Bad gas mileage with M1

[Falken]

You can't measure fuel economy in the Winter.

A cold snap can make you double your fuel consumption if you drive short trips.

One week when we had -25 deg C weather every day my fuel consumption went from 8L / 100km to 16L / 100km. I do very short trip city driving.

The reason is I drive less than a mile to school and work. My cold idiot light doesn't go out to signify operating temp until I am almost parking the car at school and again when I arrive at work.

So, essentially, I spent the whole week using the car in open loop. Wasteful, but I can't do much about the weather.

 

[ottotheclown]

Then on the other hand you might really getting less mileage and switching to Motorcraft will tell. So you will know without the gabber!!

 

[uart]

Like others have said, with so many uncontrolled variables it's very hard to pick a small change in fuel consumption. Most people end up picking up on noise rather than signal.

One variable that hasn't been mentioned is overfilling the oil. A large overfill can of course have a significant impact on fuel consumption if the crank actually starts striking the sump oil surface. But more surprisingly, even a more modest overfill can have a small impact on MPG just due to windage interactions with the oil.

 

[teddyboy]

Full syn delivering worse mileage than semi-syn? I would go with the measurement error explanation.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: teddyboy
Full syn delivering worse mileage than semi-syn? I would go with the measurement error explanation.


Would you say the same if the situation was reversed? Remember the grades were the same.

 

[[email protected]]

This is strange but I noticed the same thing with Mobil 1 in a 4.3l GMC Jimmy I used to own. Slight decrease in mpgs. Everybody is right, too many variables though and I knew that. I couldnt say it was the oil or not. The vehicle returned low mpg's to begin with.

Because of cost anyways of m1 and the 'hunch' M1 might've reduced my mpg's a little, I switched back to Motorcraft semi-syn 5w-30 and slept better at night. So dont be too harsh on the OP.

 

[ottotheclown]

Also keep in mind that every month someone writes in and says they are having trouble with Mobil1 and the mud slide happens. This is for me the 48th month that someone complains about Mobil and pages of explanation follows. EVERY MONTH !!It is Mobil1 not any other flavor of Mobil I might add.

 

[[email protected]]

Originally Posted By: ottotheclown
Also keep in mind that every month someone writes in and says they are having trouble with Mobil1 and the mud slide happens. This is for me the 48th month that someone complains about Mobil and pages of explanation follows. EVERY MONTH !!It is Mobil1 not any other flavor of Mobil I might add.


I use M1 in my car right now. Im not hating on it at all, M1 returned a great UOA in my Prius. Ill use it in the Prius based on good UOA reports alone.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: oilchangeguy
Switched to M1 5w20 for this oci. My gas mileage has dropped by over 1 mpg and getting worse as the oil ages. Had been using Motorcraft 5w20 blend. I'm switching back.


I'm thinking winter, and if you change the oil out now as we approach spring I'd be willing to be the mpg improves. Then the oil that you've used in place of M1 gets the Spotlight and Red Carpet treatment.

 

[teddyboy]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Originally Posted By: teddyboy
Full syn delivering worse mileage than semi-syn? I would go with the measurement error explanation.


Would you say the same if the situation was reversed? Remember the grades were the same.

I would consider any perceived difference as likely "noise" regardless of the brands involved. That being said, cold flow performance of full syn is generally better so any difference in mpg should favor the full syn. Everything I've read suggests that changes in gas mileage are pretty small, even across different viscosities, so differences perceived by users are probably capturing something else.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: ottotheclown
Also keep in mind that every month someone writes in and says they are having trouble with Mobil1 and the mud slide happens. This is for me the 48th month that someone complains about Mobil and pages of explanation follows. EVERY MONTH !!It is Mobil1 not any other flavor of Mobil I might add.


And a quick glance at the oil change statistics thread shows you why. It is the most used oil on the board by a WIDE margin, more than THREE TIMES that of its nearest competitor.

 

[zerosoma]

I was going to think of something sarcastic to say but instead I will just say this :

ms5k is the only oil i have ever noticed a difference with in fuel mileage. that being said, its not going to make me choose it over other brands. Seriously - if you are concerned about mpg there are tons of MORE effectual choices you can make. Your tires - what kind you use, and if they are inflated to maximum potential. How much extra weight is the car carrying around? perhaps you dont need that 60lb bag of ice salt in the back. coast to stop signs and accelerate slowly. let the morons pass you who cant wait an extra 5 deconds for you to reach top speed. and if you are really concerned then junk your dodge ram or whatever gmc you drive abd buy a fuel efficient vehicle at a fair price.

motor oil should be the last thing on your mind next to brake fluid when considering your mpg. use what the engine likes and leave mpg to the other areas of your driving.

 

[zerosoma]

Originally Posted By: bigjl




My wife doesn't drive for economy in any way. Just gets in and goes.


Don't they all do that?

 

[ottotheclown]

Yes I am sure that plays into affect but gosh no other is always being complained about as much as Mobil 1 over a period of 4 years. Last year 2011 there was not as great a spread of the brands and still 2nd place oil was hardly ever involved. Small point but I cannot wait till March for another complaint. There has to be a message in there somewhere.
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: ottotheclown
Also keep in mind that every month someone writes in and says they are having trouble with Mobil1 and the mud slide happens. This is for me the 48th month that someone complains about Mobil and pages of explanation follows. EVERY MONTH !!It is Mobil1 not any other flavor of Mobil I might add.


And a quick glance at the oil change statistics thread shows you why. It is the most used oil on the board by a WIDE margin, more than THREE TIMES that of its nearest competitor.

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: zerosoma
coast to stop signs and accelerate slowly. let the morons pass you who cant wait an extra 5 deconds for you to reach top speed.


Or the next red light.

I know these threads annoy some people, but they definitely have value. No matter how much we digress, there's always at least one snippet of good info posted by some one helpful, or at least a few entertaining posts.

 

[wtd]

Originally Posted By: KCJeep
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
My truck will get better fuel mileage on MS5k or MSS than any other oil. people can choose not to believe me, however i drive the same route at the same time of day 6 days a week at the same pace checking every fill up. i will get .7-.8 mpg better with MS5k or MSS, i swear to it.



I've seen a LOT of people make that comment about Super, you're not alone.

A lot of complaints about M1 and noise too...doesn't mean it's not working well but I don't like noise either. Rumor has it the AFE versions are quieter.


I used Mobil 1 back in the early 90's to the early 2000's and my engines were always more noisy with this oil than any other. That and the less than great oil analysis results caused me to switch and never go back. I wouldn't use Mobil 1 if someone gave it to me.

Wayne

 

[Capa]

I use Mobil and have never noticed any noise issues, though that is hardly indicative of anything. If someone gave you Mobil, WTD, and you don't want to use it, I'll take whatever you want to give.