Only Mobil 1 For My Prius

Knew there was a thread on this. Not totally brain dead yet, but getting there.


The Toyota 0W20 is designed to be as light as possible at typical start-ups and especially for use in Toyota's hybrid vehicles.

The Toyota 0W20 VI is one of the very highest, 216, compared to Mobil 1's much lower 173. Toyota's 40C cST is 37.38 cST compared to Mobil's 40C 44.8cST. ( Lower is much better here )

Toyota's 100C is 8.54 cSt compared to Mobil 1's 8.7 cST.

In addition, the HTHS of the Toyota 0w20 is 2.6 compared to Mobil 1's 2.7.....and the AW package is much better also.

What the numbers all mean is that the Toyota 0W20 synthetic is about 35% lighter than M1's 0W20 at 0C (32F) and 25% lighter at room temperatures. These factors all combine for easy starts and less wear for the frequent start/stop operation of the Prius ICE ( and other Toyota's where it's specified for use ) and for maximum fuel economy.

There have been many UOA's that substantiate it's durability up to 10K and that it protects very well.

It's an excellent oil for use in all Toyoa;s Hybrids and other non-hybrid engines it is spec'd for.

#7 ETP, Jul 17, 2016
Last edited: Jul 17, 2016

 

i wouldn't put it past any dealer to say one thing and do another. oil is one of those things you can't really figure out. but shame on toyota if they can't even hold their dealers to this small standard.

 

Gen 4 doesn't normally start the ICE up until the battery falls down to 2 bars, unless the ambient temp outside is low or you press the gas pedal or you have the heater on.

 

In my Gen 4, it'll start the ICE at 20 MPH, too, on a cold start.

In any case, TGMO 0W20 is available in bulk, and is also (in the US, not necessarily true outside - I believe it's Idemitsu in Japan) a Mobil product (I think this is the old formulation of the product, but AFAIK it's the same idea today): http://physics.usc.edu/Undergraduate/temporary/toyota0W20motor_oil.pdf

 

is there a temp threshold for staring when you press the power button, or does it vary? i wonder if u/k and u/s are the same.

 

Specs change over time, and dealers use whatever they want and put it on the invoice any way they want. "Toyota Motor Oil" can be anything they want, from any source (like "Beer"). The specs you read from past posts may no longer be valid. The only way you can be sure is to purchase the oil in the container with the specs listed on it.

The other issue is that while lower or higher numbers are easy to compare, differences may not be relevant or significant to your situation and better numbers may yield no measurable results. Eficiencies and results are not necessarily linear (think curves).

 

Need to take my binoculars the next time.

 

Not even in a labeled bottle can you be sure what you are drinking or what goes in your car. Crap shoot at best.

All you can do is taste it, check your dipstick, look under the car for oil pouring out, and check your MPG.

How many in this forum actually check the dipstick and look under the car?????????????? You should every time with an inspection of the tires and body.

 

The statement I noticed in the Toyota memo to dealers:
formulation provides "better overall engine protection over a wide variety of temperatures."

This suggests some possible trade-offs between (1) wanting the oil to be thin when cold so it pumps faster, but at the same time (2) thinner oil may have a little less lubrication in the instant before the oil gets pumped over. But they have this covered because they say is "better overall".

 

Oh, also, I suspect a 1 second clatter on startup is probably the hydraulic lash adjusters pumping up...

 

Too bad they can do an electric small oil pump to prime the system before crank and yank.

 

i always thought one of the advantages of syn was that it stuck to the metal and was already protecting on startup.

 

That's sad. I prefer to believe when I buy bulk Toyota 0W20 at my dealership, they're on the level. It certainly pours, looks and performs the same.

If we've gotta keep turning out these countless oil contaminated plastic bottles, just to assuage mistrust, something's wrong.

 

Toyota Oil is Mobil 1 oil, with an additive package designed to meet Toyota's specs.

 

In the US, it is an ExxonMobil product, but all indications are that it's a fair bit lighter viscosity than any Mobil 1 0W20 product, lighter than I'd expect additives to be able to do.

 

That is the theory and seems to be working.

 

if your dealer is trustworthy, then the oil is too. but if my dealer recommended $1,000. worth of nonsense when i went in for 60,000 mile service, i wouldn't trust the oil, or the filter change.

 

... agreed higher quality (more expensive) base oil would allow having a thinner oil at room temp, but which also maintains higher viscosity at higher temps, without getting too thin at temperature. Believe the specs someone posted a while back showed this.

We would need an expert to explain why thinner oil at room temp is not a "bad thing" as far as noise or less clinginess to parts at initial start-up.

 

When I was younger....
I use to be nearly religious in my use of Mobil One.

I'd buy the bottles, and take them to the dealership and have them use it.

Today?
I just don't have the energy.
Plus the fact that most of the time the dealership....or even Jiffy Lube would really rip me off, giving me a token discount for providing the oil, but nearly charging me full price, even though I was providing the most expensive part of the whole process.

So while I like Mobil One, and think it's a great product, I now just let the dealership use (hopefully) the Genuine Toyota oil.
I suspect that at worst....it's good enough.
At Best?
Well....it's a synthetic rumored to be made by Mobil.

I think with a good quality synthetic, I'm in good shape as long as I'm changing the oil within recommended interval.
I don't change my own oil, and I absolutely don't trust The Prius to a local quick change chain. So..that leaves me trusting the dealership and the Toyota product.

A compromise, maybe...but the days of my purchasing the oil separately, and then paying for the labor of the oil change, are past.