Amsoil High Mileage?

[jagtuner28]

I love Amsoil and use their stuff whenever I can. However, they don't make a high mileage oil that helps with leaks and they have come off as snobby when I asked them if they ever were going to make one.

So, instead I use Royal Purple HMX which seems to work the best out of the three I've tried (M1 HM, Maxlife Full-Syn). However, I am still an Amsoil guy and would love to get it to work in my Jag if only the thing didn't leak so much whenever I use regular synthetics. I would just fix the problem, but its 10 hours of labor. So, do you guys think I could maybe try some Amsoil SS with some Liqui Moly Oil Saver, some Blue Devil, or something similar to make it emulate a HM oil?

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
So, do you guys think I could maybe try some Amsoil SS with some Liqui Moly Oil Saver, some Blue Devil, or something similar to make it emulate a HM oil?


That would be silly.

What's the actual year/model of your Jag?

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
I love Amsoil and use their stuff whenever I can. However, they don't make a high mileage oil that helps with leaks and they have come off as snobby when I asked them if they ever were going to make one.

So, instead I use Royal Purple HMX which seems to work the best out of the three I've tried (M1 HM, Maxlife Full-Syn). However, I am still an Amsoil guy and would love to get it to work in my Jag if only the thing didn't leak so much whenever I use regular synthetics. I would just fix the problem, but its 10 hours of labor. So, do you guys think I could maybe try some Amsoil SS with some Liqui Moly Oil Saver, some Blue Devil, or something similar to make it emulate a HM oil?


Really now. You love Amsoil, but you use Restore and other additives.

You're busy for a new member here I must say.

 

[jagtuner28]

Its an 02 X-type, listed as one of the mechanically worst cars of the previous decade by numerous auto rags. I have a 17 page service log and am very proud of it along with all of the mods I've done. Its a pain in the you know what but I take pride in succesfully maintaining a difficult car that drives brilliantly when it is all working right...

 

[jagtuner28]

I only started off with the Restore because my compression wasn't so great. I was skeptical at first too but like I said it has worked great for two years now. I'm just wondering if I can do better..

 

[Justin251]

I don't see how the royal purple outperformed the off the shelf stuff but hey. Good job.

 

[jagtuner28]

You know, the Valvoline Max-Life full syn stopped the leaks just fine, I just prefer the RP because I swear I gained another hp or two when I used it in addition to stopping the leaks. The Mobil 1 leaked a little too much.

 

[Astro14]

Wait, wait...So, the Valvoline worked, right? Stopped the leak?

But you're looking for a way to spend more money? Like $800 for "miracle in a can" stuff? Stuff that won't lubricate any better, but will most certainly thin your wallet?

If I had $800 to spend on this Jag, I would start by diagnosing the compression problem. For $800, you could pull the engine and re-ring it...or pull the head and have it redone to fix the compression.

Then, you would have a better running engine and no need for "miracle in a can" cures...

 

[Justin251]

But it's not amsoil or royal purple and tilting the wrist to pour.

That's work.

 

[jagtuner28]

You really think thats all it would cost? I'm not mocking you by saying that I'm just genuinely curious now. Everything on this car is a pain in the @$$ so I am just suspect it would be that cheap....

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
You know, the Valvoline Max-Life full syn stopped the leaks just fine, I just prefer the RP because I swear I gained another hp or two when I used it in addition to stopping the leaks. The Mobil 1 leaked a little too much.


No doubt. I have heard that the typical butt dyno has a resolution of about 1/2 horsepower so that's easily within range.

Plus the whole Mobil 1 leaking thing is well documented. Nuff said.

 

[jagtuner28]

I just figured that some of these additives had to be worth a try. The owner of the shop I go to swears by the liqui moly stuff and hes a professional so it got me thinking thats all. Also, I'm a grad student so I'm used to doing a lot of research and have access to a lot of scholarly journals and other research through my school's library. I've been reading some neat stuff about these nano particle additives so I thought someone in here might have some more firsthand experience with them. A lot of additives are [censored] and I know this but technology does advance and change so I try to keep an open mind.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
You really think thats all it would cost? I'm not mocking you by saying that I'm just genuinely curious now. Everything on this car is a pain in the @$$ so I am just suspect it would be that cheap....


