Good work, Got Vnum
I like Tom's observation here-
"There are no parts inside an engine like what this equipment evaluates."
That's what I was thinking- Although this test procedure makes one brand look superior, it may not be realistic, because engines don't exert the exact same mechanical forces on the lubricant. I think an engine puts more compression force on the lube, and less shear forces. Like when the rod is pushing down on the crank journal, it is squeezing the oil out from between the two surfaces in compression, and the shear froce is secondary. Having said that, I'm still not sure. Where's Tom when you need him? (boo-hoo!) 8^)
I've used Mobil 1 exclusively in a couple of vehicles that went over 180,000 miles each. They did not burn oil between 6k mile change intervals, and had no engine problems related to lubrication.
When I pulled the lifters out of my GTS after about 46k miles, (also used M1 from day 1) they only showed polishing in the contact area, where they pump up and down. If you ran your finger accross
the edge of the colored area, there was no perceptible ridge. I know 46k isn't that much, but damm, they sure were smooth.