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Mobile 1 or Valvoline synthetic

kinleykinley Member Posts: 854
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    sdayalanisdayalani Member Posts: 60
    i used to use valvoline synpower initially.
    but after i decided to try mobil1, i ended up sticking with it since it increased my mileage by 3mpg compared to valvoline.

    IMHO, both oils are of superior quality.
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    adc100adc100 Member Posts: 1,521
    But I would have a hard time believing 3 mpg. Especially over another syn. 3 % is normally as good as it gets. I have seen truck (big truck) tests where *all* fluids were syn and they got somewhere between 2 and 3.5 % better than mineral oil. . But hey, It works jfor you. Just for the record Valvoline is very good it is a PAO like Mobil and Quaker State. Syntec and Pennzoil are frauds.
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    brorjacebrorjace Member Posts: 588
    These are both primarily PAO (polyalphaolefin) formulas. So, they are fairly closely related.

    Mobil 1 has since adopted other ingredients such as an ester and this, coupled with the fact that they have more experience with synthetics than pretty much anyone else in the world.

    I'd give the nod to Mobil 1 for those reasons ... but only slightly.

    sdayalni, I don't doubt your numbers ... but I doubt the oil change is 100% responsible for your change in mileage. The amount of variables that go into fuel consumption is dizzying.

    --- Bror Jace
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    sdayalanisdayalani Member Posts: 60
    i am aware of the different variables that determine fuel economy.
    i used valvoline synpower for 5 months and averaged 32mpg.
    the only thing that comes to my mind is that these 5 months were during the winter.
    my driving patterns have been the same (hwy/city mix), i diligently check my tire pressure every week, and its just me in the car most of the time (i even try and keep my trunk empty to minimize load).

    with mobil 1 10w30 during the summer, i average around 38mpg, and 35mpg during winter (with 5w-30). so i guess its a pretty straightforward comparison.

    maybe if i went back to valvoline in summer just for the heck of it, i might come close to mobil, but i'm happy staying put with mobil1 and dont want to experiment.

    another thing i can think of is that when i switched to mobil1, i also simultaneously switched to mobil1 oil filter ...maybe there's something there (?) ...with valvoline, i was using the dealer supplied mazda protege OEM filter.

    i did think of trying out amsoil, based on positive postings on this site, but eventually decided against it (the 25000 mile, 1 year interval sounded pretty tempting) ...decided to stick with my mfr recommended interval of 5 months/8000km atleast till the car is under warranty
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    mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    This is for 2 reasons. 1. Esters help raise the flashpoint and allow for excellent flow at high temperatures. Jet engine oil is generally composed of pure esters for this reason. 2. Esters allow sealt to perform accurately. The seals soften and swell slightly with Esters, just like with Dino. This addition was necessary to stop leakage.

    My Mazda mechanic absolutely loves Valvoline. He considers it a superior lubricant.

    Your winter -- summer test is not a good comparison. Everything performs better in the summer. Try cooking on a gas stove in winter, or using a butane lighter. Much lower heat value. Even the winters could have been different enough to have a mileage difference. A sever vs mild winter alone could have accounted for the difference.

    In my opinion both are very good products.
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    adc100adc100 Member Posts: 1,521
    With properly inflated tires....air is denser in winter, and no a/c is needed. I'm guessing trip milage might be a tad better in Winter. Fluids are warmed up and engine hot.

    Brorjace: Mobil1 has had an ester with the PAO out of the chute in (74?). They just added the alkylated aromatic for wear.
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    rcarbonircarboni Member Posts: 290
    I attributed the bad MPG to oxygenated gas. Always improved when my station switched back.
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    brorjacebrorjace Member Posts: 588
    Even thought we try to be diligent, some variables (like the gasoline, parts that wear, sensors that might foul then clear themselves, etc ...) still come into play and they are difficult (almost impossible) to quantify.

    Yes, I experience a mileage drop of usually 3-4 mpg in the winter. During heat waves, my little Civic can top 45mpg. Some winter tankfuls I'm lucky to get over 40mpg ... with no switch in parts or fluids.

    Mobil 1 always had an ester? I didn't know that.

    >:^O

    --- Bror Jace
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    rcarbonircarboni Member Posts: 290
    I think the wording on the Mobil website was something like, "early on" Mobil discovered that the seals were shrinking on older engines, and added an ester to counter the problem.
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    mrdetailermrdetailer Member Posts: 1,118
    was what caused the seal leaks.
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    adc100adc100 Member Posts: 1,521
    Esters were there from the beginning. They needed because additives would not mix with the PAO, (as I recall)

    "More than 30 years ago Mobil began looking for lubricants that would flow easily at extremely low temperatures. This search led to the development of synthetic base fluids free from the waxes and contaminants that cause conventional lubricants to solidify in extreme cold. The result was the development of Mobil 1, a fully synthetic motor oil created, initially, from two synthetic base fluids – polyalphaolefins (PAO) and esters combined with a unique additive package"
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