil film at operating temperature than a petro-based 20-50. Red Line sells for about $8/qt versus Mobil 1 at about $5/qt. The Red Line website has some great info about their products if you like reading that stuff. Jeg's sells Red Line products as do some local racing shops.

At the next oil change I'm going with Red Line 5-30 in my Ex. I'm also thinking the thicker Red Line may slow or stop some very slight oil leaks the Ex has right now. (Looks like rear main seal.)

Hope this helps.

www.redlineoil.com

 

[RFR2212]

If ya ask me.... Either way, I'm stickin with standard old oil. It gets the job done for me.
Pete

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Same here RFR2212. Almost $50 dollars for oil and a filter. I change my oil every 3,000 miles. don't think going 10,000 on syntheteic is a good idea. You still need to change the filter every 3,000 miles so what is the point?

 

[Goober]

As bad as my motor 'eats' oil( ~ 1Qt./1000 miles), I'll stay with dino til I get her rebuilt. I have had pretty good luck using Castrol GTX 5W-30 @ $1.19/qt. And I still use Slick 50 about 50,000 miles and regardless of what some may say, it quiets my motor and it runs better.

 

[Robb]

We "old school" oil guys are just laughing at this. These arguments are just a joke to those who (or whom) use good ol' fashioned oil. Ya know, that stuff you grew up on! That stuff that is $1.29/QT at local auto store!

 

[Anime]

so?

Well, I'm not trying to be a smart@$$ but its been out there for a while that popular synthetic lubricants aren't "100% synthetic". There was a huge debate over Castrol being able to call its syntec lubricants synthetic because of the manufacturing process and materials- interestingly enough, it was Mobil who tried to do this to lessen the competition.

I'd suggest reading some techy articles on synthetic oil and getting the whole story before deciding not to use a brand or product you've been happy with so far. I read the whole story on the Castrol vs. Mobil deal, and after reading up on all the technical details, I felt the Syntec was better..it just made alot of sense, even with all the hype and propaganda about "its not 100% synthetic". Make sure you're absolutely convinced you're dissatisfied with the product before just chucking it out the window.

It's all in the name- a technicality, for something to be "100% synthetic", it has to be 100% man-made from scratch. If you got really scientific about it, nothing in the world is 100% synthetic, since you can't just *poof* create a lubricant for an engine out of nowhere.

Oh yea, Castrol GTX 5W-30 rules, especially for Ford engines that spec it, and also especially when you get it for 79 cents a quart after rebate.

 

[99explorer5.0]

Well it took me a while to actually put in Mobil 1 because i didnt think it would do anything. Last week i made the change from regular oil to Mobil hoping that it would give me better gas millage. Since everyone here who claims high MPG uses synthetic.

You know what the synthetic did to my MPG??? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING !!!!!! what a waste of money. My friend has a car which has about 210,000 miles and still running strong and all he has ever used was the cheapest oil that was on sale. My truck averaged 14MPG with regular oil and 14mpg with mobil 1 5-30.

 

[AgExplorer]

I am doing some research on Mobil 1. When all the facts are in, I will post a seperate thread to try to clear up all the info that has been posted. The lawsuit between Castrol and Mobil concerning the definition of "synthetic" has thrown a wrench into what is truly 100% synthetic motor oil.

99explorer5.0, Give it a little time. Sometimes it takes several thousand miles before a synthetic will come through with better fuel mileage. All vehicles are different. Some will show better fuel mileage immediately, others will take some time and some will never show an increase.

 

[aldive]

How does this apply to other Mobil 1 products such as ATF and rear end lube?

Vomments.....

 

[taxx]

fully synthetic or not it is still a damn good product!

 

[mattadams]

yeah I agree with taxxman. Whether or not it is fully synthetic is really irrelavent, it is still one of the best oils out there that won't cost you $10 a qt. like redline, etc.

