Mobil 1 5w30 Oil Consumption

[pee-wee]

Hi All!

I switched over to Mobil 1 5W30 after reaching 22,000 kms on my Acura RSX Type S in effort to lubricate & protect my engine with a superior product and extend OCI.

I was using Castrol GTX 5W30 previous to Mobil 1 and was consuming around 1 litre of GTX every 4000-5000kms with scheduled oil changes every 6 months or 6000-8000 kms.

Mobil 1 5w30 has nearly doubled my oil consumption with 1.75 litres burned off in 5000km.

Even though I want to give my car the best, this is going to get expensive especially if I plan to go 12,000kms on an extended OCI.

Is it worth it?

Please help.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Gene K]

Assuming you are burning one liter every 3000 km I would think you could just change the filter every 10,000-15,000 km and forget about changing it. Might want to dump it every 40,000-60,000 km or so to get the junk out of the bottom of the pan.

Why not try the German Castrol Syntec 0w30 since a lot of us prefer it to Mobil 1 and it is a thick 30 weight. It is supposed to be available at WalMarts in Canada.

Esso XD-3 0w30 is also a full PAO Group IV synthetic and on the thick side for a 30 Weight. Available for $4.00-5.00 a liter from what I understand.

Mobil 1 is a thin 30 Weight.

Gene

 

[Sin City]

If you want to stay with Moibl 1 then use their 0W-40. If you were to change to Mobil 1 0W-40 I estimate that your oil consumption will be reduced by about 50%. There should be little change in fuel economy and 0W-40 should protect your engine as well as 5w30. Otherwise do what Gene K suggests and try Esso XD-3 0w30 or Castrol Syntec 0w30 (ACEA A3/B3/B4).

[ October 11, 2004, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: Sin City ]

 

[pee-wee]

I'm debating on stepping up to Mobil 1 10W30. The temperature in Vancouver BC rarely goes below
-10C, but on the downside, start ups will be a little rough.

Do you guys think that going to a 0 weight synthetic will decrease consumption?

I always thought the thinner the oil, the more it will burn?

Thanks again for all your help.

 

[sxg6]

1 litre and 1.75 litre consumption on a new car like that? what did you do to it? is it modified?

 

[pee-wee]

quote:

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Originally posted by sxg6:
1 litre and 1.75 litre consumption on a new car like that? what did you do to it? is it modified?

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Not modified, but its a 2L engine producing 200HP... stock from the factory. This car is known for burning oil on a limited scale. 1L of oil is normal, bit since switching to Mobil 1 it almost doubled./..

 

[Patman]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pee-wee:


Do you guys think that going to a 0 weight synthetic will decrease consumption?

I always thought the thinner the oil, the more it will burn?

---

It's not a thinner oil, the 0w part refers to it's cold cranking ability. The second number refers to it's viscosity when hot. And both the German Castrol 0w30 and Esso 0w30 are at the top end of the 30wt range, so they are thicker at operating temp than most other 5w30 and 10w30 oils out there. They simply are better flowing in extreme cold so they get the 0w rating.

 

[97tbird]

where can one find this Esso XD-3 ow/30?

 

[thegoose]

I would be somewhat concerned if my engine where consuming that much oil after 22000 kms. Is that what the car maker states in your owners manual? I have read posts from owners of Chrysler vehicles regarding high oil consumption.
If it was my car I would be asking questions.

 

[2KBMW]

97 tbird. These XD-3 0w30/0w40 synthetic
oils are from ESSO in Canada. ESSO is the
international chain that is owned by EXXON.
Check with EXXON in the U.S. to see if they
produce the same oil for the U.S. market.
Also, these are HD oils.

 

[pmt]

I've noticed the same thing on a couple of my vehicles - engines consume more Mobil 1 5w30 than when using other 5w30 oils, even lowly dinos and the dreaded Group III "fake" synthetics.

Yes - the Mobil 1 5w30 and 10w30 oils are very thin (barely meeting 30 weight) at 100 C, but some of the other oils that I've used with less consumption aren't much thicker.
Does anyone know why Mobil's group IV oils seem to consume more than others?

 

[jthorner]

Mobil 1 5w30 is known to be on the thin side of the 30 weight spec. It's typical data sheet says cSt at 100 deg. C = 10. Castrol GTX (GF-3 version) specs cSt at 100 deg. C = 11, or 10% thicker.

This might well explain the additional oil usage you saw with Mobil 1 over GTX. All engines burn some oil, some much more than others. If the RSX is already a bit of an oil burner then the thiner Mobil 1 is going to burn a bit more than the GTX.

Not really very mysterious.

Also, the GTX *might* tend to thicken a bit more with use due to oxidation than does the Mobil 1, which would exacerbate the phenomenon.

John

 

[dropitby]

Perhaps the first use of Mobil 1 will use more oil try it again and if you want to boost it add a qt. of Redline 10/30.

 

[buster]

Oil consumption can be from a variety of things. I've never understood why Mobil 1 has issues in some vehicles.

 

[MaximaGuy]

I had a similar experience with oil consumption with Mobil 5W30. I have switched to a combination of Castrol GTX 5W30 and 10W30 and it is fine now. I think as others in this thread have posted it gets thinner @ 100 (which is real quick to reach in any weather).

 

[John in the ATL]

Peewee,

If you plan on staying with Mobil 1, go with the 10w30 in the winter months and add a litre of Mobil 1 15w-50 to thicken it up in the warmer summer months.

I do believe that the GC or Esso 0w-30s are your best options.

How big is the sump with filter, 4L?

 

[pee-wee]

quote:

---

Originally posted by John in the ATL:
Peewee,

If you plan on staying with Mobil 1, go with the 10w30 in the winter months and add a litre of Mobil 1 15w-50 to thicken it up in the warmer summer months.

I do believe that the GC or Esso 0w-30s are your best options.

How big is the sump with filter, 4L?

---

Thanks for all of your replies and advice

My RSX takes 4.7L with filter.

It looks like I will have to switch to a thicker oil. I picked up some Esso Protec Extra Conventional 5w30 oil and will be trying that out once I get through my 1 year of Mobil 1 with oil analysis every 6 month interval.

All suggestions are welcome!

Thanks again folks!

 

[pee-wee]

Has anyone had this problem? (burning more synthetic oil than dino?)

What is the thickest 5W30 oil out there?

If I have to do 6-8km OIC's ...no problem, I just need something that is stable.

Thanks in advance

 

[Grossomotto]

I've never burned a drop with Mobil 1 5W30, Mobil 1 5W40 or GC 0W30 in the same Toyota V6 engine. I think 5W40 is too thick and 5W30 is too thin. I've settled in the middle with GC 0W30. When GC can be found, it's a board favorite.

In your case, burning almost 2L per 5K, which is about 3100 miles, seems a bit obsessive on a near new engine. I'd try a thicker oil like GC or closer to a 40 weight. Thicker oils almost always slow consumption.

 

[buster]

quote:

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I've never burned a drop with Mobil 1 5W30,

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Makes no sense to me why M1 in certain engines burns off while in other engines it's fine.

Anyone have any guesses?