Amsoil Motorcycle oil in my Miata, bad idea?

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My local dealer ran out of the regular Amsoil 10w40 and substituted with Amsoil 10w40 motorcycle oil. Low and behold the lifter noise problem I had with my '96 Miata, at start up and after hot laps, went away with the motorcycle oil, haven't hoid from it since.

Are there any disadvantages to this vrs. using the standard Amsoil 10w40? Can someone tell me what are the additional additives are and their function?

I did read through the Motorcycle oil forum but could not find a direct answer.
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From what I've read on here from Amsoil dealers, the oil is indentical! It's just relabeled so that motorcycle riders think they are getting a specially formulated oil. So you're safe.
 
quote:

It's just relabeled so that motorcycle riders think they are getting a specially formulated oil.

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If Amsoil bothers with making two different bottles for the same product, then that's absolutely hilarious.
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PS: I've always suspected that Tide detergent and Herbal Essence Shampoo were the same thing.
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Yes they are the same product.

Reason being that the 10w40 was recommended for motorcycle applications for years. I think they took the friction modifiers out in the mid-90's. Anyhow becuase it didn't say "motorcycle" on the label folks would not buy it. As a result, they relabeled the 10w40, as well as the 20w50 for Motorcycle applications.
 
Not sure about that. And, as you apparently were using the regular 10W40, and since the switch you noticed a difference then I would say something is indeed different in the formulation.

If I recall Harley was complaining that the SJ oils did not have enough of one anti wear ingredient needed for air cooled engines whereas the older SH oil did. Not sure how the SL oil affects this scenario but I believe Amsoil went back and reformulated the motorcycle oil to add more of the anti wear compound in question so that Harley could be silenced.

Thus, I believe the two oils are different.

[ July 09, 2003, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: Spector ]
 
if it is truly motorcycle oil and not a ripoff, it will have more EP additives than 'car' oil to deal with the transmission.

but amsoil 10-40 I do know from experience has a stronger film strength and keeps 'dry' lifters quiet on startup - so it could still be a ripoff, just one that works for your problem
 
According to the Amsoil site, the two oils have slightly different specs. So if they are the same stuff, then Amsoil is a lying sack of **** .

I suspect they are slightly different. I've been meaning to get them both analyzed actually, but been putting it off.

Cheers, 3MP
 
Only inside Amsoil knows for sure. The Dealers are not inside. The rumor amongst dealers (including my DJ) is that they are the same.

I say they are not the same. I think the MC 10W-40 is slightly thicker with more P and Zn - and you know what? It's kinda proven in chubby Tiger's Miata. Also, search for some analysis' results.

Both are pretty good oils, so I think ripoff is a pretty strong word.
 
Just got off the phone with Ron at Tech Services.

They are the same. Asked about the spec sheets, and he said he hasn't looked at them, but one could be slightly dated or something.
[added in edit]
I'm guessing that the AMO sheet might be a little older. [/edit]

Hope this helps.

Once again, AMF and AMO are the same formulation.
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[ July 09, 2003, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: msparks ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by bretfraz:
So the next logical question is.......what's the diff in price between AMF and AMO?

They are the same price.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Three Fat Tigers:
Low and behold the lifter noise problem I had with my '96 Miata, at start up and after hot laps, went away with the motorcycle oil, haven't hoid from it since.

Never underestimate the power of the human mind!

According to my local Amsoil dealer, it's the same oil.
 
I've praised this stuff before as having immediate and very noticeable positive effects on shifting in my 18K mile ZX-11. My riding buddy, also on a ZX-11, just tried this for the 1st time in HIS ZX-11, this with 45K on the clock, just prior to setting off on a trip to Laguna Seca.

He called me from on the road (en route, not while he was riding!
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) to thank me for recommending it! "Better than a tune-up/valve adjustment! SMOOOOTH shiftin'!"
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I, too, believe they are essentially the same product. "A rose, by any other name..." Don't forget that Amsoil added a 0W-40 ATV oil to their line, too.

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Oops!
 -
Sorry guys it was 10w30 Amsoil I was running originally. So when I got the MC oil and it worked I didn't want to mess with a good thing and switch to plain 10w40.
 -


Thanks for all the info
 -
 
quote:

Originally posted by Patman:
From what I've read on here from Amsoil dealers, the oil is indentical! It's just relabeled so that motorcycle riders think they are getting a specially formulated oil. So you're safe.

If it were identical, it would have identical specs, right? Take a look at this. Some specs were identical. But others were different. I only listed the specs that were different:

Flash Point °C (°F) (ASTM D 92)

Auto 20w-50 = 236 (457)
Motorcycle 20w-50 = 232 (450)


Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D-445)

Auto 10w-40 = 14.0
Motorcycle 10w-40 = 14.7


Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D-445)

Auto 10w-40 = 79.2
Motorcycle 10w-40 = 88.6

Viscosity Index (ASTM D-2270)

Auto 10w-40 = 183
Motorcycle 10w-40 = 173

High Temperature/High Shear @ 150°C and 1.0 X 106 s-1, cP (ASTM D 4683), cP

Auto 10w-40 = 3.93
Motorcycle 10w-40 = 4.2
Auto 20w-50 = 4.95
Motorcycle 20w-50 = 4.9

Noack Volatility, % weight loss (g/100g) (DIN 51581)

Auto 10w-40 = 7.0
Motorcycle 10w-40 = 6.6
Auto 20w-50 = 6.3
Motorcycle 20w-50 = 6.4

AMO (auto) 10w-40

AMF (motorcycle) 10w-40

ARO (auto) 20w-50

AMV (motorcycle) 20w-50
 
quote:

Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

If it were identical, it would have identical specs, right?

This question was answered above. (outdated data sheets for one of the two oils)


I think if that were the case Amsoil would have caugh the problem by now and corrected it on their website.
 
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