
They Say Nothing Outperforms Mobil 1? Wrong!
5W-30 Motor Oil
(ASL)
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!"
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