Am I wasting money with Amsoil/Schaeffers?

[blufeb95]

The ladder analogy doesn't make sense. What does the length of the ladder have to do with oil quality? If we were talking about the material the ladder is made of and comparing that, then that makes more sense.

The extension ladder analogy makes perfect sense, pretty much the only thing that makes these boutique oils great is that they can be used for a longer OCI, otherwise their performance is pretty close to most off the shelf synthetics if used at a standard OCI, if you buy a 40ft ladder when all you're ever going to need is a 25ft ladder it's pretty comparable to buying Amsoil SS and dumping it at the manufacturer recommended interval.

 

[4WD]

The extension ladder analogy makes perfect sense, pretty much the only thing that makes these boutique oils great is that they can be used for a longer OCI, otherwise their performance is pretty close to most off the shelf synthetics if used at a standard OCI, if you buy a 40ft ladder when all you're ever going to need is a 25ft ladder it's pretty comparable to buying Amsoil SS and dumping it at the manufacturer recommended interval.

Think if you need a 40’ ladder it’s time to consider a man lift

OP did not hang out long on his post BTW …

 

[madeej11]

The extension ladder analogy makes perfect sense, pretty much the only thing that makes these boutique oils great is that they can be used for a longer OCI, otherwise their performance is pretty close to most off the shelf synthetics if used at a standard OCI, if you buy a 40ft ladder when all you're ever going to need is a 25ft ladder it's pretty comparable to buying Amsoil SS and dumping it at the manufacturer recommended interval.

Yeah, Amsoil quality of oil plus tbn quantity would be a waste at those oci's. As far as comparing to most off the shelf brands, give me the SS if running a DD hard or turboed.

 

[celicaxx]

Granted we are all products of our respective experiences but I focus more on the gear oils than the engine oils.

Weirdly when Project Farm tested Amsoil two stroke oil it was leaps and bounds better than a normal one. I know his tests aren't 100% scientific, but still.

I think where Amsoil gets really practical is with small engines, motorcycles, etc. On some things like dirt bikes ridden hard you need a rebuild every say, 500 hours, and they take a quart or so of oil, if Amsoil could extend the life to 1000 or 1500 hours by being that much better than something else, even at double or triple the price per quart, it's well worth it. The price and time of rebuild components is significantly more than even say, $20 a quart oil. I've even heard the same thing about Amsoil with compressor and air tool oil, it's that much better and extends the life so much more significantly. Depreciation is less on those, too, compared to cars.

An average car engine relative to some of those things are so understressed and easy on oil, and takes so many quarts of oil and depreciates so heavily as an asset that over a 300K lifespan at $80 10K oil changes you'd spend $2400 on a vehicle at the end worth probably less or the same as that. If you went with a $30 oil change with 5K intervals, you'd save $600 over the life of the vehicle, which at that point you'd probably better off spending it on some sort of broken suspension piece or drivetrain component, as odds are the engine at 300K and 5K OCIs even with Supertech probably won't have significant wear either.

If a car is a toy or used in racing/etc, or has some sort of operating conditions in the engine design that makes it need a better oil, then it's a different story, but since daily drivers are depreciating assets I guess that's my opinion.

 

[Propflux01]

I think the boutiques would only be an advantage for extended drains or if there was some kind of miracle concoction that made surfaces so supper slippery that all friction was removed. This, of course, ain't happening.

 

[JT20]

Use the oil that makes you feel the best.

 

[JT20]

I think the boutiques would only be an advantage for extended drains or if there was some kind of miracle concoction that made surfaces so supper slippery that all friction was removed. This, of course, ain't happening.

The closest may be that Group V action...

 

[kschachn]

The closest may be that Group V action...

Which Group V base stocks have low coefficients of friction?

 

[ripcord]

Use the oil that makes you feel the best.

Oh, the jokes... Must resist! Must resist!

 

[Oildudeny]

Afternoon all. I realized today that, after years of browsing BITOG and testing different oils for different applications, I've become set in my ways as far as whats used. Amsoil XL goes in my 2011 Taurus, Amsoil Euro Classic goes in my 2015 Jetta, and Schaeffers 5w40 OTR Diesel oil goes in my 2017 Powerstroke 6.7. I do this because from the UOA'S I've seen, Amsoil and Schaeffers both offer a stout, robust oil for longer OCI's, not to mention i have close friends that are dealers for both, so access is easy. I'm wondering, however, if its worth it. For example, after buying a filter, the oil change on my taurus today was around $81 all in (Amsoil XL, Mobil 1 Extended oil filter). Realistically, I could probably do it for close to half that. Assuming money isn't an issue and I don't care enough to make the switch based on that, is it worth the extra coin I pay?

shop napa or Walmart

 

[JT20]

Which Group V base stocks have low coefficients of friction?

kschachn, I do not know.

The reason I somewhat obsess over those is how I always thought I had read.. is usually an Ester, and "clings to metal" moreso than maybe others.. I know not the answer as to the coefficient of friction.

 

[kstanf150]

Which Group V base stocks have low coefficients of friction?

We all give up

We’ll play your silly little game !! You tell us

Do You know the answer to your question ?

 

[JT20]

We all give up

We’ll play your silly little game !! You tell us

Do You know the answer to your question ?

 

[aquariuscsm]

I think the boutiques would only be an advantage for extended drains or if there was some kind of miracle concoction that made surfaces so supper slippery that all friction was removed. This, of course, ain't happening.

Whatcha gotta do is rub it between the fingers. That's how we'll know if we have the slipperiest oil

 

[OVERKILL]

We all give up

We’ll play your silly little game !! You tell us

Do You know the answer to your question ?

Base oils aren't selected based on friction reduction, that's why the rhetorical question was posed. Compounds are added to the oil to reduce friction such as moly, and they also provide an anti-wear function as well. Viscosity has an impact, which is why the trend is toward thinner oils. Of course there are other compounds like titanium and tungsten-based additives that are designed to reduce frictional losses as well.

 

[JT20]

If its got grit in it your engine has some kind of problem, aquaman.

 

[JT20]

I've seen people put motor oil in the gas tank.

 

[kstanf150]

Base oils aren't selected based on friction reduction, that's why the rhetorical question was posed. Compounds are added to the oil to reduce friction such as moly, and they also provide an anti-wear function as well. Viscosity has an impact, which is why the trend is toward thinner oils. Of course there are other compounds like titanium and tungsten-based additives that are designed to reduce frictional losses as well.

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Overkill
You take this stuff way to serious sometimes !!
You may need a warm weather vacation !!1

 

[OVERKILL]

Overkill
You take this stuff way to serious sometimes !!
You may need a warm weather vacation !!1

I'm actually quite fond of the snow (not the cold though, go figure) it's quite beautiful.

 

[PimTac]

If its got grit in it your engine has some kind of problem, aquaman.

What in the wide wide world of sports are you talking about and to whom?


Too much Who Hit John.