Mobil 1 15w50 in cold weather
- Thread starter Threeofnine
- Start date
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2021
- Messages
- 1,238
What temp was the freezer at? Just curious what it takes to get RP in that bad of shape.M1 15W50 is one of their best if not their best oil. Not scientific, but I did a freezer test with M1 15W50 and RP 20W50. The RP was frozen solid, while the M1 moved around in the bottle like a 10W30 or something would.
When M1 15W50 silver cap was first introduced (after the discontinuation of the red cap 15W50), MJ of ExxonMobil told me it was a group IV/V blend.
You chose good!
This is why people with collector cars drive beaters.
D
Deleted member 89374
Is this vehicle your primary mode of transportation?
[Edit]
Have you considered running Mobil 1 FS 0W-40, 5W-40, or 5W-50? Given the vintage of your Ferrari, it'd me a more appropriate lubricant. I'm mentioning all three oils because 5W-40 is sometimes hard to find, and 5W-50 is even harder. The Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 is Mobil's best oil that you can buy at Walmart. It's really good stuff. If you're only driving on the street without crazy track sessions, I would run 0W-40 full time without any concerns.
[2nd Edit]
Quaker State Euro 5W-40 is also a good oil. It's Shell Helix Ultra SP 5W-40 in a different jug. IIRC it's the factory fill for many Ferraris.
Last edited by a moderator:
You will not have any problems with it at those temperatures. If it drops to -30°F, I'd preheat. Especially due to the fact that it's garaged, the temp will be moderated a bit. In any case, it is always a good idea to let a high RPM, high performance engine warm up the oil before using it's capabilities, regardless of temperature.
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2022
- Messages
- 60
It’s not my primary vehicle, I also have a Tesla and a Chevy truck but I will say I drive the TR more than any other car. I’d almost call it my daily driver.
D
Deleted member 89374
Well, that was my dream car as a child and teenager, and I will probably never own one, but still, I can dream, right? I did have a small toy version of it, it was red. It's an awesome vehicle.
If you want something above Mobil 1 to take care of your Ferrari, I recommend @High Performance Lubricants. It will keep the engine clean and wear in check. They use expensive - high quality materials to blend their oils. I recommend picking an oil from their Supercar lineup: https://www.advlubrication.com/collections/automotive-lubricants/products/super-car-engine-oil
They are easy to contact here on BITOG and are very approachable. Ask them for a recommendation. And if you don't want to use their products, I'm pretty sure they'll recommend Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 for a daily driver.
PDS: https://www.hplubricants.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Super-Car-Engine-Oil-PDS.pdf
I used the M-1 15w-50 many years in Texas , and one year in NE Oklahoma in my daily driver ‘66 Shelby GT-350’s and ‘66 Galaxies. Not show cars, or “beater” btw , ha ha. Just dependable well sorted clean drivers. I drove all the classics for coast to coast numerous times without a hitch, or any maintenance / repairs. Just like my parents did when these cars were new.
Often the Texas winters would get in the mid teens (F), and of course NE Oklahoma had brutal weather coming straight across the plains down from the Rockies. Many nights in the single digits F.
All cars started easily and showed the same great wear characteristics that M-1 15w-50 is well known for.
After my first year(and first oil change) in Oklahoma I switched to M-1 0w-40 all year round. Currently using the same M-1 0w-40 in an ‘02 Jaguar XKR, my current daily driver.
Z
Last edited:
Jackson_Slugger
$50 Site Donor 2022
Yup!:
https://www.severe-weather.eu/globa...istmas-snow-forecast-united-states-canada-mk/
I think it will be fine, just let it warm up a couple minutes. Your bigger issue might be the (I assume) summer performance tires on any snow/slush/ice....
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
- Messages
- 29,558
Gosh I haven't a clue.
Unbelievable....
That's exactly what some pilots in Alaska do if they know it's going to be -40°F the next morning and they have to fly.Unbelievable....
At -40°F that warm oil will turn instantly cold. It’s a lost cause. Pilots up there have covers and shrouds along with heaters to keep the plane engine warm.
And here this entire thread is asking about a 15W rated oil in 10F weather. The answer is that it is acceptable.
It is better that the science behind the winter rating should rule instead of nonsense.
It is better that the science behind the winter rating should rule instead of nonsense.
And still meet the performance requirements for the winter rating on the label. If one of these super-duper synthetics have a winter performance that exceeds the requirements for a 20W, 15W, 10W or 5W rating then it would be labeled with that better rating.
Somewhere in the late 90's I got the bright idea to try M1 15w-50 in my Audi T4 Turbo Quattro. That car had an oil temperature guage. The oil temperature went way up, and the car seemed a little sluggish. IIRC I dumped that oil before 1000 miles and went back ontoto the reservation, meaning 10W-30.
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2021
- Messages
- 1,238
On this note, if a synthetic 5W oil doesn't offer better cold performance than a conventional or blend 5W, then what's the benefit of synthetic oil for cold performance? I thought one of the big selling points for PAO and GTL are cold performance.