AMSOIL INC. set out to examine the specifics of the overly broad “Nothing Outperforms...” Mobil claim. AMSOIL 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (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 1 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 1 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 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.
Mobil will
not recommend or
guarantee 25,000
mile/1-year
drain intervals
like AMSOIL
5W-30, 10W-30 or
10W-40 or 35,000
mile/1-year
drain intervals
like AMSOIL
0W-30 Severe
Service
Synthetic does
and that is a
fact. No-where
on the Mobil
bottle does it
state 25,000
miles/1-year or
35,000
miles/1-year.
Mobil 1 has run
the tag line for
their
advertising
stating "nothing
outperforms
Mobil 1". Mobil
makes a good
oil, but I'm
here to tell you
that it does not
outperform
Amsoil Synthetic
Oils. They can
come out with
all the catchy
advertising buzz
words to market
their oils, but
in the final
analysis, buzz
words don't add
one thing to
their product's
performance. The
only reason
Amsoil has
continued to
grow and prosper
competing with
large
corporations
like Mobil is
that AMSOIL
products have
consistently
performed
better.
Here's a special
excerpt from A.J.
Amaturio,
President of
AMSOIL, as
written in the
monthly AMSOIL
Action News
magazine to all
AMSOIL Dealers
regarding AMSOIL
and Mobil 1:
"As most of you
are aware. Mobil
1 was introduced
after AMSOIL had
paved the way
for synthetic
motor oils back
in the '70's.
When it was
introduced it
cased great
concern among
many of our
Dealers. But in
my Presidents
Message at the
time, I assured
everyone that
having Mobil 1
on the market
would only help
us sell more
oil. Mobil
confirmed
everything we
had been saying
about synthetic
oils, and our
products and
claims instantly
became more
credible.
Since then, we
have always been
compared to
Mobil 1. 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. I
have always said
that Mobil 1 is
a good motor
oil, because
compared to the
run-of-the-mill
motor oils on
the market, it
is. I have also
always said that
AMSOIL motor oil
is better,
again, because
it is. Mobil
makes their oils
to run at normal
drain intervals
while we make
ours for
extended drain
intervals, and
therein lies the
difference.
Their oils don't
have to be as
good as ours, so
they are not.
To prove that
point, we ran a
number of
comparative
tests on our
5W-30 and Mobil
1 SuperSyn
5W-30. The test
results are
published in
this Action
News, and they
confirm what I
have been saying
all along.
AMSOIL makes a
better motor
oil.
These test
results show
significant
differences
between the
oils. Look at
the results of
the NOACK
Volatility Test.
Which synthetic
oil is going to
last longer in
service? Look at
the difference
in Total Base
Numbers. Again,
which oil is
going to provide
the longest
lasting
protection? Look
at the Four Ball
Wear Test. Which
oil will protect
against engine
wear better? In
every category
we tested,
Amsoil proved
superior. Lower
pour point,
higher flash and
fire points,
AMSOIL tested
best.
So when I hear
claims that
nothing
outperforms
Mobil 1, I have
to say "wrong!".
They may have
good slogans and
marketing hype,
but when it
comes to
superior
performance,
I say nothing
beats AMSOIL!"
