Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30 for Acura RSX Type-S?

[prodigalson]

I have read quite a few posts regarding the Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30, but did not see a strong consensus regarding its use for part daily driving part race..I understand that it is not API certified also? In any case, the RSX has a 8600RPM redline (which I attain often enough) and I participate in autocrosses, occasional drag races, and track events..I'm not really concerned with oil change intervals..I typically change my M1 5w-30 at between 4-5000 miles..I have also considered mixing it with regular synthetic 0w-30, as I am not convinced of the long term robustness of M1 racing...Any thoughts as to whether M1 racing is suitable for my situation?

Options:

-Straight Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30
-Mixture (50/50?) of Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30 & Mobil 1 0w-30
-Straight Mobil 1 0w-30

Thanks on advance for replies...

 

[Auto-Union]

Any or all of the above are great. I'm using thick German Syntec 0w-30 in summer and thin Mobil 1 0w-30 in my base RSX for winter. My car takes 20 weight. (supposedly) I don't think you would be dissapointed with German Syntec in terms of smoothness and mpg. Revving my engine higher is more pleasant with the GC than the Havoline of Mobil 1 I've used. afaik, Mobil 1 5w-30 EP is just as good a choice as 0w-30, 0w-30 R. I use 0w-30 because I have it stashed from $1/q purchases. See my post on the German Syntec Forum. fwiw, some people complain about their engines being less than quiet and smooth with Mobil 1 SM formulas. Look for older SL versions, imo.

 

[prodigalson]

So, I should consider Gc 0w-30?
I'll gave to check it out...Should be a cost advantage over M1R...

 

[Auto-Union]

Less money and longer ocis. imo, smoothness is an underrated acpect of an oil, however there has been more discussion on this point recently. I think you might also find Pennzoil Platinum to be competitive or better than M1, for $4/q. Use the 10w-30 if you burn oil, it has very good volitility. 5w-30 if you see super-cold. Overall, unless you try GC, it's tough to make informed comparisons to other oils. GC is at AutoZone only.

 

[prodigalson]

Well, my interest in a 0w-30 is three fold:
-Fuel economy
-Horsepower
-Cold start

Seems like I can kill three birds with one stone (err, oil) with 0w-30..

I'm currently using M1 10w-30, but I think it's a bit of overkill...Also, haven't had any consumption issues with any grade...

Isn't Pennzoil a group III?

 

[Auto-Union]

PS GC is race-proven as there was a big article on Castrol.uk about it (SLX) being used but the winning Audi DTM team. Spend a lil time on the Forum and you'll see it's our pet oil. Also, more than a few RSX owners here too.

My car w/ the fogs I just put in...

[ August 30, 2006, 01:08 AM: Message edited by: Auto-Union ]

 

[Auto-Union]

The PP is a new POE gas-to-liquid base, technically G-V...but you will eventually probally see how base number is not the final word on oil's quality. German Syntec is an exotic PAO (GIV) methylcrylate base. Cold cranking is another area where people think they need more than they really do. 10w is good down to far below zero f. For example GC is quite thick at most moderate cold temps, but qualifies as a 0w because it stays relatively thin at freakishly cold temps. Some example of visc/temps can be found where a 10w is thinner than 0w at cool/cold temps, your M1 10w-30 for example. We need *more* visc/temp charts here on the forum! fwiw, 0w does tend to represent a newer high-quality oil, but might not continue as an common industry norm...probally too much confusion from the customer. (mfg specs on 0w-20 is an example)

 

[427Z06]

prodigalson, Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30 is fully formulated for street use. It's not API certified because of the high levels of the anti-wear/oxidant additive ZDDP. People have run it on the street for 10,000 miles and it still had a sufficient TBN. See this M1R UOA. No need to blend it with anything. However, I believe they stopped producing it, so no telling when the current stock will run out.

GC will also work well in this engine. It's a great oil, unfortunately it has developed a cult like following. You might take a slight hit in Gas Mileage and/or HP since it's somewhat thicker than Mobil 1 Racing 0w-30 through the entire temperature range. It could be the case that GC doesn't meet the recommendations of your owner's manual either, if that's important. GC is a total waste in the base engine.

A third option would be something like Red Line 10w30. Many people who race swear by this stuff, me included.

In any event, most any quality Xw-30 synthetic will provide all the protection you need in this fine Honda engine.

 

[TooSlick]

I'd consider the Redline 5w-20, which is basically a 30wt in terms of high temp, high shear viscosity (3.3 Cp @ 150C)

The M1/0w30 racing oil would be fine, but good luck finding the stuff.

Best Amsoil product would be their Series 2000, 0w-30....

TS

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 427Z06:
(...snip...) It's a great oil, unfortunately it has developed a cult like following (emphasis added). (...snip...)

---

Heretic. . .

Seriously, unless there's been a very recent revival of the stuff, M1R is out of production, and has been for about a year. Mobil has been known to reanimate previously killed products (M1 0w-20, for example) so it's not unthinkable that it could be back. As far as I know, however, it's still dead, so if you like the stuff, and you have stock available in your area, grab what you can afford to hoard. It's long gone from the stores I haunt.

I too have used GC in several different engines, and I think you'd find it a good and satisfying replacement for M1R.

