Mobil 1 ESP 0w30 engine cleaning results

[ChrisD46]

Haha I didn't respond before you took out the examples, but even BITOG's beloved Mobil 1 Extended Performance burned in a Subaru with religious 6k OCIs from new.

Many assume a clean engine through the fill hole after using Mobil 1 , PPPP , Quaker State Full Synthetic , Castrol Edge , etc. means no additional cleaning needed . But lurking where you don’t look are carboned up pistons and ring packs that will hurt your engine if not cleaned up . That is why I use Valvoline Restore and Protect .

 

[tired]

AutoRX was weak IMO. I'm not even convinced it ever worked. Was always anecdotal. It's geared more towards sludge etc. Similar to HPL Engine Cleaner. Won't clean engine deposits, especially the hard baked on kind.

Everything I've read to date (including what Tom said) suggests esters won't clean piston deposits and if they can they're not in enough concentration to do so in a PCMO. They will certainly help an oil run clean.

Keep in mind most PCMO with ester use about 6-10% (except RL) and Valvoline Premium Blue Restore was 60%.

Pretty consistent across the board - Red line, Amsoil, Tom, all PDS wording, Vavloline/Dr. Warholic. All said the same thing.

I think that "ARX" = "AutoRX," and if so @dnewton3 cleaned up an engine with it.

 

[tired]

Sorry, perhaps I should have said "behind the AutoRX claims", because both of you are quite right, there was never any real data presented that the product performed as advertised.

EC has liberated some carbonaceous material in filters, though not as much as the oil. I'd be careful tossing them in the same boat. Dave has indicated that it was formulated to be milder at cleaning than the oil intentionally so people didn't end up with plugged oil filters.

Right, quoting myself from earlier:
ester selection is generally not done based on cleaning ability in PCMO's, it's for the performance in oxidation resistance, counteract PAO's seal shrink and provide solvency for the additive package. There are specific esters you can use if the desired goal is cleaning, but you will be making compromises on those other performance characteristics.

Going to pull a few quotes from Dave here (which I'd thought you'd seen, but your statement above seems to imply you hadn't?):






Now, I have no idea what esters Dr. Rudnick chose to use, but it sounds like cleaning was one of the properties desired, and that was obviously the case with the EC.

Do you have a link to the thread these posts from Dave are found? Seems like an informative thread.

 

[OVERKILL]

Do you have a link to the thread these posts from Dave are found? Seems like an informative thread.

Various threads, just search the quotes.

 

[tired]

Many assume a clean engine through the fill hole after using Mobil 1 , PPPP , Quaker State Full Synthetic , Castrol Edge , etc. means no additional cleaning needed . But lurking where you don’t look are carboned up pistons and ring packs that will hurt your engine if not cleaned up . That is why I use Valvoline Restore and Protect .

Yep. I remember @Glenda W. had a sparkly clean engine through the fill hole, yet had substantial consumption on high quality synthetics.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I asked Mobil what oils would clean up an engine that was neglected. I specifically mentioned how some PDS say "cleaning power".

This was their response:

"All Mobil 1 oils have keep clean properties but if you have not been using a Mobil 1 product, the Mobil 1 Extended Performance High Mileage or Mobil 1 High Mileage would by our suggested product for removing buildup if they meet your vehicle requirements.

Regards,

Charles Gaudet"

So I would also add the HM to the list. Not for piston deposits but everything else.

My youngest brother who I used to do all of his auto maintenance work (except the oil changes) for was always bragging to me about him using Mobil 1 motor oils as far back as the mid 1990s. He even got to the point he was saving tiny bottles of his used oil just to show me how clean it came out of his engines after his 3500mi oci. I can not even come up with any answer why I did not follow his lead on that and use Mobil 1. I have only used it maybe a couple of times in the past. I do recall trying it in the wife's 2018 Honda GDI Turbo and I did not care for the way the engine sounded so I never used it since.

 

[gunnellett]

I think that "ARX" = "AutoRX," and if so @dnewton3 cleaned up an engine with it.

