This came up in another thread, thought I'd get more participation if I started a new one.

The local quick-lube and repair shop is an Amsoil dealer. Thet have been in business here over 30 years and are well respected. They got me on Amsoil a couple of years ago and I've had good luck with it so far. I like the extended change intervals, and if you calculate miles/dollars spent it's actually less expensive than other oils at shorter change intervals, not to mention time spent changing oil and disposing it.

I can see Ams is not popular with most of you at FTE.

My question is:: If Amsoil states in their warrantee they will replace failed equipment if a failure occurs due to their oil, are they lying? I went on their website and the warrantee says just that. In their explanation of the Magnuson-Moss act they make a statement that this has NEVER occured in 30 years. Is that a lie? There are federal laws that protect consumers if they are being untruthful or misleading.

Has anyone out there had experience with this? Have you had an Amsoil failure and they refused to pay? Any lawyers out there that can explain how they can have this in a published warrantee and then weasel out of paying?

 

I am running AMSOIL and switched only because I wanted a synthetic oil and the local shop I use for oil changes sells AMSOIL as the sythetic line. Other synthetics I think are just as good and also can run extended change intervals, it is just a question of what is availiable locally with out a lot of hunting around for oil.
To see what you can do I would have an oil anaylsis performed to see when oil changes are required. I know one gentleman that is running the dual filter btpass sytem where one filter is a small micron size to polish oil and he changes filters every 25,000 miles and does oil anaylysis at those times. He is now at 1,000,000 miles with out an oil change. only thing I can say is that the bypass filter and replacing the small amount of oil when changing filters is working and a lot cheaper then changing oil by the odometer.

 

Thanks for your input. The Ams is the only synthetic available locally and I want to run syn for cold winter starts, as well as the interval. I was tested at 10K and told to go another 10 before the next test, but that was done by the oil dealer so I'm going to do my own test at 15K to see for myself. ordered a kit from Blackstone. I think the bypass filter might be something to look into. I've done some research and the syn doesn't seem to have the shearing problems dino does with age, but dirt removal would be important. The test should tell me if I have a problem.

 

Did you mean 100,000 mi.? 1,000,000 is a lot of miles.

 

I have heard the 1,000,000 mile story at a few oil classes, but I havent been able to prove it..

I run the Amsoil since I have owned a car, and have never had a problem. Others here though have had less then impressive results, and have swapped.

I have never met anyone that has had a lubrication issue as to test their claim.

 

The warrantee can be found on their web-site with a little hunting.. AMSOIL - Synthetic Oil, Motor and Engine Oil, Lubricants, Air Filters, Oil Filters and Greases. The interesting thing about it is they say this has never happened in the 30 year history of Amsoil. If true that's quite a claim!! I guess it gets down to why do you change your oil anyway. Obviously because it looses its ability to lubricate the wear surfaces in the truck as well as provide hydrolic pressure in our trucks to fire the injectors. If a company (not necessarily Amsoil) comes up with a product that will do that without wearing out after 5000 miles (and guarantee it) why wouldn't people use it? I don't know the answers to these questions, that's why I'm here asking FTE with infinitley more experience that I have.

 

I had great success with my I-300 engine in my old '85 F150, and the fuel mileage increase more than covered the extra price of the oil.

However, I fall into the category that Pat referred to. I ran the Amsoil DEO 5w40 synthetic in my truck for one load. The UOA results were great at 8K miles, but jumped significantly at the 13K mile test point, which was when I switched to the Schaeffer 9000 series 5w40 syn. I have not seen the same issue with wear metals with the Schaeffer oil. I have also had the test results verified by running the same oil samples split between multiple labs.

Some might say that the first run of Amsoil was "cleaning out the engine", but I honestly don't buy that. If that were the case, I would have seen the elevated wear metal reports at the 8K mile check point, and not afterwards.

We have to remember that the HEUI fuel system on our truck engines are notoriously hard on oil by way of high shearing factors (but the shearing is even worse with the 6.0L engines).

