Why Less Love For Mobil 1 ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Less love all started with post hurricane Katrina formula change and a few people saw that Mobil 1 UOA's showed more iron wear numbers. If I wasn't using Royal Purple I'd be using Mobil 1. Tried and true to this day for sure.
 
Let’s not forget that Mobil1 was, afaik, the only major producer that had the foresight to modify its formula to an LSPI-reducing one well in advance of d1G2/SN Plus. And probably the only brand that didn’t require reformulation to meet these new standards.

To me, this sure suggests Mobil is thinking ahead and keeping its products relevant even before standards are updated. Can’t say that about Pennzoil, Castrol, Valvoline et al.
 
When I think of Mobil 1, I think Formula One racing. I do not think of "thinking with your Dipstick, Jimmy!" or "liquid ball bearings"
 
Only thing I have gleened over the yrs from reading M1 UOAs is a noisy drivetrain and high iron readings. True or false it does stick out in my mind. I use it from time to time w/o issue.
 
Just put Mobil 1 High Mileage in my car as it was on sale at Walmart plus I applied for the $12 rebate. I think they are as good as any other name brand oil product.
 
Originally Posted By: Virtus_Probi
wemay posted a link to an interesting paper that claimed that magnesium-based detergents interfered with the MoS2-ZDDP synergy, but that could be at least partially counteracted by using boron--based dispersants. I wondered if that might explain the slightly higher iron levels that Blackstone reported with M1 in some engines, but I guess any potential disadvantage there is being erased by other oils using add packs that look a lot like M1 lately.

Even when Mobil 1’s detergent package was majority calcium-based, it had a reputation on BITOG for higher than normal iron in UOAs. I can’t recall if there was talk of that prior to that when it had significant amount of magnesium-based detergents. I do remember that after Hurricane Katrina hit and Mobil apparently had to reformulated, Mobil 1’s reputation on BITOG took a big hit. 5W-30 seemed the most sketchy. XOM’s competitors even made big claims about Mobil 1’s failings.
 
Originally Posted By: PeterPolyol
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL

Mobil isn't a cult guy, it's a brand of motor oil and, at least on here, one that is a common target for those to poo poo...
21.gif



Oh is it? Poor M1
frown.gif
frown.gif
frown.gif

Seriously, not seeing it. The brand is grossly and disgustingly over-represented on here, and has been for some time; gleefully riding M1 is so normal that any dissent stands out and is met with pro-mobil brow beating.

"Well I used it for many years and it was oil"
"Never had a engine blow up on it, best oil ever"
"One of their top tier products meet some rare spec, Mobil products are all I use"
And the hourly "What's the difference between Glorbil 5 XPR vs Glorbil 5 XP?" or "Which Blorbil 5 for my XXXXX" like if this place wasn't laced with 'paid brand ambassadors' working the 'social media accounts', who's job it is to keep the brand floating on the thread list and project a 'real person' persona.

No doubt exxon hires brilliant lab guys, but who doesn't? I personally don't like the way they do business.
21.gif
I'm quite surprised , actually, that there are about a handful of people on here that feel similarly.


So you think there are a bunch of folks here getting comped for promoting M1?
Where do I sign up for this?
After all of the M1 I've used over the past thirty years, I should be entitled to something.
 
I dug up some old Mobil 1 UOAs for a bit of showing history and additive package changes.
Tri-synthetic version with majority-magnesium detergent package. Man, I wish they still sold that formula, due to its base oils. https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub..._199#Post216561

First Supersyn version, with majority calcium: https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/216636/M1_SS_10w-30_-VS-_0w-40_in_'02#Post216636
 
Originally Posted By: JAG
I dug up some old Mobil 1 UOAs for a bit of showing history and additive package changes.
Tri-synthetic version with majority-magnesium detergent package. Man, I wish they still sold that formula, due to its base oils.


That's the formulation that ended my use of Mobil 1. Consumption jumped 5X over the previous formulation or any other oil that I used in my 2.2L Subaru.

The 5W-30 SM wear issues sealed the deal for me ever considering a Mobil 1 again and took away any respect I had for the API.

Ed
 
Ed, that’s interesting because oil consumption in a 2002 Subaru 2.5L engine I had consistently nearly doubled every time I used Redline, compared to every other oil I tried in it. I thought it must be a fluke so I made the switches multiple times and the oil consumption trend was immediate and consistent. I bought that Subaru new and even with the non-exotic oils, it was an oil burner from day 1. I concluded that Redline’s higher base oil polarity was causing a wicking effect that allowed it to get past valve seals and/or piston rings at a much higher rate than less polar oils. The same may have happened in your engine with M1 Tri-synthetic.
 
Originally Posted By: deven
Less love all started with post hurricane Katrina formula change


Good memory. I completely forgot about that.
 
I was a Mobil 1 fanboy back in the early 90's to about the early 2000's when I quit using it. Noisy engines and increased consumption along with not so great oil analysis results caused me to go to another brand and away from synthetics for a long time. I use synthetic blends now but still do not use full synthetics in my vehicles.

