mobil one oil

[Stephen Nordquist]

Finally have 100 hours on my 2003 maristar mcx engine. Would like to use mobil one on my next oil change. Anybody out there using it and do you think its worth the price?

[TMCNo1]

There are several discussions under "Technical", "Engine/Drivetrain", concerning viscosity and types of oil, Synthetic vs dino oils. Enjoy!

[bigmac]

There are several discussions under "Technical", "Engine/Drivetrain", concerning viscosity and types of oil, Synthetic vs dino oils. Enjoy!

My opinion is that you should use what Indmar recommends. There's no advantage to Mobil 1 or any other synthetic oil in this application. AFAIK, there is no Mobil 1 oil that meets the API specs recommended by Indmar for your engine. If you want to use a Mobil synthetic, use Mobil Delvac Super 1300. It is available in 15w40 and does meet the CH-4/SJ specs that Indmar recommends.

That said, only you can determine whether the sense of ... whatever ... you get from using Mobil 1 or whatever is worth the cost. It would probably only cost you, what? ... $5 extra per year?

The brand of oil filter you buy is far more important to your engine's health than the brand of oil you buy.

[Workin' 4 Toys]

After reading what BigMac said, "I" think its worth the $5.00 extra a year.....:)





Now if we were going to discuss the use of Amsoil, it may be worth an added $5.00 a year more than that....:D And Amsoil dealers can usually sell the appropriate "good" "better" or "best" filters too....FWIW

[bigmac]

After reading what BigMac said, "I" think its worth the $5.00 extra a year.....:)





Now if we were going to discuss the use of Amsoil, it may be worth an added $5.00 a year more than that....:D And Amsoil dealers can usually sell the appropriate "good" "better" or "best" filters too....FWIW

What's the Amsoil filter number we need to use?

When I got my boat, it had that crappy Pennzoil PZ-3 filter on it. My oil pressure would run about 20 at idle and hit 40-50 at WOT. When my dealer changed the oil at 20 hours, he put a Mercruiser filter on it and the boat then idled at about 30 psi and ran up to about 60 psi at WOT. When I winterized, I put a Wix filter on and now it idles at 40 psi and runs up to 70-80 psi on the gauge. I'm not saying that this is necessarily an indicator of the Wix being a better filter (although "everyone" says it is), but obviously there's a difference in the way these three filters interact with the lubrication system. I have concluded, rightly or wrongly, that it means the Wix is better.

[Workin' 4 Toys]

What's the Amsoil filter number we need to use?
I'll see if I can find a dealer and have them crossreference it for you.....

[Workin' 4 Toys]

Lubricant – Indmar uses and recommends
Pennzoil 15W40 Marine Oil for use in all of its
engines. If Pennzoil 15W40 Marine Oil is not available,
any 15W40 motor oil meeting the API ratings
of SL/SJ, CI-4, CH-4, CG-4 are acceptable. See
Chapter 6, Maintenance, for information regarding
the use of synthetic oil.

From Indmar's site on the MCX.....

[bigmac]

From Indmar's site on the MCX.....


Yeh, they also recommend the Pennzoil PZ-3 filter, so I'm guessing that they've got some kind of marketing hook with Pennzoil/Quaker State.

Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil that meets our requirements of 15W40 and
API SL/SJ/CI-4, CH-4, CG-4 is acceptable to use after
100 hours of operation with the recommended oil. The
use of synthetic oil does not change the requirement of
50 hour oil change intervals.

[Hoosier Bob]

Here we go again. My thought is Synthetic can handle higher temps period. Anyone ever pick up a weed in the strainer? How about a chewed up impellor. As your temp rises and you are worrying about boats, skiers or what have you what would you want in the crankcase? I respect BigMac and his opinion as he definately knows his crap, period! If you feel more comfortable from a history of using synthetics I would go for it. If you have had favorable results with the dino juice follow BM and Indmar's recommendations and change often as it is cheap maintenance. I use synthetic as my ride was delivered with synthetic. I use synthetic in everything including my lawnmower. I still change as often as recommended.

[Workin' 4 Toys]

Yeh, they also recommend the Pennzoil PZ-3 filter, so I'm guessing that they've got some kind of marketing hook with Pennzoil/Quaker State.
Funny thing is, so do I and don't use it.....

[bigmac]

Here we go again. My thought is Synthetic can handle higher temps period. Anyone ever pick up a weed in the strainer? How about a chewed up impellor. As your temp rises and you are worrying about boats, skiers or what have you what would you want in the crankcase? I respect BigMac and his opinion as he definately knows his crap, period! If you feel more comfortable from a history of using synthetics I would go for it. If you have had favorable results with the dino juice follow BM and Indmar's recommendations and change often as it is cheap maintenance. I use synthetic as my ride was delivered with synthetic. I use synthetic in everything including my lawnmower. I still change as often as recommended.

