What you pour into your crankcase
01-09-2008, 01:30 AM
#1
User-approved
Thread Starter
What you pour into your crankcase
It's common knowledge that Mobil 1 is factory fill for the RDX. I've been a fan of Mobil 1 for many years, to way back when it was 100% synthetic. A roommate in the early 70s working for a defense contractor did spec testing on it for use in military applications (tanks, helicopters and jets in extreme desert conditions, yes, in the 70s) and reported some pretty remarkable results. That was when I was trying out stuff like Royal Purple in my Fiats. I made the switch to Mobil 1 for 3 reasons - those test results and the fact I could find it easier and at more consistent pricing than the others. The 3rd reason was I used it in racing and experienced far fewer mechanical issues than my fellow hot shoes. I haven't looked back since.
Mobil 1 is now a blend of petroleum and synthetics due to market pressure and advertising litigation, not necessarily in that order. Other companies marketed their products as synthetic when they were in fact blends - Mobil sued and lost. They decided to join the bandwagon and as far as I'm concerned, still have a superior product.
But wait, there's more. Has anyone seen all those colorful boxes and containers of engine treatment at parts stores? Seen any of those infomercials? Pretty amazing claims are made and they go along with the pricing. Better mileage, more HP, your motor will last forever *plus* your breath will be sweeter along with your love life. Who could resist?
Flash back to the 70s. My roommate revealed his company had also done some informal testing of engine treatments and found that something called Slick50 produced noteworthy results. I sought, I purchased, I found gratification with better mpg, more quiet operation and the feel of more power. Sold again. I raced it and was protested by the local Porsche Club for illegal mods. None found. Sore losers.
Anecdotal: in 1987 my '83 GTI went to the dealer for a head gasket and fuel distributor replacement. The mechanic noted no other problems associated with the maladies, namely cylinder scoring, head warpage, loss of compression and deposits, stating that even at 4 years and 11,500 miles, engine tolerances tested as new. I asked that he take another look at the odo which showed 115,000 miles. Not to mention mods made that resulted in 3 replacement clutches and numerous motor mounts snapped like peanut brittle. He claimed there was no way the engine he examined had anywhere near what the odo showed, suggesting I put a new motor in. Sure. Nonetheless, what a car.
Anecdotal: my friend's Civic wagon was off-roaded on a regular basis to get at ancient burial sites his university was researching. Transiting a cornfield, he must have scraped off his oil drain plug and drove over 40 miles home in 90+ degree weather on I-94 at 75 or more mph. I noticed some drip marks in his driveway when I came by later for a few cool brews. We replaced the plug and a complete oil fill. The next day he found his drain plug and most of his oil in that cornfield. NOTE: late-70s CVCC engine, NO oil. The Civic was eventually retired due to rust, but you couldn't kill that motor with a gun.
As with Mobil 1, most engine treatments are a blend of petroleum oil and additives. The additives that were a part of the Slick50 I used in the 70s have been replaced. It's no longer the same product although beneficial claims are being made. I personally can't judge them, but there's lots of info out there if you poke your Google button. Be prepared to learn how some of those treatments could make your motor a short-lived toxic waste dump.
The go-juice part of Slick50 I used in the 70s I found as XcelPlus that I purchased online and poured into the crankcase of my 2005 Accord EX V6 6-speed Coupe after I had it a year. About a few thousand miles later, the gain in nudge was noticeable. On dry pavement with easy starts in 1st gear, pedal-down the tires would break loose when the VTEC started kicking in - never happened before. It continued through more gears. I didn't really notice any quieter operation, but my average mileage went up about 10%. That was consistent with results I experienced in other cars I've used it in since my Fiats Way Back When.
Right now the stuff is marketed under the name Lubrilon. Could it be a solution for performance/economy/global responsibility? A marketing scam? It would be great to learn about other's input along these lines, including RDX Rocket Scientists like 737 Jock and XLR8R. Bring it!
