No longer use Mobil1 0w-40?
07-30-2010, 01:08 PM
#62
Three Wheelin'
This may be dated, but I spent part of an evening with a Shell Oil Company rep a few years ago -- not that Shell knows anything about oil.
His points were:
1. Use what the auto factory recommends
but, aside from that....
2. Use the thinnest oil that gives you factory approved oil pressure.
It was Shell's position (based on their own research) that it is the flow of oil in the engine that protects more than thickness. Thinner oils flow faster and provide more protection than thicker oils.
He said that natural oil is 30wt after processing. To make anything thicker (esp. in a multi-weight) they added thickeners which have no lubrication value. So, a quart of 10w30 actually has more oil in it than a quart of 20w50. He felt a thicker oil was only useful if wear/tolerances had gotten to the point where you couldn't maintain adequate oil pressue with a lighter weight oil.
I don't know to what extent this applies to current formulations of synthetics, but I've kept to his general advice -- and will probably do so until someone comes up with genuine, laboratory-grade evidence to the contrary.
His points were:
1. Use what the auto factory recommends
but, aside from that....
2. Use the thinnest oil that gives you factory approved oil pressure.
It was Shell's position (based on their own research) that it is the flow of oil in the engine that protects more than thickness. Thinner oils flow faster and provide more protection than thicker oils.
He said that natural oil is 30wt after processing. To make anything thicker (esp. in a multi-weight) they added thickeners which have no lubrication value. So, a quart of 10w30 actually has more oil in it than a quart of 20w50. He felt a thicker oil was only useful if wear/tolerances had gotten to the point where you couldn't maintain adequate oil pressue with a lighter weight oil.
I don't know to what extent this applies to current formulations of synthetics, but I've kept to his general advice -- and will probably do so until someone comes up with genuine, laboratory-grade evidence to the contrary.
07-30-2010, 01:18 PM
#63
Rennlist Member
Personally I use Silkolene PRO S 5W-40...
07-30-2010, 04:18 PM
#64
Race Director
Once I see an engine which has failed and the failure is conclusively proven to have been caused by the use of Mobil 1 oil, I will switch.
The bottom line to me, is that as long as you are using a decent oil, and changing it regularly, your engine will be just fine.
The bottom line to me, is that as long as you are using a decent oil, and changing it regularly, your engine will be just fine.
07-30-2010, 10:21 PM
#66
Race Director
Thanks as always for the thoughtful reply, Macster.
I recall Porsche's attempt at an airplane engine vividly. Oil was the very least of their problems with that venture! It's a great bit of Porsche history.
I think your Boxster story agrees perfectly with my own inexpert view of the subject. Frequent changes matter a lot more than the brand of oil you use. I change mine often for exactly the reason you did: repeated short trips cause water to accumulate in the oil, drastically shortening its useful life. At 225,000 trouble free miles on your car, it would be easy to say there were better oils, but hard to say that Mobil 1 was harmful.
I recall Porsche's attempt at an airplane engine vividly. Oil was the very least of their problems with that venture! It's a great bit of Porsche history.
I think your Boxster story agrees perfectly with my own inexpert view of the subject. Frequent changes matter a lot more than the brand of oil you use. I change mine often for exactly the reason you did: repeated short trips cause water to accumulate in the oil, drastically shortening its useful life. At 225,000 trouble free miles on your car, it would be easy to say there were better oils, but hard to say that Mobil 1 was harmful.
A problem I have, a concern more than a problem, is while Mobil 1 has been ok for my Boxster and its engine, I adhere rather rigidly to that 5K mile oil/filter service. I've even sought out a dealership to have the oil/filter service done when on one particularly long road trip I went over 5K miles, had about 2K more miles to go. Other times *before* leave on a trip I'll arrange to change or have changed the oil even if the oil does not have 5K miles on it.
Another concern is even though I found the water contamination level high in my car's oil, much of my driving involved much longer trips. Work at 10 miles one way was the shortest trip I took.
Once a week or more often, I had reasons to drive maybe double that or even triple or quadruple that and then there were the 150+ mile round trip drives to visit my mom and dad.
Then a few months after I bought the Boxster I bought a new second car, a VW Golf TDi, and it got the work commute duty and in fact in the real bad winter weather where I lived and worked (mid-Missouri about 28 miles east of KC Mo off of I-70) it served as my winter beater car.
Thus the Boxster got used on nicer days, warmer days, and for longer trips. The TDi got its fair share of use though. I bought the TDi in March of 02 and sold it in very early in 2007 (just before I bought a new left over 2006 GTO) and when I sold the VW it had over 120K miles on it.
