Amsoil jumping into the VW 0w20 508 game

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Hi everyone,
I was looking on the Amsoil website and I noticed that they are now offering a 508 0w20 oil. Has anyone used this oil yet? I wonder how it compares to the VW Brand (Mobil 1) 508 oil.


 
It does not appear to have the 508 approval - just "engineered for". Not really a huge thing, but this comes up a lot and for those that are super-duper warranty concerned, you should use an oil that actually has the necessary approval.
 
It does not appear to have the 508 approval - just "engineered for". Not really a huge thing, but this comes up a lot and for those that are super-duper warranty concerned, you should use an oil that actually has the necessary approval.
I'll give Kia and Hyundai owners about 750 million reasons why they should be super-duper warranty concerned.
 
"AMSOIL European Car Formula 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil is engineered for use in gasoline or diesel vehicles that require any of the following specifications:"

  • API SN-PLUS
  • ACEA C5
  • VW 508.00/509.00
 
In a way it's kind of interesting Amsoil has a line of European oils. A different approach compared to Red Line, which recommends their oils for new, old and every car in between. Amsoil has always been a bit nonconformist.
 
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I think the Amsoil is as good as any other 508/509 spec oil.

For myself I would go with a more traditional 508/509 oil that has been around a lot longer and is way cheaper:

 
I'd only use this Amsoil if/when it actually has the approval.

That said, on the Approved 504/507 product they state to follow the factory recommended OCI... So why spend the Amsoil $$$? I thought their whole shtick was extended OCIs?
 
Never a big believer in "Trust me....its OK". I am a big believer in third party testing and certification. Trust but verify. I would never use a product like a lubricating oil that is not tested or verified by a third party, in this case VW. There are quite a few excellent oils out there that have been certified and that do well so why fool around with one that is not certified?
 
"AMSOIL European Car Formula 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil is engineered for use in gasoline or diesel vehicles that require any of the following specifications:"

  • API SN-PLUS
  • ACEA C5
  • VW 508.00/509.00
Yes and? Amsoil is a little obfuscatory in their approval language but not that bad. According to their use of that language for other oils it does not have VW approval. I also can’t find the European Car Formula on the EOLCS directory either.
 
"AMSOIL European Car Formula 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil is engineered for use in gasoline or diesel vehicles that require any of the following specifications:"

  • API SN-PLUS
  • ACEA C5
  • VW 508.00/509.00
This is not the same as having the approval where they would state "has the following approvals" or similar.
 
I wonder if they put the tracer dye in it that VW 508 has? If they did there would be virtually no way to tell what it was. I'll bet that dye is proprietary to licensing though.
 
I wonder if they put the tracer dye in it that VW 508 has? If they did there would be virtually no way to tell what it was. I'll bet that dye is proprietary to licensing though.
Good question!
 
MSDS for AMSOIL SAE 0W-20 LS-VW Synthetic European Motor Oil:

Most of this oil are GROUP III (GTL: Substance Name: Lubricating oils (petroleum), C20-50, hydrotreated neutral oil-based RN: 72623-87-1) according to MSDS:

Hydrogenated base oil 72623-87-1 40-60%
 

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MSDS for SAE 0W-20 LS-VW Synthetic European Motor Oil:

Most of this oil are GROUP III according to MSDS:

Hydrogenated base oil 72623-87-1 40-60%

That's what I've seen when looking at the msds of quite a few 508. A few have some (small %) PAO, but many, like Valvoline are GrpIII with no indication of GrpIV. Not to say they don't blend in some esters.
 
That's what I've seen when looking at the msds of quite a few 508. A few have some (small %) PAO, but many, like Valvoline are GrpIII with no indication of GrpIV. Not to say they don't blend in some esters.

The Castrol 0w-20 508 approved one contains the most PAO (~50%) AFAIK:

1-Decene, homopolymer, hydrogenated REACH #: 01-2119486452-34 EC: 500-183-1 CAS: 68037-01-4 ≥10 - ≤25 Asp. Tox. 1, H304 [1]
Dec-1-ene, trimers, hydrogenated REACH #: 01-2119493949-12 EC: 500-393-3 CAS: 157707-86-3 ≥10 - ≤25 Asp. Tox. 1, H304
 

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The Castrol 0w-20 508 approved one contains the most PAO (~50%) AFAIK:

1-Decene, homopolymer, hydrogenated REACH #: 01-2119486452-34 EC: 500-183-1 CAS: 68037-01-4 ≥10 - ≤25 Asp. Tox. 1, H304 [1]
Dec-1-ene, trimers, hydrogenated REACH #: 01-2119493949-12 EC: 500-393-3 CAS: 157707-86-3 ≥10 - ≤25 Asp. Tox. 1, H304

Yes. It and I believe Ravenol if my memory serves me well.
 
MSDS for AMSOIL SAE 0W-20 LS-VW Synthetic European Motor Oil:

Most of this oil are GROUP III (GTL: Substance Name: Lubricating oils (petroleum), C20-50, hydrotreated neutral oil-based RN: 72623-87-1) according to MSDS:

Hydrogenated base oil 72623-87-1 40-60%

Interesting, but not surprised. It wouldn't surprise me if Amsoil is using some GTL in their other oils too.

I wonder why most if not all of the VW euro 0w20's are built around GTLs?
 
I wonder if they put the tracer dye in it that VW 508 has? If they did there would be virtually no way to tell what it was. I'll bet that dye is proprietary to licensing though.
It's proprietary in as much as it is part of the approval requirement.
 
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