They Say Nothing
Outperforms Mobil1?
Wrong!

Since then, AMSOIL has always been compared to Mobil 1. The most common question by far is “How does AMSOIL compare to Mobil 1?”

Now, when people think of synthetic motor oil, they think of AMSOIL and Mobil 1, not the other Johnny-come-lately’s that have come on the market more recently. Mobil 1 is a good motor oil compared to other run-of-the-mill motor oils (conventional, synthetic, or quasi-synthetic [click here to understand why I say that]), and if I didn’t know about AMSOIL, I would be using Mobil 1.

For a handy pamphlet of this page, click here

But Mobil 1 makes their oils to run at “normal” drain intervals (3,000 or 5,000 miles) while we make AMSOIL for extended drain intervals of 25,000-miles or 12-months, whichever comes first. Mobil 1 SuperSyn doesn’t have to be as good as ours, so it’s not. And it’s not as economical as ours. Let me explain:

The average driver will put 15,000-miles on his vehicle in a year. With a 5,000 mile oil change interval with Mobile 1 SuperSyn, that’s 15 quarts of oil and three oil filters. WalMart’s price (Nov., 2002) for Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W-30 is $28.62 for a case of six quarts ($4.77 per quart). A Fram PH8A oil filter (a widely specified filter equivalent to our SDF-15) is $2.97.

AMSOIL Synthetic 5W-30 (Product Code ASL) would require only six quarts (five for initial oil change and one for 6-month oil filter change) at $5.70 per quart and two oil filters at $10.30 each. With the added cost of a UPS freight charge of $5.55, your total cost is $63.91 (including North Carolina Sales Tax). Total savings: $21.78.

And if you become an AMSOIL Preferred Customer, your cost per quart of oil would drop to $4.45, and the oil filters would cost you $7.90 each. Adding in the $10.00 Preferred Customer membership fee (which extends for six months), the $5.55 UPS charges and sales tax, your cost is $60.81. (Note that there is a price increase on AMSOIL products to be effective January 1, 2003.) Total savings: $24.88, and you can use your Preferred Customer membership for additional savings on AMSOIL products.

Ok, so this shows we are less expensive over the course of a year, but Mobile 1 says that “Nothing outperforms Mobil 1”. How can we reconcile this statement to AMSOIL?

AMSOIL INC. set out to examine the specifics of the overly broad “Nothing Outperforms…” Mobil claim. AMSOIL 5W-30 synthetic Motor Oil (Product Code ASL) and Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil were analyzed in five key bench tests measuring motor oil performance: NOACK volatility, flash/fire point, pour point, four ball wear and total base number (TBN). As shown in the charts below, AMSOIL outperformed Mobil 1 in all five areas.

NOACK Volatility
The NOACK Volatility Test determines the evaporation loss of lubricants in high-temperature service. The more motor oils vaporize, the thicker and heavier they become, contributing to poor circulation, reduced fuel economy, increased oil consumption and excessive wear and emissions. A maximum of 15 percent evaporation loss is allowable to meet the API SL and ILSAC GF-3 specifications. As shown in the graph, AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor oil lost an extremely low 4.9 percent of its original weight during high-temperature service, maintaining its superior protective and performance qualities, while Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil lost 9.17 percent of its original weight.

Four Ball Wear
The Four Ball Wear Test determines the wear protection properties of a lubricant by measuring the wear scars produced by four metal balls in sliding contact under the test parameters. The smaller the average wear scar, the better the wear protection provided by the lubricant. As shown in the graph, AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil completed the Four Ball Wear Test producing a smaller wear scar than the Mobil 2 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil.

Flash/Fire Point
The Flash/Fire Point Test determines the lowest temperatures at which application of a flame will cause lubricant vapors to ignite (flash point) and sustain burning for five seconds (fire point). Lubricants with higher flash and fire points exhibit more stable volatility characteristics and are safer to use and transport. As shown in the graph, AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil has higher flash and fire points than does Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil.

Pour Point
The Pour Point Test determines the lowest temperature at which a lubricant flows. The lower a lubricant’s pour point, the better protection it provides in low-temperature service. As shown in the graph, AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil has a lower pour point than Mobil 2 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil.

Total Base Number
Total Base Number (TBN) is the measurement of a lubricant’s reserve alkalinity. The higher a motor oil’s TBN, the more effective it is in handling contaminants and reducing the corrosive effects of acids (a byproduct of the combustion process) for an extended period of time. As shown in the graph, AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil has a higher TBN than Mobil 1 SuperSyn 5W-30 Motor Oil.