Mobil 1 is now a blend of petroleum and synthetics due to market pressure and advertising litigation, not necessarily in that order. Other companies marketed their products as synthetic when they were in fact blends - Mobil sued and lost. They decided to join the bandwagon and as far as I'm concerned, still have a superior product.
But wait, there's more. Has anyone seen all those colorful boxes and containers of engine treatment at parts stores? Seen any of those infomercials? Pretty amazing claims are made and they go along with the pricing. Better mileage, more HP, your motor will last forever *plus* your breath will be sweeter along with your love life. Who could resist?
Flash back to the 70s. My roommate revealed his company had also done some informal testing of engine treatments and found that something called Slick50 produced noteworthy results. I sought, I purchased, I found gratification with better mpg, more quiet operation and the feel of more power. Sold again. I raced it and was protested by the local Porsche Club for illegal mods. None found. Sore losers.
Anecdotal: in 1987 my '83 GTI went to the dealer for a head gasket and fuel distributor replacement. The mechanic noted no other problems associated with the maladies, namely cylinder scoring, head warpage, loss of compression and deposits, stating that even at 4 years and 11,500 miles, engine tolerances tested as new. I asked that he take another look at the odo which showed 115,000 miles. Not to mention mods made that resulted in 3 replacement clutches and numerous motor mounts snapped like peanut brittle. He claimed there was no way the engine he examined had anywhere near what the odo showed, suggesting I put a new motor in. Sure. Nonetheless, what a car.
Anecdotal: my friend's Civic wagon was off-roaded on a regular basis to get at ancient burial sites his university was researching. Transiting a cornfield, he must have scraped off his oil drain plug and drove over 40 miles home in 90+ degree weather on I-94 at 75 or more mph. I noticed some drip marks in his driveway when I came by later for a few cool brews. We replaced the plug and a complete oil fill. The next day he found his drain plug and most of his oil in that cornfield. NOTE: late-70s CVCC engine, NO oil. The Civic was eventually retired due to rust, but you couldn't kill that motor with a gun.
As with Mobil 1, most engine treatments are a blend of petroleum oil and additives. The additives that were a part of the Slick50 I used in the 70s have been replaced. It's no longer the same product although beneficial claims are being made. I personally can't judge them, but there's lots of info out there if you poke your Google button. Be prepared to learn how some of those treatments could make your motor a short-lived toxic waste dump.
The go-juice part of Slick50 I used in the 70s I found as XcelPlus that I purchased online and poured into the crankcase of my 2005 Accord EX V6 6-speed Coupe after I had it a year. About a few thousand miles later, the gain in nudge was noticeable. On dry pavement with easy starts in 1st gear, pedal-down the tires would break loose when the VTEC started kicking in - never happened before. It continued through more gears. I didn't really notice any quieter operation, but my average mileage went up about 10%. That was consistent with results I experienced in other cars I've used it in since my Fiats Way Back When.
Right now the stuff is marketed under the name Lubrilon. Could it be a solution for performance/economy/global responsibility? A marketing scam? It would be great to learn about other's input along these lines, including RDX Rocket Scientists like 737 Jock and XLR8R. Bring it!
01-09-2008, 02:58 PM
#2
Safety Car
Thank you BleuM&M for a most informative and entertaining.......Whooaa, WHAT???
You mean if I use Prolong, I have to put in oil TOO??? But all those TV commercials....happy engines with no oil!
And Miss Prolong personally autographed my big red funnel! Or was it two funnels? I don't know, I was seeing two of everything for a while there....
You mean if I use Prolong, I have to put in oil TOO??? But all those TV commercials....happy engines with no oil!
And Miss Prolong personally autographed my big red funnel! Or was it two funnels? I don't know, I was seeing two of everything for a while there....
01-09-2008, 05:03 PM
#3
Safety Car
BleuM&M you did it again...first it was the Fiat 850 Spider.
Now it's the original hot hatch -- plaid seats and all -- the '83 Mk 1 GTI. A girl who was friends with my girlfriend's sister had a brand new red "83 GTI and she only bought it because she thought it looked cool. She putted around as if it was a white-on-white Cabrio -- a chick car -- and she wouldn't let anyone drive it!
