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Mobil 1 tends to leak more than non-syn oil?


Guest bastaad525

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Guest bastaad525

Can anyone confirm this? Was reading somewhere that the molecular or chemical makeup or whatever of Mobil 1 somehow makes it "find any small holes" and more leak-prone than conventional oils? Just found that to be very interesting... not that I'd think it worth it to switch to regular oil and lose the extra protection and longer lube life just to get rid of a leak :P . I am going to get to switch from 10-30w to 20-50w Mobil 1 and hope/see if that turns my very small leak into like, no leak at all *crossing fingers*. Also going thicker as my oil guage (at idle) reads pretty low, like 1/8 up the gauge from the bottom... that's like 10-15psi... which the common consensus is that that's too low... just hope I"m not going on the advice of an inaccurate gauge.

 

Oh and one more question... I know everyone feels pretty universally that Fram or Purolator oil filters suck, but what about Penzoil filters? I dont do my own oil changes (can't do them at my apartment) and Jiffy Lube has recently stopped carrying Fram in favor of Penzoil...

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If you have a leak its always been there its just that the synthetic will "find" it or be able to make like of this leak much more easily then conventional oils will.

 

I kind of dislike when people say well it leaks with synthetic, well thats because you had a leak to begin with, fix it and it wont leak lol.

 

Im not sure though that the 20/50 will help or not, good luck either way.

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I know of a few instances in which a specific car (including my previous supra turbo) would burn oil with Mobile 1 and not with castrol synthetic. I first ignored it since it made no sense, but then the same thing happened with a friend of mine (300zx turbo). I retried mobile 1 and again it would consume some oil and not when I switched to castrol for the second time. Off course most cars don't burn oil with mobile 1 and I have no explanation for my experience (both oils were the same grade and synthetic). Anyways, you could try a different oil for the heck of it.

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Guest bastaad525

heh if I had caught that story before heading to Jiffy Lube right now I'd have had them put Castrol synthetic instead :(

 

I went ahead and stuck with Mobil 1 and switched from 10-30w to 15-50w... think that's the last time I ever go to Jiffy Lube as I really didn't like the way they seemed to be in such a rush, and lied about checking and topping off my tranny and diff oil... I wasn't gonna sit there and argue with him about it, insisting that he did when I watched them from beginning to end. I really need a good jack, some stands, and a place to do my own work :(

 

Anyways, on the gauge, my oil pressure at idle doesn't seem any higher with the 15-50w than it did with the 10-30w... I only hope the thicker oil will help with the small leak... and that the oil pressure when cold doesn't go thru the roof and cause MORE leaks! We shall see... I know I like the idea of thicker oil what is surely a 'looser' motor as far as all my bearing and ring clearances goes.

 

So HOW long is Mobil 1 good for between changes on a turbo motor? I've heard anything from keep changing it every 3,000 to going 8,000 miles between changes!

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Guest bastaad525

by the way, even though the mobil 1 that was in there was pretty fresh with only like 1,000 miles on it, I swear the car feels WAY more responsive with the fresh oil...

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Guest freakypainter

synthetic oils are much harder on gaskets and seals than convetional oils. If you already have a leak switching to a synthetic will make it worse.

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Hey, MAYHEM, thanks for the links. I have asked before why people dissed Fram filters. This link actually describes why

 

http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corvette/articles/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html

 

and the summary of the above

 

http://www.frankhunt.com/FRANK/corvette/articles/oilfilterstudy/oilfilters.html

 

Said the Penzoil filter is a Fram painted a different color. Also said what I suspected, only the entry level Fram filter is cheap junk. The Fram tough Guard is suppose to be a much better filter.

 

Do have to take exception to some of the comments that synthetic oil doesn't leak more than regular. It seems really hit or miss, but I have met too many people whos cars only leaked synthetic oils for me to think there is nothing to it.

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I took the filter apart just to see if it was true and it was, FRAM is JUNK!!!

 

Ive since switched a a motorcraft filter that is less expensive then the fram I was buyin and its much better.

 

Hell after 500 miles my oil would be dirty with the fram, it still looks clean with the motorcraft.

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Guest bastaad525
synthetic oils are much harder on gaskets and seals than convetional oils. If you already have a leak switching to a synthetic will make it worse.

 

Does this mean that I'm shortening the life of gaskets and seals in the motor by running the Mobil 1? Man that's a crappy trade off. The whole point of running the synthetic is to extend the life of the motor, but if I"m still pulling it every so often to replace all kinds of leaky seals and gaskets it doesn't seem like much of a benefit... jeez ya just can't win.

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