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Technical Synthetic Oils are a Marketing Scheme.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Petejoe, Jan 11, 2024.

  1. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,414

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    Very interesting thread on Fordbarn from a Mobil engineer. Worth the read.
    See link.
    Quoted….,
    I'm a little biased in that I worked for Mobil but what passes for synthetic today is not what it used to be. Synthetic used to be like Mobil 1, a non crude oil based polyalphaolefins (PAO) which are a chemically engineered synthesized basestocks. I only use Mobil 1 for modern cars and dino oil for my 41 Ford.

    Mobil sued other companies calling their oil "synthetic" when it wasn't PAO but lost.

    Lube oils are of a specific chemical structure, branched chain paraffins. Used to be lube base stocks came from "lube" crudes, in other words the lube oils were in the crude oil and just needed to be separated out. Lube crudes are becoming few and far between these days so the oil companies have been forced to manufacture the base stock from non lube crudes. What passes for "synthetic" these days is from crude oil. The lube cut from the crude unit is then hydrocracked to get a lube base stock. They make their lube oils sound "better" by calling them synthetic. "Synthetic" is a marketing term these days!

    The difference between PAO oil and "synthetic" oil is in impurities. The PAO oils are more pure. The biggest benefit is in cold places like Alaska as the PAO oils freeze at a much lower temperature.

    I've tried to make this explanation to be understood by the non engineer. Don't know if what I wrote makes sense to old Ford owners or not?

    https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=332183
     
  2. JohnLewis
    Joined: Feb 19, 2023
    Posts: 530

    JohnLewis
    Member

    I know he mentions later how he never actually worked in engineering for motor oils and that the plant refined base stock for industrial more than automotive. He just mentions "synthetics", is he talking Full Synthetic or Blends in general? Your Full Syn (PAO, Group IV) and your Blends (Typically Group II, III)/Mixed with Group IV & V usually in the form of their additive packs. Where your Industrial and older conventional oil typically comes from a Group I-II, Hydrocracking would make it atleast a Group II. I'd say there's a good difference from that to the automotive refining. Regardless it makes you think about it, interesting read.
     
  3. I use oil

    no issues so far
     
  4. HEATHEN
    Joined: Nov 22, 2005
    Posts: 8,713

    HEATHEN
    Member
    from SIDNEY, NY

    The fact that Smokey Yunick swore by synthetic oil years before it was in the public eye says a lot to me.
     
  5. Los_Control
    Joined: Oct 7, 2016
    Posts: 1,182

    Los_Control
    Member
    from TX

    @Petejoe are you trying to start a conumdrum? .... Just give a wink and I'm with you :D
     
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  6. Tow Truck Tom
    Joined: Jul 3, 2018
    Posts: 2,435

    Tow Truck Tom
    Member
    from Clayton DE

    Personaly, just listening to the engine, Been happily pouring Mobil 1 since the mid '80s.
     
  7. It's January 12, 2024 - more than a week into the new year - about time we had an oil thread! :eek::D
     
  8. I saw this coming, oh well.:rolleyes:
     
  9. lake_harley
    Joined: Jun 4, 2017
    Posts: 2,234

    lake_harley
    Member

    Dino's are fine with me and my 421,xxx mile OT daily. Nothing has ever needed to be done to the engine. I use mostly Fram filters too so I may be suspect in many ways. :eek:

    Lynn
     
  10. pwschuh
    Joined: Oct 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,887

    pwschuh
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  11. chicken
    Joined: Aug 15, 2004
    Posts: 553

    chicken
    Member
    from Kansas

    Just being on the HAMB does that! ;)
     
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  12. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,091

    Budget36
    Member

    Is the copied message from the FordBarn saying only Mobil1 is a real synthetic, or?
     
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  13. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 13,617

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It's like the conversations I have with my friends at the watering hole, wait long enough and they all start over again.

    You should change your HAMB name to Nostradamus. Mad Nostradamus. Has a nice ring to it.
     