I had to make do with a slammed, rather ah, aftermarket Rabbit.
Decades later I finally got my Mk 4 GTI VR6 (24v). While it's a more mature version of the hot hatch -- when my wife finally grew tired of my two sports cars -- the GTI stayed. It outlasted my Corvette on versatility, reliabilty and even driving pleasure.
At any rate, the oil additives have always been so controversial, I never took the risk. I don't spend a lot of time on Bob is the Oil Guy, but I have gathered that Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec are among the best, so I stick with those and change on schedule. The GTI has been on Syntec 5W-40 every 5k for 50k miles and it doesn't use a drop between changes.
I'm sure Amsoil is good -- but I believe even Al Qaeda is afraid of the Amsoil guys -- they consider them too fanatical!
Now it's the original hot hatch -- plaid seats and all -- the '83 Mk 1 GTI. A girl who was friends with my girlfriend's sister had a brand new red "83 GTI and she only bought it because she thought it looked cool. She putted around as if it was a white-on-white Cabrio -- a chick car -- and she wouldn't let anyone drive it!
I had to make do with a slammed, rather ah, aftermarket Rabbit.
Decades later I finally got my Mk 4 GTI VR6 (24v). While it's a more mature version of the hot hatch -- when my wife finally grew tired of my two sports cars -- the GTI stayed. It outlasted my Corvette on versatility, reliabilty and even driving pleasure.
At any rate, the oil additives have always been so controversial, I never took the risk. I don't spend a lot of time on Bob is the Oil Guy, but I have gathered that Mobil 1 and Castrol Syntec are among the best, so I stick with those and change on schedule. The GTI has been on Syntec 5W-40 every 5k for 50k miles and it doesn't use a drop between changes.
I'm sure Amsoil is good -- but I believe even Al Qaeda is afraid of the Amsoil guys -- they consider them too fanatical!
01-10-2008, 02:50 PM
#4
Burning Brakes
Stick with Mobil 1, and you will be alright. You can try putting other expensive "superior" stuff, but I am not sure why you would need to. In fact, Pennzoil Platinum is HTO-06 certified, and can be cheaply obtained at walmart.
01-10-2008, 06:44 PM
#6
haole kama'a-ina
It is not just the additive companies that engage in "slick" marketing. Valvoline for example, sells presumably high quality SynPower synthetic oil, and yet, on the same web-page, also markets SynPower oil treatment with molybdenum chemistry.
Which begs the question: If the SynPower oil is their finest product, why does it not contain the oil treatment to begin with?
Which begs the question: If the SynPower oil is their finest product, why does it not contain the oil treatment to begin with?
01-11-2008, 06:59 AM
#7
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If you really want to get into an oil discussion or learn a bit more than what you think you might already know go here...
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01-13-2008, 10:12 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by XLR8R
And Miss Prolong personally autographed my big red funnel! Or was it two funnels? I don't know, I was seeing two of everything for a while there....
01-14-2008, 02:34 AM
#9
Safety Car
Originally Posted by BleuM&M
Omigosh, would that be Mr. XLR8R with the death grip on that table? Is he looking at the autograph or, um, the products?
I guess, because I look like Boris Karloff with the personality of C3-PO, chicks just throw themselves at me....it's a burden.
Anyway, to get back to Lubrilon, most investigators seem to think it also contains PTFE, just as the newest Slick 50 does. Contrarywise, Lubrilon insists that they are the original Perma-fused Lubricant from the early Slick 50 days and contain no PTFE.
I am not disputing your GTI experience, but I wonder if another Mk1 GTI run 115k on Mobil 1 without Slick 50 would have done as well?
Would you consider using Lubrilon in your RDX?
01-15-2008, 08:20 PM
#10
User-approved
Thread Starter
Ha, you ruined her for life. It's those personal attributes that are difficult to quantify - gets 'em every time.
Lubrilon as they are now known is pretty insistent about not using PTFE. I know the oil temp went up on my GTI while it was doing its fusing thing, then ran 10-20 degrees cooler than before the treatment. I saw some pics posted showing metal penetration, something PTFE doesn't do, if I recall correctly.
