Mobil 1 question
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Teching In
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From: Texas
Mobil 1 question any of u guys use Mobil 1 engine oil it was recommended to me 5W30 just wondering what u guys use and can u tell me whats the goods and bads on Mobil 10W30 and 10W40 or should i just go with 5W30 and as far as finding Mobil 1 do i need to look at performance shops or can i purchase it at local Pep Boys or Autozone Etc.
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From: texas unfortunately for now
Re: Mobil 1 question amsoil is where its at. i still use 5w-30 and i live in texas. a guy once told me that in texas heat amsoil doesnt break down at high temps like other oils do. ive been happy with it.
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From: Bailey, Co
Re: Mobil 1 question AMSOIL uses polymers (viscosity index improvers) in their 5W-30, where MOBIL 1 does not.
If you are going to go with a 5W30 I would go with Mobil 1. But I still say go with the 10W30.
If you are going to go with a 5W30 I would go with Mobil 1. But I still say go with the 10W30.
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Re: Mobil 1 question Both Amsoil and Mobil 1 use very little (if any) viscosity index improvers in their 5w30 and 10w30 oils. If anything, Amsoil is designed for longer drain intervals, and based on oil analysis results I've seen, it can go a very long time and it's viscosity will not change. That right there proves it doesn't use much (if any) VII in it at all.
I definitely recommend Amsoil 5w30 over Mobil 1 5w30. I've seen a lot better oil analysis results with Amsoil in the LS1 over Mobil 1. Most notibly, the bearing wear (seen as lead on oil analysis) is a lot lower when using Amsoil.
For those that definitely want to continue using Mobil 1 due to easier availability though, use their 0w40 European formula, it's better suited to the LS1 than their 5w30 and 10w30, which are on the very thin end of the 30wt range (Amsoil 5w30 and Redline 5w30 on the other hand are on the very top end and are almost 40wt oils)
I definitely recommend Amsoil 5w30 over Mobil 1 5w30. I've seen a lot better oil analysis results with Amsoil in the LS1 over Mobil 1. Most notibly, the bearing wear (seen as lead on oil analysis) is a lot lower when using Amsoil.
For those that definitely want to continue using Mobil 1 due to easier availability though, use their 0w40 European formula, it's better suited to the LS1 than their 5w30 and 10w30, which are on the very thin end of the 30wt range (Amsoil 5w30 and Redline 5w30 on the other hand are on the very top end and are almost 40wt oils)
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From: Bailey, Co
Re: Mobil 1 question Intersesting. I was wondering how long it would take you to find this thread. 
I thought you always wanted an oil with the narrowest span of viscosity that is appropriate for the temp range you live in.
Texas gets pretty dang hot in the summer.
I think I'll be doing a little more research.
I thought you always wanted an oil with the narrowest span of viscosity that is appropriate for the temp range you live in.
Texas gets pretty dang hot in the summer.I think I'll be doing a little more research.
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From: Bailey, Co
Re: Mobil 1 question BTW... I am by no means bashing Amsoil. But what I have read up on says they do use polymers in their 5W30, and some of the analysis I've seen seem to make Mobil 1 out to be the better choice.
However, this is only what I have read, aand not through my own testing. I'm not the oil guru you are, Patman.
However, this is only what I have read, aand not through my own testing. I'm not the oil guru you are, Patman.
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Teching In
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From: Texas
Re: Mobil 1 question 
well ill look into some more research an yeah it is hot in Dallas therefore ill ask somemore if the 10W30 is the way to go but what happens when u add 10W40 i now its more thick but any disadvantages in the winter opposed to summerany ignition problems
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From: Hartsdale, NY
Re: Mobil 1 question Patman#1:
Does humitity impact oil viscosity or oil performance; i assume not?
Anyway, I played golf in 114 degrees in Las Vegas a few weeks ago; it did not feel hot because the himitity was near zero....
(Translation: Does your car care if it drives you around in Phenix or Dallas if the temperature is high in each location but Dallas has 90% humitity and Phenix has 5%?)
I'm getting to the end of my regular interval and will change my lubrication fluids soon.
