Synthetic or "dino" oil?

[catbert]

A friend of mine ran across this the other day. Its a very long read but has some very good information.

Motor Oil Basics (and then some)

I stopped when I read this:

I personally used 0W-20 Mobil 1 in the 575 Maranello and for the first oil change I drained the Murcielago’s (OEM) 5W-40 Agip and replaced it with 0W-30 Mobil 1. The engine became much quieter. A valve tappet noise disappeared. I am now using the 5W-20 Red Line in the Lamborghini. Used oil analysis shows that this oil works well for my non racetrack application. The same oil went into my Maybach 57. My Enzo Ferrari calls for the Shell Helix Ultra racing 10W-60 but I am using the Castrol Syntec European Formula 0W-30. This is different than the easy to find plain 0W-30 Syntec. It MUST say European Formula across the front of the label. I buy it at AutoZone stores but it is often mixed with the plain stuff.

Let's see. He has these cars:

575 Marenello
Murcielago
Lamborghini
Maybach 57
Enzo

...and he's worried about OIL?

 

[c5y2k]

So the physician and surgeon has a hobby. Can't say researching viscosity and motor oils sounds like fun to me but what ever floats his boat.

 

[catbert]

So the physician and surgeon has a hobby. Can't say researching viscosity and motor oils sounds like fun to me but what ever floats his boat.

With that stable, he seems to be a poster boy for health care reform.

 

[killain]

I stopped when I read this:

I personally used 0W-20 Mobil 1 in the 575 Maranello and for the first oil change I drained the Murcielago’s (OEM) 5W-40 Agip and replaced it with 0W-30 Mobil 1. The engine became much quieter. A valve tappet noise disappeared. I am now using the 5W-20 Red Line in the Lamborghini. Used oil analysis shows that this oil works well for my non racetrack application. The same oil went into my Maybach 57. My Enzo Ferrari calls for the Shell Helix Ultra racing 10W-60 but I am using the Castrol Syntec European Formula 0W-30. This is different than the easy to find plain 0W-30 Syntec. It MUST say European Formula across the front of the label. I buy it at AutoZone stores but it is often mixed with the plain stuff.

Let's see. He has these cars:

575 Marenello
Murcielago
Lamborghini
Maybach 57
Enzo

...and he's worried about OIL?

I posted at another Corvette website about the fact that I drive my 2003 50th Anniversary coupe very little a year, I drive about 2000 miles a year and some times my oil reads on the DIC that it has 89% at the time comes around every August that I change the oil and filter once a year and that the oil is still very amber in color, but I still change the oil and filter once a year with Mobil-1 5W/30 as recommended in the owners manual.

So this guy chimes in that if the oil was used so little in the past year it's "Stupid" to change perfectly good oil. I replied the owners manual say's at what times or mileage the Motor oil is suppose to be changed at. He continued to tell me I was wrong and wasting good oil. I replied thatr "if he was so concerned about replacing the oil as recommended in the 2003 Maintenance Schedule, perhaps he should be driving a Cobalt rather than a Corvette, but as far as I'm concerned, paying $60.00 for Mobil-1 from Walmart and $6.95 for the filter at the chevy dealership and $23.00 labor in my opinion is cheap. I paid $49.000 for the car new in 2003, and to me $60.00 for an oil change is cheap in my view.

And No ! , he wasn't amused by my Cobalt comment.

 

[Edmond]

Sorry but I don't drink the whole "Mobil 1 is great because it's the factory fill in Corvette, Porsche, etc" kool aid because it's all marketing. That's like saying that Glocks are the greatest guns because so many police carry them.

I'm sure that Mobil has a great deal setup with GM to supply the oil, it's probably cheaper than advertising. Glock pretty much gives their pistols and training ammo away to police departments. With budgets that are made public, why wouldn't a department take that offer?

Same thing with Mobil. Sorry but I'll stick with Amsoil or Pennzoil Platinum.

 

[killain]

Sorry but I don't drink the whole "Mobil 1 is great because it's the factory fill in Corvette, Porsche, etc" kool aid because it's all marketing. That's like saying that Glocks are the greatest guns because so many police carry them.

I'm sure that Mobil has a great deal setup with GM to supply the oil, it's probably cheaper than advertising. Glock pretty much gives their pistols and training ammo away to police departments. With budgets that are made public, why wouldn't a department take that offer?

