Oil choice for an MOS2 mpg experiment

[Brule]

For fun, I have been tracking my Civic's and Frontier's mpg for months and it's close to time for an oil change in the Civic. After about 3 tanks I will be adding a can of MOS2 to both to measure any mpg changes.

Here are the oils I have to choose from...most ended up being free via the O'Reilly LotsO'Loot promo and returning other items to Walmart for credit...yeah, I know...bad Brule.

Frontier: 5w30 Pennzoil Ultra [already in/awaiting a couple more tanks for a clearer baseline mpg before adding MOS2]

Civic choices:
10w30 Synthetic Valvoline VR1 Racing
5w30 Synthetic Blend Kendall GT1
5w30 Synthetic Blend TropArtic
10w30 Pennzoil Ultra
[5w20 or Mobil 1 High Mileage 5w30---don't have it but would buy it if it's good fit]

I assume oil choice doesn't matter, but maybe some of you have noticed better or worse results with a particular brand, weight, syn, blend or mineral, etc.

Thanks,
Brule

 

[Clevy]

I would use whatever is in the car now so its apples to apples and the improvement cannot be I just attributed to the oil itself

 

[MBS500]

Yes, try to use same oil. I also have lots of MoS2 and Ceratec

 

[Brule]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
I would use whatever is in the car now so its apples to apples and the improvement cannot be I just attributed to the oil itself


Problem is I don't have any more maxlife nextgen and i wasn't impressed with it. Whatever I use I am going to run for 3 or more tanks before adding the MOS2.

 

[StevieBoy]

Mobil 1 & Pennzoil already have moly in them. You may see a more dramatic difference if you use Valvoline.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: StevieBoy
Mobil 1 & Pennzoil already have moly in them. You may see a more dramatic difference if you use Valvoline.


Different kind of moly. They only commonality between them is the name.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
I would use whatever is in the car now so its apples to apples and the improvement cannot be I just attributed to the oil itself

+1
Using a different oil (brand, type, or weight) in the car than what you are now using would invalidate your results. You would also need to use the same brand of oil filter and purchase your gas at the same place if you want to get a valid gas mileage comparison.
If you are wanting to be absolutely sure that the MoS2 has worked, you would really need to do your testing over a longer time interval than a few months. In my case, on my wife's car I kept track of the gas mileage for an entire year (all 4 seasons) without using MoS2, and then for an entire year WITH MoS2 added.

 

[KCJeep]

At least stick with the same grade oil and something with similar HTHS and VI characteristics.

And FYI I used MoS2 a good while but it seemed to need about 500 miles of use to truly do it's thing. After the initial dose continued use is all that's needed IMO.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: KCJeep
At least stick with the same grade oil and something with similar HTHS and VI characteristics.

And FYI I used MoS2 a good while but it seemed to need about 500 miles of use to truly do it's thing. After the initial dose continued use is all that's needed IMO.


KC is correct. It takes 300-400 miles for mos2 to completely plate the moving parts and full effect is realize.
Once you treat the oil with a full can you only need half a can after each subsequent oil change to maintain the plating.
Cost per can mos2 is 8 bucks here. I gain at least 2mpg with it in my oil so it pays for itself in hours.
Money well spent and unlike zddp its not corrosive. It also contains boron which I am learning is beneficial as well.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: KCJeep
At least stick with the same grade oil and something with similar HTHS and VI characteristics.

And FYI I used MoS2 a good while but it seemed to need about 500 miles of use to truly do it's thing. After the initial dose continued use is all that's needed IMO.


KC is correct. It takes 300-400 miles for mos2 to completely plate the moving parts and full effect is realize.
Once you treat the oil with a full can you only need half a can after each subsequent oil change to maintain the plating.
Cost per can mos2 is 8 bucks here. I gain at least 2mpg with it in my oil so it pays for itself in hours.
Money well spent and unlike zddp its not corrosive. It also contains boron which I am learning is beneficial as well.

+1
I did not begin to notice any benefit to using MoS2 until at least 500 miles, and I continued to notice an improvement until almost the end of the 1st OCI.

 

[JANDSZIRKLE]

Like others have said, i would think it would be ideal too use same brand of oil that you used for your first set of results so as too rule out any other factors. i am curious as too your results too see if the mos2 would make a difference and how much of one. i am considering using it in our old ranger that gets run too death on short trips.

