Mobil 1 question?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
I wouldn't call it a good oil just because Porsche uses it. I used to work for a Porsche recycling company, and found out there are a lot of places that Porsche cut corners too.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
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From: San Diego CA
....and as was mentioned, 10W-30 is essentially obsolete as far as synthetic oils go. It provides absolutely no benefit and takes longer to generate full pressure upon startup when compared to equivalent oil manufacturer's 0W-30 or 0W-40 viscosity oils.
Last edited by Dave68; Aug 3, 2009 at 03:31 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Porsche as a manufacturer makes some of the most reliable high-performance sportscars in the world. I don't like their huge profit margin practices, but you can't deny their relatively good reliability.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
No less than I can say just because an actor uses something, it must be the best.
I'll go by what oil analysis says more than what a manufacturer says. There's a bunch of hardcore GM fans that will tell you that because Chevy puts Mobile1 in all the Corvettes, it has to be the best. One guy said, "If they know it's not the best, why would they put it into the car?" And another said (this made me laugh), "Mobile1 is full synthetic. It says it on the bottle." I personally don't have biased opinions. I wait for proof or results and make my decision then.
I personally think Mobile1 is aweful. After replacing the oil in my GXP and my LS1 Trans Am with non-mobile1 oils, they ran quieter, smoother, and I never once saw black smoke poor out my exhaust pipe. Go figure.
I'll go by what oil analysis says more than what a manufacturer says. There's a bunch of hardcore GM fans that will tell you that because Chevy puts Mobile1 in all the Corvettes, it has to be the best. One guy said, "If they know it's not the best, why would they put it into the car?" And another said (this made me laugh), "Mobile1 is full synthetic. It says it on the bottle." I personally don't have biased opinions. I wait for proof or results and make my decision then.
I personally think Mobile1 is aweful. After replacing the oil in my GXP and my LS1 Trans Am with non-mobile1 oils, they ran quieter, smoother, and I never once saw black smoke poor out my exhaust pipe. Go figure.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
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From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
The GM 4718M oil spec was originally made for the newer Corvettes that don't use oil coolers. I have a 85 which has an oil cooler so GM 6094 spec is ok for me. Just a word of caution....It is a good thing to use oil that meets GM specs. There is alot of oil out there that pretends to be something special which does not meet either GM 6094 or 4718 specs.Did you know there is even a oil that has positraction grease addative in it?Would you believe there is a oil out there made from cow parts? Its true. Those of you who wish to use Castrol you would be better off to use Castrol Edge.The Syntec doesn't meet GM 4718. Actually Castrol Syntec isn't really a synthetic like Mobil 1, Valvoline, etc. With the new technology we are going from what was thought to be a better oil like 50wt etc, to 5w-30, 0w-20 oil. The reasoning is they feel the thinner oil gets to the bearing quicker which is great upon starting,and also the synthetic oil doesn't break down with heat...To sum it all up...If the bottle doesn't have the GM specs whether GM4718 for the newer Corvettes , or GM6094 for the older Corvettes, then find a bottle that has those specs on it....Our cars are worth more than experimenting with oil that doesn't meet GM specs. We trusted GM to build the car of our dreams ...we can trust them to tell us what oil will keep it alive!
I'm never going to be as well educated as the Mobil engineers. There is some serious reasons all Corvettes including the New supercharged ZR1 and it comes from Bowling Green with Mobil 1 Synthetic 5w/30in it, so why would I consider changing? Now Porsche Inc. engineers who build a lot of high and super high performance engines use Mobil 1 Synthetic either 5w/30 or depending on the Engine and output of the engine, or they use 0w/40 I guess you can switch from one brand to another or back and forth, but I really don't think I know more than the Corvette engineers, or technicians and I don't pretend to be. No matter what I read in a magazine, But my owners manual said Mobil 1Synthetic 5W/30 and that is what it gets.
Now I know a magizine tech writer who suggested using Mobil 1 synthetic 10W/30 if you live in say, Arizona or New Mexico, but I live in the very southern most corner of Pennsylvania and our winters run about 10 degrees to 20 and four or five pretty strong storms during January and February. So the 5W/30 is the best oil for my engine. My only drawback is I don't use the car very much in a year i don't think I put anymore than 2000 miles on it. So I tend to worry about Ilack of use problems. But everyone here and at other places and the dealership tech has assured me so long as I use it every ten days and run it hard on a weekend or two the engine is in perfect shape. But my health kinda keeps me away from the garage anymore, so I do what the Chevy technicians tell me to do !
Last edited by killain; Aug 3, 2009 at 08:53 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
10W-30 Mobil 1 Quart Bottles not GM 4718M
My 2001 Impala calls out for 10W-30 oil. I just bought some 10W-30 Mobil 1 oil at COSTCO for it (6 quarts). I went out and checked the bottle, it calls out GM 6094 but NOT GM 4718M. This is NOT Extended Performance oil.
I know 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil does not call out GM 4718 on the bottle. I emailed Mobil 1, a Tech says 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance does meet GM 4718.
I recently switched from Mobil 1 5W-30 to Castrol Edge 5W-30 in my 1998 C5. I do believe it is quieter. I will get an oil analysis and check for wear metals.
I personally think any "full" synthetic oil will work fine in a C5.
I know 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil does not call out GM 4718 on the bottle. I emailed Mobil 1, a Tech says 10W-30 Mobil 1 Extended Performance does meet GM 4718.
