Outside of warranty issues(which I think is a scam) why do you have to use Mobil 1. The LS1 in the camaros and corvettes for all practical purposes are the same and the camaros don't require Mobil 1. Wouldn't using regular oil and changing it every 3000 miles be just as good and cheaper than using Mobil 1 and changing it every 5-6000 miles? I think this is just a big marketing scam. :reddevil :bs

 

Originally, Mobil 1 was marketed over 20 years ago as a way to get better gas mileage. It also spawned a couple of natural oil "me too's" such as ARCO Graphite. It should still give better mileage and higher H.P. over natural petroleum based oil. Depending on your point of view, another benefit is its resistance to varnishing and breaking down into sludge. This improves the chances of an engine running a lot longer before wearing out internal parts. Another plus is its high mileage use life, anywhere from 10K to 15K or more miles depending on the car manufacturer. I do not know why this is so but can speculate that it controls degradation by blowby better than common high detergent motor oils. Maybe someone with direct industry knowledge can add first hand info. :cheers:

 

I'm actualy just wondering why GM requires it for your warranty. It seems to me like it's just a way to help sell Mobil 1. The auto industry and petroleum industries wouldn't be in bed together on this do you think. ;) It just seems to me that if the corvette motor required it so would the camaros and firebirds. :crazy: What does everyone else think aout this.

 

Besides, GM only does things that they see a benefit from. If just any oil was ok, they could save a half-million bucks at Corvette alone by using something else. Mobil-1 was put in at the factory for my 96, 98 Camaros, 93 Suburban as well as my Corvettes. There must be a reason, dont'cha think???

 

I read in a Vette magazine when the LT1 engine came out that GM did it because it would eliminate the need for an oil cooler on the car. (Synthetic oil has much better protection at higher temps). It is much cheaper to put Mobil 1 in a car than an oil cooler. :seeya

 

This has been covered on a number of boards before, but basically Synthetic oils have all the stuff you need, and nothing you don't.

I have a motor in which I put Mobil 1 in it at the 500 mile mark (regular 3000 mile oil change, and several that went 7500, and one that went 10K (Hey I got my schedules messed up)). Anyhow, I drive very hard. I pulled the valve covers at 89K miles and the aluminum head looked like a brand new casting. There was no brownish cast to anything, no sludge, nothing. This head could have come right out of the box. My sister got a car at the same time and used conventional oil had about the same oil change interval and about the same mileage. I looked at hers for comparison. Hers was a nice shade of black on the inside with spots that might be called dark brown. There was no comparison.

Synthetics have a higher film strength than conventional oil 3000psi vs 500psi for conventional oil.

Callaway also required Mobil 1 back in the late 80's on the twin turbo vette. After running one hard, I have heard the oil boiling in the turbos (not recommended) but never coked a bearing or trashed a turbo (no way a conventional oil would ever do that).

Anyhow, GM is breaking all their new motors in on Mobil1 and have been for several years. Its good stuff... I know some folks don't like the price, but for what you paid for a Corvette isn't and extra couple of dollars an oil change really nothing anyway.

 

Went to the dealer for my first oil change at 950 miles. As an afterthought I said to the service writer "you use Mobil 1, right?" He proceeds to write that down on the order and says something like if you ask for it? I'm thinking what? I go out to watch what is going on, to late to make sure they lift with rubber spacers, and I see the mechanic coming back from parts with quaker state synthetic. Do you believe this? They tell me any reputable synthetic is ok and I think our manual does agree with that statement. If I new I had to watch a dealer like this, I would have gone to a pit without a lift and watched them. At least I drive it in and drive it out.

 

I use Mobil 1 in all my cars.....never had a problem... go ahead and put that .99 cent oil in your car....but it's not going in mine..

:seeya

 

Mobil 1 is made with a synthized molicule that are combined to form "long chain molicules" . This long chain is what makes the oil do what it has to do. Regular mineral based oil has some natural long chain, bu mor shorh and some very short chain molicules in it. As the oil wears the chains start to break down and in the case of the short chain molicules they break down quicker there for causing the oil to break down as well. The synthetic oils are also much tougher which adds to their longivity. Depending on your driving stile the more high way milage you have the longer one can go between oil changes. In my vette i go about 10k miles on each oil change and the oil is still in better condition than regular oil after 3000-3500 miles. In my van that sees much more high way milage and driving time I go closer to 15K miles with a filter change in or about the mid milage. Got 240K+ miles on the van.
If you figure the cost of the filter and labor to change oil then even if you only change synthetic oil every 10-12K miles you will come out about even on cost, but yu only have to do it a lot less often. Hope this is of some help. (Mobil employee @ the refinery) :cheers: :chevy :seeya

 

The Fbody LS1s don't require Mobil 1? :eek: How can that be?