Actually, I had 3 friends all with GTIs the same time I had mine. We were Hell on Wheels. Mine was quieter (less engine thrash, just the good stuff), ran cooler, got better mpg and was faster than 2 who had more mods than mine, faster than the one that had similar mods to mine (I seem to recall it didn't have AC) and it wasn't just my legendary driving skill. We all used synthetic oils, but I was the only one who went for the treatment. I'm thinking it was the treatment. Again, it's anecdotal.
I'm mildly interested in dosing the RDX, but since it's a lease, I'm not as driven. I'd like to see some more updated info on Lubrilon before I consider further.
As for Ms Prolong, you can see from the pic she was smitten at first glance. Just do what I do with Jennifer Aniston - save some time for her and those weepy calls will end!
Lubrilon as they are now known is pretty insistent about not using PTFE. I know the oil temp went up on my GTI while it was doing its fusing thing, then ran 10-20 degrees cooler than before the treatment. I saw some pics posted showing metal penetration, something PTFE doesn't do, if I recall correctly.
Actually, I had 3 friends all with GTIs the same time I had mine. We were Hell on Wheels. Mine was quieter (less engine thrash, just the good stuff), ran cooler, got better mpg and was faster than 2 who had more mods than mine, faster than the one that had similar mods to mine (I seem to recall it didn't have AC) and it wasn't just my legendary driving skill. We all used synthetic oils, but I was the only one who went for the treatment. I'm thinking it was the treatment. Again, it's anecdotal.
I'm mildly interested in dosing the RDX, but since it's a lease, I'm not as driven. I'd like to see some more updated info on Lubrilon before I consider further.
As for Ms Prolong, you can see from the pic she was smitten at first glance. Just do what I do with Jennifer Aniston - save some time for her and those weepy calls will end!
01-15-2008, 10:23 PM
#11
Safety Car
I must confess that is not me gripping the table. I got that picture off Prolong's web site. (Is his ear hair starting to smolder?)
Speaking of internal combustion, I do find it interesting that the lubricant shares it's name with a certain male ah, enhancement product -- high pressure and low friction -- PTFE again? This remarkable name coincidence should conveniently provide Miss Prolong with a second promotional opportunity without even changing her oufit, and with possibly some of the same customer base.
As for Lubrilon, I'd like to see them distance themselves from the additives controversy, and become more mainstream, placing the product in the greater public's comfort zone. Wild-eyed GTI drivers, God-Bless-'em, are no majority (and we like it that way). Achieving mainstream acceptance though, is no easy task when your opponents are none other than the giant oil companies. I would also like to see one of those dramatic tests end with a teardown and inspection for clogging in the oil passages, in addition to a more staid test, such as Mobil's taxi-cab marathon.
"I simply don't understand human behavior."
Speaking of internal combustion, I do find it interesting that the lubricant shares it's name with a certain male ah, enhancement product -- high pressure and low friction -- PTFE again? This remarkable name coincidence should conveniently provide Miss Prolong with a second promotional opportunity without even changing her oufit, and with possibly some of the same customer base.
As for Lubrilon, I'd like to see them distance themselves from the additives controversy, and become more mainstream, placing the product in the greater public's comfort zone. Wild-eyed GTI drivers, God-Bless-'em, are no majority (and we like it that way). Achieving mainstream acceptance though, is no easy task when your opponents are none other than the giant oil companies. I would also like to see one of those dramatic tests end with a teardown and inspection for clogging in the oil passages, in addition to a more staid test, such as Mobil's taxi-cab marathon.
"I simply don't understand human behavior."
01-16-2008, 11:55 AM
#12
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lubrilon
so if this stuff actually does what it says it does, and permanently bonds to metal parts, you only would have to apply it once. If that is the case, don't you think the automotive OEMs would think it was worth $40 to increase their mileage by a few percentage points? Especially given the new MPG requirements? 
Color me skeptical.
Color me skeptical.
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