First impressions on Valvolene full synthetic.

[tbro]

Hi all,

Just thought I share my experience so far with the above.

I had been using Mobil 1 engine oil in the Clubman since I first purchased it 18mths ago. Done 143000 when I first got it, now has 149000ks.

Before every track day I would change engine oil and filter, diff and gearbox oils and flush brake and clutch systems. Also every 12 mths coolant.

Probably overkill, but I work on trucks all day I don't need any hassels from the toy.

So during the last track track day of 2008, the oil pressure dropped during the 5 lap runs and would come back when the car cooled down, not happy Jan. This oil (Mobil 1) is supposed to be the bee knees. Took a sample when I got home and asked Mobil if they could test the oil and tell me why the oil broke down under hard load. Long story short they basically told me to change the oil and try it again!!!!!

Now if I'm paying top dollar for an oil that is supposed to be able to do the job, I expect it to do the job or for the manufacturer to back up its product. Not too much to ask in my opinion.

Now I needed a new oil supplier for our fleet of Jap trucks. Enter Valvolene, spoke to the rep and asked him about oil for the Clubby. He suggested Full syn engine oil, and use the diff and gearbox oils I use in the trucks.

First impression after changing the engine oil, engine quiter but I would expect this. Engine temp going out to QLD raceway was about 3 needle widths lower than it's ever been. So did the runs all day and the oil pressure out on the track ran around 6 under full stream, and half way at idle when came in to the pits. Oil usage was zero. Oh! by the way my car has a proper oil guage.

So far I'm a happy chappy and this oil cost me a lot less than the Mobil 1.

Terry

[bruce]

I do think Mobil 1 is overpriced. Especially when most owners do changes at 5000 kays.
I really do wonder, how long could you really leave the oil in your car without a change - 20,000 kays?

[trader]

This begs the question - can I run fully synthetic after 90000 on standard oil (magnatec)?
Someone once told me that you had to run synthetic from the start. Is this true?

[fattima]

My car was running non synthetic oil when I got it (196K on the clock) and now runs synthetic and I've had no problems.

[bruce]

No probs chopping and changing between synthetic and mineral oils. Depends on engine condition though - synthetics will be thinner and you may burn a bit more.

[tbro]

This begs the question - can I run fully synthetic after 90000 on standard oil (magnatec)?
Someone once told me that you had to run synthetic from the start. Is this true?

Bloody hope so, I'm testing one truck on full synthetic after 1.2 million kays and all is going really well.

Its done 1.4 now and is running better and fuel consumption has decreased by .3mpg, doesn't sound much but this unit does 7000k per week.

So if your motor is not using oil go for it.

Terry

[NMX516]

I always thought it was a waste of money using full synth in relatively low tech, iron block engines with fairly "loose" factory tolerances.... At least compared to some of the very high tech modern full alloy engines of today, which are engineered to within a micro millimetre of zero...

I use semi synth in mine and have never burnt any oil. In the past I've had reason to believe that full synth's can sometimes do more harm than good, thoughts?

[SuperMazdaKart]

I always thought it was a waste of money using full synth in relatively low tech, iron block engines with fairly "loose" factory tolerances.... At least compared to some of the very high tech modern full alloy engines of today, which are engineered to within a micro millimetre of zero...

I'm of the same opinion actually. Used to use Motul Turbolight semi 10w40 at about $50 per 5L. Now use Penrite HPR10 10w50 (Penrite actually reccommend the HPR15 15w60 for the BPT's if anyone wants to know). About $12 cheaper per 5L & Penrite is an aussie brand (formulated in Australia but base stocks imported?).

[Fatty]

So during the last track track day of 2008, the oil pressure dropped during the 5 lap runs and would come back when the car cooled down, not happy Jan. This oil (Mobil 1) is supposed to be the bee knees. Took a sample when I got home and asked Mobil if they could test the oil and tell me why the oil broke down under hard load. Long story short they basically told me to change the oil and try it again!!!!!

it's my understanding that a drop in oil pressure is due to the oil getting hot and thus getting thinner, it does not follow that this definately means the oil broke down in any way. i would have thought oil getting hot was pretty normal under extreme operating conditions such as a track day.

were you able to confirm that the oil did indeed bread down ?

imho the question to mobil should have been - DID the oil break down, not WHY the oil broke down ?

i may be talking out my ass, i'm glad you're happy with your new oil, but you may have just solved a non existant problem.

[MX5CHIC]

AMSOIL ............ http://www.amsoil.com/index.aspx

I have always used Full Synthetic Oils and would not use anything else. I used to race 2 stroke Bikes and would put in a new set of piston rings weekly between races, the first Synthetic I ever used was Amsoil and I went from a weekly piston ring change to once every 3 months - the difference in wear was amazing.
Oils are definitely not oils especially with full synthetics, if you ever get bored there is plenty of eye opening data on the subject.
With the combination of High Octane 98 fuel and 100% Synthetic Oil your engine may well outlast you.