 

[Big E]

I personally think if I can spend $1.15 a quart and $4 on a Wix filter every 3000 miles it is cheaper than spending $5 maybe $6 and $4 dollars for a filter every 8000 miles. I have always used Quaker State 10w30 in all the vehicles my family have. We have had 3 vechicles go over 200k with no engine problems at all. I will not use a Frahm filter after watching one being crushed at work. We have a oil filter crushers that we use to get all the oil from the filters. The worse filters I have seen are Penzoil, Frahm, Mobil (the white generic one, not Mobil 1 filter) Firestone. The best ones I have seen Mopar, Wix, Motorcraft, Mobil 1, AC Delco. How I based how good a filter was is how much it was crushed. If it crushed very little then there is a lot of filter materal in the canister, if there was alot of crushing then I am assuming there is very little filter. If someone wants to see a pic of the machine or a certain filter being crushed let me know and I can take a before and after pic of the filter. To sum everything I have seen while working at a Chrysler dealership and working at home on my own stuff. If you change your oil at the recommended oil change intervals then you should not have any problems. If synthetic oil is so great. How come none of the car makers use it? Cause for 36k they are under warranty. So seems to me if it was so good they would use it. One vehicle that uses it that I know of is a Viper.



Eric

 

[Maniak]

On our main vehicles we only use synthetic (ok.. Mobil 1).. It doesn't cost that much more than the Dino Oil.. I change the oil every 8-10k miles.. Change the filter every 4 to 5k miles..

For us it makes sense.. We drive 300-400 miles a week without doing any trips (that is just work and back).. Including all the extra trips to town.. or to the next town we will hit 3000 miles every month.. (we put 60k miles on the truck last year).. Some times the extra cost is worth saving a little time.. (I don't have to change the oil every 4 weeks)..

some times it just makes sense.. for the other vehicles (like the 63 galaxie with the orig motor that only goes 300 miles a month) I use straight 40 weight el cheapo oil.. and change it every 3 to 6 months weather I hit 3000 miles or not..

It just all depends..

 

[rpenner54]

I still use Dino Mobile 1 IT seems to work so far for me. I have 132k on the engine now, changing the oil every 5k miles.

The other truck has 87k on it and it does just fine with the mobile 1 dino at every 5k.

 

[hitman]

I get Motor Trend magazine, and every new Porsche article they have usually has pictures of the engine bays. I have seen numerous times small decals which state something like "equipped with Mobil 1 oil" or "use only Mobil 1 synthetic oil". I have also seen the same decal or nameplate in the engine bays of Vipers and new Corvettes.

Granted, these are all high-performance, semi-exotic automobiles. But, there's got to be a reason why the big-boys use the stuff. I like the fact you can go longer between oil changes because the oil doesn't take as long to "break down" as standard oil.

 

[peterdaniel66]

Ok here is my 2 cents.... I have owned approx 40 different vehicles and I have found and come to peace with myself on the following;
1) if I have a very expensive machine that is like new and has and expensive supercharger ( like my VW Corrado) I used nothing but Synthetic oil and Mobil 1 for the $$ is the best out there
2) If i am living in a cold climate like i used to in Colorado where the winter temps can get pretty damn cold I used Mobil 1 Why? Simple it just flows massively better. One day back in 1991 I lived in Denver and we got hit with an Artic cold front in which the standing ( NOT wind chill) temp was -25 below 0 I used that oppurtunity to put two quarts of oil ( Mobil1 and Pennzoil both 10w30) outside overnight In the morning i could SCOOP the pennzoil out with a spoon The Mobil 1 poured a bit slower than normally but it poured Needless to say i was the only one that got to work that day.
3) i have noticed that you will always find someone who used the cheapest oil and the cheapest filters crappy gas change the oil every 8000 miles and the car still goes 150,000 I know of one person of whom i have watch this in progress over 4 years in a VW golf He drove alot of highway miles and he now has >400,000 miles and hes a mechanic Go figure.... Look long enough and you will find anything you want
4) In CERTAIN vehicles you WILL do harm if you use Mobil 1 or any synthetic For example I have a 68 Karmann Ghia and a 1960 Bug I use NOTHING BUT 30wt Castrol.. why? simple mono grades absorb heat better and do not have all of the stretcher molecules they use to make an oil multi weight therefore the 30 wt stays stable longer and cools better This i have noticed a big diference in the cooling which on these cars is critical Why not synthetic? because they do not absorb heat as well hence the lower oil temps that they advertse.
In an air cooled vehicle you NEED the oil to be able to take the heat otherwise it goes to your engine.
5) the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to change your oil and filter as recommended or earlier and KEEP THE OIL LEVEL UP!!!! why does oil turn to sludge? two reason short trips that don't allow the oil to heat up and burn off the crap and water it accumulates and RUNNING LOW!!! run your engine low a quart and the oil HEATS UP!! TOO MUCH! it then cokes and turns to varnish. KEEP THAT OIL LEVEL TO THE MAX!!
6) warm your damn machine up when you have had it sitting overnight or for a while be patient and sit for a minute or two ( literally) get that oil to coat everything so that when you take off its the oil that takes the load and NOT the bearings rings rods etc.... If you live where you hop right on a freeway then warm it up a bit longer.