As I've said, nothing wrong with synthetic as long as it meets the specs, but in this case Mobil 1 doesn't.

I sort of agree about the high temps - at least I agree enough that I use synthetic in my air cooled Harley.

I use synthetic in my lawn mower too.

[bret]

Well if Indmar is delivering engines with synthetic in them, I hope that they're doing something out in Millington to seat the rings in your bores or that new ring technology allows synthetic to seat them - otherwise you're in for some poor compression.

With a boat engine running in the 120 - 140 temp range, I don't buy the heat argument either.

Oil is a very subjective topic - you should see threads like this on some of the Porsche BBS forums. The conclusion from those forums for about 90% is that a good dino oil, changed at/before recommended interval is an excellent choice. The favorite of those oils being given to Valvoline Racing oil and Castrol due to the thinning and small leaks that people are getting from the new Mobil 1. Now heat is an issue with a race car and we have twin oil coolers on ours, temps in the 230-265 range on a very hot day. The Valvoline VR1 has performed flawlessly now for over a year - which is what's in my boat. I have a friend who has a Cobalt 222, with a 454. He was using Mobil 1 and was burning/using a quart a month. We switched him to Valvo VR1 and now the dipstick is just down a about a 1/4 of a quart, which should be just about right, as 454's tend to consume a bit of oil.

[bigmac]

Well if Indmar is delivering engines with synthetic in them, I hope that they're doing something out in Millington to seat the rings in your bores or that new ring technology allows synthetic to seat them - otherwise you're in for some poor compression.

With a boat engine running in the 120 - 140 temp range, I don't buy the heat argument either.

Oil is a very subjective topic - you should see threads like this on some of the Porsche BBS forums. The conclusion from those forums for about 90% is that a good dino oil, changed at/before recommended interval is an excellent choice. The favorites of those oils being given to Valvoline Racing oil and Castrol.

I don't think anybody is delivering engines with synthetic in them, for the reasons you state. Indmar says you can use it after everything is already seated.

Yeah, that was my point on the temp stuff - my boat runs far cooler than my truck does. Synthetic could help for an engine that chronically runs hot but would do nothing to protect for that single sudden blip of the temp from a plugged intake.

Oil is indeed subjective and lots of confusion, myth, and legend surrounds the whole topic - a testament to the marketing gurus at the various oil companies. Usually, arguments about what oil to use will end up with "my pappy says...". Obviously, they don't WANT us to know that it's really pretty simple, and that there is virtually NO difference in quality between the major brands. Even the synthetic vs dino debate is silly.

The whole concept of what oil to use is simple - go to the oil section of the store, look at the API service classification on the oil bottle and if it meets or exceeds what's recommended in your owner's manual (even a lawn mower manual will specify the API service classification of the recommended oil), you're good to go. Next go over to the synthetic oil and do the same thing. Look at the price of the two, and if the price difference doesn't bother you, buy the synthetic if that's what your pappy recommends.

[Smitty]

I don't see where using a synthetic oil is going to cause leaking and increased oil consumption.

See Myth's: http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Myths.aspx

I been using Mobil 1 15W-50 and a M1-111 Synthetic oil filter with my 2001 Maristar with great results. No leaking and better fuel efficiency. I wouldn't use anything else. Remember that before Mastercraft had its deal with Penzoil all Indmar engines were factory fillled with Mobil 1. If Aston Martin and Bentley can trust it, so can I.

[bigmac]

I don't see where using a synthetic oil is going to cause leaking and increased oil consumption.

See Myth's: http://www.mobil1.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Synthetics/Myths.aspx

I been using Mobil 1 15W-50 and a M1-111 Synthetic oil filter with my 2001 Maristar with great results. No leaking and better fuel efficiency. I wouldn't use anything else. Remember that before Mastercraft had its deal with Penzoil all Indmar engines were factory fillled with Mobil 1. If Aston Martin and Bentley can trust it, so can I.

Mobil 1 doesn't meet Indmar's specs. Using it will void the warranty.

Fuel efficiency claims are based of fleet (like taxicabs) studies over years and are marginal, although admittedly statistically significant. No offense meant, but I suspect that observations of increased fuel efficiency in a single boat over 300-400 hours of use probably have a significant component of wishful thinking. Likewise, engine wear studies with a particular oil are based on engine tear-downs after extended fleet use, like Consumer Reports New York taxicab study (which found NO wear differences between dino and synthetic BTW). So IMHO the best one can say about their particular choice of oil in a boat, where ambient temps are consistent and fuel efficiency is hard to determine accurately, is that that oil didn't cause a catastrophic engine failure.

[BIGBADBLUE]

OK fellas ... now you have me thinking.

I ran Valvoline the first 100 hours and now running Mobile 1 in my '94 205. I did this as the is what Indmar and MC reccomended. At least I thought. I change my oil every 40 - 50 and in the spring and fall.

If Mobil 1 does not make a difference is there any issue with me switching to non-synthetic? Let me know your thoughts.