I recently switched from Mobil 1 5W-30 to Castrol Edge 5W-30 in my 1998 C5. I do believe it is quieter. I will get an oil analysis and check for wear metals.
I personally think any "full" synthetic oil will work fine in a C5.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
I got my dad to try it in his Solstice GXP and so far I haven't really noticed any difference other than there's no valve train noises anymore. I'd like to see how it compares to M1 and RP.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,117
Likes: 671
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
No less than I can say just because an actor uses something, it must be the best.
I'll go by what oil analysis says more than what a manufacturer says. There's a bunch of hardcore GM fans that will tell you that because Chevy puts Mobile1 in all the Corvettes, it has to be the best. One guy said, "If they know it's not the best, why would they put it into the car?" And another said (this made me laugh), "Mobile1 is full synthetic. It says it on the bottle." I personally don't have biased opinions. I wait for proof or results and make my decision then.
I personally think Mobile1 is aweful. After replacing the oil in my GXP and my LS1 Trans Am with non-mobile1 oils, they ran quieter, smoother, and I never once saw black smoke poor out my exhaust pipe. Go figure.
I'll go by what oil analysis says more than what a manufacturer says. There's a bunch of hardcore GM fans that will tell you that because Chevy puts Mobile1 in all the Corvettes, it has to be the best. One guy said, "If they know it's not the best, why would they put it into the car?" And another said (this made me laugh), "Mobile1 is full synthetic. It says it on the bottle." I personally don't have biased opinions. I wait for proof or results and make my decision then.
I personally think Mobile1 is aweful. After replacing the oil in my GXP and my LS1 Trans Am with non-mobile1 oils, they ran quieter, smoother, and I never once saw black smoke poor out my exhaust pipe. Go figure.
If you find Mobil-1 so terrible now, yet only in your last post you said you have Mobil-1 in whatever car your driving? I don't understand why you use it, but then you state that it's so inferior and that it is a source of damage to an engine?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,209
Likes: 33
From: Texas-out west
any oil that meets the standard is fine for 99.9% of people. oil is a subjective subject...to each his own. without proof positive and not just your opinion a person has no claim to saying what is best. GM used what they feel will not cause warranty problems and also what meets their standard and they get a good deal on.
Think of it this way, back in the day I used Quaker State always and people said it was not as good since it usually was cheaper than other brands.....I never, never, ever had a problem on any of my cars and I ran them hard on street and dragstrip, we are talking old school muscle cars with both small and big block motors(396, 427, 454, 455olds, 400pontiac, 327, 350 chevy, olds, pontiac). My 83 supra has 375,000 hard miles on it and since 300k I use whatever is cheapest but used QS until 300k, so can I say QS is better than another oil..NO, only my opinion and what MY results have been. Oh, supra motor has never been apart yet(knock on wood.....LOL)
Think of it this way, back in the day I used Quaker State always and people said it was not as good since it usually was cheaper than other brands.....I never, never, ever had a problem on any of my cars and I ran them hard on street and dragstrip, we are talking old school muscle cars with both small and big block motors(396, 427, 454, 455olds, 400pontiac, 327, 350 chevy, olds, pontiac). My 83 supra has 375,000 hard miles on it and since 300k I use whatever is cheapest but used QS until 300k, so can I say QS is better than another oil..NO, only my opinion and what MY results have been. Oh, supra motor has never been apart yet(knock on wood.....LOL)
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Indianapolis IN
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Have you considered orange juice, tomato paste, or skim milk?
But seriously, Mobil 1 is proven so why change?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
Is that the only post you read?
EDIT:
By the way, when did I ever say it's the source of engine damage? I said it burns. I also said that the valve train is quite noisy with M1... I don't believe you're reading the right posts.
Last edited by SCM_Crash; Aug 7, 2009 at 10:56 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,572
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From: Taildragers rule! USA1
Did you do a double blind test? Otherwise, it's just your imagination.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 9,526
Likes: 12
From: Los Angeles California
Something running quieter isn't imagination. When you can hear the valve train from the inside of the car and then you can't, that's not imagination. It caught me off guard with the Solstice because I thought the car was too quiet to begin with. I'd just gotten used to it so I can hear when to shift... Then after the oil change I couldn't hear it again. LOL
With the Trans Am, I couldn't hear the motor from inside the cab. Just the exhaust. When I was outside of the car it used to make a rattling noise which I assumed right away was the valve train. After changing oils, gone.
I don't call that imagination. I call it observation.
As for how it ran (smoother or not), you're right, that could have been my imagination. I won't argue that at all. I didn't see any change in mileage or feel any difference in the top-end at all. My times at the track were within reasonable consistency and didn't really feel any power gain. I say it felt smoother because on the freeway it did seem smoother, but again, that could have been my imagination.
With the Trans Am, I couldn't hear the motor from inside the cab. Just the exhaust. When I was outside of the car it used to make a rattling noise which I assumed right away was the valve train. After changing oils, gone.
I don't call that imagination. I call it observation.
As for how it ran (smoother or not), you're right, that could have been my imagination. I won't argue that at all. I didn't see any change in mileage or feel any difference in the top-end at all. My times at the track were within reasonable consistency and didn't really feel any power gain. I say it felt smoother because on the freeway it did seem smoother, but again, that could have been my imagination.
Last edited by SCM_Crash; Aug 8, 2009 at 05:38 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
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From: Guelph, Ontario
Those of us on the bobistheoilguy.com forum are used to hearing a lot of people complain that their valvetrains sounded louder when using Mobil 1 (with many different types of engines) and that switching to another oil will often quiet it down significantly.