During the warmer months of course the Boxster got used even more, sometimes, most of the time more often than the TDi.
So, along with frequent oil/filter services, my usage of the car also was "easy" on the oil.
Not everyone would be as religious about changing the oil like I was and not many I dare say would use their car like I did.
Thus I think to provide an extra margin of safety some oil better than Mobil 1 needs to be considered.
Sincerely,
Macster.
07-30-2010, 10:58 PM
#67
Pro
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Oegstgeest, the Netherlands
Posts: 592
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
+1, especially when tracking regularly / mostly. Change every 2 DE weekends and have it analyzed. Cheap insurance with these engines (yeah, I know, that's a whole different can ofworms...).
Reason being that the viscosity improvers deteriorate very quickly under heavy duty usage and you end up with a 0W25 or 30 very quickly, providing less protection.
My advice: Look for an oil with a high high temp/high shear rating.
JP
Reason being that the viscosity improvers deteriorate very quickly under heavy duty usage and you end up with a 0W25 or 30 very quickly, providing less protection.
My advice: Look for an oil with a high high temp/high shear rating.
JP
07-31-2010, 01:55 AM
#68
GT3 player par excellence
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
i just get the cheapest oil, usually mineral oil and cheapest 89 octane off brand gas for my RS. works just fine.
07-31-2010, 09:21 AM
#69
Pro
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Cleveland
Posts: 730
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I just looked and the Castrol Syntec 5w-40 is also approved for my 2008 VW 2.0T. Makes it a bit easier when I can use the same oil in both vehicles.
07-31-2010, 09:45 AM
#71
Banned
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Arlington Heights, IL
Posts: 7,299
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes
on
8 Posts
I use:
Boxster S (987) using Redline 5W40 the past 3 years. Will try Mobil One 5W50 next oil change, prior to winter hibernation. Redline has been great. Just want to try something new, and finally found the 5W50.
993 Turbo- Mobil One 15W50 Ext. Perf. and now Mobil One Twin V 20W50. Plan to do one more change with the Twin V and then will try Motul 300V 15W50 (expensive). After that I may try the Castrol Syntec 5W50. If the Castrol works well, I will use in both cars.
I change yearly or every 5,000 miles. And do Blackstone used oil analysis.
Boxster S (987) using Redline 5W40 the past 3 years. Will try Mobil One 5W50 next oil change, prior to winter hibernation. Redline has been great. Just want to try something new, and finally found the 5W50.
993 Turbo- Mobil One 15W50 Ext. Perf. and now Mobil One Twin V 20W50. Plan to do one more change with the Twin V and then will try Motul 300V 15W50 (expensive). After that I may try the Castrol Syntec 5W50. If the Castrol works well, I will use in both cars.
I change yearly or every 5,000 miles. And do Blackstone used oil analysis.
07-31-2010, 11:59 AM
#72
Three Wheelin'
Actually, since my car is German...
Every other month, regardless of mileage, I cook up 15lbs of bratwurst, decant the oil, strain it through a German brassiere, then use it for the oil change. Screw this over-the-counter crap! They know nothing! Add extra onions & garlic to get 15 extra hp to the rear wheels on top of all other mods.
When choosing the proper brassiere, avoid any ones used for German super models. They are too small and the decorations can get caught in the AOS (a known problem, just use the Search function to confirm). Ones that look like there were government issue are best.
Every other month, regardless of mileage, I cook up 15lbs of bratwurst, decant the oil, strain it through a German brassiere, then use it for the oil change. Screw this over-the-counter crap! They know nothing! Add extra onions & garlic to get 15 extra hp to the rear wheels on top of all other mods.
When choosing the proper brassiere, avoid any ones used for German super models. They are too small and the decorations can get caught in the AOS (a known problem, just use the Search function to confirm). Ones that look like there were government issue are best.
07-31-2010, 07:17 PM
#74
Rennlist Member
08-02-2010, 02:44 PM
#75
Instructor
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dark Helmet, "at operating temperature", any oil with a 40 at the end of its rating has the same viscosity. It can't be "too thin". That oil has a 0 viscosity when cold, and a 40 viscosity when warm. If you want a heavier oil at operating temperatures, it's the second number you need to think about, not the first.
a manufacturer may be a bit more specific in their requirements. that was the EXACT issue with mobil1 0-30 and the non-M BMW engines made between ~1999 and 2004.
I don't know enough about the porsche issue to say what it is or isn't, but a manufacturer usually makes recommendations for a reason, even if it's just monetary. the best part is that in many (maybe all) applications, Castrol Syntec is cheaper than Mobil1.... and it is recommended by the manufactures...