Since M1 has recently changed it's 0W-40 formulation, how does it compare to Castrol additive-wise, thickness at start up & oper. temp, etc? Which one would you run in a 75% city/25% hwy OCI?
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Castrol vs Mobil 1 0W-40
- Thread starter mclasser
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Not really sure but i have been using Mobil 1 lately and it seems to be a great oil im pretty sure Mobil 1 has a better cold flow because Castrol is usually blended on the thick side.. You can look on Mobil's site they have their PDS listed which is a good thing. Maybe that's another reason Mobil 1 is the biggest synthetic seller.
I could not find a recent Castrol PDS but it should be listed somewhere..
I could not find a recent Castrol PDS but it should be listed somewhere..
edyvw
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New Mobil 1 0W40 has much improved cold start performance. Old one I used sometimes and during cold start you could hear engine being rougher for a second or two. Castrol? I never had those issues, even with some 5W oils such as Pentosin 5W40 and Pennzoil 5W40.
If you ask me, Castrol 0W30/40 would be my choice. They have ridiculous pour point too (-60).
However since Mobil 1 0W40 FS lost LL-01 I am staying away. Not sure what is going on, but not having LL-01 is pretty big deal since it is most stringent Euro spec. right now.
If you ask me, Castrol 0W30/40 would be my choice. They have ridiculous pour point too (-60).
However since Mobil 1 0W40 FS lost LL-01 I am staying away. Not sure what is going on, but not having LL-01 is pretty big deal since it is most stringent Euro spec. right now.
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Has to be a viscosity thing because other than that Mobil 1 0w40 looks fairly unchanged. It's possible the operating visc drop from around 13.8 to say 12.6-13.2 is enough to cause some issues at high temps or later in the OCI. For those of us who just need a strong 30 grade, that extra visc difference is of no concern. I just want to maintain above a 3.2 HTHS during the entire OCI or say viscosity above 11.1. If it's still good enough for Mercedes and Porsche, I'm fine with it. I don't own a BMW.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Originally Posted By: 69GTX
Has to be a viscosity thing because other than that Mobil 1 0w40 looks fairly unchanged. It's possible the operating visc drop from around 13.8 to say 12.6-13.2 is enough to cause some issues at high temps or later in the OCI. For those of us who just need a strong 30 grade, that extra visc difference is of no concern. I just want to maintain above a 3.2 HTHS during the entire OCI or say viscosity above 11.1. If it's still good enough for Mercedes and Porsche, I'm fine with it. I don't own a BMW.
Well, in those cars will work fine.
Has to be a viscosity thing because other than that Mobil 1 0w40 looks fairly unchanged. It's possible the operating visc drop from around 13.8 to say 12.6-13.2 is enough to cause some issues at high temps or later in the OCI. For those of us who just need a strong 30 grade, that extra visc difference is of no concern. I just want to maintain above a 3.2 HTHS during the entire OCI or say viscosity above 11.1. If it's still good enough for Mercedes and Porsche, I'm fine with it. I don't own a BMW.
Well, in those cars will work fine.
The M1 is regarded as a 'heavy' 30WT, compared to the Castrol which is is a 'true' 40WT. This is why I ran the old M1 once in my Infiniti (spec'd for 5W30) after seeing good used oil analysis in the VQ35 engine. I myself didn't do a used oil analysis, but the engine sounded very smooth with it during the 7500 mile OCI (very scientific, I know).
I'd like to try out the Castrol, but since this car now mainly does short trips of <10 miles, I'm wondering if the heavier Castrol will take longer to warm up versus the M1 in the winter.
I'd like to try out the Castrol, but since this car now mainly does short trips of <10 miles, I'm wondering if the heavier Castrol will take longer to warm up versus the M1 in the winter.
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Do you change oil twice a year ?
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Originally Posted By: mclasser
The Mobil 1 is regarded as a 'heavy' 30WT, compared to the Castrol which is is a 'true' 40WT. This is why I ran the old Mobil 1 once in my Infiniti (spec'd for 5W30) after seeing good used oil analysis in the VQ35 engine. I myself didn't do a used oil analysis, but the engine sounded very smooth with it during the 7500 mile OCI (very scientific, I know).
I'd like to try out the Castrol, but since this car now mainly does short trips of div>
Mobil 1 0W40 FS has cst of 12.9 and HTHS of 3.6
Castrol has cst of 13.1 and HTHS of 3.7. Tell me please how Castrol is "true" W40 and Mobil 1 is heavy W30?
The Mobil 1 is regarded as a 'heavy' 30WT, compared to the Castrol which is is a 'true' 40WT. This is why I ran the old Mobil 1 once in my Infiniti (spec'd for 5W30) after seeing good used oil analysis in the VQ35 engine. I myself didn't do a used oil analysis, but the engine sounded very smooth with it during the 7500 mile OCI (very scientific, I know).
I'd like to try out the Castrol, but since this car now mainly does short trips of div>
Mobil 1 0W40 FS has cst of 12.9 and HTHS of 3.6
Castrol has cst of 13.1 and HTHS of 3.7. Tell me please how Castrol is "true" W40 and Mobil 1 is heavy W30?
