First Take: Mobil 1 0W-20 Advanced Fuel Economy engine oil

Ripple · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:50 pm

I was due for my 12K mile oil change last week and saw this oil in wal-mart. grabbed 6 quarts $6.5/each plus a fram tough guard.

the oil makes the engine run perceivably smoother, won't not know its a diesel on the open road, idles about the same roughness.

EVIC MPG when up about 2MPG compared to my last time I drove the same route. now it around a 'real' 29 MPG, were before my average summer MPGs were around 25-27

I know that in the owners manual the spec oil is 0W40 (and 5w40 if that's all you can find) but this oil seemed to work well for the first 100 miles. this oil has the correct API SM/CF rating per the owners manul too.

some reading on this item: http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/Mot ... 0W-20.aspx

UFO · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 1:40 pm

Interesting. I'm not sure of the consequence of using a lower viscosity oil, but it's good that it has a diesel rating.

dgeist · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 2:11 pm

I have similar results whenever I change my oil (i.e. not changing weight or type)... Can you compare your results to a previous change with the recommended weight?

BVCRD · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 3:17 pm

Not sure I'd trust my turbo bearings to 20W.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

The viscosity is no big deal, there are high end 5w20 and 5w30 european diesel oils designed for VW, Mercedes, etc... diesels.

What I'd be more concerned about is its ability to handle soot without becoming abrasive. Where does it say it meets a diesel rating? All the promo language on that web site is about gasoline engines, and they say nothing about meeting any diesel engine manufacturers specs (unlike their 5w40 turbo diesel oil).

Ripple · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 3:54 pm

this oil does not have CI+4 rating, which is the oil rating targeted for turbo diesel engines. but the owners manual indicates that API SM/CF is all that is required for either A or B service schedule for the 2.8 VM engine. so either this engine could indeed benefit from CI+4 oil and chrysler did not want to recommended/sell it, or it simply does not matter. if you pay a dealer to change your oil you will not get oil "rated" for diesel service, meaning it will not be CI+4 rated.

I have not noticed a MPG increase with oil changes in the past, i've done about 5 of them using rotella TD 5w40. smoothness is usually a bit better after an oil change but not the extent noticed here.

USNA · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:45 pm

Are you planning to do oil analysis on this oil?

geordi · **Posted:** Sun Jul 06, 2008 6:11 pm

Dropping 20 points in viscosity should offer a nice bump in economy, IF it is also severe enough for the engine. A full synthetic could be good enough, but I am inclined to agree with the others - If it is only a CF rating, I would at least be changing the oil every 5k, rather than trying to run it longer. Unless you have a good bypass filter system to pull out the soot.

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

Personally, I don't think the viscosity makes that much difference in fuel economy, maybe .5 mpg. Inflating the tires to 40 psi will have a far greater effect.

My wife's TDI was averaging 44 mpg highway, running ELF 5w30. On a trip to Seattle and back today (360 miles, with 45 minutes of stop and go traffic) it averaged 47 mpg, running Valvoline 5w40 (both 505.01 oils). Granted this is fresh oil.

As to what Chrysler recommended for the Liberty CRD... with Shell Rotella 5w40 running $16.95 a gallon, why risk it?

With the Mobil 5w20, I'd be worried about nuking something in the engine because the oil was never designed to hold soot particles in suspension.

CATCRD · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 7:56 pm

Do everyone (yourself included) a favor and send a sample of your used oil in for an analysis at Blackstone or similar, to see how the motor is holding up after about 5000 miles with it. If it stays healthy, and you gain efficiency, kudos - people will copy you.

kdlewis1975 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:01 pm

I'm not so sure it's a good idea to use a viscosity outside of the manufacturer recommendation. The engineers that design these things take into account the tolerances of the moving parts and the forces that will be generated during operation. For something like a diesel engine with all of the forces involved, the high number is probably more important than the lower number. The higher number is the important one when the engine is running at operating temperature. One wants that oil to be viscous enough at operating temperature to not get squeezed out due to the force of exertion from a piston onto a crankshaft. The small number is most important during startup. As far as the diesel rating, I think this addresses the additives package...ability to handle soot, ability to buffer acids, and detergents. One can probably get by with the lower viscosity spec, but I'm not sure I'd want to do it for the long term.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:05 pm

I used the Amsoil Series 3000 (5W-30) and it returned worse numbers than the AME 15-40 Heavy Duty Diesel and Marine. I am sticking with the 15W-40

kcfoxie · **Joined:** Thu Mar 06, 2008 1:27 am **Posts:** 113

I just changed the oil (other than needing a set of ramps because my chest is too large to fit under the truck without them... I won't cite this as a fault of the truck per-se) and was shocked how simple it was. I would say it was easier than the TDI! Anyway, I used 0w40 Mobil1, which is what the book recommended?

