Breaking News on Mobil 1 Reformulation

[Bugshu]

A lot of manufacturers are reformulating their oil to meet new government SM and GF-4 specs.

Mobil 1 looks to have downgraded their add pack and is using less calcium and other additives.

So far the trend of SM seems to be the use of more "synthetic" oils and less additives.

More information can be found here:

http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/...;f=11;t=000255

It might not be a bad idea to stock up on some older M1.

Royal Purple seems to be holding on to the old standards so far and is last to the SM party which may be a good thing. There is becoming a larger and larger argument for investing in boutique oils to protect your vehicles.

I think that I will be buying some SL - GF-3 oil in the near future.

Of course, I could always buy lots of Valvoline Synpower oil additive and just use some of it with the new formulations.

Now that adds seem to be reduced in oils across the board the synpower seems to become more and more interesting ......... especially as a bottle should treat 3 oil changes.

I like that the new standards increase performance of the oils however its looking more and more like engine longevity wasnt an issue when the government issued the new standards.

Happy Piloting All,



Bugshu

[Sunday Rider]

Thanks Bugshu for all your updates, and the time it takes to input all the information so it is easier for someone like me to have it. You oil posts are greatly appreciated.
Thanks,

[hitecdan]

Well, if the mfg'ers are skimping on the additives, Valvoline Synpower Oil Treatment could certainly fill in the gaps.

Aluminum 0
Chromium 0
Iron 2
Copper 1
Lead 0
Tin 0
Molybdenum 3481
Nickel 0
Manganese 0
Silver 0
Titanium 0
Potassium 0
Boron 1367
Silicon 33
Sodium 60
Calcium 1719
Magnesium 2718
Phosphorus 2109
Zinc 2626
Barium 0

SUS Viscosity @ 210F 188.8
Flashpoint 345F

[RipRocK]

Bugshu, thanks for the info and your explanation as well. I was wondering, what's your opinion or speculation as to how this reformulation might affect the pour point for the oil? I see over at the link you provided that the flash point supposedly has changed, presumably lower. I'm wondering if this also means the pourability point has increased then?

The main reason I've been using M1 was for the cold temp pourability of the oil compared to the dyno oil. The temperatures can get pretty low, especially overnight up here during the winters. Thanks.

[Bugshu]

I doubt there is much change in pourability. The Pao molecules inherent in the base oil should still hold distinguished merit for pour point. Anyway, nobody else has really released a 0W oil that I know of so for your needs most likely M1 is still the best oil available.

Probably the formulation change will most affect minor engine wear and of course the ability to go for extended drains. Going 10K miles on M1 may not be advisable these days.

Cold temp performance should still hold up and M1 is the winner among all oils in this regard.

Best of Luck to you,

Happy Piloting All,



Bugshu

[Larryl]

Extended drain intervals are based on ideal conditions. If you have freezing weather you might want to consider not streatching it too much.

And as far as the new SM and GF-4 specs go, if you are really worried about a big company like Exxion/Mobil squeezing the additive package, you might want to consider one of the smaller companies, like Amsoil, Royal Purple or Red Line. The small guys cost more but the theory goes that they put more of their money in product and less in advertising and distribution.

When Mobil sued Castroll for calling Group III base stocks, that had some extra processing, synthetic and lost, I think the market got confusing. Now it's legal but not technically correct to call some conventional oil synthetic. So now, I'm sure that there are synthetic and synthetic-blends that have no real synthetic oil in the mix. And if you are a big oil company, chipping the specs can save a ton of money, especially when it's legal to mislead the public. Mobil, in effect, screamed about calling conventional oil synthetic. Then the court said it's ok. Mobil stopped screaming and went right back to the lab and did the same thing. After all it's only business.

[Bugshu]

As far as I know, M1 has continued to be a PAO Group 4 based oil and there hasnt been a downgrade on their basestock. As time goes by, we are starting to discover the Mobil plan. They are coming out with a new line of extended drain oils that they are going to market as being worthy of 15,000 mile oil drain intervals.

Perhaps some of the confusion in reducing the adds in their basic Mobil 1 is so that they can separate the two products in marketing towards their target audience with a regular M1 and an extended drain M1.

However, unfortunately they dont plan to accomodate Honda and Ford owners with a 20 viscosity extended drain oil. Furthermore, to complicate matters because of complaints that OW-20 doesnt meet Ford and Honda specs it appears they are going to drop 0 winter rated oil and start marketing their normal oil as a 5 winter oil so the 0W-20 will become a 5W-20. *Sigh*

I guess rather than educating the public they just plan on giving into marketing pressure and change over to a 5(W)inter oil.

Seriously, Im buying all the M1 0W-20 that I can find because I dont think it will be around much longer and Im already noticing empty shelves at Wal-Marts. I went to an O'Reillys and the clerk went into rapturous fervor of rejoicing at M1 0W-20 being pulled from the shelves. He "informed" me that a 0 weight oil wasnt any better for your car than wesson oil and just wouldnt protect it. I listened and sat in open jawed amazement as the confident O'Reillys sales clerk "schooled" me in how the different weights of oils would protect a car. Indeed, I can imagine why M1 is approaching the quandry of marketing to people that think a 0 weight oil doesnt have any ability to protect a car. You might as well use it on the moon if it exists in zero gravity and is weightless.

Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad ....... and I perfectly understand why Mobil is doing it. I doubt there is a product available in any field where lack of education and prejudice runs more rampant than in the field of motor oil. The line between group III synthetics and group IV synthetics has been blurred so M1 is having to change their marketing approach and in doing so they are leaving out Honda owners.

I suggest fans of the M1 0W-20 stock up and do it in a hurry because the product is doomed. Their new 5W-20 should be pretty good but one of the main advantages that the 0W-20 had over others was its improved winter rating and thats going to be a dinosaur in the very near future.

Im guessing that 1/2 to 2/3rds of Ford and Honda users end up using 30 viscosity oil anyway and that only 10% of those that stay with 20 use synthetics and that many of them complain about 0W-20 not being made to Honda and Fords 5W-20 spec requirements. 0W-20 looks doomed. And yet I sort of like the ability to start my car when its 20 below and not have to worry about the oil doing its job.

Im up to 20 quarts of M1 0W-20 and hope to be adding more in the future as the M1 is my oil of choice during the winter. Im not sure that Id ever be interested in buying or using M1 5W-20 oil as other synthetics are on the market and may be better.

Happy Motoring All,



Bugshu

[Itchy]

As I recall if a company is reducing the amount of additives, that means they have stabilized the synthetic group stocks to a further degree. Additives are used to counter the effect of base stock deficiencies. The additives are the first items to degrade in oils. Redline is the only true group 5 synthetic oil that is so well manufactured, that it does not require any additives to stablize the oil.

[Larryl]

Isn't there something about Mobil 1 is a PAO base stock, not including a carrier oil that is proprietary and not synthetic. Oops.