  14. I like it, I predict in the future you will will continue to polish everything and make it shine.;):)
     
  15. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 13,617

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It's uncanny!
     
  16. Pete1
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,260

    Pete1
    Member
    from Wa.

    I'm with Smokey.
     
    gimpyshotrods, RDR, Deuces and 3 others like this.
  17. Mike VV
    Joined: Sep 28, 2010
    Posts: 3,159

    Mike VV
    Member
    from SoCal

    I did my own homegrown test with a synthetic gear oil. Agreed it was a few years ago.

    Long test, but it told me under no uncertain circumstances, synthetic oil is here to stay in my vehicles.

    Mike
     
  18. nrgwizard
    Joined: Aug 18, 2006
    Posts: 2,740

    nrgwizard
    Member
    from Minn. uSA

    So, is Mobil1 faking synthetic now, changed the formulation(s), or how they're doing things, or is it same as it was? FWIW, I've used it for decades, & like it.
    Marcus...
     
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  19. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 57,118

    squirrel
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Me too.

    I even put some new oil in from time to time.
     
    winduptoy, BigRRR, joel and 18 others like this.
  20. Sharpone
    Joined: Jul 25, 2022
    Posts: 1,277

    Sharpone
    Member

    I don’t care who you are ! This here is funny shit.
    Anyone here run castor oil
     
  21. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 13,617

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I find the synthetic oil much harder to wipe up off the garage floor after a week or two.
     
  22. Pete1
    Joined: Aug 23, 2004
    Posts: 2,260

    Pete1
    Member
    from Wa.

    Years ago when we ran at a USAC race where everyone was cheating running nitro, we put a couple ounces of castor and a bit of Alamask in the tank to make them think we were running nitro. We always hoped they would check our fuel but they didn't dare.
     
    chryslerfan55 and Sharpone like this.
  23. In my Sopwith Camel.
     
  24. Dave G in Gansevoort
    Joined: Mar 28, 2019
    Posts: 2,986

    Dave G in Gansevoort
    Member
    from Upstate NY

    Not since the 70's and racing modified snowmobiles on methanol. Castrol Nitroblend. Normal Castrol 2 stroke caster oil for methanol was a pint can for 5 gallons of methanol. He Nitroblend can was more than a quart. And you couldn't get that shit out of your clothing if you slopped it on. Skidoo Blizzard engines really wokeup with that stuff tho. But don't forget to pickle the carburetors after the races. Those Tillotson carburetors just sort of disappeared if you forgot. And don't forget a squirt bottle with normal gasoline/oi mix to get it running. You think getting an injected small block on methanol running is tough i the summer. Try free air 2 stroke at 20 degrees on methanol. And pulling it over by hand yet...
     
  25. Sharpone
    Joined: Jul 25, 2022
    Posts: 1,277

    Sharpone
    Member

    Just for the record I run synthetic in my late model stuff on an older engine with flat tappet cam I run conventional 20W50 with zinc , the OEM recommends 20W50 ,the cam grinder recommends zinc with his cam. If you run the oil recommended by the engine builder, cam grinder or OE and change at a recommended frequency your engine should live a long happy life. Engine oils are better than they ever have been.
    Dan
     
  26. If any you guys think oil isn’t good


    Try not using any.

    a watched a junkyard vw run about an hour without it.
     
  27. SuperKONR
    Joined: Oct 15, 2015
    Posts: 235

    SuperKONR
    Member
    from All over

    I always felt like a lot of that stuff gets made up just to have something to tell the folks asking for your "secrets". If he swore by positive ground electrical systems I bet we'd have another interesting thread to read after this one...
     
  28. LOL:p:p. Bet you are right.

    Ben
     
    Sharpone likes this.
  29. '29 Gizmo
    Joined: Nov 6, 2022
    Posts: 917

    '29 Gizmo
    Member
    from UK

    Start off.... "I worked for Mobil" then said "My engineering field wasn't motor oils"

    Ill leave it there.
     

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