As a teenager in the 70s, I remember the "hoopla" over Arco Graphite oil. It looked a dark gray in color, even new out of the bottle as compared to a more common golden honey color of oil. As I remember, the graphite formula additive package was suppose to cling to internal engine parts better, especially in freezing weather. Anyway, my question to those of you my age, who remember (or used) Arco Graphite, why was this lubricant the "Edsel" of oils? Why, by the mid 80s, it was nowhere to be found? Lastly, since today's oil manufacturers are basically a "copycat" industry (IE: One company comes out and markets a 'high mileage' oil, for vehicles over 75,000 miles. Two months later, EVERY oil company has a high mileage oil!) When Arco released it's graphite oil, no other oil company produced a similar product. If I am wrong here, please correct me. Thank You... Ed

 

I seem to remember that Arco had a problem with that oil. I think that all the graphite fell out of suspension and gooked up everything.

Plus, I think that Arco had trouble selling oil that was already black when new.

 

I used the Arco graphite in my new '76 Grand Prix. It seemed fine, but I only kept that car to '79, so it wasn't much of a test. Arco left this area so I assumed that the graphite oil went with it, rather than that there was any problem. I think I began using Mobil 1 about that time.

It did and does seem like a good idea, unless, as you said, things clogged up. Maybe it cost too much to make.

 

I know there are two types of graphite. I remember reading that the solids type commonly used in greases would get into lifters and plug them up as well as any other small oil passages. It could also plug a filter.

 

I found this:

 

I remember my brother using Arco graphite in his '79 Monte Carlo.
It had a 265 V8 and he put over 200K hard miles on it.
I was just laughing about this the other day.

 

Thanks everyone! I found all of your comments on this very informative and thought provoking. That too, is why I always disliked oil additives that stated "shake well before using" on it's label, some well known aaditives I still see on occasion. Thanks again everyone ... ED
PS That would be interesting, I think, to run across an unopened can of Arco Graphite oil at a flea market or automotive swap meet.

 

I used Arco Graphite in my 1979 Horizon TC3 back in about 1980. It didn't take long before my 1.7L engine seemed to work best going downhill. By the end of 1982 it had lost so much power that I decided to trade it in.

I just started putting Mobile 1 in my F-150, but I won't ever touch graphite oil again.

 

I remember Arco Graphite oil. One big issue was people used it in motorcycles, where the clutch is bathed in the motor oil. The graphite would work into the clutch material, a slipping clutch was the result, and replacement was the only option. Don't ask me how I know....................

 

Used it in my 1971 Chevy pickup. Never had a problem, but the black color was disturbing. I thought that was the main reason it failed in the marketplace, it looked used when new. Purple dyed oil is a novel marketing idea that did get copied.

Jim

 

I remember Graphite oil and the little tags to afix to the dipstick saying that it was so. In attempt to keep the service station from selling you an oil change the very next day!

 

I used ARCO Graphite Motor Oil in my 1977 Chevrolet Monza Spyder. Car has 160,000 miles on it, sits in heated garage. Oil pan has pin hole leak, and I have approximately 20 quarts of this oil unopened. These black plastic containers (some round, some of the newer rectangular design) have all developed leaks, and I must safely dispose of this oil. Either there is some reaction between the graphite, and the plastic of the container over a 20+ year period, or a component of the oil weakens the plastic sides of the containers. Bizarre. It seemed to work well, but Castrol has never done this to me (leaking containers).

 

I have a story on Arco graphite. In believe it was the best oilsl ever made. I ran it in 1989 in a Ford Taurus, company car after a friend said he had 150,000 miles on a 4-cylinder datsun and only changed the oil every 20,000 miles. At last report my old Taurus had over 350,000 miles on the original engine. It was nasty stuff if you got some on your driveway. I think Arco had a paten on the way they mixed the oil with the graphite. I am looking for graphite additives. GM has one bad engine (one model North Star) that uses oil, and the dealers add a graphite additive to this engine to help. I believe it is not only low friction, but a reducing agent that prevents the oil from going acidic at high temperatures.

 

I used Arco Graphite in my 1979 Horizon TC3 back in about 1980. It didn't take long before my 1.7L engine seemed to work best going downhill. By the end of 1982 it had lost so much power that I decided to trade it in.

I just started putting Mobile 1 in my F-150, but I won't ever touch graphite oil again.

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Ah. yes, the Plymouth Horizon TC3! I remember them, as I ordered and purchased new a 1979 Dodge OMNI 024. Had the 1.7L VW 4 cylinder, silver metallic with black trim, semi gloss black with the lettering and lower door skins,

A great little car, excellent MPG and dependable. That car started on many sub zero NE Ohio winter mornings, using 10w30 Mobil 1 oil.

Drove that Omni as my daily transportation (Also had a '79 DODGE POWER WAGON, 360 CI and a pristine, like new 1973 Dodge Charger SE, 440 CI, silver with black 1/2 vinyl top as on the Charger SE's of that era) and also three round trips from northeast Ohio to Sacramento, CA) I wish I still had that car now, sold it in 1998 here in California.

You don't see them on the road anymore.