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Popular Science - April 1976 on Synthetic oil
- Thread starter FCD
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I wonder how those 100k mile oil changes worked out. But then in 1976 wasn't the average engine ready for a rebuild after 100k?
Mobil 1 in those early days really pushed the cold flow benefits
I don't envy the pioneers (boomers mainly
) having to get up on a cold snowy morning with the jumper cables and the can of starting fluid to get the old 460 BBF or 455 Olds started in the morning
I don't envy the pioneers (boomers mainly
) having to get up on a cold snowy morning with the jumper cables and the can of starting fluid to get the old 460 BBF or 455 Olds started in the morning
Mobil 1 in those early days really pushed the cold flow benefits
I don't envy the pioneers (boomers mainly
Hey, those cans of ether starting fluid were great! I always felt much better about the situation after using it ...
It's crazy that they were going 50,000 to 100,000 miles on the same oil and just topping it off and changing the oil filter over that time. Maybe the oil use/burn rate was high enough so the oil was always replenished fairly well with top off - ?. The fully synthetic Mobil 1 oil back then might have actually been better than the everyday consumer "full synthetic" of today, as I'd think going 100,000 miles on today's full synthetic wouldn't fair that well.
I should watch ebay and buy enough cans of the original 5w20 mobil 1 and do an extended OCI
They were up against mineral 10W40 then-basically oily rubber VIIs, filled your engine with rubbery sludge if not changed often enough! Fortunately even the "low end" products have come a long way in 45+ years...
I wonder what the 2 Ford Custom entries in the Fuel Economy chart mean.
Too bad the specific engines and testing parameters weren't noted.
Too many years ago to fret.
Too bad the specific engines and testing parameters weren't noted.
Too many years ago to fret.
Buy Amsoil or HPL and do an extended oil change.
Mobil 1 in those early days really pushed the cold flow benefits
I don't envy the pioneers (boomers mainly
I remember like yesterday being 19 on a freezing cold Monday morning in the dead of winter. 1971 Plymouth duster hood up air cleaner off sticking a screwdriver in the carbs because they were flooded. Half the neighborhood had there hoods up. You can hear those distinct Chrysler starters screaming through the neighborhood streets. Mondays were tough because people didn't use there go to work cars on the weekends. Jumping someone in the neighborhood was normal on the way to work and you helped them because next Monday it could be you
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Page 92 was likely a full page ad. If no data, no point in posting page.
Comparatives... when comparing a synth to any conventional back then, I'd wager the performance was as drastic as it looks, or even more. Seen plenty of super well maintained vehicles with major sludge when coming in for a leaky rocker cover gasket or valve adjustment, even into the 1990's. Serviced plenty with 2k-3k mile intervals and still had to scrap the sludge and brush the engine after 30k miles. Synthetic users had spotless engines and is when and why I switched to synthetic oil in the mid 80's, still changing it out too often even if not needed. I don't think sludge ever disappeared with how some owners maintain their vehicles. Even today, fancy oil/filters doesn't make up for stoopid!
Fuel couldn't keep the intake valves clean even though the fuel is washing them. This crud buildup up hurt emissions, and let some gassers diesel. Carbon clean de'carboning started to come into play to help pass emissions and eliminate the gasser run-on. Seafoam was around back then too and a good solution.
Ford "Custom" is a vehicle. Not sure if a truck, sedan, or van. Thought it was an option level.
Back then, neighbors knew everybody and each other. There was no 'look the other way' like society today. Pushing stalled cars off the road, fetching some gasoline for those that ran empty, pushing stuck vehicles out of snow, jump starting and ether spraying, hitching rides, assisting flat tire changes... were regular occurrences. Today, you just should've join AAA!
Comparatives... when comparing a synth to any conventional back then, I'd wager the performance was as drastic as it looks, or even more. Seen plenty of super well maintained vehicles with major sludge when coming in for a leaky rocker cover gasket or valve adjustment, even into the 1990's. Serviced plenty with 2k-3k mile intervals and still had to scrap the sludge and brush the engine after 30k miles. Synthetic users had spotless engines and is when and why I switched to synthetic oil in the mid 80's, still changing it out too often even if not needed. I don't think sludge ever disappeared with how some owners maintain their vehicles. Even today, fancy oil/filters doesn't make up for stoopid!
Fuel couldn't keep the intake valves clean even though the fuel is washing them. This crud buildup up hurt emissions, and let some gassers diesel. Carbon clean de'carboning started to come into play to help pass emissions and eliminate the gasser run-on. Seafoam was around back then too and a good solution.
Ford "Custom" is a vehicle. Not sure if a truck, sedan, or van. Thought it was an option level.
Back then, neighbors knew everybody and each other. There was no 'look the other way' like society today. Pushing stalled cars off the road, fetching some gasoline for those that ran empty, pushing stuck vehicles out of snow, jump starting and ether spraying, hitching rides, assisting flat tire changes... were regular occurrences. Today, you just should've join AAA!
It's been inserted into post #1.
Mobil 1 in those early days really pushed the cold flow benefits
I don't envy the pioneers (boomers mainly
In 1995 I left my desert and moved to Ohio for a year. I was running sae 40 in the 360 in my carbureted dodge ramcharger. My first night was in Flagstaff,AZ and it was about 0F. The 360 did not like that cold start one bit.
Our fleet agreed to a “trial” using synthetic oil in our PD Admin cars. Don’t recall who was marketing this oil or the brand. Our then Fleet Manager was skeptical and would not use it in the Patrol units. This was 1977-78. The Ford 351-400M engines did not do well. Most lost main bearings and usually it wiped out the thrust bearings first. Not sure that’s significant but if left unattended the crank beat the block main web. Ford helped where they could but tax payers funded these repairs. That was then. This is now. Thankfully oils and engines have been improved.
Bottom of the line/fleet full size Ford. Note the Mopar and Chevy representation, size, weight, power: Fury, Impala, Bel Air, Fury [I likely] Galaxie, Custom....all the same market class, mainstream popular, low priced three.