Goodbye M1

[dlginnc]

Until recently I was a bonified M1 bigot since the mid 80's. Ran it in a 85 Volvo DL and have seen first hand that there was virtually no Cam wear on the engine at 80K miles.

I've decided that Exxon-Mobil M1 is not the same quality product anymore. Based on several threads regarding Pennzoil Platinum I took the plunge and installed in 2- vehicles. My initial observations are smoother overall operation and reduced top end noise during warmup. I was hearing some valvetrain noise on both cars a 04 Odessey and a 99 Crown Vic during warmup.

 

[Al]

Well there are no indications from anyone on here (that I would consider knowledgeable) that Mobil has in any way, shape or form, dropped in quality. And I certainly am not a Mobil apologist.

How did you decide that it is no longer a quality product??

 

[GoldenRod]

Yes, everyone knows that Pennzoil Platinum is superior to Mobil 1.

 

[m2200b]

Fairer to say PP has a 5-10% price advantage over M1 regular and 25% over M1ep w/o rebates and an overwheming price advantage after rebates.
Makes it worth trying and more so for those using it over shorter syn OCI 5-8K.

I bought and will run it in two cars and by then
I'll have my UOA and I assume enough other PP former M1 UOA to decide whether I'll use it on the following OCIs.

 

[rszappa1]

Heck I went from M1 to Wal-Mart syn. At 12 bucks for 5 quart jug and changing every 3,000 it should be fine....Some of the name brand syn. oils are getting too high for me....

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by m2200b:
Fairer to say PP has a 5-10% price advantage over M1 regular and 25% over M1ep w/o rebates and an overwheming price advantage after rebates.
Makes it worth trying and more so for those using it over shorter syn OCI 5-8K.

---

Agreed and not everyhone is saying that M-1 is worth the money. It might not be. But that doesn't mean it isn't any good.

 

[ScottB]

Some guys here gripe about the "high cost" of M1 and then will drive 2000 miles to find GC.

 

[farrarfan1]

dlginnc- please tell us were Mobil has fallen off in quality. Is it the basestock? Additives? Can you provide any hard data that helped you arrive at this conclusion at all or is this just a hunch? And by the way what is a "bonified M1 bigot" and what are the qualifications to become one?

GoldenRod. Not everyone knows this. Please provide a shred of evidence, anything, that proves Platinum is better than Mobil 1.I'm sure that you have spent countless hours researching this so I'm sure you can provide a wealth of information to back up your claim. Please try to keep it fairly simple so that it can be easily understood by us non technical types.

 

[Turk]

dlginnc (& Everyone) :

I have tried the PP and agree with you it is superior to the M1.

My Facts:

Fact # 1: Both the GM Dino & M1 make my truck's engine have a loud tapping at high cold "Empty Rev's" when the tranny holds 2nd gear too long going down a hill cold - same temps, same hill, same amount of time the truck sits in a parking ramp every weekday.

Fact # 2: When I had the PP in it, the tapping noise was gone, period.

The engine felt tighter and sounded better also.

Now, I can't wait to get enough miles on the M1 and in goes the Amsoil. If I did not have 3 changes of Amsoil, the PP would be going right in !!

Long live PP.

 

[JHZR2]

quote:

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Originally posted by m2200b:
Fairer to say PP has a 5-10% price advantage over M1 regular and 25% over M1ep w/o rebates and an overwheming price advantage after rebates.

---

Good point... maybe M1 will bring back mail-in rebates to make their prices decent at places other than wal-mart... Last M1 rebate I saw had the million mile BMW E30 on it.

I know M1 has that mail-in thing, but its tough to get the proof of purchase off of the bottles, especially if you want to keep them or arent using them right away.

JMH

 

[buster]

Even though these noise issues have no impact on anything, I'd suggest Mobil fix it before they loose their customer base. LOL.

 

[Turk]

Hey Buster,

We don't have proof "either way" that the engine noises, you can say "these noise issues have no impact on anything", but without "proof" you are assuming.

Those loud tapping noises I heard every weekday "may or may not" have detrimental effects on the engine, but it sure isn't normal and "probably" ain't helping the engine last longer when it's still cold !!!

Why on earth would I, who wants the engine to have a long life, keep putting in the M1 in it when I keep hearing the loud tapping noises...?

