I agree with BacaBill. I only use Mobil 1 in my vettes, and, for what its worth, I will tell you why. Back in the early '80s my brother, who was, and still is, a professor of nuclear physics at the University of Michigan, gave me a copy of a study conducted by the university on Mobil 1. Evidently, it was a new product being offered to the general public at that time. I believe that it originally was developed for machinery used under artic conditions where petroleum based lubricants are no shows.
The report was a bit lengthy and contained a lot of scientific information on molecular structure, etc. But what I still remember today is that time does not break down the lubricant and under conditions that turn petroleum based oils to sludge, Mobil 1 is still viscous. The real kicker is this: under this study Mobil 1 was put into police patrol vehicles. The cars were driven under normal (police) operating conditions for 100,000 + miles without changing the oil. Not only were the engines still operating, Mobil 1 lubricant was still performing.
I was sold. I put it in my modified '84 Pontiac T/A and never looked back. My son owns the car today, it still runs great on Mobil 1 changed once every Spring.

we began using Mobil 1 oil in the oil fueled turbines installed back in 70's and 80's. another reason it is used is because there is no carbon in Mobile one. the oil will burn off at high temps leaving the carbon. as you know carbon is very hard and will score any metal it come in contact with.

p69, I've always wondered why guys liked Mobile 1 but you explain it well I work in Ann Arbor and if it's good enough for UM, it's good enough for me! GO BLUE!

Best stuff known to man, 200k on my truck and it still runs like new. Works great in the Vette too, but watch out if sludge is holding your motor together, it'll spring a leak from every gasket.

I use Mobil 1 in my new cars but, what about a Vette with 100k plus miles that still runs fine.

Won't it leak more than the standard oil?

I have a 99 Regal GSE that I have run Mobile 1 in since new and the car has 100k plus and runs like the day I brought it home.

how do u feal about starting to use it after 40 60.000 miles is it a good idea let me know

|UPDATED|2/20/2004 10:32:29 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|

You have nothing to lose but oil. If the engine starts to leak, you will need to reseal. That's almost the worse that can happen. In a few rare cases it will cause lifter tick and could burn some oil by cleaning gunk out of lifter passages and rings or valve seals. If this happens, it was going to go anyway. With that mileage it probably won't cause any problems at all. The only way to find out is to try it.

Ken Styer

A big question that I don't see discussed here is what weight of Mobil 1 is right for these engines. I never gave oil-weight much thought until today -- every time the vette was "in-the-shop" I had the oil changed. Frankly I never asked what weight oil the mechanic was putting in. I'm assuming it was something standard like 10W40. Today I had the vette in to a different mechanic just to have the oil changed. He recommended 15W50 Mobil-1 because of the size and age of the engine. Tonight I've been putzing on some "EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT OIL-LOVERS" website & forum. Holy crap is there a lot to know about oil. From what I gather, it seems that the Mobil-1 15W50 is a pretty good choice -- but probably not necessary given how often I have my oil changed anyway. I take it that the biggest benefit to the synthetic is the duration you can run between changes.

Anyone have any other thoughts on viscosity ratings???
Is the Mobil-1 15W50 a good call in your opinion given the high running temp of the big block? What the deal about not mixing synthetic oil with regular oil? I assume you just can't mix the two at one time in the engine -- but you can go back to traditional oil during the next oil change?

I feel like an "engine lubrication ignoramus!"

I've seen some real "discussions" about engine oil on other websites, and everyone has their own opinions and preferences.

The way I look at it, the least expensive private label motor oil today is better than the best oils on the market when our C3's were first made. There's no such thing as a mom and pop refinery. A friend who once worked for a Quaker State distributor told me years ago that the oil you buy today is different from the same brand and weight oil you bought a year ago...the oil companies are constantly refining and changing their products as needs and technology changes.

There is also an argument as to the oil base...synthetic, paraffin or asphalt base oils. Supposedly, paraffin based oils are superior (Pennsylvania grade) as they need less refining than asphalt based (middle-east grade) oils, though the difference is likely more academic than actual in the real world. Synthetic speaks for itself in this regard.

All that being said, my own beliefs are that regular oil changes are the most important thing...beyond mineral or synthetic oil or weight, multi-grade vs. single grade. Multi-grade oils are more additives than oil, so they require more diligent oil changes. I think sticking with the same base oil, whether synthetic, paraffin or asphalt is better for the motor long-term, for it's break-in and for wear factors. I know there's probably little or no data to back that up, but it seems logical to me, and it's worked for me for many years, though the regular oil changes I've always given my cars is probably the real reason. Over the years I've had several engines rebuilt and all have looked new inside after high mileage and regular maintenance.

One man's opinion....right or wrong...agree or not.

Actually Bruce, you are correct, to a point.
The single biggest factor in wear is abrasion. It is most frequently caused by dirt. No matter what oil you have, you will build up dirt, sludge, moisture and acid. The only way to control that is to change the oil and get it out of the engine.

All engines will build these due to normal engine operation. You have condensation everytime it is shut off, and you have carbon and other chemicals from engine blow by. It's going to be there. If you drive a lot, long running time, highway, you will purge a lot of chemicals and moisture from the PCV valve. During short trips, short run times, and idling, these don't get purged. Sounds like how many, not all, of us drive our Vettes.

After that, the weight and type do make a difference. But as said, this is always changing. What is the best for one C3 is not nearly as good as for another. It depends on engine condition and the way it's driven, or stored.

Every article you read will add to your knowledge. I could go for hours on this subject, and just touch the surface. And I don't know 1/4 of it at best. So when I discuss this I stick to general points.
Engine clearances, ambient temp, RPM, are all big factors. Beware of the "TEST" that got "X" results. It may be a completely true statement, and the best thing for that situation, but could really be the worse choice for what you have and do. One the first thing you have to do is ignore advertising claims, and find facts. Lab test can say anything the tester want them to say. They report the facts they want you to know, and leave out the others. I have seen this many times.

So the arguements continue. In any given situation, everyone is right, and everyone is wrong. You can find a study to back you up either way. But the general infor is almost always true, if done in enough detail. Just don't go overboard.

If what you are doing works well for you and your engine, keep doing it.