Amsoil 5W30 Signature Series vs Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40

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Just a disclaimer, I am not an expert in these matters and this is just one analysis. Also comparing these two oils is like comparing apples and oranges. They are not in the same class.

So, that being said, I just got back my Blackstone report. The first one on the sheet is Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40 and the other one is Amsoil 5W30 Signature Series.

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by 4WD
Price difference but not much else ?

It sure looks that way. Results were almost identical when you're talking wear metals in ppm. The TBN is a little surprising though.
 
Moly seems high on the Mobil1. I don't think it normally has nearly that much.
Not shown in the UOA is the MPG loss with 5w40. Pushing the thicker stuff around inside there is around a 1.5% difference, extra hydrodynamic drag friction.
 
The differences...

1. One oil is thicker than the other. Amsoil did a great job at keeping their oil thin and achieving 5W40-like performance in a 5W30 oil.

2. Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W40 is less expensive than Amsoil and available on the shelf at Walmart. Amsoil must be ordered and you have to wait to get it. Not sure what the options are to return Amsoil, but Walmart has a great return policy if you get 2nd thoughts.

3. Amsoil Signature Series designed for gas only engines and Mobil 1 is dual-use gas/diesel.
 
Just checked price

Walmart Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck $24 per gallon

Amsoil SS 5W30 $51 a gallon without Preferred Customer status, 25% less with that status


Another question someone might have of me is why not Shell Rotella T6. T6 is not rated as dual-use or all-fleet by the manufacturer. I believe when you email Shell about it they will tell you its bad for catalytic converters. Mobil 1 is a dual-use oil and states specifically its API SN rated.
 
For the Moly part, I did run BG MOA in the Mobil 1, but dont plan on putting that in anymore. As for fuel economy, I did take pictures of the mpg meter and I think it was 17.2 for the Mobil 1 and 17.8 for the Amsoil...but the problem there was I did change out the throttle body to a larger variation so Im not sure if it was the thinner oil or the throttle body.

I know the inaccuracies and lack of scientific method involved in the mpg meter on vehicles, but its the only thing I have to measure the mpg. I could do it with an app or some other method, but simply dont have the time or willpower to keep track like that.
 
Another thing to note about mileage is me driving around from day to day is not a controlled scenario. We are assuming that Im doing the same routine each day. Also other factors like outside weather, etc...
 
I'd stick with the M1. Another option would be Rotella Gas Truck 5w30.
 
Rotella Gas Truck 5W30 is a 5W30 and the Mobil 1 in this post is a 5W40. Basically any 5W40 you can find out there will outdo any 5W30 in terms of iron wear. Companies like Amsoil and Redline do make 5W30s which can almost equal the performance of a 5W40 but at an expensive price and like I said...cant be found in Walmart.
 
"Basically any 5W40 you can find out there will outdo any 5W30 in terms of iron wear."



So you are not an expert but came to this conclusion? Do you have any data to back up your statement quoted above?
 
Oh yeah...one thing that should be noted is if you dont use a motor oil specified in the owners manual of your vehicle that might void the vehicles warranty. In my manual, for example, it states 1) Must be API certified 2) Either 5W20 or 0W20 and 3) Meet Fords specs. I dont believe these oils that I used meet any of that.
 
Basically, both Amsoil and Blackstone Labs admitted this was the case in their blog posts. Blackstone Labs provided a comparison between several other 5W30s to include Amsoil and put it along side Shell Rotella T6 5W40. Shell Rotella T6 seemed to edge out Amsoil in terms of iron wear. Amsoil had answered Blackstone's blog with a blog post of their own stating it was apples to oranges and admitted that any 5W40 can beat any 5W30 in terms of iron wear.

BTW Blackstones blog post was taken down and I bet it was because of legal threats and such.

I dont have access to any of the data either company used, but if both Blackstone Labs and Amsoil are in agreement I assume this is the case.

Here is a link to Jalopnik which takes note of the article.

https://jalopnik.com/why-expensive-oil-is-a-waste-of-money-1797241527

Originally Posted by PimTac
"Basically any 5W40 you can find out there will outdo any 5W30 in terms of iron wear."



So you are not an expert but came to this conclusion? Do you have any data to back up your statement quoted above?
 
That is not how I read that article.
Be careful with Jalopnik. They are not a credible source.

So my question still stands.
 
Also take note that Blackstone did an analysis on HDEO oils and they did give the upper hand to Amsoils line of HDEOs versus Shell Rotella T6. So when comparing similar oils the boutique oil won out, but that wasnt the comparison. Blackstone had compared 5W30 gasoline engine oil to a 5W40 HDEO oil.

Here is Amsoils response:

https://blog.amsoil.com/does-it-matter-which-brand-of-motor-oil-you-use/

Here is a notable sentence from Amsoils article "If you want to dominate a wear test, just use a higher viscosity."
 
Originally Posted by Navi
Rotella Gas Truck 5W30 is a 5W30 and the Mobil 1 in this post is a 5W40. Basically any 5W40 you can find out there will outdo any 5W30 in terms of iron wear. Companies like Amsoil and Redline do make 5W30s which can almost equal the performance of a 5W40 but at an expensive price and like I said...cant be found in Walmart.


That's simply not true at all.
 
Originally Posted by Navi
Also take note that Blackstone did an analysis on HDEO oils and they did give the upper hand to Amsoils line of HDEOs versus Shell Rotella T6. So when comparing similar oils the boutique oil won out, but that wasnt the comparison. Blackstone had compared 5W30 gasoline engine oil to a 5W40 HDEO oil.

Here is Amsoils response:

https://blog.amsoil.com/does-it-matter-which-brand-of-motor-oil-you-use/

Here is a notable sentence from Amsoils article "If you want to dominate a wear test, just use a higher viscosity."


You can't use UOA's to determine wear in this manner, the resolution simply isn't there. You'd have to perform extensive tear-down analysis to be able to contrast wear performance between lubes.
 
Originally Posted by Navi
Basically, both Amsoil and Blackstone Labs admitted this was the case in their blog posts. Blackstone Labs provided a comparison between several other 5W30s to include Amsoil and put it along side Shell Rotella T6 5W40. Shell Rotella T6 seemed to edge out Amsoil in terms of iron wear. Amsoil had answered Blackstone's blog with a blog post of their own stating it was apples to oranges and admitted that any 5W40 can beat any 5W30 in terms of iron wear.

BTW Blackstones blog post was taken down and I bet it was because of legal threats and such.

I dont have access to any of the data either company used, but if both Blackstone Labs and Amsoil are in agreement I assume this is the case.

Can we stop with the conspiracy theory posts about the Blackstone Labs article? This is the second time you've said that, and the last time I linked the article that still exists on their site:

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Aug-17-ENG.pdf

There is zero evidence there were any "legal threats and such" except in your own imagination.
 
Originally Posted by buster
Originally Posted by Navi
Rotella Gas Truck 5W30 is a 5W30 and the Mobil 1 in this post is a 5W40. Basically any 5W40 you can find out there will outdo any 5W30 in terms of iron wear. Companies like Amsoil and Redline do make 5W30s which can almost equal the performance of a 5W40 but at an expensive price and like I said...cant be found in Walmart.
That's simply not true at all.

Even if it was true, a UOA is not the way you would make that determination.

The UOA posted here by the OP is further proof that Blackstone is correct.
 
The fact that someone from Amsoil said that is baffling.

He goes on to say: "If you want to dominate a wear test, just use a higher viscosity. Just about any brand of 20W-50 would have likely outperformed the Shell Rotella."

Wow. Amsoil should be embarrassed.
 
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