You could always try mixing in a quart of 15W-50 in place of the thinner oil. Your engine won't tell anyone if you don't...
I think I'm going back to conventional oil.
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I almost stopped using Mobil 1 after the first time I tried it. I tried 5w30 in a new car and the engine was noisy at start-up, like as if the oil was too thin. I came very close to never using Mobil 1 again, but instead I tried 10w30. Engine ran a whole lot better.
Patman
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Funny you should mention this, as my first experience with Mobil 1 was the same! I put in 5w30 Mobil 1 into my 88 Dodge Shadow Turbo, which was less than a year old at the time. They didn't sell Mobil 1 10w30 here at the time, in fact I had to pay $8 per liter to buy it from the local Esso gas station!
So when I started the car up, it had a nasty cold start rattle. I now wonder if it was a bad Fram oil filter (yes, I used them back then) although I never did hear that noise again on any other oil changes. I ended up going back to 10w30 Castrol XLR. I used to change the oil every 3000km, which was every 3 weeks for me! If ever there was a car which was a perfect candidate for Amsoil and longer intervals, this one was it!
From the first time I put Mobil 1 5w30 into my truck until now, my Ford has been noisy. Different synthetics like Royal Purple and QS Full Synthetic would quiet down the motor dramaticaly. I finally tried Mobil 1 10w30, and this was much quieter, however I got my first taste of very breif cold start knock.
I really didn't think my post was bashing M1 but was just sharing the experience I had with it. I never said it wasn't a top shelf motor oil (I believe it certainly is) just that it doesn't work well for my specific application. Nothing more, nothing less.
Regarding going to a 40w grade, not an option in my case. Since my vehicle calls for a 5w-20 I'm already going out of the manufacturers recommended guidelines by using an Xw-30.
So if M1 is known to be a "thin" 30w and some engines run a bit noisy when using it, how do you explain the fact that the same engines run quieter on blends and conventional oils in the 5w-20 viscosity?
Like the saying, "different strokes for different folks", same applies to motor oils. again, I defer to Patman's mantra that there is no one perfect oil for all engine types.
Mikep
mikep:
Funny, no where in this conversation did anyone even mention 20W oils; If I could read minds, I might have been able to come up with an explanation ... but I can't.
On a side note: Most dealers are far more concerned with a customer actually changing his/her oil, rather than nit-picking about such and such a viscosity. If you don't tell, they won't know...if its clean!
My wife says to do what the owners manual says to do...ie " They built the car, so stop screwing around...!"
Maybe she's right...
Funny, no where in this conversation did anyone even mention 20W oils; If I could read minds, I might have been able to come up with an explanation ... but I can't.
On a side note: Most dealers are far more concerned with a customer actually changing his/her oil, rather than nit-picking about such and such a viscosity. If you don't tell, they won't know...if its clean!
My wife says to do what the owners manual says to do...ie " They built the car, so stop screwing around...!"
Maybe she's right...
Some years ago my first experiment with synthetic oil was with Castrol Syntec {cannot recall the viscosity}in an 85 Saab 900. I remember it poured "thin" and the engine sounds seemed magnafied. I was anxious to switch back to dino.
I now use synthetics in 1 vehicle exclusively (probably 2 after some experimentation) and the third runs Mobil 1 or GC at least in the winter. No additional noise or negative consequences at all.
My guess is it all depends on the engines we are talking about. I think a "looser" engine (American V-8 or older Euro motors)like thicker oils. I currently have 3 Japanese engines and they don't seem to be fussy about the oil.
I now use synthetics in 1 vehicle exclusively (probably 2 after some experimentation) and the third runs Mobil 1 or GC at least in the winter. No additional noise or negative consequences at all.
My guess is it all depends on the engines we are talking about. I think a "looser" engine (American V-8 or older Euro motors)like thicker oils. I currently have 3 Japanese engines and they don't seem to be fussy about the oil.
I need to weigh in on the Mobil 1/noisy engine issue.
I just started the AutoRx treatment and changed from Mobil 1 5w30 to Pennzoil 5w30 to do the cleaning with. After 50 miles the noise from the lifters is gone (10 yr old car with 70K miles on the clock). I was thinking it was the AutoRx (which it still may have been) but knowing that my car has always made noise, and also knowing it has always been on a strict diet of Mobil 1, I'm thinking maybe the Pennzoil has had a positive effect. This is the first car that I have used Mobil 1 in and I have not been impressed. It eats my butt that it costs $5 per quart around here, too.
I just started the AutoRx treatment and changed from Mobil 1 5w30 to Pennzoil 5w30 to do the cleaning with. After 50 miles the noise from the lifters is gone (10 yr old car with 70K miles on the clock). I was thinking it was the AutoRx (which it still may have been) but knowing that my car has always made noise, and also knowing it has always been on a strict diet of Mobil 1, I'm thinking maybe the Pennzoil has had a positive effect. This is the first car that I have used Mobil 1 in and I have not been impressed. It eats my butt that it costs $5 per quart around here, too.
To add to your Pennzoil experience. I put it in my 4.0 Jeep engine and it runs as quiet as a sewing machine. I have tried Havoiline, Chevron, Castrol, but i never really thought i would like Pennzoil the best. It was hard for me to get over the old "sludge" thing. My engine is actually a lot cleaner from what i can see through the oil fill cap by using Pennzoil.
I've got a case of 10wx30 pennzoil in my garage that the previous house owner left behind. I drive about 60 miles round trip on my car each day and next year that will be doubled to 120 mile round trip for my commute. Can I stretch this oil out to a 5,000 mile oil change? 95% of my driving is highway at 75-85 mph, engine spinning 2500-2700 rpm.
I currently use Mobil 1 on the vehicle but am ticked off at Walmart for their price increase.
Thanks,
Andy
I currently use Mobil 1 on the vehicle but am ticked off at Walmart for their price increase.
Thanks,
Andy
First I would make sure it is Pennzoil SL formula. I would think given your type of driving it should be fine but the only way to know for sure would be to have a used oil analysis done after the first interval. Maybe run the first interval at 4,000 miles and do an analysis and take it from there.
Mikep
Drew, those are "easy" miles for any oil (sustained speed and fully warmed 99% of the time). I might, however, revert back to 3,000 mile oil and filter changes during the 90+ degree heat of late spring and summer since that edges into "severe service" territory and I'm anal retentive about oil changes. A buddy of mine at work commuted a total of 100 miles six days/week (plus 1 1/2 days weekend running around) with a '94 Honda Accord for six years. At that point he turned the car over to his son in college who just graduated. Ten years and 335,000+ miles later it still runs, though it's on its second manual transaxle. All on Pennzy conventional 5w30 with 5,000 mile Jiffy-Lube oil changes, year 'round in southern Califonia.
It's funny how we previously tried to conclude that it wasn't the oil's fault for the engine noises. However, remember that every company has a different formulation. From what I've experienced, M-1=PAO with little to no addatives. Not only have I heard the most engine sounds with all of their grades, my friends M-B C240 makes ticking noises all the time after 2400 kms (I'm assuming it came with M-1 from the factory)...interestingly enough, Delvac 1 is much better at making the noises disappear...
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