Does Mobil 1 Still Produce High Iron Levels ?

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At one time it was suggested that Mobil 1 produced higher than average iron levels in OCI's . A number of people suggested it was only temporary due to a hurricane which hit Texas disrupting the availability of additives Mobil uses in their Mobil 1 oils . Here's my view : Mobil is a giant , sophisticated, synthetic oil producer - why on earth would Mobil knowingly produce a synthetic oil that resulted in higher iron levels for their valued customers versus what is considered acceptable and at an equal level (or below) than their competitors who make synthetic oil ??
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Here we go. Let's start a useless thread that evolves into multiple pages of nonsense replies.


That could be said of probably 90% of the threads started here.
 
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
M1 never produced high iron levels. It was a perception by individuals who didn't understand how to interpret a UOA.


My failed investment in a fleet of tow trucks to clear the streets and roads of America lined with broken down vehicles worn out by Mobil 1
grin2.gif
 
Originally Posted by farrarfan1
Originally Posted by kschachn
Here we go. Let's start a useless thread that evolves into multiple pages of nonsense replies.


That could be said of probably 90% of the threads started here.



I love you. You made me laugh til tears rolled down my cheeks.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
Originally Posted by kschachn
Here we go. Let's start a useless thread that evolves into multiple pages of nonsense replies.


+1


Useless thread or not, sitting here at work I have to do something with my day. Would like to stay away from that 4 letter word. (work)
 
I use M1 exclusively. It's been a good choice for me. It's readily available anywhere and performs well.

None of my engines ever shows any signs of high wear, ever. Highest miles was on my 1998 F150, at 355K, then transmission failed and was sold. Still had hone marks in the cylinders, used no oil and ran 100% perfectly.

High iron or not, there was no appreciable wear. Period.
 
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
M1 never produced high iron levels. It was a perception by individuals who didn't understand how to interpret a UOA.

If UOAs show Fe levels of 100ppm for Oil A and 20ppm for Oil B, what's to interpret? As for your statement that "M1 never produced high iron levels", you've obviously forgotten about the Mobil 1 Engine Sequence IVA Wear test failures in 2008.
 
I was one of those guys.
grin2.gif


My thoughts: When I joined the site back in 2006, I was a diehard Mobil 1 user but when I started reading/comparing Mobil UOA's to others, I seen a pattern of higher than usual iron readings in Mobil UOAs.
It took more than a few UOAs to convince me and after reading and asking questions, I decided to switch sometime after that to Pennzoil oils and I haven't looked back since.

Many on here think I am suggesting Mobil oils are crap, which simply isn't true. My thoughts, which have never changed, are, imo, if one is paying a premium price for Mobil 1 oils shouldn't they have the best/better looking UOAs?

Up here in Canada Mobil oils are priced somewhat higher than Pennzoil oils even though the Pennzoil and other oil jugs/bottles are larger than Mobils. Pennzoil jugs are an even 5 liters/quarts where as Mobils are 4.4 or 4.78 liters/quarts only.

Not looking to start a whole new debate on the subject as this has been discussed, ad nauseam, with me and others numerous times. This is just a reply to the bored OP's question.
cheers3.gif

https://www.partsource.ca/collections/mobil/products/mobil-1-synthetic-5w20-4-73l
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/...ABEgLFD_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#store=336
 
Surely this would be a feverish discussion if Mobil 1 actually had such a test failure, and the test result "failure" could be proven to affect customers' vehicles. Even more feverish if Mobil 1 continued to produce an oil with significantly lower wear protection than competitors' products. Besides, there is a normal range for wear particles in used oil, making "high iron" a relative term. Don't forget the different efficiencies of oil filters, which affect particle counts. All in all, I seriously doubt Mobil 1 is producing high iron levels. Way too many people on BITOG with very good UOA using Mobil 1. I'm not a fanboy, it's just that Mobil 1 has proven to be as good as any other name-brand synthetic.
 
OP Here : Like the scene from "Kelly's Heroes" when the paint round was used for the German tank instead of a live round and the US platoon complained ... "Such negative Energy" says Donald Sutherland !
OK - let's rephrase this to appease the "Get Off My Lawn" crowd gathered here today : *At what point does the ppm level of Iron /Wear Metals become a concern in an OCI ?
Then it would be interesting to see how the M1 , PPPP , Castrol Edge , QSUD and Valvoline Advanced 5W30 synthetic oils compare in Iron / Wear Metals ppm with their D1 / Gen 2 formulations ? ... If the thresh hold for Iron / Wear Metals ppm levels are so high as to make the topic a moot point in comparing these synthetic oils then so be it ... I will just mosey on over to the : ""Lawn / Small Engine" forum .
 
Assuming iron / steel in the crank and cylinder bores , is it possible to determine from the analysis , which of the two sources it came from ? Are there other likely sources for iron in the engine oil ? Oil pump ? Valve train ? Cam system ?

Would lead come from the main / rod bearings ? Tin ?

Thanks , :)
 
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It is absolutely impossible to determine the source of iron using an ICP. If you had actual pieces and chunks of the metals and they were different alloys then yes you might be able to via a chemical analysis, maybe even SEM-EDS. But no way via ICP. Spectrographically iron is.. iron.

The only other way would be if one component was fabricated from an alloy that contained a metallic element that the other one did not (such as vanadium). But it would require that no other component be manufactured with that same alloy.

Wear is measured by measuring wear.
 
Buster has an outstanding opinion (cited sources) on UOA' s and their benefit. Now, having said that, Mobil hasn't always been my preferred motor oil. Although it is a tier 1 product. That's why they make strawberry, chocolate, and vanilla.....

Use Mobil 1 with confidence!
 
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