Is M1 0w40 superior to other Euro oils?

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I was playing with the Lubrizol relative performance tool and saw that since Mobil claims it's 0w40 meets VW spec 503 01, the wear performance rating moves from an 8 out of 10 to a 10 out of 10.

I compared this to Castrol 0w40 and Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 and neither of these have specs that I can quantify would do the same.

Any opinions?
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
I was playing with the Lubrizol relative performance tool and saw that since Mobil claims it's 0w40 meets VW spec 503 01, the wear performance rating moves from an 8 out of 10 to a 10 out of 10.

I compared this to Castrol 0w40 and Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 and neither of these have specs that I can quantify would do the same.

Any opinions?

VW 503.01 is old spec. Both Castrol 0W30 and Pennzoil 5W40 had declaration that those oils met that spec when that spec was valid.
 
Lubrizol's performance tool shows you the MINIMUM performance of each spec in different areas. It's not a good way to compare oils that meet those specs because one oil might just barely meet them while another might exceed them.

As to your original question, what do you mean by "superior?" If you're talking about the characteristics of the oil itself, it's hard to say. The reason Mobil 1 is so commonly recommended is that it meets just about any high performance spec you'd be looking for, AND it's widely available, AND it's cheap. In other words, it's not just about the oil itself.
 
It would be very expensive and time consuming to answer your question. Any of these popular synthetic oils of the correct viscosity would work just fine. Using one of these oils on a reasonable maintenance schedule might end up with the engine outlasting the rest of the car.
 
Superior in which aspect? You cant just say superior overall unless one lubricant was clearly and dog - and not one meeting these spec should be. Choice depends on materials used in your engine design and the over all design where the mico motions and loadings respond to certain base stocks and DP.
 
For a 40 grade oil the answer appears to be yes.
VOAs on competing oils so far have proved to be a disappointment which in many cases even fall short of their own claimed PDS info'.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Lubrizol's performance tool shows you the MINIMUM performance of each spec in different areas. It's not a good way to compare oils that meet those specs because one oil might just barely meet them while another might exceed them.


Yes I know but it's all we have!
 
Originally Posted By: edyvw
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
I was playing with the Lubrizol relative performance tool and saw that since Mobil claims it's 0w40 meets VW spec 503 01, the wear performance rating moves from an 8 out of 10 to a 10 out of 10.

I compared this to Castrol 0w40 and Pennzoil Ultra 5w40 and neither of these have specs that I can quantify would do the same.

Any opinions?

VW 503.01 is old spec. Both Castrol 0W30 and Pennzoil 5W40 had declaration that those oils met that spec when that spec was valid.


That's really good to know and crosses that potential advantage off the limited analysis we end users can get our hands on.
 
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
Superior in which aspect? You cant just say superior overall unless one lubricant was clearly and dog - and not one meeting these spec should be. Choice depends on materials used in your engine design and the over all design where the mico motions and loadings respond to certain base stocks and DP.


Clearly superior in that were you to have one oil and one oil only in your stash, then M1 0W40 would cover far more bases on anyone's fleet than any other.

Anyone comes to me asking for what oil to use in their XYZ, first question is "does $100 for 5l bother you ?"...uick check of the manual, and M1 0W40 is nearly always an appropriate oil for most Gassers, and Japanese (and some Euro) diesels.

If $100/ 5l is a sticking point, then we have to review the cheaper oils with a much more critical eye.

Bear in mind that I've been labelled an M1 0W40 hater, but it's what I nearly always steer people towards.
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Lubrizol's performance tool shows you the MINIMUM performance of each spec in different areas. It's not a good way to compare oils that meet those specs because one oil might just barely meet them while another might exceed them.


Yes I know but it's all we have!

Then we have nothing. A lack of alternatives doesn't make it any more useful.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Clearly superior in that were you to have one oil and one oil only in your stash, then M1 0W40 would cover far more bases on anyone's fleet than any other.

Well said.
 
there are people on the internet that like to say... it's factory fill for Corvettes, Porsches, etc... so that makes it the ultimate oil...

then one can say... oh yeah? Ferrai, including Scuderia models, uses Shell oils in their cars... so... maybe Shell is the ultimate oil.....
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Lubrizol's performance tool shows you the MINIMUM performance of each spec in different areas. It's not a good way to compare oils that meet those specs because one oil might just barely meet them while another might exceed them.


Yes I know but it's all we have!

Then we have nothing. A lack of alternatives doesn't make it any more useful.


Not quite. One has to make decisions with the information you have. When I originally posted, the information I had was that M1 0W40 did reach 10 on the wear performance. And while the others may have, there was no certainty that they did (until edyvw pointed out that they used to state they met the spec).

Certainty does have value, otherwise there wouldn't be a premium on it in so many walks of life. Indeed, much of modern life requires certainty.
 
"I need certainty, therefore I'm going to project it where it's not warranted?"

Hard to think of a sentence I could disagree with more comprehensively than that...
 
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
then one can say... oh yeah? Ferrai, including Scuderia models, uses Shell oils in their cars... so... maybe Shell is the ultimate oil.....

If Shell's equivalent product were readily available in all locales, that would mean a lot more. At least Castrol has GC and 0w-40 fairly readily available as some form of competition.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
then one can say... oh yeah? Ferrai, including Scuderia models, uses Shell oils in their cars... so... maybe Shell is the ultimate oil.....

If Shell's equivalent product were readily available in all locales, that would mean a lot more. At least Castrol has GC and 0w-40 fairly readily available as some form of competition.


Rotella T6 has the same basestock as the Shell Helix oils specified for Ferrari.

so... it is readily available.
 
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
then one can say... oh yeah? Ferrai, including Scuderia models, uses Shell oils in their cars... so... maybe Shell is the ultimate oil.....

If Shell's equivalent product were readily available in all locales, that would mean a lot more. At least Castrol has GC and 0w-40 fairly readily available as some form of competition.


Rotella T6 has the same basestock as the Shell Helix oils specified for Ferrari.

so... it is readily available.


We know this how? And it has all the same European approvals too?

It is an excellent product, but it is not the same.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: UG_Passat
then one can say... oh yeah? Ferrai, including Scuderia models, uses Shell oils in their cars... so... maybe Shell is the ultimate oil.....

If Shell's equivalent product were readily available in all locales, that would mean a lot more. At least Castrol has GC and 0w-40 fairly readily available as some form of competition.


Rotella T6 has the same basestock as the Shell Helix oils specified for Ferrari.

so... it is readily available.


We know this how? And it has all the same European approvals too?

It is an excellent product, but it is not the same.


I never said T6 is the same exact oil as shell supplies to Ferrari.

I said basestock.

the additive package, of course, will be different.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
"I need certainty, therefore I'm going to project it where it's not warranted?"

Hard to think of a sentence I could disagree with more comprehensively than that...


I'm not sure I understand what your point is here, especially since you put in quotes a statement that was not made by me, a sentence which appears to actually be your own construction, which you then say you disagree with more than any other sentence you could think of.

(A bit strong don't you think? Plus I don't know why there is a question mark inside the quote.)

Nor was it my intention to convey what I think it is you are disagreeing with, nor do I think it is what I conveyed and I've re-read what I've said. I think it was quite clear I was trying to find out if anybody knew anything more about the one difference in approvals that I could somewhat quantify.
 
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