One more bit of context for my situation with my truck. I am running a high-quality oil bypass system that filters down to about 2-3 microns, and it is the combination of that and the quality of my oil that is letting me experience 15K OCI's with no significant elevation in wear metal contents. I might start running longer since I'll be on the road more often now with my new job, too. Regardless, I'll change once/year if I don't exceed my 15K mark in that time frame, but will run longer if I do because my UOA numbers have indicated that I can safely do so.

 

Pete,
Thanks for the input. Thats exactly why I'm going to test myself now and not go to 20K just because the quick-lube guy sez. Changing oil at 5000 here is a PITA especially in winter in the snow when it's 10 below. If I have the same results I'll probably try the 9000, and look into the bypass. Can you or anyone else suggest a good one? Also, am I missing something? Reading about shearing it seems to me it means a breakdown in viscousity rendering the large #(the 40 in 5W40) less than 40, to 30 or even 20 when it heats up. From what I've read this is a problem for dino oil and not syn. If true, then wear metals and carbon would be the only reason to change the syn, and these could be filtered out with a good filter. Unless of course you find fuel or anti-freeze in the oil, which would be a whole different thing.

 

BTW, I'll become a supporter as soon as I get paid next week. This site is awsome!!!

 

I just switched back to Amsoil oil due to the fact that rotella is hard to find at my local stores

 

Shearing will take place with both dino and synthetic lubricants because it is the breaking down of the viscosity improvement additives that is the primary cause for viscosity loss (IIRC). The source of the lubricant's base stock will also affect this because it influences the viscosity ratings as well... the better the base stock, the better propensity to maintain viscosity over time.

There are actually two mechanisms involved in shearing... 1) oxidation of the base stock from combustion-related acids, and 2) breaking down of the viscosity improvers due to extended exposure to high shear forces over time.

Oil shear is created when it is compressed so hard and fast between two surfaces that it is completely squeezed out from between them, and that is when a lubricant's ability to provide "barrier" protection is required (something like Teflon, graphite, moly, etc.). The potential problem with Teflon based approaches to barrier lubrication, though, is that it is by itself rather soft and pliable and can also be inadequate in preventing metal-to-metal contact.

This hard and fast compression can cause damage to the molecular structure of the oil's viscosity improvement additives (basically breaking down the polymeric linkages of the long chain viscosity additives so that they cannot maintain proper viscosity at higher temperatures).

The oxidation occurs as the base stock is exposed to some of the combustion gas "blow-by" (contains sulfuric acid). This oxidation is the primary source of the oil's discoloration, contrary to what most people might think. Preventing this oxidation - or at least slowing it down - is the function of other additives.

Ultimately, it is a combination of two things that allows oil to either survive well or die "prematurely"... the quality of the oil's base stock and the quality, quantity, and blend of appropriate additives to provide barrier lubrication, maintain viscosity, fight corrosives, fend off oxidation, etc.

Here is a link that you might find interesting.
Bob is the Oil Guy

 

Thanks Pete, I actually found Bob when I was researching this stuff. I never thought I'd learn this much about general auto info and PSD's. Being a carpenter by trade and out of work for the time being has allowed me to look into this over the past few weeks. My HPOP sprung a leak about 2 weeks ago. Got great info and help from many at FTE, especially Guzzle. He went WAY out his way to help. Saved me over $800!!! Thanks again for the info. Have to make this truck last for a few more years so I only want to the best and most cost effective maintainance I can do myself. And have fun!!! I think a 6637 and a cover should be my next move as a K&N came with the Banks stuff.

 

Sounds like you're heading in the right direction and are already making good use of some excellent resources. Guzzle is really great to deal with, that's for sure!

I have to say, too, that I have been equally amazed at how much I've learned from all the FTE guru's over the past several years, and they have helped me save lots and LOTS of money.

We're always glad to help.

 

Thanks, be talking to you all soon.

 

If it's available to you do it, I get the same or near the same fuel milleage towards the end of my oils life. I used to get real bad milleage in my explorer and get over 20mpg on it now. I get about 20mpg on my F250 too.