BlitzSRM

okay i did a search on oils this is what i found out:



-Mobil 1 has been around for a long time. Mobil 1 is made from other processed oils. or something to that extent.

-Castro came out with Syntec, way after Mobil 1, they use a hydro crack method (not sure what its called) so its made straight from cruel oil.

-General belief is Mobil 1's original method is better.

-Mobil actually sued Castro saying Syntec should not be labeled synthetic.... but they lost.

-So now there is a rumer that Mobil 1 is no longer manufactured from lighter oils. they are doing the same thing as Syntec.



So how is Mobil 1 manufactured now?

and which one do you use, or believe is better? why?

RACER

I use Safeway brand heavy duty motor oil.

BlitzSRM

racer, with the the stuff i've been reading, as long as you change every 3000mi, and the weather is warm. it won't make much difference between Mobil 1, Syntec and Safeway HD!!!

mosesbotbol

Changing the oil regularly should be the first issue rather than what brand oil synthetic oil you use, as long as it's a premium brand. I'd stay with same oil brand through the life of the engine though; whichever brand you decide. I like Mobile1 just because you can buy it anywhere.

Which oil filter brand should give you more concern than which brand of motor oil.

PilotKD

Castro Syntec? Didn't know good ol' Videl was in the oil business.

I think everything you could possibly know about oil is right here:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=169852

BlitzSRM

KD pilot, thanks.

this was the post that conviced me to switch from Mobil 1 to Syntec, because of the last test-4 ball test.

below is a cut and past of the thread with Mobil 1, Syntec, and Synpower.

Test #5-TBN, & Test #7-4-Ball tests, show Syntec is Superior.

Mobil 1 does score in other test better, but to me they are not as important as #5, and #7.

But so many people recomment Mobil 1. And is Mobil 1 still manufactured from other processed oils, or is it hydro cracked.

The following ASTM tests were run:
Thin-film Oxygen Uptake ( D-4742)
High Temp/High Shear ( D-4683)
NOACK Volatility ( D-5900)
Pout Point (D-97)
Total Base Number (D-2896)
Cold Cranking Simulator D-5293)
4-Ball Wear (D-4172)
************************************************** *******
Test 1: Thin Film Oxygen Uptake:
Measures the oxidation stability of an oil.
The induction time (break point) in minutes is measured. The test uses standard amounts of fuel dilution, soluble metals, and water to offer a real-world applicability.
Results for this test(all units in minutes)
Mobil1: 397
Castrol Syntec: 221
Vavoline SynPower: 211

Test 2: High Temperature/High Shear (HT/HS)
Measures a lube's performance under severe heat and shear (mechanical stress) as would be found in the journal bearings under heavy load. The units displayed are viscosity based, using the centipose unit (cP). The minimum spec for a 30w is 2.9 cP.
Results for this test (all units in cP):
Vavoline SynPower: 3.30
Mobil1: 3.30
Castrol Syntec: 3.13


Test 3: NOACK Volatility.
Measures the evaporative loss of lubricants in high temperature conditions. The higher the number, the thicker the lubricant will become. API SL and GF-3 specs allow for a 15% evaporation limit. In this test, obviously, lower is better. Syns almost always have an advantage due to their monomolecularity.
Results for this test (% weight loss):
Vavoline SynPower: 7.03
Castrol Syntec: 7.77
Mobil1: 8.92
Valvoline: 12.18

Test 4: Pour Point
This test reveals the lowest temperature at which a lubricant will flow when cooled under test conditions. The lower, the better the product will perform in getting from the oil pan to the upper oil galleys, and in providing oil pressure quickly. Synoils generally are the best, because they are free of wax crystals, but today's mineral oils are better refined to remove wax impurities, and use advanced pour point depressant additives to help offset the synoils' intrinsically better properties.
Results for this test (all units in degrees Centigrade):
Mobil1: -46
Vavoline SynPower: -46
Castrol Syntec: -43

Test 5: Total Base Number (TBN)
TBN displays the lubricant's reserve alkalinity, and is, of course, the opposite of TAN (total acid number). A high TBN will help resist the formation of acids from sulfur and other sources. It is also a good indicator of reserve resistance to oxidation. The higher the number, the superior ability to suspend contaminants and the greater the ability to provide long-drain intervals
Results for this test (all units in mg KOH/g):
Vavoline SynPower: 11.38
Castrol Syntec: 10.39
Mobil1: 8.57

Test 6: Cold Crank Sumulator
This one determines the apparent viscosity of the oils at low temperatures and high shear rates, simulating the dreaded cold start. It has direct applicability to engine cranking, the lower the number the better in terms of stress on the battery, starter, etc. A 10w is tested at -25degF and must show a vis <7000 cP to pass.
Results for this test (all units cP at -25degC):
Mobil1: 3967
Vavoline SynPower: 4541
Castrol Syntec: 4783


Test 7: Four Ball Wear
This one is a good indicator of the wear protection of a lubricant, although in the real-world it is should be factored in with the TBN of the oil. Three metal balls are clamped together, and a rotating 4th one is pressed against them in sliding contact. A scar is produced, since at some point the film strength (resistance to being squeezed out) of the oil will be exceeded. The scar is then measured, and the smaller the average wear scar, the better. This test is affected by both the base stock of the oil, and its additive package.

Results for this test (all units in inches):
Castrol Syntec: 0.45
Vavoline SynPower: 0.55
Mobil1: 0.60

PilotKD

I really don't think there is that much of a difference between the two where you're going to see abnormal wear of your engine over its lifetime in your ownership. Alot of people lose sleep over which oil to use in their "baby". There are so many types/brands, but the fact of the matter is, I've seen engines go 200k+ miles on good old dinosaur oil. My father had an '84 Toyota 4-cyl pickup truck that went over 200k before he sold it and it's still going to this day with over 300k miles on it. The body started to rust out of course, but the engine kept going. My father is one of the cheapest people around (hopefully he doesn't read this), so I know he'd never put anything in there but the cheapest crap he could find.

You really can't go wrong with either one. They're both readily available at your local Walmart in 5 quart jugs for under $20. You can't beat'm. I've used Mobil 1 in my previous vehicles, one of which had 70k miles on it before I started using it. I took the cam cover off before and after for different reasons, but remember how much cleaner everything was under there after using Mobil 1 for a while. Using conventional, there was brown sludge all over the inside the aluminum cover. Afterwards, it was clean. I was sold. In the S, I've used Mobil 1 a few times and actually switched to Syntec on my last change, for no particular reason other than I just wanted to try it. I just bought another 6 quarts of it the other day for my next change.

Hyper-X

Agreed. I don't care much about which has higher base stocks and such as long as I change it regularly (3000 miles is a bit excessive IMO) and use the geniune Honda filter.

I use Royal Purple in my car, in the engine, radiator (called Purple Ice) and diff. Only Honda MTF is in the gearbox. Even with my mods, I noticed a small increase in fuel economy over Mobil 1 10w-30. It could just be that I drive differently, but whatever makes me feel good in the head goes into the car.

I'm a lot more concerned with the quality of the filter than I'm with the oil, since I make changes between 5000~7500 miles between changes for a once-a-month autocross/daily driven car.