 

[sxg6]

If using an oil with "racing" in the name makes you sleep better at night, go for it. But in my opinion, any synthetic would do just fine for your application. I'd run the M1 0w-30.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Auto-Union:
The PP is a new POE gas-to-liquid base, technically G-V...

---

A-U: I agree 100% with the rest of what you posted, but disagree with your statement regarding Penz Plat's genetics. I keep seeing it alleged here on BITOG that PP is a Group-V EOP product. It's not. According to Pennzoil itself, PP is a G-III oil. I hasten to add, that I'm not anti-G-III, and this particular oil's performance indicates that G-IIIs can turn in great performances. Anyway, I just confirmed this with Pennzoil, via email. Their rep also added that the product is presently being further upgraded, so I expect to see even better to come from it in the future.

 

[Auto-Union]

"GC would be a total waste in a base engine"

Ummm, it lubricates and cools. Keeps my engine from blowing up...not really a waste, eh? I'm currently getting 31-32mpg and it's as smooth as an electric motor. A "waste"?

 

[Auto-Union]

Also, I was contacted by a certian veteran member, (member #<100) getting 43-44mpg in a new Civic, German Syntec.

 

[ebaker]

Straight M1R should be perfect for an 8600 rpm street car.

 

[Auto-Union]

a "waste"? That's the first time I've heard that term here. A "waste" would be NOT using it, since I have cases and cases of it, or using it in an old lawnmower. Let me see, it's better to NOT use an oil that works really well in my brand new car and offers certian protection at the 10k intervals specified by the oem. Huh. I guess that's a lesson for all the kids out there: when you buy a new car, use the worst oil you can get away with. That's "better" because anything else would be a "waste".

As far as my engine, it's 160hp from a 2.0 and was previously offered only in the Si. Redline is over 7000 which is surpass.

As we all know, it only specs 5w-20 in the US.

 

[Auto-Union]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ebaker:
Straight M1R should be perfect for an 8600 rpm street car.

---

Yeah, but he drags and tracks it too.

 

[427Z06]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Auto-Union:
A "waste" would be NOT using it, since I have cases and cases of it, or using it in an old lawnmower.

---

So...because you happen to have bought "cases and cases" everyone else needs to use it too even if there might be better choices? And, any quality synthetic should be able to go 10,000 miles in a K20A3. Even Honda's "low speed torque" engines have mid-6000 rpm redlines, so the K20A3 isn't pushing the envelope by any means.

See what I mean by it being a cult? Some start freaking out if you suggest there might be a better choice.

[ August 30, 2006, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: 427Z06 ]

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by AndyH:
(...snip...)Can you post the e-mail you rec'd from Pennzoil?

---

Andy:

Sure, the text is pasted into the block below. I realize that PP's "construction" has become a heated subject here from time to time (though I'm not really sure why). Although it's far from conclusive, I suspected it was G-III just from its numbers (the pour points are not as low as is typical of G-IV/V oils, flashpoints and Noack numbers also seem more consistent with G-III). I can't speak for where the info from the retired Penzoil guy is coming from, good or bad. What you see below is what I got today (minus my personal info). I don't know why they'd deliberately "undersell" the oil (and I like the guy's dry humor -- note his response to my "marketing fluff" comment). Anyway, here is today's exchange:

quote:

---

Dear Sir,

It's not a trade secret, we use Group III base oils to formulate our Pennzoil Platinum Synthetic Oils. Just FYI, we are currently introducing an upgrade to our formulation to improve shear stability, resistance to heat and improve resistance to high pressure degradation of the oil. They call this the adaptive molecule technology. The marketing "fluff" will be showing up as advertisements and on the internet(www.PennzoilPlatinum.com) over the coming months.

Best regards,

Technical Service

ps My step-son is also a Marine.....Semper Fidelis

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 8:34 AM
To: PrdMktTechServices, SLUBE-OGML/1
Subject: Pennzoil Platinum


I'm considering changing to one of several oils, and Pennz Plat is among them. The numbers look good, but of course, you can say that about almost any current SM/GF-4 product out today.

Cutting to the chase, I am NOT, repeat NOT, asking for you to divulge any of your brewing formulas or trade secrets. I do want to know, in rough terms, which base oil type is used to make Platinum. I'm thinking from the circumstantial indications, that it's a Group-III base, but I hear persistent rumors on discussion sites, that it's a Group-V (EOP) product. I'm not "hard over" either way, I just want to know before I put the stuff in my engine. And please don't send me the usual marketing fluff about it being a "full synthetic" -- I know it is, I need to know what kind. Please save me the couple hundred bucks that a gas chrom/mass spec would cost to answer the question.

By the way, I'm really not a mole from some other oil company (I'm a Colonel in the Marines, in fact), just a very involved customer. Thanks very much for your help.

---

EDIT: To clarify, I sent my original email to the technical questions address provided at the "contact us" link on the Pennzoil website.

 

[JohnBrowning]

I would sub. M1 0W40 for M1 0W30 or M1R0W30. It is very hard to find M1R and you will pay a premium for it. I do not think that M1R is that great anyways! M1 0W40 did better in my Camry then M1R did.M1 0W40 will shear to a 0W30 in your application in 1500-2000 miles more then likely.