[Steampunk]

Lubricant, NOT oil.
*snaps fingers* keep up with the times peeps

[GP]

I use semi synth in mine and have never burnt any oil. In the past I've had reason to believe that full synth's can sometimes do more harm than good, thoughts?

Agreed, I would only use full synth in an engine that requires it

[tbro]

Hi all,

Ok, the response when I contacted Mobil about my concerns about the way that the oil had gone on the track day was as follows,

I've used this oil for 6+ track days, changed before each track day, first time I had any problems with oil pressure drop and noisy lifters.

The first response was "The oil had probably been contaminated, Pardon it had only done 100k at the most and hadn't altered the level on the dip stick, Oh! maybe the oil was old stock, again its full synthetic oil and should have an unlimited shelf life!!!", to that I got a" we'll get the rep to call in and see you and get the oil tested". Never saw any rep even after ringing Mobil back. Now I don't know if the oil broke down or if the oil was a crook batch, in fact all I do know was this batch of oil,sorry Lubricant, didn't perform the same way that the previous 6 containers did,and all the oil was purchased bulk in lots of 4 per box.
Now if I provide a service or product and a client isn't satisfied or happy with that product or service, then it's my job to make sure that the client is looked after and all their concerns are taken care of. Now maybe I'm a bit different but to me the client is no 1 and thats the way to keep clients on a long term basis.
Mobil obviously don't think this way, so I took my business to someone who will look after me.

As for using synthetic oil in any motor, if you can justify the added expense, re: better fuel economy, cleaning running and less oil changes etc, then I can see no reason why you wouldn't use syn lubs.Me, I use it as a insurance policy + the price I pay for this product means that using full synthetic is fractionally dearer than buying oil from repco,supercheap etc.

As for synthetic lubricants damaging your motor, as above on our truck , we have changed the oil 4 times in 300,000k as per oil companies recommendations, the motor now uses very little oil and the truck has regained the power it use to have, running in top gear instead of dropping down one gear on certain hills. The oil company is doing oil samples and advising me when I need to do oil changes, as opposed to doing a 13 litre oil change every 3 weeks, now I only change the filters every 12 weeks. This test will go on for another 6 months and then we will add up the dollars and decide if we stay with synthetic oils.

Terry

[rain902]

my beloved NA6 came from having probably 1 oilchange in her first 80 000km as a jap import and went to martini sint semi synthetic - no probs there, the oil was nice and black when changed every couple of months - in addition to sprints she was my daily driver, so 5000kms / change was about the norm.

last easter i couldnt get into my mechanics to change the oil before natmeet, so i wandered off and grabbed some castrol full synth - i dropped the container in the driveway by accident and the stuff started to stream out of the scratch in the thin plastic container like a thick milkshake, easily the thinnest oil i have ever used.

I noticed the difference in performance - she is much more responsive than ever!

We still drop the oil every 3 meets - this translates to about 1400 kms a change - including driving to and from the track. The oil still is quite honey coloured in appearance - i have no idea if that means that the oil is not absorbing any soot or other such garbage from the engine and if this is a bad thing or not... It gets noticeably darker when we put a flush in the oil and was the upper parts with throttle body cleaner etc, then dump the oil.

I was rummaging around a porsche site earlier this evening and there was an article on the measured differences in airfilters and believe it or not it had a link to a miata nut - i came to this forum tonight to post the link to his www so that those amongst us who have to much time on our hands can read his website. He is called "the oil guy" - heaven only knows, but on the page where he tests all the miata air filters he gives us a bit of his CV:
I have a degree in mechanical engineering and am currently pursuing a master's in engineering management. I've also spent much of my life at the race track I'm a certified lalala and work in the Navy as a mechanic in nuclear propulsion. I like to think I know a few things about machines including automobiles, but there is always something to learn.

On friday im going to toss just over 10 litres of this castrol synth in the porsche and see how it compares to the mobil 1 thats in it now

His www says something like:

Unlike most private motor oil web sites, Bob Is The Oil Guy is not about selling you something. It's about educating you so you can make informed decisions about the life blood of your engine: motor oil.
and can be found at:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ Of course i have no association with his www or him - just sharing the knowledge

i just finished reading this link from one of his advertisers - i would be interested in trying out an oil analysis just to see the results...
http://www.blackstone-labs.com/oil_viscosity.html

[bruce]

[color=#8000FF]
We still drop the oil every 3 meets - this translates to about 1400 kms a change - including driving to and from the track. The oil still is quite honey coloured in appearance - i have no idea if that means that the oil is not absorbing any soot or other such garbage from the engine and if this is a bad thing or not...

I sorta wonder if this oil is still good? It would be great to know when oil actually expires rather than just chucking it out.