Touche!

 

[farrarfan1]

How is the "fact" that your engine is quiter proof that Platinum is better than M1? Better how? Quiter? Maybe, but can anyone offer evidence that more noise correlates to more wear? Less expensive? A little. The original poster, the M1 bigot, stated that he ran it in a Volvo and according to him it showed no cam wear but now it's somehow inferior.How is it inferior? GoldenRod in his infinite wisdom proclaimed that everyone knows Platinum is better. Where's the proof?

 

[buster]

Sorry but I trust API/ACEA sequence testing along with Mercedez Benz, GM and others over your little "chatter" noise. LOL

I'm sure it's annoying and I personally wouldn't want to hear it either, but M1 is a fantastic oil. But hey, use what makes you happy. PP is great.

Expensive testing that these oils go through are SUPERIOR to $20 UOA's. Lets get real here...

 

[farrarfan1]

Touche!

 

[racer12306]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rszappa1:
Heck I went from M1 to Wal-Mart syn. At 12 bucks for 5 quart jug and changing every 3,000 it should be fine....Some of the name brand syn. oils are getting too high for me....

---

i hope the switch wasnt because of price, because it works out to about the same price. Run that stuff to 5000 miles with no worries, my dad does in my sisters neon, moms ion and his stratus.

 

[pbm]

Originally posted by farrarfan1:
[QB] dlginnc- please tell us were Mobil has fallen off in quality. Is it the basestock? Additives? Can you provide any hard data that helped you arrive at this conclusion at all or is this just a hunch?

I have a 'hunch' that todays Mobil 1 is an excellent product but is not as good as the old 'Advanced Formula' Mobil 1. My hunch is that in trying to meet a price point (where it can still be sold in W-M, K-M, etc..) Mobil 1 has
'experimented' with cheaper basestocks. I know that it is still primarily a PAO but I'm talking about the AN's etc.. Like I said, I still think it is a great oil just not as great as it was.

 

[pbm]

The complaints about noisier engines doesn't bother me as long as the UOA's still look good.
However, all things being equal I'd prefer a smoother, quieter engine to a noisier one.

 

[Turk]

I hope you're not trying to put me down, but it's comin' across that way...

I'm sure their testing is great and so is the oil.

As an Engineer, I bet they did their FMEA's (Failure Mode Effects Analysis) CTQ's (Critical to Quality), DOE's (Design of Experiments) and validation testing according to their protocols.

So, if the loud tapping noise happened to "you" and you tried the PP and it went away, tried the M1 again to confirm it and it came back would you (or ANY other BITOG'er) continue to use it afterwards...?

I doubt you would continue to use it !

I doubt any other concerned BITOG'er would continue to use it if this sequence would happen to them, either.

Try all you want to cut me down, but it's a weak case.

 

[fastbear]

Another switcher on Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 EP here due to several reasons. First I have no real beef with the Mobil products except my 95 Escort was run on Mobil 1 5-30 for 3.2K and the engine started making enough top end tapping sounds when it was around 0 degrees and colder that I could hear it. Engine had 181K when the Mobil 1 was pulled and Schaeffers 5-30 installed. Tapping sound was gone within seconds of warm-up. Engine previously had used Schaeffers 5-30 for about 14K and no top end sounds. Changed oil always around 3K. 2nd reason for pulling Mobil 1 is it now costs almost 27. dollars at Walley World for 4 quarts and am now going to run an experiment using Supertech 5-30 Syn which cost less than 14 dollars for 5 quarts. Schaeffers is still in the car and the engine sounds good.If the Supertech experiment dosn't work its back to Schaeffers. By the way every engine that we have with 4 wheels has had or has Schaeffer in it and absolutely no complaints. Just another curiosity experiment to see which oil gives the best bang for the buck and Mobil 1 and Mobil EP in 5-30 are on the way out here. Mobil 1 is a good oil, no doubt about it, however, the tapping sound in the old Escort bothered me and the cost of oil is somewhat of a concern also here as we change oil on 22 different engines that have wheels under them. Truck, cars, motorcycles, tractors, etc. Also, can go further out on oci's but the tapping noise and the cheaper price like with Schaeffers was a decision making factor here.