Mobil SHC oil - 1st PAO oil

[ArthurArgentum]

Mobil using 15% POE in the aforementioned vintage 5W-20.

@OVERKILL

By the way, there's an interesting piece of history to explore. Before the famous 5W-20 (1975, M1 debut) oil made its debut, the company actually released another oil back in 1973. What's unusual is that this oil was initially targeted specifically for the European market. It appears that Mobiloil decided to test it overseas before the main (US) market launch. It had an SAE viscosity rating of 10W-50.

This marked the introduction of PAO oils (the first PAO oil) to regular consumers through commercial channels.

And here's the cool part: this oil wasn't just a rare marketing product. It was indeed sold and promoted, even with merch/souvenirs, across Western Europe. Its presence was particularly noticeable in Germany, where it gained significant attention. One can't forget the iconic Gemini 1-liter canister, which became known in Germany in the 1970s and played a role in establishing Mobil's reputation

Incidentally, the viscosity classification according to SAE J300 was not mentioned on the can; they simply proclaimed it as "the finest oil."

 

[addyguy]

Wow, that is really neat to see!
Always wondered why Mobil didn’t offer other viscosities in NA - 5W-20 was still seen as ‘too thin’ by most people.
Offer a 10W-40 or 10W-50 syn oil that people are likely to use if they can’t wrap their head around 5W-20.

 

[ArthurArgentum]

Wow, that is really neat to see!
Always wondered why Mobil didn’t offer other viscosities in NA - 5W-20 was still seen as ‘too thin’ by most people.
Offer a 10W-40 or 10W-50 syn oil that people are likely to use if they can’t wrap their head around 5W-20.

When Mobil 1 made its debut in the USA, it was initially available in a viscosity grade of 5W-20 exclusively. It wasn't until the 1980s that the 5W-30 variant entered the scene. However, in Europe, the story was a bit different. European markets had the privilege of enjoying a wider selection, with both 10W-50 and 5W-40 viscosities being available (1970s).

during the same time period in the USA -

 

[loneryder]

Wow, that is really neat to see!
Always wondered why Mobil didn’t offer other viscosities in NA - 5W-20 was still seen as ‘too thin’ by most people.
Offer a 10W-40 or 10W-50 syn oil that people are likely to use if they can’t wrap their head around 5W-20.

5-20 back then was a radical idea.

 

[OVERKILL]

5-20 back then was a radical idea.

Kind of. SAE20 was common, and so was 20W-20 (and 25W-20) but these were primarily spec'd for cold temperature operation in engines that might have spec'd something heavier like an SAE30 during warmer temperatures. The introduction of the 5W-xx Winter grade with the xW-20 SAE grade was new, and Mobil's boldness about recommending it for applications that called for heavier oils like 10W-40 was also rather revolutionary at the time.

The Euro-specific stuff that @ArthurArgentum posted above was news to me, I was familiar with the North American side of the story, but not the earlier SHC one.

As an interesting tangent on that:
SHC now denotes a group III oil in Europe (synthetic technology), not PAO-based. Quite literally the opposite of what that same acronym meant originally, which was a synthesized hydrocarbon (PAO) built from ethylene. Mobil's SHC oils are not "Vollsynthetisch", whereas, the original product was. Very interesting to see how that evolved.

 

[johnnydc]

-65F pour point. Nice. Now after 40 plus years we got -42 at best.

 

[MalibuRam65]

That was when Mobil cared about using REAL SYNTHETIC. Now all they use is a GPIII or GTL and say it performs just as well as the real thing deal with it

 

[chris719]

That was when Mobil cared about using REAL SYNTHETIC. Now all they use is a GPIII or GTL and say it performs just as well as the real thing deal with it

It does seem to perform the same or better though overall. Could some of the products perform a little better if they used IV/V exclusively? Probably... but the normal products are not boutique or racing oils.