Did I do wrong here?

I've been more timid to play around with the Jeep's oil needs vs the TDIs, however, what about moving them both to the same brand of oil? The TDI uses ELF or Motul 50501.

geordi · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 10:27 am

Depending on the other ratings on the jug, I should think that the Motul or any 505.01 oil would be just fine in our little Italian engines. The specs VW has for their engines are typical of German design - VERY highly engineered and technically demanding.

It might be a bit of overkill however, but if you can afford the oil...

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

505.01 is much better oil than the Jeep needs. Technologically, it is similar to a TDI engine from 2003 or earlier, but not the more recent PD engines. One of the most popular (and best performing) oils in those older TDI's is Shell Rotella 5w40, which sells for $16.95 a gallon at Wal Mart. That's what many of us use for the CRD, and the oil sampling that folks have done seem to indicate it is working well for our Jeeps to.

As an aside, I'm experimenting with the Valvoline 5w40 full synthetic (505.01 rated) in our TDI. So far, so good, and it only costs $5.99 a quart instead of $8.99+.

kdlewis1975 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 09, 2008 11:22 pm

Just wanted to add, in the event the Walmart in your area doesn't carry the Shell Rotella T Synthetic 5w40, you could check O'Reilly's (ones in KY have it) and Murray's Auto Parts here in MI have it as well. I got some at Murray's the other day for ~$17. I've used the Mobile 1 up until now but am getting tired of paying for it.

Where can one find the 5w40 synthetic Valvoline? All I've seen in their new "blue" formulation which is 15w40. The didn't list a 5w40 version on their website. Does the new Valvoline oil meet the oil spec for the PD TDI? I have a friend who owns one and I thought I might mention the Valvoline oil to him.

Thanks. Have a goodnight.

Kevin

mrkake · **Posted:** Thu Jul 10, 2008 12:05 am

Just thought I would weigh in on this one;

My Liberty has been running Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40W since it came home from the dealer. It's specifically engineered for diesel engines, it exceeds manufacturer recommendations (like that means much anyway), and meets or exceeds all of these: API CJ-4, CI-4 PLUS/CI-4/CH-4/CG-4/ SM/SL/SJ. It's $22 a gallon at WalMart. I still change my oil between 5 and 6 thousand miles anyway. Seems like cheap insurance to me.

I do notice a significant change in smoking when I change the oil. With fresh oil in it the only smoke I get is on WOT. When I have 5k on the oil, it will smoke pretty good just getting on the interstate. Mileage swings are within 1 mpg so I am not sure if I can even attribute that to the lubrication.

That's my two cents worth. . .

Threeweight · **Joined:** Mon May 14, 2007 5:57 pm **Posts:** 679

kdlewis1975 wrote:

Where can one find the 5w40 synthetic Valvoline? All I've seen in their new "blue" formulation which is 15w40. The didn't list a 5w40 version on their website. Does the new Valvoline oil meet the oil spec for the PD TDI? I have a friend who owns one and I thought I might mention the Valvoline oil to him.

Comes in a silver bottle labeled "Valvoline Synpower Full Synthetic." The 5w40 is the only one that meets the specs. Early production of it has "Meets VW 505.01 standards" on the label, more recent production has "VW 505.01 approved" on it. It has been the subject of a raging debate over at TDIClub.com between folks who feel Valvoline oils are crap and folks who feel if that if VW approved it and dealers sell it, it's ok. My 2006.5 TDI now has 1500 miles on its first batch, so far so good (got the best fuel economy ever recorded in this car while running the stuff).

The latest thread discussing it over on TDIClub.com:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=216578&highlight=valvoline+5w40

Valvoline has a "Premium Blue Cummins Approved" 5w40 diesel oil that runs around $18-19 a gallon. Not VW approved, but may be another good Jeep CRD option.

Joe Romas · **Posted:** Thu Jul 10, 2008 6:36 am

Finding oil at Wal-Mart is a crap shoot for me :wink:

I saw the Mobil 1 Turbo diesel truck oil at my local store once about 8 months ago. Rotella 5-40 is on the shelf about half the time :cry:

mrkake · **Posted:** Thu Jul 10, 2008 2:23 pm

It really depends on the store. The one closest to me is like that too. I stop at the one by work and they always have it. Sometimes you can talk to the manager of that department and they will order it for you. That can be kind of a crap shoot too though. It depends on whether the department manager wants to help you or not. Never hurts to ask though.

First Take: Mobil 1 0W-20 Advanced Fuel Economy engine oil

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