(Translation - I need to change my engine oil soon).
This fluid interval is immediately subsequent to the extensive mechanical procedures designed to increase atmosheric interchange.
(Translation - This oil change followed a ported head, high-lift cam, oil pump, timing chain upgrade that makes my motor breathe better so it kicks ***)
When I submit my sample of previsouly used fluid to the anaylsis guy with 20 years of experience what can I expect?
(Translation - I'm I gonna freak when he tells me I have lots of strange heavy metals in my used oil sample that hopefully might be the result of the break-in of new parts?)
Does humitity impact oil viscosity or oil performance; i assume not?
Anyway, I played golf in 114 degrees in Las Vegas a few weeks ago; it did not feel hot because the himitity was near zero....
(Translation: Does your car care if it drives you around in Phenix or Dallas if the temperature is high in each location but Dallas has 90% humitity and Phenix has 5%?)
I'm getting to the end of my regular interval and will change my lubrication fluids soon.
(Translation - I need to change my engine oil soon).
This fluid interval is immediately subsequent to the extensive mechanical procedures designed to increase atmosheric interchange.
(Translation - This oil change followed a ported head, high-lift cam, oil pump, timing chain upgrade that makes my motor breathe better so it kicks ***)
When I submit my sample of previsouly used fluid to the anaylsis guy with 20 years of experience what can I expect?
(Translation - I'm I gonna freak when he tells me I have lots of strange heavy metals in my used oil sample that hopefully might be the result of the break-in of new parts?)
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Re: Mobil 1 question Robert, your very first oil interval after having all that work done will be full of quite a bit of wear metals from the new parts, plus a high amount of silicon from the gasket material too. You're better off waiting for the 2nd or 3rd oil change to take your sample.
Humidity can play a factor in degrading your oil, although mostly only if you're doing very short trips, in which case you'd end up with more moisture in the oil and more iron in your oil analysis due to corrosion. It's pretty humid up here in the summertime, and yet I get my best oil analysis results in the summer, but I also do long trips every day (55 mile round trip to work). Heat and humidity is much easier on the oil than the cold harsh winter, where long warm up times means the oil gets more contamination in it and degrades faster. Plus wear metals are higher too, since the oil doesn't flow as well when you first start it up as it does in the summertime.
As far as viscosity goes, with good synthetics, they can span larger viscosity ranges such as 0w30 and 0w40, so it's not as big of a problem as you'd think. A lot of oils can span this viscosity range with very little viscosity index improvers, simply by using better base oils. The German made 0w30 Syntec is an oil like this, it spans a big range but yet does not thin out when run for long intervals. I used to be afraid of 5w30 and 0w30 oils too, thinking they'd thin out too easily, but a good synthetic in those viscosities can perform very well, almost making 10w30 obsolete.
I'm running the 0w30 German Castrol right now in my LT1, and am very eager to see my first oil analysis results on it. So far I've seen about 5 or 6 reports on this oil (one from my sister's car) and every one of them has been impressive.
Humidity can play a factor in degrading your oil, although mostly only if you're doing very short trips, in which case you'd end up with more moisture in the oil and more iron in your oil analysis due to corrosion. It's pretty humid up here in the summertime, and yet I get my best oil analysis results in the summer, but I also do long trips every day (55 mile round trip to work). Heat and humidity is much easier on the oil than the cold harsh winter, where long warm up times means the oil gets more contamination in it and degrades faster. Plus wear metals are higher too, since the oil doesn't flow as well when you first start it up as it does in the summertime.
As far as viscosity goes, with good synthetics, they can span larger viscosity ranges such as 0w30 and 0w40, so it's not as big of a problem as you'd think. A lot of oils can span this viscosity range with very little viscosity index improvers, simply by using better base oils. The German made 0w30 Syntec is an oil like this, it spans a big range but yet does not thin out when run for long intervals. I used to be afraid of 5w30 and 0w30 oils too, thinking they'd thin out too easily, but a good synthetic in those viscosities can perform very well, almost making 10w30 obsolete.