Same thing with Mobil. Sorry but I'll stick with Amsoil or Pennzoil Platinum.

OK, If so, why isn't Amsoil, Castrol or Pennsoil the factory-fill for automobile manufacturers, or are they ? Someone mentioned to me that Amsoil is too small a company to supply enough oil to be a factory-fill. We're a free market economy, get a loan and expand. How do little companies become big companies? they get increased business and grow. At one point, Ford Motor company had Mr.Ford, two secretary's and nine mechanics and they built Ford Automobiles. Today, their known as Ford Motor Company, sales world wide. An American success story !

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

And yet another oil thread ends up being trashed..............

 

[65TripleBlack]

Sorry but I don't drink the whole "Mobil 1 is great because it's the factory fill in Corvette, Porsche, etc" kool aid because it's all marketing. That's like saying that Glocks are the greatest guns because so many police carry them.

I'm sure that Mobil has a great deal setup with GM to supply the oil, it's probably cheaper than advertising. Glock pretty much gives their pistols and training ammo away to police departments. With budgets that are made public, why wouldn't a department take that offer?

Same thing with Mobil. Sorry but I'll stick with Amsoil or Pennzoil Platinum.

Characteristic......Amsoil 100% Synthetic 10W-40.......Mobil1 15W-50

Price/qt.............................8.60..........................................4.70
Viscosity Index....................169...........................................154
Kin Visc @ 100C (cS)............14.6..........................................18.1
Kin Visc @ 40C (cS)..............90.5........................................131.2
HT/HS @ 150C.....................4.3............................................4.5

 

[Edmond]

OK, If so, why isn't Amsoil, Castrol or Pennsoil the factory-fill for automobile manufacturers, or are they ? Someone mentioned to me that Amsoil is too small a company to supply enough oil to be a factory-fill. We're a free market economy, get a loan and expand. How do little companies become big companies? they get increased business and grow. At one point, Ford Motor company had Mr.Ford, two secretary's and nine mechanics and they built Ford Automobiles. Today, their known as Ford Motor Company, sales world wide. An American success story !

So you're telling that if Mobil were to give oil so certain car lines use Mobil as factory fill, that makes it the best oil and that you should use it?

You're missing the point here, Mobil's superior advertising has people believing that they're the best oil.

 

[warren s]

SO…….

Whats the point of all this anyway? Synth vs Dino?

Is there really any doubt that synthetic oil is better?

Is the extra $16 an oil change the factor?

 

[c5y2k]

What I got out of the link I posted.

Most of your engine wear is at start up.
All oils are to "thick" at start up to properly lubricate your engine.
Synthetic oils do a better job of lubricating a cold engine than dino oils because they cling to the surfaces better.
Just because your owners manual says to use one weight oil doesn't mean its the best for the way you drive your car. (i.e. if you only track your car)

"Oils are pretty general. They are not that different." From Motor Oil 104

GM recommends Mobile1 synthetic which does a fine job of lubricating my engine for the way I drive it. If you feel another oil does a better job then by all means use it. As long as the oil is the proper weight for the way you drive and its changed at regular intervals I think our LSX engines will out last most of us.

As far as when to change your oil and why?? C4C5specialist gave us the skinny on that at FunFest last year and I'm sure it will be in more than one of his seminars at CruiseFest. :cool If I remember correctly it has to do mainly with water and acids that build up in engine fluids when they sit for long periods of time. So you are not changing your oil because the additives are gone you are changing it because its been contaminated by other elements.

 

[killain]

So you're telling that if Mobil were to give oil so certain car lines use Mobil as factory fill, that makes it the best oil and that you should use it?

You're missing the point here, Mobil's superior advertising has people believing that they're the best oil.

No I'm not missing any point at all. If you read the book "All corvette are red" by James Schefter you would see in detail why many of the things that are used on and in a C5 Corvette, came into being. And i'm just saying I, ME, am not educated enough to second guess all of the chemical and automotive engineers and technicians who worked for more than six years at building and testing of the corvette, it's engines and it's computer control systems and why the chemicals used by a C5 are there.

But I need to repeat something, If you feel that mobil-1 isn't your cup of tea, by all means use anything you think is best. I use Mobil-1 5W/30 because it is the recommended motor oil and I know of many, many corvette owners who've racked up over 200.000+ miles using Mobil-1 synthetic oil. If for some reason you don't agree, fine by me.