I'm not saying that Mobil 1 wasn't protecting my engines, but I didn't like the issues caused by using it and for the price I was paying for it, I didn't feel like I was getting my money's worth. I still to this day do not use Mobil products.
 
Last edited:
I've voiced my displeasure with Mobil more than a few times on here so I wasn't going to post in this thread but with currently not having a lot to do, I thought I would.
grin.gif


Like I have mentioned, I found years ago, and still do today, many UOAs of Mobil showing higher than average wear metal numbers. I joined the site back in 2006 and I seen them then (bad UOAs) and I still do today, which surprises the "H" out of me?

I switched to Pennzoil as it was recommended by others on here with a lot more knowledge than me, plus it showed far better looking UOAs. That was enough for me, plus I could/can find Pennzoil cheaper. As a bonus, which some say I have rocks in my head, is my engines run quieter.

I just purchased some 5 ltr jugs of Pennzoil Platinum at Wal-Mart for $28.88. I think the Mobil was marked down as well, but with what I mentioned above, I didn't pay any attention to it.

Imo, and not looking to get a bunch of panties in a knot over, is Mobil is overpriced/overhyped for what you actually get. Noisier engines, higher wear metal UOAs and more expensive.

I have asked a few times, which no one can seem to answer, is, why do Mobil oils consistently show higher than average wear metals in their UOAs?? There has to be a reason for it but that answer/reason seems elusive for some reason?
21.gif
 
I recently changed my oil to Mobil 1 5w-30 synthetic from QSUD because of Spring rebate and the redesign for SN+ reduced everything I liked about QS. This is on a 5.4 triton. Maybe I'm biased from reading all the shortcomings, but I'd say there is a detectable difference in engine noise. Much more scratchy in the lower RPMs, if that makes sense. We'll see if it holds up during a 5000 mile interval. If it gets worse, then next change will be with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or PPHM.


I also think that Mobil 1 is a deceptive company. Notice that they have many articles on the benefits of a "full synthetic oil", possibly a legal term that designates no conventional and only the good stuff. Yet, not once in any of their advertising do they use the term "full synthetic oil," it's always Advanced full synthetic/ or synthetic motor oil to skirt under the requirements.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: bora350
I also think that Mobil 1 is a deceptive company. Notice that they have many articles on the benefits of a "full synthetic oil", possibly a legal term that designates no conventional and only the good stuff. Yet, not once in any of their advertising do they use the term "full synthetic oil," it's always Advanced full synthetic/ or synthetic motor oil to skirt under the requirements.

What requirement is that?
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: kschachn

I don't understand how it is "watered down".


Yes, it was a poor choice of words.

However,

Some people, when they pay for more..... expect more.


My understanding is that the new formula was easier (cheaper) to formulate. As for performance it would be assume less desirable but this is debated.
 
For some reason when it comes to oil, many think it stays the same, doesn't change with the times. Members of BITOG for years still cling to facts, rumors, myths decades old. Yes, there was a time when M1 was real synthetic oil created in a lab. That oil was known for hardening rubber and silicon gaskets and seals, ultimately creating leaks. But that M1 doesn't exist anymore. Extinct. Modern day M1 is hydrocracked/synthesized dinosoars with a special sauce. Just like every other brand sold OTC at Walmart.

I like trying different brands in my 6.0L lq9. It "feels" the smoothest and most responsive throughout an OLM OCI running M1. Doesn't burn any, no makeup oil. It does weep but no drips around the filter and oil pan using M1, does not do that with other brands. Assume thats the result of better flow, willing to live with that for a smoother feeling engine.
 
Originally Posted By: bora350
I recently changed my oil to Mobil 1 5w-30 synthetic from QSUD because of Spring rebate and the redesign for SN+ reduced everything I liked about QS. This is on a 5.4 triton. Maybe I'm biased from reading all the shortcomings, but I'd say there is a detectable difference in engine noise. Much more scratchy in the lower RPMs, if that makes sense. We'll see if it holds up during a 5000 mile interval. If it gets worse, then next change will be with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum or PPHM.


I also think that Mobil 1 is a deceptive company. Notice that they have many articles on the benefits of a "full synthetic oil", possibly a legal term that designates no conventional and only the good stuff. Yet, not once in any of their advertising do they use the term "full synthetic oil," it's always Advanced full synthetic/ or synthetic motor oil to skirt under the requirements.
I ran M1 for up to 17K in my 5.4 and never experienced a "noisier" engine--not that you could tell with a Triton engine which is "diesel-esque" anyway.

Marketing and subjective opinions aside, can anyone honestly say that Mobil makes oil of significantly lesser quality than its competitors? I would love to see the data.
 
My 3 more mordern vehicles all run M1 HM, two use 5W30, one uses 5W20.

for my two older ones, it's Castrol GTX HM 10w30. I would use M1 too since they do make 10w30 in their HM lineup, but I can't get it locally.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top