 

[Brule]

I am going with Pennzoil Ultra 10w30 since it appears oil choice is not an issue. I have 10w30 nextgen in it now so the weights are similar. But I am going to do 4-6 more baseline mpg runs before adding the MOS2 once the new filter and oil are in. If results are too far from the 29.39 mpg avg I'm at now I will extend the baseline testing.

During this experiment I won't be using AC or defrost, there will be no air filter cleaning, no tire rotation, no fuel additives, and I'll use the same gas QT station [same pump if possible] the whole time. Hopefully temps don't vary too much.

City/Highway mileage will be pretty consistent. Any other suggestions for keeping the results as pure as possible?

 

[Brule]

BTW I am only going to focus on the civic for this experiment now. I'll use my Frontier if I have to do any unusual driving such as extended highway miles or if it gets so hot I need to run the AC.

Also the civic burns oil at a pretty good rate so this is my thinking on top offs:

I have two 5 quart jugs of Pennzoil Ultra 10w30
I have two 300ml cans of MOS2.

One can and one jug of oil goes into the engine of course.

I can then add the 2nd MOS2 can to the 2nd top-off jug. Whenever I have to top-off I just shake the heck out of the 2nd jug before filling to make sure the MOS2 level remains the same as if this were a non-burning or new car. Make sense? The new oil I will be adding will have MOS2 in it already.

 

[Clevy]

K. Folks. I've asked Brule if I could piggy back on his thread.
I just bought an 03 charger.
Gonna change the oil to ultra 5w-20. Change plugs to e3's and make sure tire pressure is correct.
I'm going to use the same pump and fuel from the same station.
No fuel additives,no oil additives. I'm going to put 2000 miles on the car with tune up to establish a baseline. Then add mos2 at 2000 miles(3000kms)

I'll then drive 2000 miles and post my results

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
K. Folks. I've asked Brule if I could piggy back on his thread.
I just bought an 03 charger.
Gonna change the oil to ultra 5w-20. Change plugs to e3's and make sure tire pressure is correct.
I'm going to use the same pump and fuel from the same station.
No fuel additives,no oil additives. I'm going to put 2000 miles on the car with tune up to establish a baseline. Then add mos2 at 2000 miles(3000kms)

I'll then drive 2000 miles and post my results

For while I wait.

 

[Clevy]

K. Change of plans. I'm going to Walmart to buy whatever oil is on rollback.
Enough for 2 changes so I can run same oil back to back. Not sure what's in sale.
I'll be using a conventional.

 

[Smokescreen]

I am currently on Pennzoil Conventional with 200ml initial dose on the LeSabre and Corolla. I plan to use 100ml dose on each OCI for a few to see if I see any benefits. Neither car has ever burned a drop to date.

The Suburban also with Pennzoil Conventional is next. I just changed the oil and am about to add 200ml inital dose of MoS2, it burns about 1-1.5L per 5000 miles/8000 km due to age...so I am interested to see what will happen.

 

[Brule]

217,539 miles. Changed Oil & Oil Filter today. Pennzoil Ultra 10w30 w/ Honda OEM Oil Filter 15400-PLM-A02.

MPG has been 29.39 on average with Valvoline MaxLife 10w30 NextGen & M1-110 filter.

Maxlife / M1-110 runs:
370.0 mi./12.440 gal = 29.74
364.0 mi./12.423 gal = 29.30
356.3 mi./12.119 gal = 29.40
349.4 mi./11.997 gal = 29.12

I'm doing at least 500 miles per week. I'll be updating my baseline mpg with the new oil and filter.

 

[wag123]

I'm not sure how much of a gas mileage improvement MoS2 will give on a well worn engine. It will be interesting to see.
One of the main benefits of MoS2 is the reduction of long term engine wear. But, in order to receive this benefit the engine really can't be too worn to begin with.
Also, IMHO I don't think that using it before an engine is broken-in is a very good idea. In the 25 years that I have been using MoS2, I always wait until the engine is well broken in (at least 10k miles) before I add it.

 

[Brule]

Originally Posted By: wag123
I'm not sure how much of a gas mileage improvement MoS2 will give on a well worn engine. It will be interesting to see.
One of the main benefits of MoS2 is the reduction of long term engine wear. But, in order to receive this benefit the engine really can't be too worn to begin with.
Also, IMHO I don't think that using it before an engine is broken-in is a very good idea. In the 25 years that I have been using MoS2, I always wait until the engine is well broken in (at least 10k miles) before I add it.


Both good points. After the civic I'm doing the same test on the Frontier w/just 69k miles. That may be a better candidate.