What does it take to keep industry moving for 100 years?
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100 years of progress
For 100 years, heavy-duty vehicles have evolved, innovated and delivered – and so have we. From the early efforts of pioneering owner-operators to today’s advanced fleets and large-scale operations, we’ve been driving the industry forward since the very beginning.
Mobil Delvac’s first mascot, an intimidating bright-red creature outlined in black, was distinct from anything else on the market, and quickly came to represent strength, reliability, and speed.
brand is born
Vacuum Oil, a predecessor to ExxonMobil™, registers a new product: Diesel Engine Lubricant by Vacuum Oil. Customers would come to know it by the acronym: “DELVAC.”
Mobiloil advertisements educate consumers on the demands of automobile engines and the advantages of Mobil lubricants.
Gargoyle™ Mobiloil™ was manufactured in 9 different grades to fit the growing range of applications for lubricant oil.
ExxonMobil engineers used state-of-the-art machines to develop market-leading products, like this photoelectric colorimeter to measure the hues of greases.
During WWII in the United States, many women like Claire Frank (pictured) went to work to perform jobs traditionally reserved for men at Mobil factories.
Setting up her Kinematic Viscosimeter for a viscosity check run.
An ingenious use of three oil reservoirs enables laboratory technicians to run oil consumption tests on an unlimited number of different lubricants without stopping the engine.
Here a young driver tops up his car with Mobiloil from a glass bottle. Introduced during the war years due to steel shortages, glass bottles persisted for years until plastic and metal became more practical.
Jersey Standard released Uniflo Multigrade™, the first multigrade motor oil recommended for both summer and winter use. Learn more about Mobil Delvac in mining with The Proof is in the Polishing Pond
Every generation of Mobil Delvac™ products undergoes years of meticulous research. Here, Dr. Dwight Prater (seated) and Dr. James Wei study a three-dimensional model of petroleum molecules.
The Balanced Oil for Commercial Vehicles in All Services
The Mobil Delvac™ brand takes pride in setting new standards — when you have to go the distance, there’s no room for compromise. Learn more about how Mobil Delvac™ has set new milestones for fleets
A man fills his diesel truck at a Mobil station in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, in 1971.
Mobil™ introduces its first synthetic heavy duty engine oil—Mobil Delvac SHC™. Learn more about where synthetic lubricants came from, and what they have made possible, in The Power of Synthetics.
This gas station in San Antonio, Texas proudly displays the rotating Mobil Pegasus and the iconic “Mobil” text logo, promising truckers and drivers alike that their vehicles will be well cared for at this stop.
Mobil Delvac lubricants support the construction of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world.
Half a century after trailblazers like Claire Frank worked in the same Paulsboro Research Lab, technician Anitra Samuels conducts tests on lubricants.
A Kenworth T400 using Mobil Delvac lubricants is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the World’s Fastest Diesel-Powered Truck with a top speed of 113mph (182kph).
Mobil Delvac Extended Life Coolant/Antifreeze is selected as the coolant for the 200-plus TravelCenters of America and Petro Stopping Centers®.
Mobil℠ Lubricant Analysis is launched, further extending ODIs and machine service life on-highway and off
What oil analysis makes possible
Direct Distribution Centers were established across China. Today, consumers can purchase and experience Mobil Delvac lubrication solutions through approximately 300 centers.
The Mobil Delvac team commits to using 50% post-consumer recycled pails for all branded lubricant products.
In our next century, we will continue to innovate and work with our customers to meet evolving lubricant demands.
German inventor Rudolf Diesel files a patent on the first compression-ignition design. Five years later, the first ”Diesel Engine” prototype would prove to be more than 16% efficient than then-standard steam engines.
The Vacuum Oil pegasus was initially launched in South Africa. Later it would become the US trademark and grow inextricably linked to the ExxonMobil brand.
Vacuum Oil begins manufacturing lubricant oil at refinery near Paulsboro, New Jersey. The site would eventually become a central production and research facility.
