0w30 Mobil 1 Gas Saving Claim

pastorscott · July 4, 2008

Was reading about new oils and found that mobil 1 now has 0w20 and 0w30 as well as 0w40 oil. It is marked as GAS SAVING and even has numbers. It states 2% savings and a $400 saving per year or something. Anyone see or hear or try this oil out ?

Scott

marine_devildog801 · July 4, 2008

I'm no expert, but i think i'll call on that one. Correct me if I am wrong, but haven't companies been producing 0W-30 for...as long as every other viscosity??? And now in the gas crunch they find a way to make it "Save gas"? I may be mistaken, but it sounds like another company is trying to get richer off of everyones' paranoia. I went on their website and they have fancy calculator that will give you some numbers regarding savings and miles per tank. BUT.... .... PAY ATTENTION to their visuals and their TOTAL savings are calculated over 7 years. HMMM???? What would you rather do.... save $500 in 7 years or rebuild you engine in 7 years?? I'll use what GM recommends and save a few K's in the end.

But again... I'm no expert.

EDIT: Can't spell

Schmids5.3l · July 4, 2008

The difference between 5w30 and 0w30...is 0w30 is THAT much thinner when it's ass cold outside. I don't see how it would improve mileage...might help wear and tear a tad on freezing starts.. For the most part synthetic oil is synthetic oil, nothing extra special differs between them.

[email protected] · July 4, 2008

I put 0w30 Mobil 1 Oil in my new 1999 2500 6.0L when it had about 1000 miles and just traded it in on a new 2008 2500HD. It had 112,000 miles and never burned a drop of oil. Last trip was from Omaha NE round trip to Craig CO about 1600 miles round trip at 82mph. MPG was around 15.5 for trip, mostly I-80. On other trips if I kept it around 75mph I got around 17mpg. Have no idea if it helped my mileage as it was always in truck but it sure did not damage the engine.

Zembonez · July 4, 2008

Math problems here!

If 2% is saving you $400 per year... that would mean you were buying $20,000.00 worth of gas a year. I know gas is high but we aren't QUITE there yet.

Like other are saying... on extreme cold startup there might be an advantage but once warm, it's still 30 weight.

Mikeee · July 4, 2008

Not much debate on this "fuel saving" thing over at

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

because it is marketing hype.

The lower first number just makes it less difficult for the engine to pump the oil when it is cold.

Wonder how far the "test engineers" had to use measurements to the right of the decimal to get ANY thing to measure?

asepgrad98 · July 4, 2008

i can believe the 2% savings. fleet tests have shown going from 5w30 to 5w20 can give you 2%. mobil probably used the thickest 30 weight oil on the market to compare against their 0w30 which is almost a 20 weight oil i suspect.

Tucson_02Silverado · July 5, 2008

There's some basis for it somewhere. Over the past decades, the auto manufacturers have changed the recommended oil viscosities. The norm used to be 30w, then switched to 10w30, then 5w30. I recall the recommended sticker on a once owned 69 Chrysler Newport 383 was 30w. On my 77, 84 and 88 TA's was 10w30. I never owned a 90's vehicle, so I'm not sure when 5w30 became the norm.

I haven't been to any of "hypermiler" web sites in over a year, but their "religion" starts with ultra-low viscosity change-out.

I would also think that as engines get tighter and tighter production build tolerances, that 5w oil actually starts causing parts movement resistance against the "sticky" lubrication.

merlin5577 · July 5, 2008

I believe it would be more important to put the manufacturers recommended weight oil in as not to harm the engine, rather then trying to "maybe" save a few cents per gallon on gasoline. Just my opinion. If you try it, please report your findings. I am curious as to what you will find.

Paul58 · July 5, 2008

When I was in IN I used 0W20 in the winter and 5W30 in the summer, and still saw better gas mileage during the warmer summer months! An engine is most effecient when at normal operating temps, so the longer it takes to reach that temp, the worse the gas mileage is before it gets there. I really don't think the oil weight has much effect on how long it takes the engine to reach normal operating temp. The theory behind the lower weight oil is better lubrication (i.e. engine protection) during that warm-up period. I think gas makes a bigger impact on mileage, it's been my experience that winterized gas sucks and really has a negative effect on gas mileage!