I just did a 3K mile oil change interval with my wife's Ford Escape. The exhaust had been getting pretty stinky and it would use a quart to a quart and a half over 5K prior to using the Auto-RX.

The exhaust stench and visible vapors went away and the vehicle only used about a half quart over the Auto-RX interval. I'm currently in the "rinse" phase of the Auto-RX which is just a normal oil change with no Auto-RX added.

So it feels like I have seen improvements with the Auto-RX however the exhaust is starting to get a bit stinky again so time will tell.

I am also trying Auto-RX in my 7.3 Powerstoke. I am expecting it to take a while to be able to see results, if I do, as the Auto-RX is used at such a low dosage ratio in the 15 quart sump compared to the Escape.

 

[tired]

I just did a 3K mile oil change interval with my wife's Ford Escape. The exhaust had been getting pretty stinky and it would use a quart to a quart and a half over 5K prior to using the Auto-RX.

The exhaust stench and visible vapors went away and the vehicle only used about a half quart over the Auto-RX interval. I'm currently in the "rinse" phase of the Auto-RX which is just a normal oil change with no Auto-RX added.

So it feels like I have seen improvements with the Auto-RX however the exhaust is starting to get a bit stinky again so time will tell.

I am also trying Auto-RX in my 7.3 Powerstoke. I am expecting it to take a while to be able to see results, if I do, as the Auto-RX is used at such a low dosage ratio in the 15 quart sump compared to the Escape.

Any reason you're not just running Valvoline Restore and Protect in the Escape?

 

[gunnellett]

Any reason you're not just running Valvoline Restore and Protect in the Escape?

I was researching for blow-by, exhaust, and oil consumption issues with my truck and ran across Auto-RX so I picked some up to try. I figured why not try it in the Escape as well.

It wasn't until after I joined BITOG I learned about Valvoline Restore and Protect. Had I learned about Valvoline Restore and Protect prior I would have just used Valvoline Restore and Protect in the Escape and skipped the Auto-RX.

Unfortunately Valvoline Restore and Protect isn't available in a diesel formula for my truck so I'll continue with the Auto-RX as I have enough for 2 cycles. I really wish I could use Valvoline Restore and Protect in the truck though.

I just put Valvoline Restore and Protect in my son's 2015 Jeep Willys for the first time. He does not have oil consumption issues but it really does seem like a no brainier to me with everything I've read on this site.

I will also swap the Escape to Valvoline Restore and Protect after the Auto-RX rinse phase. Again, feels like a no brainier.

 

[ZoomZ]

I'm a firm believer that an engine oil needs to have a little of everything as far as additives are concerned.. Too much of one thing and not enough of another is a concern. Of course im talking DD cars driven under normal conditions, using off the shelf products.

If the ESP has this much cleaning power, what is it missing? Is this a perfect oil?

From my experience, if the oil is changed often under normal conditions, and the engine is not known to have manufacturer or user issues, there is no reason for any oil not to keep engine clean.

The only way I have seen these kind of results from an oil cleaning power is if there was some sort of solvent added like ATF, or Seafoam or Diesel, to crankcase oil. Even then it's a hit and miss.

What's in ESP that provided lubrication and yet cleans like a solvent?

 

[OVERKILL]

I'm a firm believer that an engine oil needs to have a little of everything as far as additives are concerned.. Too much of one thing and not enough of another is a concern. Of course im talking DD cars driven under normal conditions, using off the shelf products.

If the ESP has this much cleaning power, what is it missing? Is this a perfect oil?

From my experience, if the oil is changed often under normal conditions, and the engine is not known to have manufacturer or user issues, there is no reason for any oil not to keep engine clean.

The only way I have seen these kind of results from an oil cleaning power is if there was some sort of solvent added like ATF, or Seafoam or Diesel, to crankcase oil. Even then it's a hit and miss.

What's in ESP that provided lubrication and yet cleans like a solvent?

