for sure. My belief is it does it more subtly, somewhat like VR&P.
0w-16 Pour Point: Mobil 1 Vs. Amsoil Vs. HPL
- Thread starter Sienna dude
- Start date
Eh, seems mostly anecdotal at best. Here’s the thing, most Amsoil Signature Series users, are usually over-maintaining their vehicles and regularly use it. As you indicated, what is there to clean? HPL getting popular and board members trying it in droves is something I don’t know if has happened where “insert random masses swapping to high end boutique” occurred before with Amsoil among board members here. So, it’s sort of an issue of “the absence of evidence, isn’t the evidence of absence” if we’re being technically clear. The only way to know is to have known sludged vehicles swap to Amsoil SS, and then do oil filter cuts. In the past, there were far less oil filter cuts at the height of Amsoil Signature’s popularity here, just my opinion. Today, many users can cut open filters and see how HPL does upon initial use. But, that gets to the point…any good synthetic oil will be able to clean to some degree. I highly doubt Amsoil Signature is a slouch at cleaning, given it’s one key ability of extended drain boutiques. So the narrative is really baseless, IMO.
Well presumably not all Amsoil SS users buy their vehicles new and use it from the start. I'm sure some are buying vehicles that have been run on bulk oil or even OTS synthetics that have been shown to leave things behind when HPL is used. So there is definitely a segment that would use Amsoil and have the opportunity to see significant cleaning à la HPL.
But, again, it’s speculative in nature. Most active users that contribute do not seem to be using Amsoil SS. The engaged members actively trying HPL is noteworthy as it’s the popular forum darling; alongside R&P. Again, it’s a trend but not an actual comparison as if we’ve got carboned/sludged up engines being switched to Amsoil SS and coming away with nothing in the filters. I’m not saying your speculation and observation is wrong, but it’s not necessarily founded on facts despite the observation; which may be leaving out the full picture in fairness to Amsoil SS.
I'm not trying to claim that Amsoil does no cleaning. I'm simply reporting my observations of anecdotal reports here. You are correct. Not many seem to run Amsoil around here these days. Limited sample size. I only pointed it out to get the thoughts on it from others here. Maybe there are tons of reports of Amsoil cleaning piston rings and people can point them out to me. I couldn't find them.
Cleaning that specifically is something R&P is doing and from my understanding is a more exclusive thing.
Eliminating/reducing drastically oil consumption; from apparent piston ring deposit removal, seems to be a thing it’s doing and appears to be an exclusive oil for doing just that. Other oils may do this but very very slowly. Even R&P takes a relatively long time to get results.
Do we have many HPL users reporting the same? Or is it primarily oil filter cut up observations; of which we know not the source of said cleaning area?
That’s more my question. I’m positive HPL cleans well, but from what area and had Amsoil SS been used in that context/that scenario, would it also have gotten results if people were looking for that? Again, all oils have some capacity to remove sludge, etc. and this includes hardened carbon deposits. The question is do we know which area of the engine this removal is occurring?
Consider this: Some have observed relatively decent looking oil filters, but the oil consumption was drastically changed. Obviously, cleaning occurred, but we aren’t seeing anything in the oil filter. Oil is designed to carry in suspension what would otherwise be left behind in the engine.
Last edited:
I saw or read somewhere this was a conscious decision by Valvoline to use reduced amounts of cleansing additives due to the potential of creating restrictions or completely clogging parts of the system (filter) due to releasing too many carbon and other deposits too quickly. Then again, you may have to go 4 OCIs to get the same cleansing as 2 OCIs, so twice the sales opportunity. Win-Win.
The piston ring area is really the only area that the larger, harder carbon bits some of us have found in our filters with HPL can come from. Wwilson I know has stated it on here before. The ring area is the only spot in an engine that has the heat to create those. We are not talking about sludge or varnish here, just the carbon bits.Cleaning that specifically is something R&P is doing and from my understanding is a more exclusive thing.
Eliminating/reducing drastically oil consumption; from apparent piston ring deposit removal, seems to be a thing it’s doing and appears to be an exclusive oil for doing just that. Other oils may do this but very very slowly. Even R&P takes a relatively long time to get results.
Do we have many HPL users reporting the same? Or is it primarily oil filter cut up observations; of which we know not the source of said cleaning area?
That’s more my question. I’m positive HPL cleans well, but from what area and had Amsoil SS been used in that context/that scenario, would it also have gotten results if people were looking for that? Again, all oils have some capacity to remove sludge, etc. and this includes hardened carbon deposits. The question is do we know which area of the engine this removal is occurring?
Consider this: Some have observed relatively decent looking oil filters, but the oil consumption was drastically changed. Obviously, cleaning occurred, but we aren’t seeing anything in the oil filter. Oil is designed to carry in suspension what would otherwise be left behind in the engine.
I thoroughly believe VR&P was created for just this reason, because people are keeping cars longer nowadays and rings plugging up becomes a real issue later in most engines lives. As for Amsoil and HPL, I believe the cleaning is just part of a properly formulated long-drain oil, though I’m no tribologist!
Ah, thanks for sharing, I had forgotten @wwillson ‘s experience. I recall some members noting oil consumption changes switching to R&P, that didn’t apparently have much in the filter. I suppose it isn’t related to the ring area in terms of cleanliness; as users of that oil have reported increased consumption as well. Engines can have their own temperament oil to oil, while sometimes this settles down once swapped over for a few oil changes.
Well, on that aspect I do believe Valvoline’s stated approach is to avoid overloading an oil filter. They certainly could push an oil that will clean more aggressively; such as their Premium Blue Restore not designed for use as a PCEO. Too aggressive is too aggressive.
But to @tired & @thetricky points; it’s more likely Amsoil Signature is a more gentle cleaner for hardened deposits while it appears HPL may be more akin to R&P. I’m just not going to comment 100% one way or the other, but perhaps that observation is accurate to the final formulated oils.
HPL and VRP and much closer to each other in cleaning than either is to Amsoil.
Amsoil is excellent at keeping engines clean. Cleaning an already dirty engine? I've not seen anything suggesting it's at all in the same league as VRP or HPL.
it could indicate they are using a thinner base oil mix.
The PAO lubricant I use has a pour point of -36°C. same as PAO10 does
no, it's always to be viewed in relation to it's FP and Noack volatility. if it just has a low pour point, it likely uses a thinner base oil mix
Pour point depressants, in oils that wax when cold. Don't think they are effective in PAO.
Similar threads