The Gargoyle was chosen to represent the transition to “Mobiloil™” because of its existing association with the strength and reliability.
The new company announces its new name, “Socony-Vacuum,” and adopts the red Pegasus as its logo.
Researchers like Dr. Carlton H. Schlesman, head of research and development at Socony-Vacuum Oil Company (pictured) help make dramatic improvements in oil refining.
In the 1940s diesel engines begin to dominate industry. Discover how this technology reshaped how people lived and worked around the world in The Dawn of Diesel.
Mobil develops hydraulic oils that must pass a -40 degree temperature test. Oils like these are still used in the hydraulic systems of modern planes.
Our engineers have always been dedicated to helping customers get the most out of their equipment. Here, engineers tear down and inspect an engine block after a test run with new lubricants.
Diesel engines like this 1951 Büssing in Germany came to power busses and trucks across the continent.
Socony-Vacuum changed its name to “Socony Mobil Oil” and acquired a new logo. The brand Mobil™ took the center stage with the iconic pegasus.
A Mobil sign in Matamoros, Mexico. By the 1960s, seventeen different trucking firms vied for dominance of Mexico’s rapidly growing, and urbanizing, population.
Mobil™ releases a balanced engine oil designed to work with commercial vehicles in all services.
Designed by Tom Geismar from the design firm Chermayeff & Geismar, the modern logo captures the simplicity, efficiency, and quality that has set the Mobil brand apart since the beginning.
Proposed in 1944 and completed in 1986, the M25 is the largest ring road in Europe (117 miles/188km) and one of the most important traffic arteries on the planet, and due to demand has been widened several times. Every day, trucks filled with Mobil Delvac™ lubricant use it to deliver essential products to partners in the counties of Ken, Surrey, Berkshire, Greater London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex.
The Isuzu Bedford design, a once-popular but now defunct brand of commercial vehicles, parks outside a Mobil gas station in the early 1980s.
As standards for diesel engines start to change, Mobil Delvac engineers continue to evaluate how the latest lubricants work in the field. Here, Lab Technician Jim Wiest examines parts of an engine for wear marks and degradation at the Paulsboro Research Lab.
The Mobil Delvac™ brand becomes the featured brand of heavy-duty diesel engine oil for all Petro Stopping Centers®, now part of TA Truck Services, the largest truck stop chain in the United States at the time.
Mobil Delvac 1™ LE 5W-30 – a new, low viscosity synthetic diesel engine oil – is introduced across Europe. In 2013, it becomes available around the world.
NASCAR® announces that Mobil Delvac 1 5W-30 synthetic diesel engine oil will be used as part of the NASCAR® Race to Green™ initiative.
Mobilawy launched, a new digital loyalty program designed to create long-term brand affinity among Egyptian consumers.
Mobil Delvac Ultra & Mobil Delvac Modern obtained Energy Conservation Certification from the China Energy Conservation Association for enhancing energy efficiency and extending mileage for truckers.
The Oil ProMine program helped Mexican mine operators increase drain intervals and improve efficiency of equipment.
The Mobil Delvac team makes an impact in North America. As trucks drove 1 million miles across North America without an oil change, we helped connect kids in need with one million meals.
Whatever new challenges and opportunities await us in the next century, you can count on the Mobil Delvac™ team and all our partners to keep pushing forward, keep innovating, and keep giving it 100%.
Related content
Faces of a leader
100 years of moving forward
Then and now: Mobil Delvac™ lubricants in diesel engines
This visual schematic showcases technological evolution over the last 100 years and the role Mobil Delvac™ lubricants have had in helping keep engines running from 1925 to today.
