Mobil 1: which viscosity to use?

[Joel]

I'm having my first oil change on the NSX.
I've also used 10w40 on my daily driver for the longest time. But, Mobil 1 doesn't make this viscosity. So now what?

______________________________
Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 10W-30 –
Higher-Mileage Vehicle Formula


Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 5W-30 –
Newer Vehicle Formula


Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 15W-50 –
Performance Driving Formula


Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 0W-30 –
Enhanced Fuel Economy Formula


Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 0W-40 –
European Car Formula
__________________________

I live in L.A. with L.A. type weather and traffic. Should I go with 10w30? 0w30 is tempting though.

 

[RyRy210]

Stick to the factory manual recommendations for viscosity: 10W-30 for most conditions, 5W-30 if the ambient temperature is regularly below freezing when the car is in operation.

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2001 NSX-T
- Bilstein Shocks
- '02 OEM Wheels

 

[nsxtasy]

RyRy210's advice is great.

Incidentally, Mobil 1 added those "catch phrases" below each viscosity as kind of a guide for people who don't have any idea what viscosity they're looking for. Don't let that sway you.

For a while, on the Mobil 1 website, there was a blurb saying that if you know the recommended viscosity, use it, and otherwise use the catch phrases as a guide. Now, there is a tool that lets you enter your particular car, and it tells you what viscosity to use. It looks like they used Acura's specification for permitted viscosities direct from the owner's manual, since this is what their tool comes up with for the '91 NSX:

"10W-30 Above -4° F

You can use Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 10W-30 with confidence. This viscosity is also available in Mobil Drive Clean Oil™ and Mobil Drive Clean Synthetic Blend™.

5W-30 Below 32° F

You can use Mobil 1 with SuperSyn™ 5W-30 with confidence. This viscosity is also available in Mobil Drive Clean Oil™ and Mobil Drive Clean Synthetic Blend™."

 

[SilverOne]

Joel,

for your references, I use 10w-30,

 

[5inchfatlip]

as said once b4 most of us fall into "EXTREME Driving COnditions" hehe...I use 15w-50 or redline 20w50...I am at the redline ALOT...

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by 5inchfatlip:
as said once b4 most of us fall into "EXTREME Driving COnditions" hehe...I use 15w-50 or redline 20w50...I am at the redline ALOT...

Honda does NOT recommend higher viscosities for extreme driving conditions. 10W30 is recommended for all driving conditions (except that 5W30 is acceptable below 32 degrees F and preferred below -4 F).

Since I use my car primarily as a track car, I am in the upper end of the revband as much as any of us. I use 10W30.

 

[Toysport]

Originally posted by RyRy210:
Stick to the factory manual recommendations for viscosity: 10W-30 for most conditions, 5W-30 if the ambient temperature is regularly below freezing when the car is in operation.

I agree

 

[AKUDOU]

I am using Shell Helix full synthetic 10w30 it is factory fill for the new Ferrari. Check links in my web site. Only problem is it is available only in 55gal drums,but I have been filling 5gal cans for customers. If anyone needs the specs I will download them tomorrow from my work computer.http://www.shellmotorsport.com/2001review/news/index_feature.html

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http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/rixnsx/

[This message has been edited by AKUDOUSAN (edited 17 December 2002).]

 

[docjohn]

I thought the forum police were going to give the ol search que,but anyway I tried 15/50 until It took 7 cranks to get the car running in under 70 temps.So back to 10/30.

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

which formulation on mobile one to use thou ???

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Acura NsX Pilot:
which formulation on mobile one to use thou ???

Didn't you read RyRy210's post, above?

Use 10W30, unless your car is going to be in severe winter temperatures, in which case you can use 5W30.

 

[MvM]

I'm using Castrol 10W40. I cannot get any 10W30 where I live and although I searched around for it, nobody seems to use it. So I checked with my Honda dealer and they told me to use a good brand of 10W40.

 

[Wadasan]

JOEL
What Up???
When r we gonna see some pics of ur ride???
Chad

 

[Joel]

Originally posted by Wadasan:
JOEL
What Up???
When r we gonna see some pics of ur ride???
Chad

No pics.
I am very computer-challenged.
No dig cam. No scanner.
Heck, I even screw up signing in for imagestation.

Anyway, SoCal members will have to come by NSXModified or Canyon runs in order to see her.

____________________

Mobil 1 10w30 it is! It seems that what previous owners have been using anyway. Can't break tradition now can we.

I heard that WalMart stock them by the cases. I went there last nite but no luck.
Do they still carry them?

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by Joel:
Mobil 1 10w30 it is! It seems that what previous owners have been using anyway. Can't break tradition now can we.

I heard that WalMart stock them by the cases. I went there last nite but no luck.
Do they still carry them?

Yes, you can still get Mobil 1 10W30 at WalMart and Sam's Club and lots of other places.

 

[hk4site]

I have heard that after multi-viscosity oil gets use that the oil changes into a single weight. If this is true it make little difference what weight you use.

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by hk4site:
I have heard that after multi-viscosity oil gets use that the oil changes into a single weight.

Sounds like baloney to me...

 

[JaguarXJ6]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by hk4site:
I have heard that after multi-viscosity oil gets use that the oil changes into a single weight.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Additive packages give an oil the ability to perform at certain viscosity levels. The bigger the variance between the two numbers, the more additives and complex the formula has to be to flow at a certain weight and the harder it is to keep the molecule chain together. These additives get used up as the oil is put through use, but to the level of performing as a single weight? You'd have to not change your oil for a very long time for that to happen!

I don't think with regular changes is your oil going to degrade to this point. Can you imagine the consumer backlash if an oil went several thousand miles and didn't perform at the same or relatively close viscosity?

I'm not a chemist; just a synthetic oil freak

Could you show us any evidence?

Sunny

[This message has been edited by JaguarXJ6 (edited 18 December 2002).]

 

[hk4site]

Sunny is correct. The article stated that the longer the oil is used the closer to a single weight it becomes. This article was on another forum and it was some time ago, but it did state the breakdown of the additive package did cause the oil to act as a single weight. I have also read that most of the wear is in the first few seconds after starting, therefore 0w30 or 0w40 should be the best.

 

[AKUDOU]

Check these specs out. About the viscosity change whoever came up with that is crazy. I have been with Shell for 35 years and can't recall hearing such a crazy thing. If the oil is changed at the specified change interval never a worry. If it is ran hard on the track I would dump it....................

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http://quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/rixnsx/

 

[AKUDOU]

 

[nsx4fun]

For all of you using something higher than 30 weight, read this.

I was surprised to find out that the first component in our engines to fail if you exceed redline rpm significantly (i.e. by disabling the rev limiter), is the oil pump tends to self destruct due to extreme internal pressures.
I would keep this in mind as the higher viscosity oil will definitely increase oil pressure at those redline revs. What you think may be added protection by using 10w-40 or 5w-50 may indeed be reducing the rpm level at which catastrophic oil pump failure occurs. Your oil pump may go quietly, but the resulting engine seizure due to NO!!!! lubrication, is guaranteed to get your attention.

 

[nsxtasy]

There's a reason Honda recommends 10W30. Their engineers know what viscosity of oil is best in our cars.