2025 test6 productsEngine Oil & Fluids

Which Motor Oil Brand Wins?

A head-to-head test of 6 motor oil options with the measured results for each. See how they ranked and watch the full test video.

The verdict
Ranked first

Motorcraft Diesel Engine 10W-30

Price shown in test: $32

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The measured results

Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.

ProductMade ByClaimsEvaporative Loss Noack TestLubricity Wear Scar TestCold Flow Fresh At 40 BelowCold Flow After Heat At 40 BelowOil Lab Anti Wear AdditivesOil Lab Total Base NumberOil TypeMade InCertificationsOil Lab Additive NoteCold Flow All RacesCold Flow Degradation After HeatOil Lab Detergent DispersantNoteDesigned ForCold Flow Room Temp
1Motorcraft Diesel Engine 10W-30$32distributed by Ford Motor Companymore than 1,000 parts per million phosphorus for better wear protection, recommended for power stroke diesel engines, warns against use in catalyst-equipped gasoline engines410.82 g dropped to 402.13 g, a loss of 8.69 g; lost this specific 2-oil comparison to the Mobil 1 10W-30's 5.26 g loss5.57 mm wear scar, beat the Mobil 1 10W-30's 6.23 mm; finished a very close second overall (across all 6 oils) behind the Motul motorcycle oil's 5.47 mmabout 30 seconds slower than the Mobil 1 10W-30 in the diesel/gasoline/0W-8/aviation racefinished third in that group's race at 1 minute 47 seconds; only slowed by 8% after heat exposure, the best (least) percentage slowdown of the three oils given a specific percentage figure2,128 parts per million, helping explain its strong lubricity test resultin the general range of 6.9 to 7.8 stated for most oils in this test (aviation oil excluded as an outlier); exact individual TBN not givennot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot tested
2Mobil 1 10W-30 (automotive)$30not testeddesigned to last 10,000 miles, claims 10 times more wear protection, fights sludge404.68 g dropped to 399.42 g, a loss of only 5.26 g; won this specific 2-oil comparison against the Motorcraft diesel oil6.23 mm wear scar, about 12% larger than the Motorcraft diesel oil's scar; lost this specific comparisonfinished second in the diesel/gasoline/0W-8/aviation race at 1 minute 11 secondspassed the Motorcraft to finish second in that group at 1 minute 38 secondsnot testednot testedadvanced full syntheticUSAAPI SP; claims to exceed ILSAC GF-6A requirementshost states the Mobil 1 0W-8 has 'about twice' the anti-wear additive and detergent/dispersant content of this 10W-30 oil; no specific ppm figure given for the 10W-30 itself in the transcriptnot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot tested
3Mobil 1 0W-8$28not testeddesigned to increase engine efficiency, provide startup protection, and fight sludge405.83 g dropped to 400.12 g, a loss of 5.71 g; lost this specific comparison to the Phillips 66 aviation oil's 2.39 g6.56 mm wear scar, described as the most damage of any oil tested in this videonot testednot tested2,494 parts per million, described as a very aggressive anti-wear additive package, about twice the content of the Mobil 1 10W-30not testedextremely thin viscosity full syntheticUSAAPI SPnot testedwon every single flow-speed race in the video (room temperature, fresh at -40 F, and heat-exposed at -40 F), described as 'not even close' in multiple roundsslowed down by 12% after heat exposureabout twice the detergent/dispersant content of the Mobil 1 10W-30not testednot testednot tested
4Phillips 66 20W-50 Aviation$53not testedclaims easier starting and quick lubrication at low temperatures, claims high film strength for wear protection at high temperatures399.25 g dropped by only 2.39 g, the best (lowest) evaporative loss of all six oils tested6.35 mm wear scar, second worst of the lineup, close behind the Mobil 1 0W-8's 6.56 mmby far the slowest oil in its race, finishing in about 3 minutes 22 secondsremained the slowest, finishing in about 4 minutes 20 secondsnot testedonly 0.6, a dramatic outlier compared to the 6.9 to 7.8 range of the other five oilsmineral-based ashless dispersant multigrade oil for aviation piston enginesUSAnot testednot testednot testednot testedonly trace levels, the lowest of the lineupthe only oil tested in 20W-50 viscosity; host could not find a 10W-30 aviation oil to match the other productsnot testednot tested
5Motul 10W-30 Motorcycle$53 per gallonnot testednot testedlost only 2.62 g, second best of all six oils, very close behind the Phillips 66 aviation oil5.47 mm wear scar, the BEST (smallest) of all six oils testedfinished about a minute slower than the marine oil in their race at 2 minutes 37 secondsfinished in 3 minutes 33 seconds, notably slower than the marine oil's 1 minute 53 seconds2,052 parts per million, described as a very good additive packagenot testedclaims 100% synthetic, may contain esterFrancemeets JASO T903 motorcycle specificationnot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot testednot tested
6Quicksilver 10W-30 Marine$30not testedclaims to outperform automotive oils in marine applications, provides wear and corrosion protection, eliminates thermal breakdown under extreme RPM/temperature/load399.52 g, lost a total of 5.25 g5.98 mm wear scar, described as better than average but not enough to beat the Motorcraft diesel's 5.57 mmwon its race against the Motul motorcycle oil, finishing in about 1 minute 40 seconds versus Motul's 2 minutes 37 secondswon again, finishing in 1 minute 53 seconds versus Motul's 3 minutes 33 secondsnot testednot testednot testedblended in the US with foreign and domestic materialsnot testednot testednot testedslowed down by 13% after heat exposure, the worst percentage figure given among the oils with a stated percentagenot testednot testedfour-stroke marine enginesfinished last (slowest) of the three-oil room-temperature race against the Motul motorcycle oil and Mobil 1 0W-8

How it was tested

  • oil flow speed at room temperature (~85 F)
  • oil flow speed at -40 F (fresh oil)
  • oil flow speed at -40 F (after heat/Noack exposure)
  • Noack volatility / evaporative loss test (200 g of oil heated to ~400 F for 2 hours)
  • lubricity / film strength wear-scar test
  • independent oil lab analysis (wear metals, detergents/dispersants, anti-wear additives, total base number)

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