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He told me Mobil 1 wasn't designed for a Ford engine.

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Check in the vehicle owner's manual. It'll tell you what kind of API service ratings the manufacturer recommends. Then look at the oil bottle or can and see if it has that rating.

API Service Classifications:

Briefly, the API service classifications are a 2-letter rating, beginning with the letter "S" or the letter "C" and followed by a letter from "A" through "J." "S" stands for "service" and designates an oil primarily for gasoline engines. "C" stands for "commercial" and indicates an oil for diesel engines. Many oils meet the requirements of both series and have a dual service classification, such as SH/CD.

The service classification rating system began in the early 1970s. The earliest S-classification oils were SA, SB, SC, and SD. You can think of the successive second letters-A, B, C, D, and so on-as indicating increasingly higher quality. In fact, each successive service classification has been an improvement on previous classifications and exceeds the earlier performance requirements. Although some low-cost oils rated SA or SB can still be found in some stores, service classifications SA through SF are no longer recommended for use by most vehicle manufacturers. SG, SH, and SJ oils can be used in older engines and should be used in all late-model engines because they lubricate and protect better under all operating conditions. The SJ classification is recommended for 1996 and newer gasoline engines and can be used in any earlier engine.

The oil I use in my engines has an API classification of SL. I use it in everything except the Diesel engine in my truck. In that rig, I use Delo 400 or Rotella.
 

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 09-03-2003, 05:52 PM:
 
I used synthetic (Delvac 1, then later Mobile 1) in my '68 VW Type 1 (bug) for the last two thirds of its 265,000 mile life with me. One thing I noticed when I switched over to synthetic was an increase in "wetness"--synthetic is very good at finding the tiniest places to leak or seep through. The crankcase on bug engines splits right down the middle just like most airplane engines--that seal along with the crank endseals always seeped on my engines using synthetic. Engines ran good on it though.

For the current car (an '85 Mazda 626) I'm using a more traditional high detergent content oil--Chevron's Delo 400 in SAE 15W-40 weight. The Mazda ran very well on it (lots of freeway driving between LV and LA in those 190,000 miles). I'm about to put a new engine in the car and plan to continue using Delo 400. Good stuff!
 

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Posted by Paul Turner (Member # 832) on 09-03-2003, 06:05 PM:
 
Ok, it's not a car, but I switched my Harley over to synthetic oil before taking my summer ride (3100 miles). Major Difference: Runs cooler. Don't know about all they whys, but NO pinging under load going up hills in Wyoming when it's 107 degrees. Got stuck in line at customs at the Canadian border for 2 1/2 hrs. 85 degrees, 88 cubic inches of heat generating engine under me and it felt to me like there was less heat for the "weenie roast" than usual. Easier starting when hot and less engine noise when cold were noted. Interesting note: When i spill some dino oil when doing an oil change or whatever, I hit it with Simple Green, then wipe it up. Hit a puddle of synth with SG, and it just beeded on top of it! My gas cap lock got stiff so I took the dip stick and put a drop of oil in the lock and got a drop on the paint. Finally had to use Windex to get it off the paint -- it would not wipe off. I think it's great stuff.
 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-03-2003, 11:22 PM:
 
Paul, be careful of the oil you use in your Hog. Although your engine might be running cooler, I would be very concerned about the viscosity being too thin - which will result in an early crank pin and rod bearing failures.

Been there....
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 09-04-2003, 12:11 AM:
 
I think the type of oil you use is less important than just being sure to change it regularly, every 5000 or less miles, even if the manual says you can wait longer.
 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-04-2003, 02:03 AM:
 
Mike, today's engines have to run at higher speeds, work harder, and run hotter. I have a tendency to think some of the oils that can be found with the SA through SD API rating might not "cut the mustard" with today's late model engines. Oh, sure...they will run...but will wear out faster, too.