I'm running the 0w30 German Castrol right now in my LT1, and am very eager to see my first oil analysis results on it. So far I've seen about 5 or 6 reports on this oil (one from my sister's car) and every one of them has been impressive.
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From: Muscatine, Iowa
Re: Mobil 1 question I use Mobil 1 15W50 in my cars in the summer with no problems. The main reason they recomend thinner oils is for gas mileage. I still get near 30 mpg on the highway with the 15W50 but synthetic oil flows better than regualr oil anyway.
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Re: Mobil 1 question I would like to see someone do an oil analysis when using Mobil 1 15w50 in an LS1. I can almost guarantee you it's too thick for this application, and won't show as good numbers as 0w40, 5w40 or 10w40, or a thicker 0w30, 5w30, or 10w30 would.
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From: Muscatine, Iowa
Re: Mobil 1 question Supposedly the 15W50 flows as well as a regular oil that is rated a 5W30 or 10W30 since synthetics flow much better. I don't like to use thin oil in my cars unless its very cold becuase I drive my cars very hard. Race cars mostly use thicker oil due to better heat resistance and less breakdown and better shear strength. 5W30 is great for a Geo Metro that never gets raced and is used just for gas mileage. I haven't seen any tests done on any oils to know if it hurts or helps the engine using thicker oils, but something that's about as thin as water when it's hot can't be that great in a performance engine under a lot of power. Thicker oil does take some horsepower but not enough to worry about, but like I said, synthetics are supposed to flow as well as a lighter conventional oil. I would always use synthetics no matter what viscosity anyway, it's a proven fact that synthetics are better than conventional oils but I still change it at 3000 miles.
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Re: Mobil 1 question A 15w50 synthetic will not flow as well as a 5w30 dino oil would, otherwise that 15w50 oil would then be rated as a 5w50. In order to achieve 5w status, an oil must have a cold cranking number of less than 6600cp at -30c, while a 15w oil only need to have a cold cranking number of less than 7000 at -20c. While that 15w50 synthetic might have a lower pour point, that number is decieving since it simply is a number that is just slightly above when that oil is basically turned into a solid.
I do agree with you that most 5w30s are too thin for high horsepower, but the real reason race cars use 15w50 or 20w50 is because they've got bigger clearances which need a thicker cushion, plus they often end up with more fuel in their oil during the race, so that oil will thin down a grade, into a 15w40 or 20w40. Plus they run much hotter oil temps which thin out the oil too.
Based on used oil reports I've seen, the LS1 seems to like an oil around 12-13cst at 100c, so it's a thicker 30wt to a lower 40wt oil.
I do agree with you that most 5w30s are too thin for high horsepower, but the real reason race cars use 15w50 or 20w50 is because they've got bigger clearances which need a thicker cushion, plus they often end up with more fuel in their oil during the race, so that oil will thin down a grade, into a 15w40 or 20w40. Plus they run much hotter oil temps which thin out the oil too.
Based on used oil reports I've seen, the LS1 seems to like an oil around 12-13cst at 100c, so it's a thicker 30wt to a lower 40wt oil.
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From: Mississauga, Ontario
Re: Mobil 1 question If you're mixing oils from the same brand like that, it's safe. The risk with mixing oils of different brands is that some of the additives might not be balanced so the oil would degrade itself a little quicker than normal, although in a 3k interval this wouldn't be a problem anyways, it's mostly if someone mixed two brands and then tried to run it to 10k or something.
This is why when someone does decide to do extended intervals, you should run the first interval with the new oil at about 3-5k, then do the extended interval after that, this way there is no other type of oil in there mixed in with it (when you change your oil, no matter how long you let it drain you'll still end up with 1/4 to 1/2qt of the previous oil in there, most of it stuck in the heads, oil pump, corners of the oil pan, etc.)
This is why when someone does decide to do extended intervals, you should run the first interval with the new oil at about 3-5k, then do the extended interval after that, this way there is no other type of oil in there mixed in with it (when you change your oil, no matter how long you let it drain you'll still end up with 1/4 to 1/2qt of the previous oil in there, most of it stuck in the heads, oil pump, corners of the oil pan, etc.)
