Dealer Switched from Castrol to Mobil Oil - Downgrade?

My local Honda dealer, where I get my oil changed, switched from Castrol to Mobil oil. Also, the paperwork and windshield sticker no longer indicate the grade or weight (should be API service SJ "energy conserving" oil, SAE

5-30 viscosity, for my particular year and model).

I had an impression from years ago that Castrol was considered a superior brand. Is that still true, and if so, why?

The service manager at Mel Rapton Honda in Sacramento, CA, says one reason he switched is price. Mobil is cheaper. And he assures me it meets all the factory specs, although I can't verify that because I can't see the label for what they put in my car.

He also says that all Hondas come with Mobil oil in the crankcase from the factory, whether in the US or Japan. Is that true?

OK, so Mobil is cheaper. Assuming the product is marked as meeting the factory specs for my car, is it good enough?

I am not asking here about synthetic oil; please limit responses to conventional oil products only.

And please, I hope to hear informed and expert knowledge here, not speculation and guesses. Thank you.

- Don

Reply to
Don Enderton
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speculation and guesses are what you will get. you are not paying for this advice directly. of course, it can be argued that you are paying for electricity to power the computer, the purchase price of the computer, the internet connection, etc...

there is nothing wrong with mobil. you are silly if you think otherwise. clean, fresh oil of the proper (as per the particular vehicle manual) viscosity is all you need and all you need to worry about.

bob z.

Reply to
bob zee

OK, zee, thank you. If my dealer is using "Mobil Clean" then according to the Mobil web site it does meet the owner's manual specs for my car. Not only as to viscosity, but also as to API service rating SJ and "energy conserving" in my case.

- D>

Reply to
Don Enderton

i was having a bad day so please forgive my abrasiveness.

bob z.

Reply to
bob zee

"Don Enderton" wrote in news:sOI0i.5504$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:

Ah, I see we have yet another multi-posting newbie!

Identical message posted independently to at least two groups.

I have already supplied a sublime and penetrating response in the other group you posted to. Go find it. You know where it is (but nobody else does!).

Oh, and you may wish to educate youself as to certain Usenet etiquette conventions, here:

formatting link

Reply to
Tegger

Reply to
Howard

If you follow an average oil change interval, any API spec oil is just fine. All modern oils are essentially good and better than they used to be.

Reply to
MAT

not "any" oil. motorcraft api spec "semi-synthetic" makes the seals on my 89 civic leak like sieves. subsequently running castrol or mobil oil, i've had no leakage problems from the same seals whatsoever.

first line oil analysis is spark spectrometry. [quick and cheap.] that's good for inorganic components like zinc, but useless for organic component analysis. on spark analysis, motorcraft oil appears to have an inorganic additive package just as good as other oils. but if it's causing leakage, clearly it's missing organic components like seal conditioners - and this would never show on spectrometry. guess that's why it's cheap.

Reply to
jim beam

I don't know about the Service Specs, etc, but I have been using Castrol for over 25 years and have 3 High Mileage cars.

Also, I picked up a Supra a couple years ago, and the vale stem seals need replacing. Big cloud of blue smoke on startup. Started using Castrol High Mileage..no more blue smoke. After the next oil change I'll switch back to regular Castrol.

If you can do your own changes, do it. They're easy. They don't cost a lot less, but you'll get what you want for oil and filters.

Reply to
Hachiroku

In my forty plus years of fiddlin' with cars, I have found Castrol to cut consumption by as much as 50% regardless of the type of car involved in ever case.

Just like in politics, it's a case of, "Follow the money."

It's just that simple...

JT

Howard wrote:

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

cut consumption by 50%? maybe /you/ need to cut the consumption before posting on the internet.

bob z.

Reply to
bob zee

J.T. is a good source of info on a wide range of cars (not just Hondas.) How is it not possible he is right about this? I haven't had cars that consume significant oil for quite a while so I couldn't say myself, but I have to credit his observation as "could be."

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

May be the problem is with the Honda OEM seals not the oil.

///snipped///

DaveD

Reply to
Dave and Trudy

I thought my reply was funny!

"No, it wasn't."

"Sure, it was. Its funny."

"No."

"damn..."

:~)>

Reply to
bob zee

I guess we have to get to know you better.

Reply to
Michael Pardee

In my varied experience, I've found Castrol to be the best and Quaker State/Penzoil to be the worst.

Of course, seal condition etc. plays a greater role when it comes to leakage.

OTOH, if one of my vintage Studebakers were to suddenly stop leaking, i.e., no drip marks on the pavement... I would become very concerned that it might be empty..

JT

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

lol!

Reply to
jim beam

My motorhead brother tells me to stay away from Havoline, that he's seen too many engines with carbon deposits in its wake....

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

Generally, I've found that most major oil company brands to be mediocre.

Castrol and probably the less promoted Valvoline are pretty near equal on the high end with Penzoil and Quacker (pun intended) State rounding out the bottom.

As for synthetics, I'm strictly RedLine which I use in trannies and differentials...

JT

Reply to
Grumpy AuContraire

Thanks, Tegger, I went to the Wikipedia link, which led to another link, and the resulting consensus seems to be:

1) Where possible, post to only one group, but

2) If there is a reason, it's OK to post to two and not more than three groups, and

3) If I post to more than one group, I should take care to NOT "double post" (what I did) but rather to "crosspost" such that the resulting messages will show both groups in the header, and such that replies from either group will go to both groups..

I understand the traffic problems that result from posting in more than one group, especially if replies then go to more than one group.

But there is a special problem here: There are two Honda groups, not one. And both get a lot of traffic. If I only post to one, 1/3 or more of the Honda community won't see my post. Tegger, are you suggesting I should pick just one group (maybe the one with the most traffic, or the one with the least spam, or the one with the fewest unpleasant people) and limit my posts to that one?

I do wish the two groups would combine into one, but as there is no administrative mechanism to accomplish that, posting to two (in whatever is the least objectionable way) seems the next best solution.

- Don

Reply to
Don Enderton

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