As an edit, I wish some of the motor oils that are made today were available in the 1950's and 1960's. Maybe I would not have burned up so many rod and main bearings in the Buick Dyna-Trash Fireball 8 engines...

[ 09-04-2003, 02:08 PM: Message edited by: Paul G. Thompson ]
 

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Posted by Paul Turner (Member # 832) on 09-04-2003, 04:08 PM:
 
To Paul G. Thompson: I too was concerned about the dino/synth oil switch-over, so for the first oil change I put a crowbar in my wallet and sprung for the Harley Synth Oil. Expensive, but I didn't worry about it being right for my bike. Watching the news groups to see what people are switching to and how it's working out for 'em.
 

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Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 09-04-2003, 05:53 PM:
 
Wow , what great timing My bike needs an oil change as well, and the manual recomends SE or SF grade oil. Should I use a synthetic in it?

Josh
 

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 09-04-2003, 08:09 PM:
 
I was wrong it's not Amsol it's Amsoil. I picked up their catalog at the fair and the "Synthetic High Performance Motor Oil" looks pretty good. Anyone know if this stuff is good or not?
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 09-04-2003, 08:27 PM:
 
I use synthetic in everything I own. My Kia, my 92 Harley, and my DP-70. Its interesting as my DP-70 ahs been on loan to a local plex while we complete their permanent DP-70's. All the others are running the standard Norelco oil. Mine running with LaVezzi oil has by far the quietest mechanism in the plex. Read the information on the Mobil 1 web site and you'll never use regular oil in anything again.
Mark @ CLACO
 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-04-2003, 09:09 PM:
 
Josh, I think you will find API classification SF is a synthetic oil. Just be sure it is of the correct viscosity.

Skagit Powersports is an authorized Castrol vender for their Yamahammer Motorcycles.

http://www.castrolusa.com

here is something else to check out:

http://www.amsoil.com/products/amf.htm
http://www.amsoil.com/products/amv.htm

You might be safe using that stuff.

For now, you might want to contact your dealer and see what he I would stay with their recommendation for now. But remember they might be "pushing" some off-the-wall crap that they can make money on. I don't trust motorcycle dealers any further than I can throw a gorilla with a sprung hemorrhoid.
 

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Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 09-04-2003, 09:52 PM:
 
I switched to synthetic in a 4 cylinder air-cooled motorcycle 10+ years ago. The changes I saw convinced me to switch over every vehicle I've owned since. The bike ran much smoother at idle, seemed to gain horsepower (I have no dyno to prove anything) and became a lot quieter mechanically. The oil pressure drop at high temperature was much less severe (synthetic holds about 60psi when stinking hot, "normal" oil drops to about 30) I do the maintenance and when I disassembled the engine for some performance upgrades the inside was spotless - with the same mileage on motors using "normal" oil there's always a coating of gunk.
Currently I use Mobil 1 or Esso (Exxon to you USA folk?) synthetic oils (Canadian Tire house oil is Esso). I don't think the extra cost for Amsoil, Motul, ELF, or the others is worthwhile.
If you have a bike with a wet clutch in engine oil, beware of any oil with the "energy saving" rating. This stuff has friction modifiers that may affect the clutch causing slipping. For now, Mobil 1 15W50 does not have this rating but all the other car viscosities do. They have a bike oil that doesn't have the modifiers but naturally it costs 50% more that the car oil type. Castrol also has a bike synthetic but the cost is insane.

In the cars, I see much easier cold starting (engine cranks much faster) and get better mileage. Changing to synth gear oil made cold weather shifting a LOT smoother, the regular 90wt stuff makes the stick feel like it's in a tub of tar until the tranny warms up at subzero (fahrenheit) temps.
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 09-04-2003, 09:53 PM:
 

quote:

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I don't trust motorcycle dealers any further than I can throw a gorilla with a sprung hemorrhoid.

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Ummmmmmmm...... Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....

You come up with some pretty good ones, Paul... but that's just a bit difficult to imagine..... ???????


