Mobil DC 10W-30 Color Variations???

[Blue99]

During an oil change over the weekend, I discovered a variation in the Mobil Drive Clean 10W-30 oil color based on the molding logo on the bottom of the plastic bottle. Bottles with the “CCC” logo of Consolidated Container Company contained a traditional honey colored oil. The bottles with the “box G” logo of Graham Packaging held a darker colored oil. I’m assuming the darker color is from moly or boron in the add pack. I also purchased & examined a bottle of Exxon Superflo 10W-30 that displayed a box G logo and a lot number with a similar format as the Mobil DC. On the left is the honey colored Drive Clean CCC logo oil & the right is a Drive Clean box G logo oil, & Superflo oil. Note, the lighting & glass containers are making the darker oil appear a couple of shades darker than actual. The plastic bottle logo’s indicate that Mobil DC is being supplied from 2 separate blending/packaging sites. The CCC logo bottles have a 7 digit lot number printed on the bottom of the adhesive label. The box G logo bottles have a 14 digit plus 8 digit lot number, ink jetted on the plastic. It could also be assumed that box G logo Superflo is blended & filled on the same Graham Packaging line as Drive Clean, since both the red & blue bottles exhibit similar 14 digit plus 8 digit lot numbers. Is Mobil Drive Clean 10W-30 supplied in 2 separate formulations and the darker colored Drive Clean equals Exxon Superflo?

 

[T-Keith]

Any ideas on the manufactoring dates or standards met? The darker one is probably a newer batch gearing up for SM. -T

 

[Blue99]

T, Here are the lot numbers: MDC light color, CCC logo - X28F4C5 MDC dark color, box G logo - 971980T3204100, P540414B Exxon dark color, box G logo - 971980T3204095, P040315C It's possible that the 2nd half of the number on the box G bottles is a date code with 04100 indicating year 2004 & day number 100. This would indicate the dark oil is about 3 months old.

 

[Motorbike]

I will try to locate a bottle of the newer oil and send in a sample to see if the additive pack has changed or rather how it has changed . Thanks for the post .