FREAKENHYE · July 6, 2008

All this bull crap got me thinking, how about if we fallow the speed limit and let off of the gas pedal a little i bet we can save there.

But since people will never do the easiest fix and companies know this, that is why this crap comes out.

I for one know only way to save gas is to do it yourself, there is nothing out there that can help you other then weight reduction parts, and engine efficiancy enhancers.

BigJayDogg3 · July 6, 2008

All this bull crap got me thinking, how about if we fallow the speed limit and let off of the gas pedal a little i bet we can save there.

But since people will never do the easiest fix and companies know this, that is why this crap comes out.

I for one know only way to save gas is to do it yourself, there is nothing out there that can help you other then weight reduction parts, and engine efficiency enhancers.

And when you start getting into efficiency parts, it really is buyer beware.

Tucson_02Silverado · July 6, 2008

All this bull crap got me thinking, how about if we fallow the speed limit and let off of the gas pedal a little i bet we can save there.

But since people will never do the easiest fix and companies know this, that is why this crap comes out.

I for one know only way to save gas is to do it yourself, there is nothing out there that can help you other then weight reduction parts, and engine efficiancy enhancers.

For myself, I've slowed down to 70 when there's light to light/moderate freeway traffic, when it's light I slow to 65. Trying to keep around the 2000 rpm mark which actually is 67MPH for my truck. Again it depends what the freeway traffice is like. Believe you me, that's not easy with a whole lot of people still moving 85-90. If I'm able to do 65 the whole distance, it's an easy 21.5+MPG.

You're right people need to "volunteer" to do at some small thing, or the goobermint is going to do it for us. It's already starting in the US Senate to post the federal speed limit to 55, not even first to 65; basically returning back to latter part of the 55 limit with even allowing for "environmental waste" surcharges on the speeding tickets. Making a basic 5-10 over speeding ticket go from around $200 to possibly a $1000. Imagine what doing the current 90 would result. Understand history or you are DOOMed to repeat it.

This i guess is drifting way off towards politcal......back to your program......

What a base question towards the topic should probably be;

1. is viscosity a linear or exponential measurement?

i.e. is 0w versus 5w as significant as 5w versus 10w for fluid dynamics of friction?

FREAKENHYE · July 6, 2008

All this bull crap got me thinking, how about if we fallow the speed limit and let off of the gas pedal a little i bet we can save there.

But since people will never do the easiest fix and companies know this, that is why this crap comes out.

I for one know only way to save gas is to do it yourself, there is nothing out there that can help you other then weight reduction parts, and engine efficiency enhancers.

And when you start getting into efficiency parts, it really is buyer beware.

Actually a intake exhaust, and headers are efficiancy enhancing products. Reason why GM doesnt use performance parts on daily drivers is 1 to make money on the aftermarket market 2 also has to do with driver comfort, not everyone modifies their truck like some of us do.

Exhaust, intake and headers creates excessive noise, yet it helps the engine operate at higher efficiant level, in todays world they are trying to make the vehicles as quiet as possible.

Yes my spelling sucks, I know and i dont care. Thanks for loaning me the soap box, back to our regular programming.

BigJayDogg3 · July 6, 2008

All this bull crap got me thinking, how about if we fallow the speed limit and let off of the gas pedal a little i bet we can save there.

But since people will never do the easiest fix and companies know this, that is why this crap comes out.

I for one know only way to save gas is to do it yourself, there is nothing out there that can help you other then weight reduction parts, and engine efficiency enhancers.

And when you start getting into efficiency parts, it really is buyer beware.

Actually a intake exhaust, and headers are efficiancy enhancing products. Reason why GM doesnt use performance parts on daily drivers is 1 to make money on the aftermarket market 2 also has to do with driver comfort, not everyone modifies their truck like some of us do.

Exhaust, intake and headers creates excessive noise, yet it helps the engine operate at higher efficiant level, in todays world they are trying to make the vehicles as quiet as possible.

Yes my spelling sucks, I know and i dont care. Thanks for loaning me the soap box, back to our regular programming.

Granted. Those are efficency enhancing mods, a good tune is as well. But what I'm talking about is like the Tornado, and all these various odds and ends you find on eBay.