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
No kidding - which one is on sale right now ??? Get that one !
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
At one time it was 3.5 HTHS ... Both exceed that. I think oil companies tire of 20 car companies having private specs and have to decide what market to pursue ... The oil companies are already engaged in GF6 proof of performance testing and might need two years of that to get the little badge ...
That is a fair sized budget and a test team allocation ...
That is a fair sized budget and a test team allocation ...
+1
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
What ? No T6 5w35 ?
I too have moved five feet down the Walmart shelf to Castrol 0W-40 for my BMW. Not that the old girl requires it, but why not? They're the same price and like you note, one carries Longlife-01 whereas one does not.
On the other hand I doubt ExxonMobil "severely decontented" their product as it still carries Porsche A40 and the MB certs. Despite all the flapping about on why it happened, no one really knows why except ExxonMobil and they aren't saying.
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
LL-01 is a deal breaker.
So it's Castrol all the way.
Why would Mobil move away from this spec on a Euro oil?
They must have severely decontented the current Mobil 1 0W-40.
Not very smart.
On the other hand I doubt ExxonMobil "severely decontented" their product as it still carries Porsche A40 and the MB certs. Despite all the flapping about on why it happened, no one really knows why except ExxonMobil and they aren't saying.
Originally Posted By: SilverC6
LL-01 is a deal breaker.
So it's Castrol all the way.
Why would Mobil move away from this spec on a Euro oil?
They must have severely decontented the current Mobil 1 0W-40.
Not very smart.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Originally Posted By: 4WD
At one time it was 3.5 HTHS ... Both exceed that. I think oil companies tire of 20 car companies having private specs and have to decide what market to pursue ... The oil companies are already engaged in GF6 proof of performance testing and might need two years of that to get the little badge ...
That is a fair sized budget and a test team allocation ...
GF-6? Mobil 1 0W40? Am I missing something?
At one time it was 3.5 HTHS ... Both exceed that. I think oil companies tire of 20 car companies having private specs and have to decide what market to pursue ... The oil companies are already engaged in GF6 proof of performance testing and might need two years of that to get the little badge ...
That is a fair sized budget and a test team allocation ...
GF-6? Mobil 1 0W40? Am I missing something?
4wd
$50 site donor 2026
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
edyvw
$50 site donor 2026
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
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Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
Apparently you don't know what you're talking about either, because you keep posting the same wrong speculative garbage over and over. The Visom Mobil 1 in North America dropped the LL-01 prior to it becoming GTL and you were told this in a previous post, you've been posting this tripe over and over...
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
Apparently you don't know what you're talking about either, because you keep posting the same wrong speculative garbage over and over. The Visom Mobil 1 in North America dropped the LL-01 prior to it becoming GTL and you were told this in a previous post, you've been posting this tripe over and over...
Edyvw, we've been over this before.
Mobil 1 lost the BMW spec prior to the GTL transition.
If you do your homework, they lost the BMW spec November 2015. The new Mobil 1 0w40 data sheet (without the BMW spec) was posted online and/ or written April 2016.
Mobil 1 lost the BMW spec prior to the GTL transition.
If you do your homework, they lost the BMW spec November 2015. The new Mobil 1 0w40 data sheet (without the BMW spec) was posted online and/ or written April 2016.
Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
Apparently you don't know what you're talking about either, because you keep posting the same wrong speculative garbage over and over. The Visom Mobil 1 in North America dropped the LL-01 prior to it becoming GTL and you were told this in a previous post, you been posting this tripe over and over...
You beat me to it.
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: 4WD
Sure - they have research teams to allocate - that runs from PhD's to the taxi driver on the PoP test plan. OEM's with different paths they try to follow ... Agencies and regulations ...
Oil companies are stuck in the middle of conflicts over OEM specs and the US EPA ... They have to decide which rabbit to chase - don't seem it's BMW or Chrysler in the case of Mobil (for now) ... Doubt they would buy anything regardless...
Companies are testing for oils that will be spec'd for upcoming engines - playing to many standards in the USA - but what if the EPA would of continued to clamp down only on fuel economy and emissions ... (Election was assumed wrong).
Don't think the EPA can't walk on any standard they want to with certain folks in power.
The top 4 (or more) oil companies produce aviation and industrial lubricants - they can all meet OEM 'standards' if they have a reason to do so ...
So which oil would I pick ? Neither - don't have anything to put uber wide range multi-vis oil in ...
Man I have no idea what you talking about.
Mobil 1 0W40 does not have LL-01. Plain and simple. Other do have, plain and simple.
EPA does not have to do anything with the fact that Mobil 1 does not have LL-01, which is now most stringent oil spec. for gasoline engines. Mobil 1 IMO has issues with GTL base that they just moved to and that is reason for no LL-01. That is why Mobil 1 still offers VISOM version in Europe.
Apparently you don't know what you're talking about either, because you keep posting the same wrong speculative garbage over and over. The Visom Mobil 1 in North America dropped the LL-01 prior to it becoming GTL and you were told this in a previous post, you been posting this tripe over and over...
You beat me to it.
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