SeattlePorsche

Is there a difference I should be aware of? I bought a case of Valvoline VR-1 20w50 today from Napa, but they are having a sale on the Mobil 1 EP 15w50 which I was going to use for my other car. I believe Steve Weiner wanted me to use the regular Mobil 1 15w50, so what do you guys think?

theiceman

Steve would be the guy to ask .. is the EP synthetic ?

SeattlePorsche

Earth calling Steve. Come in, over...

by the way, what does roflmao mean?

theiceman

roling on floor laughing my *** off... ....

JackOlsen

They've discontinued the red cap stuff and replaced it with the more expensive (what a shocker) gold cap stuff. I'm not aware of any differences.

SeattlePorsche

Thanks Jack. So I take it that the gold cap is the extended performance type. Interesting. So Mobil 1 EP is now the only option if you want 15w50.

I hate to mention something about my 993 in this forum for fear of being in the wrong forum, but the Mobil 1 question stems from a previous thread on VR-1. Well, anyways, my 993 has 0w40 in it and I noticed that the 993 uses a lot of oil. No drips, and no oil smoking from the tail pipe, just a lot of consumption. That's why I want to go with 15w50 as Steve recommended to me earlier.

I guess I will pick up a case from Napa on sale. I think it was 3.99 each.

JackOlsen

That's a good price.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Yes indeed,...thats the reformulated 15w-50 stuff. Same as before except for some additives that are supposed to hold particulate matter in suspension for a longer period of time & mileage.

For me, I do not extend oil changes simply because the oil manufacturer says its OK to do so. Fact is,..each & every engine's lubrication requirements and operating conditions are different so one can hardly make blanket recommendations for all,...

Jay Gratton

James,
You said you 993 was using a lot of oil. I had a friend with a 993 who had the same problem. She was buring oil at start up (common problem). She switched to Amsoil and the problem went away and she doesn't burn any at start up. Just a thought!

JBO

If I remember correctly a guy on Pelican did some tests and the Mobil 1 EP had more zinc and phosphorus in it than the red-top version, which Steve (and others) say is good for air cooled engines, so the EP may actually be better for us than the old red-top.

theiceman

Just read excelence this morning and read about a guy who drove his 993 till the oil pressure light came on , he was 5 qts low WOW ... what a bonehead ( even more than me .. ) .. is this being caused by the valve guide wear I have read about that some 993s have ?

SeattlePorsche

I saved that post and looked at it last night. The numbers are about the same, but all of the data is from a sample size of 1 for each oil, so I am not sure how accurate the data is.

But if the EP is the reformulated version of 15w50, then I guess that is the only option and it is what I will get. I won't put Amsoil in my car.

der Mond

There were some extensive posts some time ago, and I can't even remember if it was here or on Pelican, in which seasoned shop mechanics/owners reported their experience measuring wear on engines that had been run for many miles on different viscosity oils. I believe it was primarily valve guide wear they were reporting on. I use Mobil1 synthetics in all my cars, even in my lawn mowers, and have had incredible longevity. Here in Alaska in winter I have used 0W-30 with good results - in a Honda Civic Si. The punchline was that a 911/964/993 engine should be run on 15W-50 or 20W-50 oil, period, synthetic or mineral. 0W-40 is the oil of choice for the newer engines. After reading all the posts I discontinued using 0W-40 which I had used in winter only in my 911. Now I no longer even drive the car in winter. So I'll let the real experts respond to that if they wish! If I were you it would be Mobil1 15W-50 only.

der Mond

Also, I used Amsoil in the past and with my old Jeep Cherokee (currently 172,000 miles) on Amsoil 0W-30 I had problems with a lifter pumping up. As soon as Mobil1 0W-30 hit the motor it went away. Amsoil is also so proud of their differential oil, they recommend not using friction additive in LSD differentials. That did not do my Jeep or Dakota much justice either. Amsoil may have been one of the first, but I will never use another Amsoil product again. As far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with the right Mobil1 product.