I use Mobil 1 in the Vette but also in our other cars. :)


[Modified by MMarquez, 7:15 PM 1/9/2002]

 

I think you guys are missing my point. I agree synthetic oil is better than regular oil. But why require it for one car and not the other? Is it because they know we can affrod a corvette and they assume that we will pay the extra $ for sysnthetic? I think as long as you change your oil regularly you won't have any issues anyway. My cousins 89 5.0 with 260000 hard miles on it is a good example. I just think this is one of the oldest marketing gimmicks in the book. One time the delaer tried to charge me $60 on my 96 vette to tell me my tire sensors were ok when all they reallly did was check my tire pressure(my tire gauge was off and the light was coming on). I think they make a lot of assumptions because we drive a high priced car so they think why not make them pay for high priced oil. :rolleyes:

 

My brother's 2000 Camaro SS came with Castrol Synthetic from the factory and had a big sticker in the engine bay to use Castrol Synthetic. Weird. I think M1 is a superb oil in protecting the engine but how much better are they than the other popular synthetics? GM is obviously agreeing that Castrol is equatable because they put it in the SS. Use whatever synthetic you wish. Can the dealers really distinguish Castrol Synthetic from M1 :rolleyes: ?


[Modified by C5Noir, 7:30 PM 1/9/2002]

 

C5, i don't think Castrol's Synthetic meets the GM specs, or that of MOB 1.......
Like the MIXED version of Royal Purple...............same here.......

 

I dont know if it meets or doesn't but I do know that the '00 SS comes with Castrol Syntec from the factory.

 

C5, just checked their site..........the "CASTROL SYNTEC", IS a 100% Synthetic......
Like Royal purple, they ALSO have a Syntec Blend..............
Wonder WHY the SS Cramaro comes with Castrol, and the vette's Mob 1???????? :confused:

 

When my brother drove it home and we popped the hood we were graced by this large CASTROL SYNTEC sticker next to the air lid. We look baffled because our buddies '00 WS6 had M1 in it as did my Vette. Oh well. Castrol Syntec and M1 are good to go for the LS1 synthetic wise. I'm interested to see how my RP oil analysis will compare to the very low wear values of my M1 I had tested. I'll know next week :D.

 

C5, pls do.......I am very interested to see the results.............did you determine that you had the Syn/Dino mix?/......i think so.........but, don't remember...
Could you double check before posting.....we want to make sure it's apples and apples.........would be a hoot, if the RP Standard did a better job, than a 100% Synthetic. :D

 

ZO6LS6,
The RP I have has, "Synthetic Motor Oil" on the bottle. It's not the Racing oil just the standard they have. I'll take a pic of the bottle and post it later. I'll call them tomorrow to find out for sure.
Later :seeya:

 

I believe the warranty requirement is for that special SAE rated oil, in which case Amsoil or Redline will suffice. It just so happens that Mobil 1 meets that rating.

Also I heard a nasty rumor that Mobil got bought out by some other petroleum company and that company has changed the formula of Mobil 1 to include regular dino oil to cut costs. This, supposedly, is one of the reason for the recent price drop in Mobil 1 :eek: :mad
I hope it's not true :nono: :nonod: :sad:

 

All my camaros(I've owned around 10) used regular oil and they didn't have stickers on them about synthetic. This includes my 1998 Z28 and my 2001 SS which I bought new. I think C5 noir's friend's car may have had a dealer add on. Although i think their may have been a factory installed option for that. Not sure. Both of my vettes have required synthetic. I'm not a real big advocate of syntehtic because I've seen what you can do if you just keep your oil changed regularly. I think it's just a preference thing. I just hate when the manufactur makes it a requirement on one car on not on another. It's like paying extra money for something just because of a name. I bought my corvette because it is better looking than my past camaros and it handles better and has better build quality not to provide GM with a way to overcharge me for everything.