It depends on what's wrong and how much you do yourself.

I pulled and re-installed the head on the 300E in my signature for under $200 to fix a head gasket leak. Turning your own wrenches saves you a lot of $$...the valves were good, and the compression good (verified with my compression gauge) before I started the work.

Now, if you're paying a shop, it's going to be a lot more to re-ring...but I can tell you with absolute certainty that pouring stuff in the engine will not fix low compression...

So, I would save your $$. Don't add anything to the oil, don't use anything more in the oil sump than is needed.

You say that the Valvoline worked? Great, you've found your oil and saved some money. Don't go chasing after cures in a can, none of them will truly fix low compression.

Let's start the question over: how do you know you have low compression? How do you know that Restore fixed it? Properly diagnosing this is important...then you know where to target your hard-earned $$$...but all of those additives and boutique oils will not help you diagnose or fix this...all they will do, in your case, is drain your resources so that you never have the $$ to fix this.

I get the attraction of your car. A Jaguar can be a great driving machine. I own a car that is not known for its low maintenance, but it drives like no other...I'm on your side in this...you've got an expensive car, so you've got to be efficient with your approach, efficient with your $$...

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
I just figured that some of these additives had to be worth a try. The owner of the shop I go to swears by the liqui moly stuff and hes a professional so it got me thinking thats all. Also, I'm a grad student so I'm used to doing a lot of research and have access to a lot of scholarly journals and other research through my school's library. I've been reading some neat stuff about these nano particle additives so I thought someone in here might have some more firsthand experience with them. A lot of additives are [censored] and I know this but technology does advance and change so I try to keep an open mind.


Liqui Moly (Lubro Moly in the old days) makes great products. Those products are designed for specific issues. E.g. their diesel purge worked great at cleaning the injectors on my old MB 240D. If I knew what problem a car had, I would use Liqui Moly in a heartbeat.

But you've not determined what's wrong with your Jag. So, you're considering spending money on a hope that one of them will work.

Hope is not a strategy.

And the only certainty in this strategy is that you will spend the money. You will have diminished your resources for actually fixing the car.

 

[jagtuner28]

I'm not gonna argue with you there, I work as a bartender and save my money aggressively while still splurging on my car as much as I can. Repairs alone have killed me. Probably the biggest heart-attack inducing line items in my service log is the cost to practically replace my whole suspension, which simply wore out with years and mileage.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
Also, I'm a grad student so I'm used to doing a lot of research and have access to a lot of scholarly journals and other research through my school's library.


What is your field of study? And does the 28 in your username refer to your age?

 

[jagtuner28]

Yes, I am 28 and I'm studying for a Masters in Organizational Leadership. I am not the most technically skilled or educated person with regard to mechanical aptitude but I make an effort and have done quite a bit of stuff to my car myself thanks to the Haynes manual and an investment in some tools. This was actually my first car ever at 25 as I lived downtown Seattle and didn't necesarilly have to have a car. Instead of just buying anything I had my sights set on exactly this car and wanted to be prepared for all of its expenses so I saved for three years to get it while having twice as much as I paid for the car left over to fix it and upgrade it. I had to learn a lot as I didn't really come from a car-oriented family and didn't have a dad around with any of these skills. Luckily for me, some of my best freinds happen to be professional auto techs.

 

[Brons2]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
I only started off with the Restore because my compression wasn't so great. I was skeptical at first too but like I said it has worked great for two years now. I'm just wondering if I can do better..


Post before and after compression readings.

 

[SavagePatch]

WalMart.com has Pennzoil Platinum High Mileage 5w30 5qt jug for $25 and there's a$10 mail-in rebate at Pennzoil.com, perhaps that would be a good option.

 

[jagtuner28]

You've got me there. I don't have them and never did. All I know is that he tested my compression and it was low, I bought Restore and added it, he said the compression issue was gone some time later when he retested it. As for my knowledge of the issue, it was quite easy to tell the difference in power. Sure we all know about butt dynos and how open they are to wishful thinking but two cylinders going from low compression to better is going to be noticeable.