Engine
The engine’s primary role is power generation. Today’s engines are still lubricated with oil to reduce friction and wear and extend your engine life. Mobil Delvac 1™ Advanced Fuel Economy (FA-4)
Clutch throw-out bearings
Clutch throw out bearings allow the driver to disconnect the engine from the transmission and change gears. Lubrication is still essential to protect against friction, heat and rust in this part. Mobil Delvac™ Xtreme Grease
Engine radiator
The engine radiator cools the engine and ensures it operates at peak efficiency. The modern radiator still does not require lubrication but is important to extending your engine life. Mobil Delvac™ Extended Life Coolant/Antifreeze
Transmission
Most modern vehicles have automatic transmissions, which shift gears automatically based on speed and engine load. Lubrication is essential to modern transmissions for them to run smoothly, reduce friction, and prevent wear and corrosion. Mobil Delvac 1™ ATF
Greasing points
In most modern vehicles, the chassis and its greasing points are sealed closed with permanent lubricating parts. Mobil Centaur™ Moly Series
Steer axle wheel bearings
Steer axle wheel bearings reduce friction and heat to ensure the wheel rotates smoothly. In many modern vehicles, the steer axle wheel bearings often were pre-lubricated and sealed at the factory. Mobil Delvac 1™ Gear Oil
Universal Joints
Modern vehicles may use additional types of joints, such as constant velocity (CV) joints, which provide smoother power transfer at higher angles and speeds compared to the U-joints used in 1925 vehicles. Mobilgrease XHP™ 222
Differential/Final Drives
Modern differentials and final drives have electric controls which allow vehicles to automatically adjust how power is shared amongst wheels. Lubrication is still essential to reduce friction, wear and tear, and ensure efficient power transmission. Mobil Delvac 1™ Gear Oil 75W-90
Steering gearbox
Steering gearboxes convert the steering wheels' rotational movement into the linear motion required to turn the wheels to steer the vehicle. Gearboxes still rely on lubrication to reduce wear and friction. Mobilith SHC™ 007
Fifth wheel
Modern Fifth Wheels often include hydraulic or air-operated systems for easier coupling and uncoupling, as well as more sophisticated safety locks and adjustments. Lubrication is essential for the proper functioning of modern fifth-wheel hitches. Mobil Delvac™ Xtreme Grease
Engine
Early internal combustion engines often used an inline four–cylinder engine and used a carburetor to mix air and fuel. The engine was lubricated with oil to prevent overheating and wear and tear in the engine’s moving parts.
Clutch throw-out bearings
Clutch throw-out bearings at this time were round, flat and housed inside clutch assembly, between the transmission and clutch pressure plate. Regular lubrication was essential to reduce wear from heat and friction that could lead to a noisy clutch operation or clutch failure.
Engine radiator
Engine radiators, commonly made from brass or copper, were typically designed in a honeycomb or tube-and-fin style and mounted in front of the engine with a fan for air circulation.
Transmission
Transmissions shift power from the engine to the wheels of the vehicle, adjusting the engine’s power to the desired speed by shifting gears. Lubrication is essential to the operation of a vehicle's transmission system because it reduces friction and wear between the moving parts.
Greasing points
The chassis and its greasing points supported the vehicle’s weight and housed the frame, suspension system, braking system, and wheels. With many of these parts constantly moving, consistent lubrication was important to reduce friction damage, wear and corrosion.
Steer axle wheel bearings
Steer axle wheel bearings at this time were typically made from steel and followed a simple design to reduce friction between the wheel and the axle. Lubrication was essential to prevent overheating, protect against corrosion and seal out contaminants.
Universal Joints
Universal joints were crucial components for connecting different parts of the drivetrain, they allowed for the transfer of power from the engine to the wheels while accommodating the changes in angle between the driveshaft and the wheels. Regular lubrication was required to prevent wear and maintain smooth operation.
Differential/Final Drives
Differentials and the final drive ensures power is evenly distributed to the wheels. In 1925, both the differential and final drives were heavily reliant on lubrication to function properly, as they involved several moving parts that needed to operate smoothly and withstand wear.