I switched from Royal Purple to Amsoil in my Vette and Trailblazer SS a couple of years ago.

 

If Walmart oil is good enough, then any oil is good enough.

-Alex

 

You have clear insight into the obvious.

 

That simply means that Mobil was the high bidder with GM to use their product. My preference is RP but I'm sure there are many other comparable, or better, products out there.

 

Good grief, here we go again. There are a lot more oils listed in the GM4718M document besides Mobil 1.

 

and let us not forget-----Mobil 1 FAILED the SM rating test-per Valvoline. They obtained random samples from throughout the US, and the ever so popular Mobil-1 couldn't pass SM, never mind 4718 or 6094.

The only reason I would ever consider using M-1 again would be as a flush oil if I had a head gasket failure


Steve

 

Steve,
Here's an industry article on that topic:
Lube-N-Grease: Valvoline, ExMo Lock Horns

I had been watching to see how this played out (as this was over a year ago - but don't remember seeing anything more from Mobil on Valvoline's claims.

 

FWIW I have read that Walmart oil and their batteries are some of the best on the market, no joke.

 

I learned that the Wal Mart oil meets the spec, nice.

I also learned that people always feel the need to remind everyone else that the car they own, is, in fact, their car. As in, "It is your car, you can use whatever oil you like." Really?

 

I am an Amsoil guy. I have seen so many tests with this stuff saying it is one of the best out there. Besides, if it is good enough for the military than it is good enough for me.

 

Amsoil in my 71 Monte 402. Mobil 1 in the vette. Reason Amsoil has zinc for flat tappet engines.

 

WOW some of you guys crack me up,you guys are just way to serious about oil,it all works fine to me.....

 

To the OP, you'll do fine with the RP.......

 

Try some Synthetic Gopher ****, Way better than the real thing! Or so they say!





Clean Oil is the Key! Keep it clean and all Syns do the job for DD engines!


my $00.02

 

Not all AMSOIL oils have high ZDDP. Their API SM 30 grade oils are limited to 800 ppm phoshorus like all other API SM oils. As the zinc comes with the phosphorus in ZDDP, the zinc is effectively limited as well. If you are using the Premium Performance 10w40 you are good to go, if not, let me know what you are using and I can tell you if it has high levels of ZDDP.

 

This has been a great debate.
As I said originally my choice came down to Amsoil and Royal Purple against Mobil 1 which was reported to be inferior in the UK compared to the US product. If there'd been an Amsoil dealer nearby I may have gone with their oils.
Weather here still not great but I've got a few more jobs to do before the Vette comes out of the garage.
If I notice any improvements I'll post my findings, as usual this forum is an excellent source of information and discussion.

 

Vette finally back on the road although the weather is still hit and miss. I said I'd share my findings after running the car for a while so here goes.
Diff - all seems fine as before with no noticeable plus points to report.
Gearbox - I have the MGW shifter and experienced a little extra gearbox noise after I fitted it. This has gone now with the RP fluid change.
Engine - don't notice that the engine is any more quiet (although it isn't noisy). The dipstick is harder to read as the RP seems thin (and obviously very clean).
So to sum up I'm happy that I've changed fluids to good quality stuff, next winter I will try Amsoil in the engine just to see if that's any different.
Hope this helps.

 

Just so you know, I talked with a former ls1 engine design engineer. We had a candid conversation on oils. He said the reason for mobil1 in the last couple corvette gens is as follows. In the early 80s mobil1 aproched GM for licencing rights to GMs flagship the corvette. GM could not give exclusive rights but could give advertising rights. Thus the OIL cap on the corvettes. Its a marketing tool used by many companys. Now I asked why only certain oils were on GMs list of approval when their oil meets or exceeds spec. He informed Its a Impossable task to get a oil approved when GM is profiting on evry mobile1 product sold aroung the world. Thus profitsharing come into play. All the oils listed on GMs approval is tied to GM in some way. Now GM makes other models with the same LS1 base. In pased years camaro, firebird, caddy, They use a factory fill af dino oil. MAKES ME THINK HE IS RIGHT!!! I use Amsiol for one reason the 0-30 for some reason helps my 2001 oil burn issue. One of the guys I met a at the car show last year was sueing GM for voiding his warrenty on his 08 because he when he had it serviced he brought his own oil and filter non GM approved Royal P. The dealership did the service and said nothing. One month later he went for warrenty work brake squeek problems. they informed him he had voided his warrenty. He will have to pay for all service. After Getting a good lawer GM recended thier claim and reinstated his warrenty. As long as it meets or exceeds spec. you can use what you want its your car not GMs. Bottom line!!!! Chose what is best for you and enjoy your CORVETTE!!!!

 

I use RP now but am going to change to Valvoline Synpower. I used to use mobile but it seemed to get thin really fast. I then changed to RP and I think it's good oil but is way over priced for what you get. I used Valvoline synpower in my 98 Z28 for years and it always worked great and seemed to stay clean so I'm going back to it.

 

The only thing you can be sure of with ALL the expensive "boutique' oils is they have piles of flawed and faked test reports.

You think for a minute that Exxon Mobil, the world's largest corporation does not know how to make oil for your Corvette??