Mobil New Zealand

buster · Mar 11, 2003

I was just browsing around the Mobil NZ site ( Don't I have a great life?

) and they have a make/model/oil section like the US website where they recommend an oil for your car. For my car, they recommended a 10w-30 or 5w-50. This puts to rest the idea that the wt. might be too heavy for a small 4cyl. engine. A 50wt. in a 4cyl! Never would have thought this would be recommended for the 1.6l 3.9sump NZ Corolla.

http://www.mobil.co.nz/startframe.html

[ March 11, 2003, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

sprintman · Mar 11, 2003

Told you so! Check Oz Mobil sites for their choice

Dr. T · Mar 11, 2003

Equally interesting is how they recommend 0-40 for all the 3 and 5 series BMW's and NOT the much touted 5-30 seen at the N.A. dealerships...

Likewise, Audi A4's etc....guess what...5-50...again...not the 0-30 etc. I've read about here...

Ballbearing · Mar 11, 2003

FWIW Check the Australian Castrol site.Theres a similar lube match for cars bikes trucks outboards etc.It gives recommendations very different to those in the USA.

http://www.castrol.com.au/lube_guide/index.html

JB · Mar 12, 2003

Why the difference in recommendations from country to country? Anybody know?

Patman · Mar 12, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by JB:
Why the difference in recommendations from country to country? Anybody know?

I think a big part of it is that they simply know that a lot of areas of the world refuse to use 5w30 and 10w30 oils, even if they are better suited to those engines.

sprintman · Mar 13, 2003

JB it's called CAFE. Only applies in the U.S

buster · Mar 13, 2003

Yep, it's all CAFE. The US has more highways, more cars and more overall travel then any country on the planet so it does make sense to try and be as "fuel efficient" as possible.

ajax · Mar 13, 2003

I have a z28 ls1,chev says to use 5w30,holden with a ls1 says to use 10w40,must be cafe.

Dr. T · Mar 13, 2003

The reason is traditionally, U.S. cars were made with the biggest, baddest motors around. The U.S. government mandated decreased emissions and fuel economy standards. Oil grade was one way in which corners could be cut.

In most other parts of the world, gas price mandates driving vehicles no larger than required and affordable. Hence, less corners are cut with respect to oil.

And no, 5-30 is not best for your engine. How can one make a blanket statement like that. Each engine is different and so circumstances differ, but if fuel economy is your goal at the expense of oil consumption then go for it...just follow up with auto-rx annually to remove the burn-off tar inside your engine(s).

buster · Mar 15, 2003

Do we all agree then that putting a 40wt. oil in any car that calls for a 30wt. won't do any harm and can actually be better? It does appear to be all fuel efficiency related when talking about wts.

[ March 15, 2003, 07:57 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

Ballbearing · Mar 15, 2003

Yup,i think so.40 or 50 weight will protect an engine better than any of these 20 or 30 weights
will over the long haul,as in 200k miles over 10 years.These heavier oils are good once the engine is up to temperature,but not so good when you have to start up in temps below say -10c.
Then you probably want 0/5/10w 30.

sprintman · Mar 15, 2003

IMO 5W40 is the best 'all-around' viscosity currently available to cover nearly every engine.
Still I experiment constantly so who knows?

JB · Mar 15, 2003

Okay, so let me get this straight...

1. Majority opinion says that CAFE is responsible for use of lower viscosity oils in USA (xx-30, xx-20). Main objective of CAFE being to reduce fuel consumption.

2. xx-20 or xx-30 oils do not necessarily offer best engine protection. Outside USA, the more common recommendations are xx-40 or xx-50, presumably because of better protection.

So given a choice (assuming no CAFE) would you choose lower vis (20/30) or higher (40/50)? Ok, let's ignore the bitter winter where 20/30 allows better cold starts. Let's assume summer/spring.

buster · Mar 15, 2003

I'm thinking along the same line as Sprintman. I'd go with 5w-40 Delvac, Amsoil 10w-40 or M1 0w-40. Mobil's 0w-40 most likely will thin to a 30wt, but it will be on the upper end of a 30 most likely. I wish Mobil made a decent 10w-40 that was easily available. These would (and are) my choices for summer. Winter I'd go back down to a 5w-30 Mobil 1 being it's a light 30, almost 20wt. oil. It has to be CAFE that determines the lighter weights. Some of my friends say it's the new engines that are out there, but they fail to realize these engines are in cars all over the world where they call for heavier wt. oils.

jjbula · Mar 16, 2003

quote:

Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

Originally posted by JB:
Why the difference in recommendations from country to country? Anybody know?

Click to expand...

I think a big part of it is that they simply know that a lot of areas of the world refuse to use 5w30 and 10w30 oils, even if they are better suited to those engines.

Patman,

I wonder about that...What would be the downside of Mobil recommending Xw30 (if they indeed thought it protected as well) while also mentioning the availability of thicker, more popular oils?

It would seem there would be a marketing advantage to promoting synthetic's "advantages" in the thinner weight while still advertising the "superior" thicker weight synthetic oil. I don't know much about marketing so maybe I'm out in left field.

Mobil New Zealand

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