 

[Revving2Redline]

@OVERKILL

View attachment 158757

By the way, there's an interesting piece of history to explore. Before the famous 5W-20 (1975, M1 debut) oil made its debut, the company actually released another oil back in 1973. What's unusual is that this oil was initially targeted specifically for the European market. It appears that Mobiloil decided to test it overseas before the main (US) market launch. It had an SAE viscosity rating of 10W-50.

View attachment 158758

This marked the introduction of PAO oils (the first PAO oil) to regular consumers through commercial channels.

View attachment 158759 View attachment 158760
View attachment 158761 View attachment 158762

And here's the cool part: this oil wasn't just a rare marketing product. It was indeed sold and promoted, even with merch/souvenirs, across Western Europe. Its presence was particularly noticeable in Germany, where it gained significant attention. One can't forget the iconic Gemini 1-liter canister, which became known in Germany in the 1970s and played a role in establishing Mobil's reputation

View attachment 158763View attachment 158764View attachment 158765

Incidentally, the viscosity classification according to SAE J300 was not mentioned on the can; they simply proclaimed it as "the finest oil."

View attachment 158766

that's more Euro sexy than the Liquimoly Ceratec or Molygen Protect can!! Has @tig1 seen this???

 

[Revving2Redline]

That was when Mobil cared about using REAL SYNTHETIC. Now all they use is a GPIII or GTL and say it performs just as well as the real thing deal with it

maybe that's part of the reason why I top off with redline oil. I'm content right now with the ExxonMobil the 5w-30ep, but there are times where I wish it was just a bit more Stout as far as the high temperature high shear rating and Noack. I will say for a available to everyone motor oil it stays fairly clean and it's been consistent. I kind of wish they would make an oil that was high mileage in the zero w30 but just a smidge thicker...like a thin bbw. I have received a ton of promo stuff from them and it's cool.

 

[chris719]

maybe that's part of the reason why I top off with redline oil. I'm content right now with the ExxonMobil the 5w-30ep, but there are times where I wish it was just a bit more Stout as far as the high temperature high shear rating and Noack. I will say for an available to everyone motor oil it stays fairly clean and it's been consistent. I kind of wish they would make an oil that was high mileage in the zero w30 but just a smidge thicker...like a thin bbw. I have received a ton of promo stuff from them and it's cool.

Just use a Euro oil, who cares about HM?

 

[travis8352]

Now i somehow have to find a Mobil SHC can for my collection! Thanks for posting this as all I have found was an old mobil engineer stating that in 1972 he worked in the UK developing mobil SHC 5w50. Cannot remember where i read it though

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

That was when Mobil cared about using REAL SYNTHETIC. Now all they use is a GPIII or GTL and say it performs just as well as the real thing deal with it

Gr 3 and GTL hadn't been developed. GTL is essentially the same as PAO performance wise with all the same drawbacks (i.e. pour solubility, seal compatibility). A little back of the envelope math. In 1973 based on the avg Pound/USD exchange rate the cost of SHC would be $2.45 which converts to $16.74 in today's dollars.

 

[ArthurArgentum]

Now i somehow have to find a Mobil SHC can for my collection! Thanks for posting this as all I have found was an old mobil engineer stating that in 1972 he worked in the UK developing mobil SHC 5w50. Cannot remember where i read it though

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hope it is true unopened (ain’t sure)

 

[travis8352]

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hope it is true unopened (ain’t sure)

Ah jeez how so i get that to the usa

 

[Revving2Redline]

Ah jeez how so i get that to the usa

boat?

 

[alcyon]

Nowadays Mobil only use SHC name for gear oil.

 

[OilUzer]

Maybe Europeans were more concerned about HTHS by driving fast with very small displacement engines so M1 provided higher viscosity oil and/or they were the test market.

-65F pour point. Nice. Now after 40 plus years we got -42 at best.

No need due to the Global Warming. lol

 

[OilUzer]

5-20 back then was a radical idea.

It is still for some including me.

 

[alcyon]

It is still for some including me.