This is the bespoke oil for the new C8 Corvette Z06, Mobil 1 5w50 Supercar, rated API SP and DexosR. Clearly this Corvette needs a hefty additive package. How to describe this oil in once sentence or less, here for a good time, not a long time.
Mobil 1 5w50 SuperCar API SP (DexosR)
- Thread starter pzev
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I have a track weekend at Circuit of the America's in two weeks, which will result in about 4hrs of track time over 2 days. I'll probably send it off after that and see how it held up. If 760hp and near 8000rpm can't get it to sheer, its not gonna sheer.
That's great! have fun & stay safe.
From what i read in some mobil patents, its to maximize the performance of the anti wear package. The lower they went with detergents, the thicker antiwear tribofilm was formed on metal parts. But they acknowledged that to low and they had cleanliness issues.
For one thing a simple $30 spectrographic analysis isn't a definitive determination of "detergent" levels and future cleanliness of the engine. Plus detergents in oil don't clean.
No but the PDS for this oil has magnesium and calcium pretty dam close to what this 30 dollar spectrographic analysis shows. I never stated that this analysis said anything about the future cleanliness of an engine. Im simply stating what i read in an exxonmobil research and engineering patent for a gf-6 lubricant composition exhibiting excellent antiwear properties. Nothing more.
4WD
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Anti agglomeration agents (AAA) 
Travis is on the money, the lower the detergent levels the better the anti-wear. The engine this oil was designed for has shown to be brutal on oil, with a lot of potential wear issues due to intended use and overall design. I honestly would describe this oil as a nerfed race oil, and not a beefed up street oil.
While every other manufacturer is reducing ZDDP in the oil to prevent cat fouling, GM almost doubled the amount of ZDDP in this oil spec, despite this engine being in a street car with full emissions. Clearly they were mitigating a potential issue more important than the catalytic converter.
At least that is my theory. I'm not sure what else would explain an API SP, manufacturer specified oil, with 1200ppm of Zinc LOL
While every other manufacturer is reducing ZDDP in the oil to prevent cat fouling, GM almost doubled the amount of ZDDP in this oil spec, despite this engine being in a street car with full emissions. Clearly they were mitigating a potential issue more important than the catalytic converter.
At least that is my theory. I'm not sure what else would explain an API SP, manufacturer specified oil, with 1200ppm of Zinc LOL
They don’t use a GPF and that level of ZDDP is fine for cats if you don’t burn it.
The LT6 engine in the z8 Z06 devours oil, and fuel dilutes the hell out of it. GM knew that, and specced 1200ppm zinc anyways, because they needed the anti-wear. 5.5 liters, 8600rpm, near 700hp, that thing is a beast. I doubt any of those cars will ever see high enough mileage to kill a cat converter from Zinc.
All I know is I bought 24 quarts of M1 5w/50 Supercar, and after this analysis I'm super pleased with my purchase. I will be happily putting 12 quarts of this oil in my Mustang, my favorite car ever, when I do my next oil change. I think this oil is some super special stuff.
BUTTTTT, if ya wanna know the real reason I bought this oil, it's because the label matches my car
I can find no evidence that the LT6 burns significant amounts of oil. It does have a common leak, though. I'm sure this engine is hard on oil but Porsche does similar density and revs with the GT3 engine and more power with the GT2 RS and they are using ~900 ppm M1 X3 in Cup cars even. I'm sure GM knows what they are doing with this oil though. I expect these to attain high mileage honestly, every prior Z06 has had owners rack up the miles.
That sounds a lot more like a bug than a feature. What benefit is there to either one of those in terms of design?
None, and they were definitely not intended, but probably anticipated.
Its the nature of the beast for any high performance engine, there are usually compromises to achieve max performance, packaging, cost, etc. The nature of their use sometimes highlights issues a street car won't experience.
When you have borderline race engines in a street environment, we sometimes take for granted the major difference in service a race car/engine will recieve vs its street driven counterpart.
I should restate I wasnt being critical of the LT6, or trying to throw shade at its design. I think it's an amazing engine.
I should also say that the XOM patent i read all this info on also mentions the lube composition exhibiting superior tribofilm formation on DLC engine parts. The lt6 uses DLC cam followers IIRC.
Based on the MSDS it also uses the same base oil antioxidant as all the triple action formula mobil 1 oils.
I am surprised they have so much ZDDP with DLC used. I assume they have done their homework though.
Thank you for sharing that! I did not know any of that! Interesting stuff
So Porsche fundamentally had the same challenge with the GT3 with oil shearing, and finger follower wear. They forumulate the Porsche A40 Euro Spec'd Mobil 1 Oils, as seen here in the VOA:
If one is concerned with wear (not DLC coated cam in my case), is there any reason I should not run the 5W50 Supercar instead of the FSX2 5W50 in my GT3 RS?
In my discussions with folks in the know the Dexos R 5W50 was based on Mobil 1 FSX2 5W50, with more ZDDP added for wear protection, and more Boron added for turbo charged applications
Is there anyway Dexos R isn't better than FSX2, besides early cat issue, which in reality don't happen in supercars since they aren't daily?
Likely my next oil.
Mobil 1 5w50 European Car (FSx2) API SP
I sent this sample, and a sample of M1 5w50 Supercar off for analysis. Will post results of Supercar when they come in.
bobistheoilguy.com
If one is concerned with wear (not DLC coated cam in my case), is there any reason I should not run the 5W50 Supercar instead of the FSX2 5W50 in my GT3 RS?
In my discussions with folks in the know the Dexos R 5W50 was based on Mobil 1 FSX2 5W50, with more ZDDP added for wear protection, and more Boron added for turbo charged applications
Is there anyway Dexos R isn't better than FSX2, besides early cat issue, which in reality don't happen in supercars since they aren't daily?
Likely my next oil.
I have doubts the Supercar 5W-50 is exactly an you describe because the detergent levels are very different. Also, the Z06 isn’t turbocharged and so they wouldn’t be adding boron just for a turbocharged application.In my discussions with folks in the know the Dexos R 5W50 was based on Mobil 1 FSX2 5W50, with more ZDDP added for wear protection, and more Boron added for turbo charged applications
Is there anyway Dexos R isn't better than FSX2, besides early cat issue, which in reality don't happen in supercars since they aren't daily?
Likely my next oil.
No one can answer if it’s better without data. My perception is that things are complex these days and different finishes, coatings, etc. make it harder to generalize. I would say it seems like it might be better but do you want to be the guinea pig? No one at Mobil has probably ever poured that stuff in a Porsche engine for formal testing. ZDDP is not the end-all-be-all either. If you’re going to deviate from Porsche spec then I would at least choose an oil that other people with this engine have run for a long time with good results if there is such a thing. If you were asking about a Camry then it would be easy, but you’re asking about a fairly exotic engine.
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