let me know what you think... Again, look long enough and you will find anything you want. Close your eyes and you will believe anything you find.

Peter

 

[tbomb]

Originally posted by mattadams
yeah I agree with taxxman. Whether or not it is fully synthetic is really irrelavent, it is still one of the best oils out there that won't cost you $10 a qt. like redline, etc.

i agree with you, matt, and taxxman also, but if the quality of the mobil 1 product has been declining into something that doesnt at all give you the advantages of a synthetic oil, then i have a problem paying $4+ for it, though it may be a great oil; if i cant get the piece of mind out of it (i.e.: not having to lose sleep if i have to go over the change interval, etc. (for reference, i always change it at 3k)), then why shouldn't i just use something that costs half the price? im not saying i want to spend less money, im happy paying $4 or so for a quart of mobil 1, but i want it to do what its supossed to do, without mobil degrading the product over time and not telling me.

i think i said before that if i switch, itll have to be to something thats readily available at local auto supply stores, like pep boys. i refuse to use amsoil or redline, they just seem like too much of a "project" (though a speed shop about 30 minutes from my house carries red line, thats too far for me), and are too expensive. i like being able to run to walmart at 1:30 in the morning, getting a 5 quart tanker of mobil 1 for less than $20 and going home to change my oil, while everyone is asleep and i have peace and quiet, and no annoyances in the garage.

the only problem with switching, from what i gather from other posts around here, is that no oil is really synthetic anymore. i mean, like someone else said, nothing is truly 100% synthetic, but i dont think we need to get that technical. i just want a reasonably synthetic oil; not a blend; not dino oil; i guess i just want mobil 1 from a few years ago before the execs over there got too greedy

as of now, i still plan on using mobil 1 until i find an acceptable replacement.

keep the thoughts coming guys, this is good stuff

 

[rpenner54]

Dude if your loosing sleep from going over 3k between changes you need to learn a bit about engines first! First start with your lawnmower if you have one. Have you EVER changed its oil? Probably not, I would say the majority of americans do not change its oil. Yet somehow they last forever! I mean they probably have more running hours then you think on the original or close to the original oil.

Now take your engine. Nothing bad is going to happen to it if you go above 3k. There are loads of reports out there that say just that. Oil doesn't start breaking down untill 15k or so right? Even then its probably not going to harm the engine any to go a few more thousand on it.

I still say changing your oil at 3k is just as bad as changing your gas at half a tank. Why not change your gas out after 150 miles? After all you can go 300, but you better just dump it.

Here is the true question. Of all the oil that gets recycled every year from this 3k business I wonder how much of it is in our engines right now for the second or third or fourth time?

Its just crazy to worry that much about something like oil! LOL Maybe if your engine was blueprinted and some huge horsepower monster that you needed to worry about then it would seem needed. However you probably wouldn't drive it that much anyway.

My dad has a car that has been sitting in our garage for years. I betcha it has had the same oil in it for the last 10 years. It gets run maybe 10 miles every year if that. There is NOTHING wrong with that oil! Its not like it can go bad from sitting there. Otherwise how could oil sit on the shelfs for months or even years and still be good?

Crazy I tell you Crazy!