Found some 25k mile OCI Mobil 1

JakeR22 · Oct 24, 2005

Over the weekend I worked at a houshold hazardous waste collection. People bring all kinds of chemicals, including used oil. For some reason people bring un-used oil, so I keep that for my own use.

One oil that was brought in was sorta interesting to me. It's was in an oil can, not a plastic bottle, and actual cylinder type metal can. It's Mobil One 100% synthetic, and on the back it states 25,000 mile oil changes (or 1 year which ever comes first).

I found in interesting as I never knew Mobil 1 made this claim. I have no idea how old it is. I'm 29, and the cans were before my oil changing time. Anyone know as to when Oil companies stopped putting it in cans? The same guy also had two quarts of the same Mobil 1, in round plastic bottles, same claims where on these oil bottles too.

I might take a couple pics of it if anyone is interested.

wavinwayne · Oct 24, 2005

TAKE PICS! TAKE PICS! TAKE PICS!

I'm only 32. I used to go to work with my Dad on Saturdays. He was a mechanic/attendant at a full-service Citgo service station. Up until I was 7 or 8 years old, I remember seeing the old style oil cans on my Dad's oil rack.

They kept the oil rack outside at the gas pumps. Dad had to use some sort of metal punch/funnel to open the top of the oil cans. That old Citgo station also had the classic "ding-ding" bell that would ring when someone drove up to the pumps. I miss that old place.

OT - My Dad & his employees had this old stray German Shepard that wondered up to the station on e day. They took the old mut in & let him live in the station. He didn't have a name, but he liked to lay around the high-test pump all day. So naturally, they named him Premium.

JHZR2 · Oct 24, 2005

I'm 25... I remember the carboard side oil cans from when I was little (mid 1980s). My father still has a bunch of cans of valvoline all climate 10w-40. Maybe theyre different types of cans???

JMH

dave1251 · Oct 24, 2005

I am only 25 but I think I remeber reading that Quaker State was the first motor oil to use plastic containers and the was not until 1986.

Ugly3 · Oct 24, 2005

That can is from somewhere about the mid to late 70's.

LateArrivalforLSU · Oct 24, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by wavinwayne:
TAKE PICS! TAKE PICS! TAKE PICS!

I'm only 32. I used to go to work with my Dad on Saturdays. He was a mechanic/attendant at a full-service Citgo service station. Up until I was 7 or 8 years old, I remember seeing the old style oil cans on my Dad's oil rack.

They kept the oil rack outside at the gas pumps. Dad had to use some sort of metal punch/funnel to open the top of the oil cans. That old Citgo station also had the classic "ding-ding" bell that would ring when someone drove up to the pumps. I miss that old place.

OT - My Dad & his employees had this old stray German Shepard that wondered up to the station on e day. They took the old mut in & let him live in the station. He didn't have a name, but he liked to lay around the high-test pump all day. So naturally, they named him Premium.

That's a great story! I'm sure he was butter balled up with plenty of table scraps there at the station.

michaelc80 · Oct 24, 2005

I remember those cans all too well. You had an oil can spout that would pierce a hole in the top. I could never do it without the thing leaking. And don't remind me of the times that I went to push the spout on and the side of the can would collapse.

Mobil made the claim back then, but dropped it for a long time. Now they've started inching back into the extended OCI market again. I don't know for certain but it may have originally been to compete against Amsoil.

steveh · Oct 24, 2005

I think Mobil used that can until the mid 80's. What is the API rating?

wavinwayne · Oct 24, 2005

Does anybody know how different the old M1 25,000 mile oil chemistry is from current production M1 EP 15,000 mile oil? I wonder how similar they are.

JakeR22, If any of the oil analysis outfits would do a complimentary VOA on this old M1, would you send them a sample?

JakeR22 · Oct 24, 2005

quote:

JakeR22, If any of the oil analysis outfits would do a complimentary VOA on this old M1, would you send them a sample? [/QB]

Sure, I'd do that.

Mike_dup1 · Oct 24, 2005

Mobil 1 was being test marketed in some areas in 1976 but was not widely available.

I first started using Mobil 1 in 1975 then switched to Asmoil soon after.

Amsoil was out in 1972.

I have posted these before but here it is..It ironic, 2 well known brands have been on the market for 30 yrs and some are just learning of synthetic oil today and still arguing over its benefits.

Popular Science 1976...

Andy H · Oct 24, 2005

AMSOIL is credited with their 10W-40 in 1972. I believe M1 came out in '74. Both had a 1 yar or 25,000 mile oil change interval.

One of the main issues at the time with jumping to a long change interval is that all the cars were full of wear metal and layers of crud in the engine. The synthetics cleaned them out, liquified the dirt and wear particles, and started grinding away at seals. I believe that's the main source of the myth that synthetics cause leaks.

AMSOIL came out with an engine flush, and Mobil dropped their drain interval back to OEM.

The chemistry and API requirements have changed a LOT in the past 32 years - I wouldn't expect this M1 product to look anything like the current 15K product.

Which, if you look at the back of the bottle, isn't really a guaranteed 15,000 mile product until the car's out of warranty. Mobil won't warranty a 15,000 mile OCI in a newer car - in spite of the writing on the front of the bottle. Behold the power of the asterisk...

It was a lot easier pushing the spout into the metal sided can than the cardboard.

Andy

Mike242GT · Oct 25, 2005

I remember using the original Mobil 1 in both my 1973 Volvo 142 and my gf's 1974 VW beetle. Stopped using it because in both of our cars, that oil would give you a flickering oil pressure light at idle in hot weather. I also still have a scar on one hand from where I cut myself opening one of those wonderful metal cans.

JakeR22 · Oct 25, 2005

Here are some pictures of the can. It was hard to get a good pictures of the text on the can. The shiney silver made for a lot of glares.

It's a 5w-30

Thatwouldbegreat · Oct 25, 2005

I remember the original Mobil 1 25,000 mile oil.

My father in law used it religiously every 25,000 or 1 year in al his new cars. He drove more than 25,000 per year.

By the time the engines had 120K on them they were very noisy and sounded beat up. They switched over to dino and dragged them out to 160K before failure... but they were oil burners by 100K to 120K.

AndyH · Oct 25, 2005

The SF service classification would date that can of Mobil 1 to about 1980.

Brons2 · Oct 25, 2005

Wow, what a find!!

I'd frame it or something.

G-MAN · Oct 25, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Mike:
Mobil 1 was being test marketed in some areas in 1976 but was not widely available.

I think it was 78 or 79 when Mobil 1 was first widely distributed to retailers across the US. And by then they'd changed it to 5w30 vs the 5w20 grade it was introduced in.

G-MAN · Oct 25, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by Brons2:
Wow, what a find!!

Indeed! It's a keeper for sure.

wavinwayne · Oct 25, 2005

The one thing I noticed on the back of the can is the same thing Mobil 1 says about their Extended Protection oils today - "New car owners follow warranty instructions."

If that were my oil can, I'd probably sell it on eBay.

Found some 25k mile OCI Mobil 1

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