Mobil 1 5w-50 VOA (Oct 2010 Sample)

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Below are the results of a VOA conducted on a sample of Mobil 1 5w-50 taken in October of 2010. I used this oil on my 2007 Porsche Cayman S that sees quite a bit of track duty (~10% of total miles); I wanted to be sure this oil had the right goodies to protect under track conditions.

My Observations: Zn & P were a little lower than spec'd by Mobil 1 in the PDF comparison page available on their website ( LINK ). They claim 1000(P) and 1100(Zn); my sample showed appx 900/1000.

Other than that the oil looks pretty good. I'll also post the UOA on this oil after 2250 miles; 550 of which were under track conditions.

Blackstone Comments: This sample of virgin 5w-50 oil had a normal viscosity. No moisture was found and only a trace amounts of insolubles was present in the sample. Traces of insolubles are becoming more common in new oils. They merely show light oil oxidation and won't pose a problem. The dominant additive is calcium, which is a detergent and dispersant additive. Boron and magnesium are the same type of additives, while moly, phosphorus, and zinc are anti-wear additives. Silicon at 7ppm is also an additive, to prevent foaming.

Aluminum - 0
Chromium - 0
Iron - 3
Copper - 0
Lead - 0
Tin - 0
Molybdenum - 99
Nickel, Manganese, Silver, Titanium - 0
Potassium - 1
Boron - 202
Silicon - 7
Sodium - 5
Calcium - 2923
Magnesium- 14
Phosphorus - 866
Zinc - 992
Barium - 0

SUS Visc. @ 210F = 87.1 (Range: 70-90)
cSt Visc. @ 100C = 17.28 (Range: 12.9-18.2)
Flashpoint (F) = 445 (F)
 
Very, very thin 50-weight - suprised by that - though it would be thicker.

Very, very stout add-pack - doesn't matter about the slightly low Zn/P, lots of good stuff in there!

This oil used to be pretty common in Canada - all the major stores that carried M1 had it. Now it's gone, and so is the M1 15W-50 that replaced it. Thick oils really just dont sell up here!
 
Hi,
shpankey - M1 5W-50 is the only SAE50 viscosity lubricant Approved by Porsche for non VW derived engines. It has been on the Porsche list for well over a decade and has a great reputation in many other Brand engine families

Mostly M1 0W-40 is used in modern Porsche engine families and this is the viscosity that they (Factory) race with - as do most of the Privateers
 
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Originally Posted By: addyguy

This oil used to be pretty common in Canada - all the major stores that carried M1 had it. Now it's gone, and so is the M1 15W-50 that replaced it. Thick oils really just dont sell up here!

Nor do M1's light oils like their AFE 0W-20 and 0W-30 which aren't sold here either.
 
Originally Posted By: shpankey
Man that is a beautiful add pack. One of the best I've seen ever.


shpankey or others

I am a user of M1 5w50 help me better understand the add pack.

How does the M1 5w50 add pack compare to the high mileage oil add packs with extra cleaners and seal conditioner.

In OZ high mileage oils are NOT marketed so well and are usually mineral oils in 20w50 grade. eg Valvoline Maxlife 20w50.
 
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Hey shpankey waiting on a brief response for laymen like myself explaining why this is one of the best add packs you have ever seen.

It is the Calcium, Boron, Zinc or Moly ratios ?
 
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Hi, sorry, I just now got back over to the VOA section browsing. I fear doing such a thing as there are sooo many here that are way, way over my level, so take this as is. These are the things I really liked...

Molybdenum - 99
- Antiwear and detergent/dispersant all rolled into one. A much sought after additive. Supposedly can "plate" the internals of an engine to create less wear. You will see it mentioned a lot around here and this is a nice shot of it. There are a couple different kinds as I understand it, like Liqui Moly has a can sold at Napa, but it's a different kind. But in those cases it is said it can quiet down an engine and even help smoking issues, or even consumption. In either case, Moly is a well sought after additive. Even the latest PYB is using it (SN). The downside is apparently cost, as it's a bit pricey, which is perhaps why it's left out of a lot of oils (?). Not sure. Red Line and Motul 300v use gobs of it. So that should tell you something.

Boron - 202
- A detergent/dispersant. This is one of the most healthy doses in an oil I've seen. Oils are generally stingy in giving us more of this. I've heard it's one of the best at what it does. The most I usually see is around 90 or 50. Kind of neat to see this much of it; though all M1 oils usually use some amount. I don't know if cost or some other issue keeps it out from most add packs though.

Calcium - 2923
- The most common detergent/dispersant, however, rarely do we see 3k ppm of it! Wow is all I can say. This is a killer amount to see in an oil. I think the only other oil I remember having this much , or close to it, is Pennzoil Ultra, but that oil is marketed as keeping an engine "factory clean" and the price of the high amounts of additives is reflected in the cost of that oil. Any way you look at it, 3k ppm of calcium is very generous. I would expect any engine running this will be very, very clean!

Magnesium- 14
- Another detergent/dispersant. Don't look down as this is a rather older way of doing it and I for one don't really like to see a lot of it as that's more of an older more traditional diesel oil additive. The Calcium is so high and this being low is a newer formula way of cleaning without the abrasiveness that some say comes from Magnesium. Which is why I like my oil not to have much of it.

Phosphorus - 866
Zinc - 992
- These two are anti-wear additives. Newer oil spec approvals usually limit these two to 600 to 800 ppm so it's impressive to see these amount. There is concern with catalytic converter clogging with too much, but the anti-wear they provide, to me, outweighs the negative. The amounts here, to me, are just about perfect. Not too little, as most oils, not too much, as in race oils. After all, I don't want to go overboard and have a catalytic converter issue, and I do not think these amounts will ever cause one. The couple hundred extra parts per million is just right to this papa bear.
smile.gif


So what makes this "beautiful" to me is just how spot-on all the additives are. A very nice balance everywhere. Usually on add packs I find something I don't like, too little of this or too much of that, or Mag or whatever. It's evident to me M1 really has their game on. I like most of their add packs generally speaking, but this one strikes a perfect balance on everything *I* am looking for.

But like I said, I'm an infant compared to the grandmasters around here. I hate that I had to even say this stuff as I will no doubt be corrected soon! lol. But for what it's worth, that's what I saw.
 
Originally Posted By: shpankey
No problem! Glad to help.
smile.gif
What are you planning to run it in if I may ask?


In a Holden Commodore V6 3800 similar to your Buick V6 3800.
 
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Originally Posted By: shpankey


Calcium - 2923
- The most common detergent/dispersant, however, rarely do we see 3k ppm of it! Wow is all I can say. This is a killer amount to see in an oil. I think the only other oil I remember having this much , or close to it, is Pennzoil Ultra, but that oil is marketed as keeping an engine "factory clean" and the price of the high amounts of additives is reflected in the cost of that oil. Any way you look at it, 3k ppm of calcium is very generous. I would expect any engine running this will be very, very clean!


They do claim for M1 5w50 and 15w50 "Outstanding engine cleanliness and wear protection". It would appear this is the truth, without a lot of hype and marketing who-har to go with it.

Interesting that M1 0w40 does not make the same claim.
 
Yes, it's available in Europe called 'Rallye Formula' or 'Peak Life'.
It's my preferred oil in my SAAB.
 
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