Mobil 1 improves with age

[toojung2die]

Very interesting long-term independent study of Mobil 1 motor oil. If you are a compulsive 3K mile oil changer like me and use Mobil 1, you may change your mind after reading the results of this study. Long story short, the maximum engine wear while using Mobil 1 occured during the first 3,000 miles after the oil change and then the oil performance actually improved.

http://neptune.spacebears.com/cars/stories/mobil1.html

Check out the rest of the site for other oil tests. It gets technical.

 

[95gster]

I'm at 5,000 right now, at first analysis I thought I was a lazy bastard. Now it turns out that I am a genius for not changing it.

haha I don't care what people say just to be on teh safe side I'll change my oil every 3k.......cause I can do that

 

[heavyD]

Royal Purple doesn't seem to work well with our engines. I used it and my old engine consumed oil with it (not to mention that it was the oil in my engine when I spun a rod bearing). It never consumed oil with mobile 1 or regular oil. Also I have two friends with 1G's and one guy was having major blow-by with Royal Purple One of the local shops here doesn't reccomend it for the 4G63 engine for the same problems. I will stick with the tried & true Mobile 1 from now on.

 

[c5chris]

I've been using Marvel Mystery Oil in my engine along with Mobil 1. Helps a lot with the lifter tick... you guys should try it!

I add a can of Restore and I never get any lifter tick even Im close to my next oil change.

 

[Tallen]

haha I don't care what people say just to be on teh safe side I'll change my oil every 3k.......cause I can do that

Ditto, just messin around.

I second Restore. I have not used it for 6months and my lifters still don't tick.

 

[GSX_RCR]

CHP currently runs non-synthetic for 8000 between changes. The cars aren't exactly babied, and are run 110,000 miles before being replaced.

If my car was paid for by tax payers and I didn't have to do any maintenance on it, I'd beat the sh!t out of my car and not change the oil for 10k+ miles too!

But since I still have 2 more years of payment, I'll stick to my 3k mile oil changes.

 

[dsm4life]

sorry i dont see oil as sex , doesnt get better with age. Im still a 3K man.

 

[98spyderboost]

I use Mobil 1 with a Mobil 1 oil filter and a can of restore. I change the oil between 4-6K miles.

You know some people say you cant tell anything by looking at the oil but I say you can. However it doesnt necessarily mean that "dirty" oil is bad oil. The "dirt" is actually carbon deposites and such that are coming off of the inside of the engine. Synthetic oil takes a lot longer time to break down than conventional "parafin" oils. If you check how the oil feels at 3k miles you will notice conventional oils feel more "slimey" or "waxy". This is a sign of the oil actually breaking down. Synthetic oil breaks down in a different fasion. Synthetic oil not only withstands more heat but at longer intervals and is designed to increase viscosity over time rather than decrease.

My suggestion. Good filter keeps "dirt" and "soot" out of the oil. Buy a good filter. M1 or Fram X10 or whatever the ones in the pringles cans are called. Both these filters have great filtering capabilites and higher preasure ratings.

As M1 and RP oil both break down WAY after the oil is contaminated with carbon and stuff, I pretty much just keep my filter new and my oil topped off until around 5K miles just for good measure.

I have seen a car run on Royal Purple for over 50K miles without having the oil changed and the oil still had not broken down. I personally had a V8 Dakota that I used Mobil 1 in and went from 100K to 124K without changing the oil. Still slick as snot and only a quart low. Although it looked pretty bad.

Anyways, I have done my own tests and for now I'll stick with M1 oil and filter and Restore.

 

[tommiman]

Very interesting long-term independent study of Mobil 1 motor oil. If you are a compulsive 3K mile oil changer like me and use Mobil 1, you may change your mind after reading the results of this study. Long story short, the maximum engine wear while using Mobil 1 occured during the first 3,000 miles after the oil change and then the oil performance actually improved.

If this was true then why would Mobil1 themselves recommend changing the oil and filter at manufacturer's recommended time intervals?

Check out Mobil1's website.

 

[blackGSX2g]

Yea, I don't understand that part either. I dont know about you guys, but the way I drive my car I think 3k is the best choice.

 

[SpoolnTsi]

Its just another way to make money. I have never changed my oil at 3k miles in any of my vehicles. Never have i had a problem

 

[Defiant]

If this was true then why would Mobil1 themselves recommend changing the oil and filter at manufacturer's recommended time intervals?

Erm... not to sound conspiratorial, but just maybe because they make money off selling it?

Yet again, I'll tell you that the CHP runs normal oil in the patrol cars 8,000 miles.

"Early" oil changes will only damage your wallet. And not all that much. The best plan is to run whatever oil you like, for as long as you're comfortable with. In discussion after discussion after discussion, it's been repeatedly determined that it doesn't matter.

 

[c5chris]

Im trying Valvoline Synpower 10W30 on the GSX. I do not hear lifter tick when I turned in on the first time. Even after a number of days and observing it while on idle, I do not hear any offending noise on the car.

I always had used Mobil1 on the car and it always caused it to tick. I started adding RESTORE and it helps a bit. I think Mobil 1 Synthetic is too thin and misconstrued to be "the best" since it is the one enforced for use on Porsches, Corvettes and Vipers. I love my GSX so it eats the same oil as my C5.

All I say is OIL IS CHEAP, well relatively compared to the engine. I have no problem changing it and it's insurance against engine failure, among other things.

 

[toojung2die]

Yet again, I'll tell you that the CHP runs normal oil in the patrol cars 8,000 miles.

"Early" oil changes will only damage your wallet. And not all that much. The best plan is to run whatever oil you like, for as long as you're comfortable with. In discussion after discussion after discussion, it's been repeatedly determined that it doesn't matter.

I concur. CHP probably did their own studies and determined how long they could safely run between oil changes based on how long they expect the cars to last. I didn't post the link to the study intending to make any recommendations on oil changes. The study presents you with facts that enable you to make up your own mind. It's everyone's right to ignore the study findings and make decisions based on whatever evidence or anecdote they choose to believe.

I'm glad that someone decided to risk an engine to see what happens when M1 is run far beyond it's recomendations and scientifically examine the results. The results are surprising. The conclusions are left up to the reader.

 

[tommiman]

I'd like to see a 4G63 go for 18000 miles on Mobil1 without an oil change.

...and NO I won't try it on mine.

I think once it starts getting black change it... it gets black for a reason... and I doubt that reason is good.

 

[whowasthat]

its not just breakdown of the oil, its the shavings you have to worry about too. plus oil is only as good as the filter.

but, mobil 1 every 5000 K for me, not worth the risk

 

[dmxsoulja3]

I have heard from quite a few mechanics, and race car guys that they have put 7-9k miles on Mobil 1, and actually recommend it, I was kinda blowing them off as old wise men tales, but this website kinda brings some light to the subject. Good Aritcle.

Josh

 

[91boost]

No place around here sells amsoil besides that fact that it's expensive.

It's about $1 more a quart than Mobil1, and you can order it right on Amsoil's site. It'll get delivered to your door in about 3 working days.

I used to run Mobil1 in my cars, but switched to Amsoil a couple years ago and haven't looked back since. In fact, I just put some Amsoil 5W-30 in my recently acquired GS-T a couple weeks ago.

Mark
98 GS-T
91 MR2 T