ATF isn't a solvent, it's blended the similarly to engine oil, but without the dispersants and detergents, since it doesn't have to deal with combustion byproducts. ATF being a "cleaner" is a myth at this point, but its origins stem from back when it was formulated with whale oil, which would have indeed giving it cleaning capabilities.

Some base oils, like esters and AN's, provide some cleaning capabilities, which is likely what is in play here.

 

[ZoomZ]

Yes, poor grammar. I should have separated ATF from solvent category. It's a lubricant.
For what it's worth, I included that they are hit and miss. Whether they work or not, is for another discussion. (personally I have never used ATF in crankcase

 

[edyvw]

I'm a firm believer that an engine oil needs to have a little of everything as far as additives are concerned.. Too much of one thing and not enough of another is a concern. Of course im talking DD cars driven under normal conditions, using off the shelf products.

If the ESP has this much cleaning power, what is it missing? Is this a perfect oil?

From my experience, if the oil is changed often under normal conditions, and the engine is not known to have manufacturer or user issues, there is no reason for any oil not to keep engine clean.

The only way I have seen these kind of results from an oil cleaning power is if there was some sort of solvent added like ATF, or Seafoam or Diesel, to crankcase oil. Even then it's a hit and miss.

What's in ESP that provided lubrication and yet cleans like a solvent?

This is an older formulation by Mobil1. This previous generation, which included Mobil 1 0W40 FS (API SN), was known for its cleaning abilities. It also has an older additive package with higher Z/P levels.
Probably a result of having esters in it.
New Mobil1 formulation (ESP 5W30, 0W40 FS (API SP)) does not have esters.
So, it is a race to the bottom as @RDY4WAR would say.
And it is questionable how long this formulation stays on the market before they introduce a new one in line with the current ESP 5W30.

 

[tired]

And it is questionable how long this formulation stays on the market before they introduce a new one in line with the current ESP 5W30.

This is why I stocked up before the last rebate ended.

If it does drop the ester content, it will be interesting who is crowned the new BITOG darling.

 

[Dave1027]

Wow Valvoline Restore and Protect fans are punching air right now seeing these pics

How do we know it wasn't the one OCI of Valvoline Restore and Protect that loosened the sludge up and the Mobil 1 ESP only washed it away?

 

[tired]

How do we know it wasn't the one OCI of Valvoline Restore and Protect that loosened the sludge up and the Mobil 1 ESP only washed it away?

That was my argument. I'm noticing on my truck that the first OCI with Valvoline Restore and Protect, the oil stayed pretty clean. However in this second run, it's much dirtier earlier on. I think it's cleaning things up that were loosened the first go around. Obviously all conjecture, but given that they do say it takes 4 OCIs at least to see results, it would make sense that things get loosened and removed slowly.

 

[Dave1027]

BTW, and excuse my ignorance but isn't Mobil 1 ESP (Emission Systems Protection) mainly for diesels. Didn't it start out as Delvac ESP?

 

[CleanSump]

BTW, and excuse my ignorance but isn't Mobil 1 ESP (Emission Systems Protection) mainly for diesels. Didn't it start out as Delvac ESP?

No. It was always a dual purpose oil developed by Mobil with Mercedes. It's kind of funny because on the Mercedes and Sprinter forums people are arguing it's a gasoline car oil inadequate for Diesels. I recall Fuchs was involved in producing the early factory oil for Mercedes.

 

[IndyFan]

Truthfully I’ve been using Mobil 1 products pretty religiously for the past 2-3 years and all of my engines look spotless (Toyota and Mercedes). The Mercedes has always run 0W40 FS, and the Toyota has run regular Mobil 1, Mobil 1 Extended Performance, and now I’m running Mobil 1 ESP. Not a spec of varnish under those valve covers.

Yep, I've had the same experience with my vehicles. I've run mostly Mobil 1 for over 30 years and have never had an engine with anything less than a spotless valve train.

Glad to see the ESP 0w30 did this well. I've been running mostly Extended Performance 0w20 and I'd bet it would do a clean up job like that, too.

 

[IndyFan]

How can any discussion of esthers not include the greatest of them all?