Mobil 1 0W-40: Euro vs. U.S.

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I've been running Mobil 1 0W-40 in my Mitsubishi 6G72 for 3 years now. The stuff I buy locally is the "New Life" formula and is blended in Belgium. My intervals have been 5,000 miles, which I feel comfortable with, considering the 98 RON/93 AKI gas I burn in this engine is Euro II rated with a sulfur content of 500 ppm. The color of the oil has always been a golden yellow to very light bronze.

I got my last batch of Mobil 1 0W-40 through the APO, which is the American version. The oil has just under 2,000 miles on it right now and looks like this right after I pulled it out the tube:

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I'm not sure how the color will appear on your screen, but it's burnt orange with a red tint on the dipstick, and I'm not sure what those solid particles are suspended in the oil. I wiped the dipstick clean, put it back in, pulled it out and the solid particles are still there. Any takes?

I've been under the impression that the 0W-40 offering was a global formulation, so I'm not sure why I'm seeing this with the American version compared to the Belgian stuff I was using for 3 years.
 
Geez!!!

How long have the particles been occurring? A month, 6 months, a year, or longer? This oil fill or others?
 
Never happened before. It's the first time this has ever happened, with this current fill of Mobil 1 0W-40 bought from the States. Needless to say, I dumped it and change the oil.
 
Filter failure? That doesn't look good for 2k into oci on an engine that has been well maintained. Color might not mean much, but chunks are kinda scary.
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Never happened before. It's the first time this has ever happened, with this current fill of Mobil 1 0W-40 bought from the States. Needless to say, I dumped it and change the oil.


Did you sample for uoa?
 
I assume the oil goes through the filter after it's been picked up from the slump. I've been using a Hyundai/Kia 26300-35503 for a very long time, and never had any problems with them. I'll cut open the one I pulled off out of curiosity. It does feel a bit heavier than usual.
 
That oil sure cleaned, lol.

But, do you still have the filter? Which brand? If you have it, please cut it open & post pics...
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Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
Did you sample for uoa?


I haven't taken the oil to a recycling facility just yet, but I do have a sample kit from Blackstone that should arrive soon.
 
The US version seems to have seems to have better cleaning abilities. From my experience what you are seeing are deposits, carbon junk and varnish.
Keep the filter changed and watch the oil turn reddish brown in time. IIRC this engine had some deposit issues, correct?

I wouldn't waste my money on a UOA of this stuff, its going to be high in almost everything. Any ppm of wear metals that were in the deposits is now being liquefied and will show up.
 
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Originally Posted By: Trav
IIRC this engine had some deposit issues, correct?


Before I took over the maintenance, it was unfortunately being run on Middle Eastern sourced lubricants by the dealership. When I pulled the heads to replace the valve guides and the seals, the head was heavily varnished, albeit the valve guides weren't really worn. But with the head off, I saw no reason not to replace the guides. This was 4 years ago, at which point I ran Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 followed by Pennzoil Ultra Euro 5W-40 for a year. A year later, I permanently switched to Mobil 1 0W-40.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
I wouldn't waste my money on a UOA of this stuff, its going to be high in almost everything. Any ppm of wear metals that were in the deposits is now being liquefied and will show up.


Thanks for pointing this out!
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I got quite a lot of the U.S. M1 0W-40, so that is what went in with a 26300-35503 filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
....what you are seeing are deposits, carbon junk and varnish.

+1 .... and do a couple LOF changes earlier than normal to expedite cleaning of the engine. May also need to shorten the OCI a bit with your driving style.

Does the engine spend much time with the oil fully warmed up (to burn-off the contaminants)?
 
The oil is cleaning up some sludge. As long as you keep seeing this on the stick, keep your OCI relatively short. Maybe 2,000 miles. As it clears up you can extend your OCI. Change your filter every time - use the cheap ones for a while.
 
He's been running good oils for five years and just now junk is coming loose? You really think so?

And what are those solid particles? Why isn't that trapped by the filter?

Originally Posted By: Trav
The US version seems to have seems to have better cleaning abilities. From my experience what you are seeing are deposits, carbon junk and varnish.
Keep the filter changed and watch the oil turn reddish brown in time. IIRC this engine had some deposit issues, correct?
 
I just called the Mobil tech and they assured me there is only one M1 0-40. I told him some say there is a different formulation in Euro for M1 0-40, vs US, and he again said there is only one 0-40. Same in Euro and the US. Could he be wrong? Possibly, but he seemed quite sure of this. I wonder if you checked your air filter?
 
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*Maybe* its just "cleaning" as others have suggested- but I don't think I buy it. You've run PP in that engine before, did it do the same thing? You've run Euro M1, it should do about the same. I'd be far more concerned that you've developed a coolant-to-oil leak coincidentally with this OCI.
 
That grit looks like bits of Carbon.

Have a Lab where you can get it spectrum analyzed??
 
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