 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-05-2003, 09:13 PM:
 
I stuck my nose in a few motorcycle shops today and enquired about oil recommendations. Some of their so-called "Genuine <bla bla> oil" costs up to almost 7 bucks a quart. Genuine Hog Oil doesn't even post the API Service Classification on their bottles. Must be a company secret so you don't use something equally as good for 1/3 the cost.

Anyway, here is a brand for just under 4 bucks a quart at a Suicycle Shop:





Check the application and specifications on the bottom picture. At least the buyer would not have to pay through the butt to get a 1.05 quart (1 liter) bottle.

Opinions, please?

I just checked the Castrol website, and it appears the API Service Rating "SG" is obsolete. I sent them an email enquiring about what is the difference between the the API Service SG motorcycle oil and the API Service Rating SL automobile engine oil and are they interchangable.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-06-2003, 12:39 AM:
 
I wish I still had the link to a site that I had found that had lab tested all of the synthetics out there.

The opinion of the site is that when it comes to synthetics, Mobil One 5W-50 synthetic was the best hands down, however most of the same weight actually performed very close. They tested the temperature that they broke down. Somewhere around nearly 500 degrees F before it broke, with most others never performed less than 400 degrees.

I have used it in my car before, and still do. The performance is amazing. I agree that using it in projectors would be a great idea. Now I just need some projectors!

Dave
 

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 09-06-2003, 11:27 AM:
 
I was chatting with a guy that owns a speed shop for MR2s and he said he started using Amsoil

"...ever since Mobil got bought, and the formula for Mobil 1 was changed. (not for the better) Supposedly the new "Supersynth" is as good as the original formula (Hmm, Coke classic anyone?)...."

So I wonder if that review was before or after the change (whenever the change was)
I went down to Quickie Lube (or one of those type places) and had them change the oil and put in some synthetic yesterday. It feels like there's less vibration and sort of a smoother feel to the engine. I could hear the engine go "aaaahhh" as I drove off
 

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Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 09-06-2003, 01:49 PM:
 
Synthetic oil is the way to go. Oil has made some remarkable improvements over the years.

In the 1940's and 1950's, the oil companies were playing with that stuff. It was on the market, but since it had the word "synthetic", hardly anyone would use it. Whether it was any good or not, I don't know.
 

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Posted by Jeff Stricker (Member # 224) on 09-06-2003, 02:04 PM:
 
Robert Sprague (Brenkert Historian) tells me he is running Mobil 1 5W - 30 in his Brenkert BX-80. He says it's working great and the viscosity seems to be right on.
 

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Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 09-06-2003, 04:02 PM:
 
The review was from about a year and a half ago, so probably before any reformulation ocurred.

Dave
 

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Posted by Jason Black (Member # 684) on 09-08-2003, 08:09 PM:
 
regular Dino vs. Synth....

This debate will go on for years to come. For the average driver there is no warrant in changing over to a synthetic oil. Matter of fact, synthetic oil isn't recommended for vehicles with les than 50k I believe. Due to it's viscosity(sp?) synthetic tends to find any slight leak in the delivery/return system and weep out far greater than a regular dino oil would/does.

As for the touted High milage oils.. Snake oil.

I've used Mobil 1, Castrol synthetic, Havoline synt, Golden Spectro, Yamalube, Honda HP, Castro, Motul, Valvoline, Quaker State (sludge city)and Pennzoil oils in the vehicles I've owned.
My pick? Havoline 10w40 changed every 5k miles. Buying into the idea that oil must be chnaged every 3k miles in another way the oil industry accumulates billion annually.

I will agree, however, that there are circumstances which require more frequent oil changes. Routine driving for the every day Joe is not one of them.

Just my .02 from the son of a GM/FORD/Volvo (and others) SAE CMAT.

I did't have a clue as ot what CMAT was until I asked him. Duh.
 

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