Mobil 1 users convince me to change!

[PeaveyFender]

I purchased a new 2005 Toyota Tacoma 4.0L V6.
I'm used to running Valvoline Synpower but this is my first new vehicle and I want to start with a clean slate (tabula rasa).

The truck does have an engine oil cooler and transmission cooler for towing. I use NAPA Gold (WIX) filters only.

I may be moving from Indiana to Southern California (possibly LA = long idling)

I will change oil every 5,000 miles.

What 5w30 oil do you guys recommend?

If you say synthetic, please limit choices to Mobil 1, Valvoline Synpower, Castrol Syntec USA, Pennzoil Synthetic, and Valvoline Synpower MAX Life.

No Amsoil or botique oils like Redline, Royal Purple, and Schaeffer's please!


If you choose M1, please tell me how M1 is better than Synpower except that one is a group III and group IV.

[ February 19, 2005, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: PeaveyFender ]

 

[ruking77]

M1! I have been doing 15,000 mile OCI's for app 690k with most of those miles on 5 TLC's (I6's). One I sold an 87 TLC with app 250,000 miles for 9,000 with a pp of 16,000 at the 14 year mark. This particular TLC had a requirement for valve adjustment each 15,000 miles, done at the local T dealer, app 16-17 times. The tech's always remarked how clean the innards were and even at the 15th 16th time said there was almost no measurable wear. What is even more remarkable is the dealer also sells the Bosch service (chemical and hot flushing of the engine) and neither the service advisor nor tech's ever pushed for it, even though they did make me aware that they had the service. You will probably be temped to burn me at the stake for saying this but I used primarly (app 17 each of)FRAM PH8A filters for the one I ran almost 250,000 miles.

I think what gets glossed over a lot is the Group IV has less susceptibility to sludging than the Group III. There are not many group III oils I would even consider going to 15,000 (and beyond, yes I have another vehicle that I go between 20,000-25,000 mile OCI's) without a total regiment of oil analysis, which would defeat one of the purposes of extended oil changes: economics.

There is another interesting anomoly about my 4 TLC's (except the 87 TLC) and might be applicable to your situation. I do not use ANY oil till app 14,000-14,500 and it can vary between 1/4-1//2 quart 8- 16 oz. Sometimes if I have taken several Sierra Nevada Mountain runs, it might be 3/4 of a qt 24 oz. So naturally I am in a conundrum in that the very act of topping the oil 8 - 24 oz has a renewal effect! So most times I will "cheat" and just change the oil. I know that if I replenish up to 3/4 qt, I can easily go above 15,000.

So all this is overkill for you if you indeed decide to do OCI's of 5k. So if it were me, I would first buy on price, then if you get a little picky then get EM Superflow at app 1.09 per qt. They give rebates so it can be as low as .74 cents. While this might be apples to oranges some folks have posted on this web site, used oil analysis of 9,100 miles with the 5w20 Superflo! I think you would agree that is pretty superlative for a .74 cent oil less than group IV oil!!

[ February 19, 2005, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: ruking77 ]

 

[buster]

Toyota's in particular can run on any oil. Mobil 1 does seem to work extremely well in Toyotas though. Mobil 1 5000,7500 and EP are all great choices.

Mobil 1 is the only TRUE synthetic on the shelf that is found everywhere. It's cold and hot temperature properties are better. I would use the new 7500 oil and run it to 5-7k miles. Mobil 1 also maintains it's viscosity very well.

 

[Marlin]

IF you are going to change it every 5K then why not use Mobils 7500 oil. It is more syn then the FAKE Grp3 Syn's and is a LOT cheaper.

 

[terminaldegree]

Simple. If I need Mobil 1, I can literally find it everywhere on the road. Can't say that about any other synthetic.

Although I'm running it now, I'll be using up my new stock of discontinued AZ synthetics now...

 

[VeeDubb]

quote:

---

If you choose M1, please tell me how M1 is better than Synpower except that one is a group III and group IV. [/QB]

---

If you take out the fake vs. real synthetic argument, then M1 is not better than Synpower, unless you go extended drains. But since your car will be new and under warranty, you would be crazy to do that. So I say stick with Synpower.

BTW, I saw a technical paper by Petro Canada which did some comparisons on cleanliness of group III's versus PAOs. They showed that even for extended drains, there was virtually no difference in varnishing and sludging between the two.