[bigmac]

OK fellas ... now you have me thinking.

I ran Valvoline the first 100 hours and now running Mobile 1 in my '94 205. I did this as the is what Indmar and MC reccomended. At least I thought. I change my oil every 40 - 50 and in the spring and fall.

If Mobil 1 does not make a difference is there any issue with me switching to non-synthetic? Let me know your thoughts.Nope. Although I don't know what was recommended for your engine, I'd still be inclined to use 15W40 CI-4/SL in it, either synthetic like Mobil Delvac Super 1300, or non-synthetic like Rotella T or Pennzoil.

[bret]

Smitty, I used Mobil 1 in most of my "stuff" before the Exxon/Mobil merger - buyout, whatever. We, my business partner in the race cars, rebuilt 3 brand new 944 turbo engines. During the first year, we had rear main seapage, we had a front oil seal leak on a couple of the cars. Sure we went in changed them, helped for maybe two races. The we did his wifes 911 turbo, same $hit.

We were at the track one day and an "oil" guy said he runs VR1, you should give it a try, "all of us are running it" pointing toward a very respected factory sponsored team. Needless to say, all of our problems disappeared, including our catch can - which comes off the CCV port, that amounted dropped by more than half in a weekend.

Now, noting that temps are higher on the track than in the water and not always apples and oranges, racing has and will continue to provide valuable solutions to our everyday lives - if GM had not gotten the Northstar ignition, had not helped with the Cadillac CTS-V on the race track - you wouldn't have the advancements that you have today on the street.

I'm just telling my story from an experienced point of view - as bigmac said, anyone with a good marketing campaign can sell you anything, but is it better?

If, you must go with synthetic, then spend the extra $1.25 a quart for Amsoil or Redline

[Hoff1]

For what it's worth, my 1990 351W was recommended to use API SF (SAE 30). Mobil 1 15W-50 is API SL, which I view as exceeding Indmar's recommendation. I've used VRI 20W-50, SAE 30, and 15W-50. Some dino, some synthetic. I've never noticed a difference, and probably wouldn't until the engine reaches a couple thousand hours.

I would never worry about what brand a company recommends for their engines, there's corporate contracts that dictate that. At least that's the way my company works. Corporate contracts are determined way in advance before any engineer ever gets to review the specifications of the products that they are told to use. But, maybe that's just my company.

[Diesel]

Mobil 1 doesn't meet Indmar's specs. Using it will void the warranty.



You are wrong. Mobil 1 Delvac 1 exceeds all Indmar specs. But is not worth the $$ verses the Delvac 1300 Super in our application.

[bigmac]

You are wrong. Mobil 1 Delvac 1 exceeds all Indmar specs. But is not worth the $$ verses the Delvac 1300 Super in our application.Mobil 1 Delvac 1 (which is the same oil as Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40) is indeed 5W40, therefore NOT meeting Indmar specs, which call for 15W40.

Now, you could get Mobil's new Mobil Delvac MX, which is 15W40 and does meet Indmar's specs, but isn't part of the Mobil 1 label.

[Hoff1]

Mobil 1 Delvac 1 (which is the same oil as Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40) is indeed 5W40, therefore NOT meeting Indmar specs, which call for 15W40.

Now, you could get Mobil's new Mobil Delvac MX, which is 15W40 and does meet Indmar's specs, but isn't part of the Mobil 1 label.

That brings up a question. Is the difference between Mobil and Mobil 1, dino versus synthetic.

Interesting, if you google this type of oil, you'll get several hits from this website just from this discussion.

[Diesel]

Mobil 1 Delvac 1 (which is the same oil as Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40) is indeed 5W40, therefore NOT meeting Indmar specs, which call for 15W40.

Now, you could get Mobil's new Mobil Delvac MX, which is 15W40 and does meet Indmar's specs, but isn't part of the Mobil 1 label.

With multi-viscosity oils the "cold" weight is really irrelevant in our application. They both meet Indmar's CH requirement which is really what counts. Cold viscosity is more of a preference depending upon geograpic location vs. a requirement since theoretically all xxW40 oils should opperate the same once up to temps. I know most this summer my start up oil temps have been > 90 degrees.

[bigmac]

With multi-viscosity oils the "cold" weight is really irrelevant in our application. They both meet Indmar's CH requirement which is really what counts. Cold viscosity is more of a preference depending upon geograpic location vs. a requirement since theoretically all xxW40 oils should opperate the same once up to temps. I know most this summer my start up oil temps have been > 90 degrees.


From a practical standpoint, you may be right. Technically, however, 5W40 is out of spec and could be the basis for denying a warranty claim. Which was my original point that you said was wrong.

It may not be a big deal from Indmar's point of view relative to a warranty claim, but if I had such a claim, I'd rather just be able to tell them I was using an oil that met their specs, rather than have to try to convince them of the irrelevance of cold viscosity and geographic location.:)