Havoline 5W-30 vs Mobil 1 5W-30

Whimsey · Dec 11, 2003

For the winter time I swapped out the Mobil 1 5W-30, it was time anyway, and used Havoline 5W-30 as a temporary fill until spring. Then I'll start using Schaeffer's Supreme 5W-30 for my annual long vacation trek. What I noticed is that starting my car, a 1996 Contour with the 2.0L DOHC engine, it is a LOT quieter with the Havoline then with the Mobil 1 5w-30. The car even sat for 2 weeks in the garage without starting and when I started it today there was none of the "clacking" I got with the Mobil 1. Maybe the Mobil 1 IS a "thin" oil compared to other equivalent oil grades. Just an unscientific observation

. Just as a side note I've used Mobil 1 5W-30 for most of this cars life since new in 1996.

Whimsey

Joe1 · Dec 11, 2003

Whimsey,
I'll have to meet you at the microbrew pub in Sussex county to hear firsthand how quiet your car is running.

How's that for an excuse to go out and have a few cold ones.

Whimsey · Dec 11, 2003

Sounds like a great plan to me

! I'm sure we can also "convince" Mikep to join in the research

. He lives close by and from time to time we meet for "research"

.

Whimsey

HOndaGuy · Dec 11, 2003

How can we assume that just because a car is a little noisier with a synthetic, that it isn't doing it's job? With any dino oil, the waxes and paraffins cover all that noise up, so I wouldn't go by how a engine sounds.

Dr. T · Dec 11, 2003

It's not the fact that it's a synthetic...I really think M-1 lacks certain addatives (aka. weak addative package) that other oils have. Even their own Delvac 1 for example, does not exhibit the noisey valvetrain sounds that come from M-1 (even the 15-50). Great oil though

Whimsey · Dec 11, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by HOndaGuy:
How can we assume that just because a car is a little noisier with a synthetic, that it isn't doing it's job? With any dino oil, the waxes and paraffins cover all that noise up, so I wouldn't go by how a engine sounds.

I never said Mobil 1 was not doing it's job. In fact when I look in the oil fill on the valve cover it looks very clean with no build up, that I can see anyway. I was just commenting on what other people have also said, that Mobil 1 5w-30 seems "thinner" compared to other 5W-30 oils. Though I do have to admit it's nice to have a quiet sounding engine

.

Whimsey

JohnnyO · Dec 11, 2003

My admittedly unscientific opinion is that you'd be better off with a synthetic in the winter. But, the Havoline is good stuff too.

dickwells · Dec 11, 2003

Gotta ask, how fast is the oil pressure coming up now as compared to M1? Maybe you had a filter with a bum ADBV and now have one that holds well.

BlackF250 · Dec 11, 2003

Let's just face it, Mobil 1 is not that great of an oil. How much proof do we need? Bad uoa's, noisy engines, start up noise, I used to want to like Mobil 1 actually, but after trying it in three different vehicles I have come away very unimpressed. I have also tried heavier grades to see if that would help with noise, it did not. I am not against syn lubes, just Mobil products. Even my lawnmower did not seem to like it!!

Whimsey · Dec 11, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by JohnnyO:

My admittedly unscientific opinion is that you'd be better off with a synthetic in the winter. But, the Havoline is good stuff too.

The reason I went with dino for the winter is that it spends most of the winter in a heated garage with occassional highway runs to get the oil hot and then garage it again. Come spring/summer we take very long trips. I'd rather have fresh oil for the start of the trips and summer season. Schaeffer's Supreme is going in come March. It seems like a waste of good money to have a really good oil just sit in the engine for winter and without much use and get dumped in the spring.

Whimsey

Whimsey · Dec 11, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by dickwells:
Gotta ask, how fast is the oil pressure coming up now as compared to M1? Maybe you had a filter with a bum ADBV and now have one that holds well.

Don't have an oil pressure gauge so I can't say. But the oil filters have been Motorcraft FL200 for years. Except for a short run of Frams before I saw the light

. But when using the Frams start ups were REALLY noisy and painful compared to the Motorcrafts.

Whimsey

mikep · Dec 12, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Whimsey:
Sounds like a great plan to me

! I'm sure we can also "convince" Mikep to join in the research

. He lives close by and from time to time we meet for "research"

.

Whimsey

Sounds like a darn good idea to me. After all, aren't we about due to finish that research paper on cold pour performance of Oatmeal Stout vs. Pale Ale?

Mikep

Chris B. · Dec 12, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by BlackF250:
Let's just face it, Mobil 1 is not that great of an oil. How much proof do we need? Bad uoa's, noisy engines, start up noise, I used to want to like Mobil 1 actually, but after trying it in three different vehicles I have come away very unimpressed. I have also tried heavier grades to see if that would help with noise, it did not. I am not against syn lubes, just Mobil products. Even my lawnmower did not seem to like it!!

Mobil 1 is one of the best oils out there. Some UOA's are not god but there are far more that are great. Look at all the car that have 200,000+ miles with Mobil 1 that are still going strong and are spotless inside with no build up. Try that with a dino.
As far as loud engines on M1 I own to noisey GM V8's (LS1, 5.3) both on M1 and the 5.3 is quiet and the LS1 sonds the same on dino and M1 so it is not the oil. My UOA's on M1 have been very good.

buster · Dec 12, 2003

quote:

How much proof do we need? Bad uoa's, noisy engines, start up noise, I used to want to like Mobil 1 actually, but after trying it in three different vehicles I have come away very unimpressed.

M1 has shown great UOA's and if people would read a little bit they would realize it's the thin nature of the oil.

Havoline 5W-30 vs Mobil 1 5W-30

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