Mobil 1...worth it???

[TroyAndEddie]

I started Mobil1 on my 91 XJ with 170k. Not noticeable mpg increase, but the engine does run smoother and the oil pressure is consistently ok. With the dino oil, there was higher oil pressure and a slight lifter tick.

 

[XJXJ]

I don't see the advantage myself. Perhaps if I lived in extreme cold climates but I run Castrol GTX in appropriate weight for my driving climate and change oil/filter between 3k-5k miles. My 4.0 has over 260k reliable miles and the head's never been off. I've had it since it had about 83k on the clock and that's what I've always put in the sump.

Good compression, same oil consumption as the day I bought it and I wouldn't hesitate to drive it cross-country tomorrow. XJ life is good and I have more money in my pocket when it needs a rebuild, if it ever does.

 

[falcon556]

Which oil you use is for some reason something people are willing to go to war over, don't understand it. I know the US Army uses Mil-L-7808 and Mil-L-23699 in their turboshaft engines. Both oils are synthetic.

Turbine oil has different requirements than recip oil, the first is there to mainly lube ball bearings, the second has a more complex environment.

One last thing, people over look the Oil Filter but it is just as important. If the filter goes into bypass then you get no filtering. Back in the early 80s when the talked about Mobil 1 being 25,000 mile oil the thing not mentioned was the life of an oil filter. The Engineer who talked to my Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) chapture in college on this issue said to expect 10,000 miles out of a filter. If you run your oil longer it was recommended to change the filter every 10K miles even if you kept the synthetic in for 25K miles.

Back in the 80s Mobil1 used to be ester based, a better quality synthetic, since Quaker started marketing petro based synthetic, Mobil did the same.
I just saw a new Mobil1 oil made for 15000 miles.
I think I'll try it.

 

[martin]

Falcon, this is one of those issues which everyone takes "personal". It a personal decision. Yes, I know turbine engines are different the piston engines we use but not being a Wheeled vehicle engineer I am not sure what the Army uses in HUMVEE or other vehicles but I am confident it is a synthetic oil. I do know the oils I listed in the previous post are also used in the transmissions and tail rotor gear boxes of military helicopters.

The grease used on the flex couplings of things like (CH-47D) Chinooks and (UH-1H) Hueys is a synthetic grease manufactured by Bell Helicopter. They also use to paint zinc chromate paint on the couplings to notice it they overheated during flight. It all comes down to a personal decision of cost/benefit.

I am able to pick up a 6 pack of Mobil 1 for 23.50 at my local Costco. That around $3.92 a quart. I then install a oil filter and change the oil for less than $30 in supplies. If i take the XJ to a Local drive in lube place I paid $28 in 2000 for an oil change with dino juice. So for the same money I can change the oil, use the synthetic and get the added benefits of the better oil.

I change my oil at 3,000 miles. I worked summers for the Missouri highway dept and the mechaic beat into my head to change engine oil at 2,000 miles. That dino juice oil at 2,000. I ran my 86 mustang for the first 100K miles changing the oil every 2,000 miles. At 100K I went to 3K oil changes and ran it out to 154K when I sold it. I never had an engine oil related problem.

I think oil you can buy on the market will protect your engine, and changing the oil on a regular basis will pay benefits.

The best way to manage extended oil drain intervals is to take oil samples and plot it out for yourself and determine your oil change interval. What I can tell a lab analysis will cost me about the cost of 6 qts of Mobil 1 oil & a filter. I just change the oil for peace of mind, remember I was taught 2,000 mile oil changes.

 

[Mikel]

I switched my 95 to Mobil 1 with 145K miles. No new leaks and it starts much easier during COLD mornings. Yes, it's three times as expensive, but I can safely go 10K miles between changes, and just not having the hassle of changing the oil so often makes it worth it.

 

[falcon556]

Falcon, this is one of those issues which everyone takes "personal". It a personal decision. Yes, I know turbine engines are different the piston engines we use but not being a Wheeled vehicle engineer I am not sure what the Army uses in HUMVEE or other vehicles but I am confident it is a synthetic oil. I do know the oils I listed in the previous post are also used in the transmissions and tail rotor gear boxes of military helicopters.

I like synthetic lubes also, I am getting a little dissappointed with Mobil1 grease,
it tends to be too thick to start with and if the oil mixed with the grease separates, it becomes useless. I did try Amsoil differential oil and I am considering Amsoil for my next engine oil change. The price is not that much higher than Mobil1 and it is supposed to be a lot better.
What I may do is feed my XJ Amsoil and the rest Mobil1.
BTW What do you think about Amsoil?

 

[falcon556]

I do know the oils I listed in the previous post are also used in the transmissions and tail rotor gear boxes of military helicopters.

You bring an interesting point. It is true that turbine oil is used in many other applications such as gear boxes and CSDs. I wonder what would happen if somebody used it in a car engine.
Too bad I don't have an engine I can afford to experiment with.

PS I get the feeling you are in the US Cavalry.

 

[RichP]

I like synthetic lubes also, I am getting a little dissappointed with Mobil1 grease,
it tends to be too thick to start with and if the oil mixed with the grease separates, it becomes useless. I did try Amsoil differential oil and I am considering Amsoil for my next engine oil change. The price is not that much higher than Mobil1 and it is supposed to be a lot better.
What I may do is feed my XJ Amsoil and the rest Mobil1.
BTW What do you think about Amsoil?

On the mobil-1 grease seperating, you need to rotate tube every so often and also not to store it standing up on end, need to lay it horizontal.

 

[Fiveology]

I just did my first oil change on my 48,000 mile 2000. I went with Mobil 1. The motor runs smoother and the oil pressure is way more consistent. For that alone it is worth the extra cost to me. Walmart is the cheapest place I have found for Mobil 1.

 

[bustednutz]

Yes, Wal-Mart is the best price for Mobil 1. Last time I bought it there it was on sale for 19.?? dollars for 5 quart bottles. K-mart only carries the 4 quart bottles and charges more.
But I have yet to see the Mobil 1 filters at Wal-mart. They only have the Fram (which suck) and their own house version. Think Motorcraft was there as well.

 

[RichP]

Sams and BJ's sell mobil-1 in 6 packs for $23 and change.

 

[falcon556]

On the mobil-1 grease seperating, you need to rotate tube every so often and also not to store it standing up on end, need to lay it horizontal.

I do, still it end up leaking and getting thick and useless.
I'd like to try another synthetic such as Valvoline.
I called around a few days ago, nobody sells it here.
Any recomendations?

 

[martin]

I get my valvoline fully synthetic grease at my local Advance auto parts, think it is called parts America in other parts of the county. If you check the spec sheets the valvoline has a wider temp range and I have not had the solid/liquid seperation like the mobil 1 lube. I did like the red color of the mobil 1 lube but I can live with non-red grease.

 

[falcon556]

I get my valvoline fully synthetic grease at my local Advance auto parts, think it is called parts America in other parts of the county. If you check the spec sheets the valvoline has a wider temp range and I have not had the solid/liquid seperation like the mobil 1 lube. I did like the red color of the mobil 1 lube but I can live with non-red grease.

No luck finding it yet. We don't have Advance in these parts.

 

[tugalo]

If you guys are really interested in the best lubrication available, go and read some of the posts on bobistheoilguy.com. Fantastic information, but it is a forum that will keep you reading forever about lube oil, filters, grease, etc.