 

[PeaveyFender]

I don't know if going by product data sheets mean anything but:

_____________________Synpower 5w30------Mobil 1 5w30
Vis @ 100 (C) [cSt]=__________10.84_______10
Vis @ 40 (C) [cSt]=___________61.8________56
Viscosity Index=______________168________167
TBN____________________________9__________?
NOACK %_______________________11__________?
Sulfated Ash_________________.91_________1.2
Pour Point (C)_______________-42________-45
Flash Point (C)______________242_________224

Both state they are GF-3 & API SL
Valvoline is ACEA A1
Mobil 1 meets A5,B5

[ February 19, 2005, 04:27 PM: Message edited by: PeaveyFender ]

 

[VeeDubb]

Among the 5w30s you listed, Maxlife Synthetic meets the most demanding criteria. The others only meet A1/A5 whereas Maxlife meets A3 so I'd probably go with that over the others.

But quite honestly, your Toyota engine will last 400,000 miles no matter which oil you use so you can't go wrong no matter what.

 

[2004 F150 4x4]

You might consider the new Pennzoil Platinum, not sure if it is better than Valvoline Synpower BUT they will give you a 10yr/250000 mile warranty if you use it and change oil every 4000/4mos whichever comes first.
Something to consider.
Congrats and the new ride is it 4x4 ?
How to you like it so far ?
It is the new body style correct ?

 

[PeaveyFender]

changing pennzoil every 4,000 would suck. Too much oil changing for me. My last car (2002 Grand Prix), I changed oil every 7,500 miles (4 times a year).


No, it's a 2wd. I decided it wasn't worth the extra $2,000 when I would use it once, maybe twice a year.

It drives like a dream of a truck. It's a double cab short bed (127" wb) TRD sport package.
Handles bumps really well compared to my unibody GM. Doesn't sway into turns either.

 

[Steve S]

There is no advantage using M1 at 5,000 mile oil changes. There are plenty of other oils that cost less and will give great results for less money.

 

[GreenElixer]

PeavFen,
I wouldn't dare try and convince you to use anything in that new awesome truck of yours. I am a M1 user and I can sleep very well at night without worry...and I've even convinced myself that I'm not crazy, as VeeDub has suggested, that I can use M1 and go to 15k OCI's even while under warranty on my '03 Honda Civic EX. I would only humbly suggest you go with what you feel most comfortable with both from an oil quality, availability, and cost perspective. If you feel you can only go 5k OCI, then go with that. Utilize oil analysis as a tool to help you understand if you can or can't go farther on the oil under your driving habits and the type of engine you have. It will help build your confidence in extending OCI's or not. I suspect many of us, me included, have particular "favorites" as oils go. So if you are brand loyal, you'll probably continue using that product, no matter what you read or see here at BITOG.

Good Luck w/ that Tacoma... it sure is a Great Lookin' truck!!

 

[VeeDubb]

GreenElixir,
Your not crazy bro. It was just a figure of speech.

I've heard Honda service advisors are much better about warranties than other dealers. Our VW dealers will try to void warranties even if you didn't change the oil with them (I won't even dare to challenge them on extended drains).

It's all a risk vs. reward equation.

 

[farrarfan1]

Go to Pep Boys and buy a handful of the MADD calendars and use the coupons for half price Mobil 1. By the way what part of Southern Indiana are you from?

 

[PeaveyFender]

Thanks GreenElixer!

I'm from Evansville, IN

 

[PeaveyFender]

About cost and change intervals, I don't care about the cost of oil as long as it's cheaper than Amsoil. I just asked people not to include botique synthetics because I want to be able to purchase oil at almost any parts store. After the warranty period is over I may extend OCIs to 10,000 miles at most.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Toyota make great engines. Synthetic would be the way to go and depends how long you plan on keeping the truck. Seems Toyota likes Mobil 1 cause of it's thin viscocity so see no problem in your application. Wear control would be my concern for any extended OCI. UOA section has shown Toyota's likes the Mobil application.

 

[PeaveyFender]

used oil analysis on Mobil 1 are better than Synpower for Toys?

 

[jthorner]

Personally I am no fan of Mobil 1 because in many of the posted used oil analysis it seems to run a little higher iron numbers than do many other oils in the same applications.

No, I am not going to do a statistical analysis.

Read a few hundred used oil analysis yourself and draw your own conclusions.

John

 

[PeaveyFender]

I'm probably going to stick with Synpower but may consider running Maxlife Synthetic. Is Moly a bad thing to put into a new engine?