If you notice, the first word in each of your bullet points is 'They', meaning Amsoil. The question comes if you don't trust 'They'. If they're doing the test they want done themselves, based on their own parameters, it would be pretty tough for them to look bad, no?
In point of fact, I don't implicitly trust any of the companies. None of us REALLY know what's in the bottle, beyond what the companies tell us. As least with the lab certifications, there is some independent certification of performance. API is only the start. I like the ACEA certs better. B3 is a minimum, with A3 preferred.
I know people have had good results with Amsoil. I also know that people have had good results with $.99 a quart dino (see the 150,000 mile check in thread that's being floating around lately). The dirty (clean?) little secret is that you can get good results, especially in normal use ranges with normal stress level engines, with pretty much anything, as long as you keep up at least minimally on your maintenance.
However there are some oils that have higher levels of performance than others. Even if this level of performance is above what would impact on a any particular car owners use, that owner may be willing to pay extra for that performance. I think it's safe to say we have a fair number of those people on this board. That's fine.
However, at least in my case, if I'm paying for that extra performance, I want to **** well KNOW I'm getting it (not just think I'm getting it because the manufacturer says I am). The independent certs give me that knowledge, at least as far as they go. The fact that Amsoil (and Redline, and all the other uncertified 'boutique' oils), won't get certified, especially in their 'better', $8 a liter products just makes me suspicious.
quote:
Originally posted by TooSlick:
The process Amsoil uses to formulate their engine oils is very straight foward:
1) They purchase an "additive package" that has already met all the relevant API/ACEA/OEM specs when combined with a petroleum or synthetic basestock.
2) They work closely with their additive supplier - typically Lubrizol or Ethyl - to fortify the add pack even further to make it more suitable for extended drains.
3) They substitute a well characterized, PAO/Ester synthetic basestock for the basestock used in the test oil. (The quality of the Amsoil basestock is much better than what is used in industry standard, reference oils used in API sequence testing.)
4) They substitute a more expensive, shear stable VI modifier for the one used in the Sequence tests.
5) They bench and field test the formulations before releasing them, generally in cooperation with their additive suppliers, who are also interested in collecting this data.
6) They continue to monitor performance in the field through tens of thousands of annual oil analsis tests by their customers.
Since Amsoil - and Redline for that matter - aren't constrained by API lincensing, they continue to "tweak" the formulations to further optimize their performance and typically upgrade their oils every 18-24 months.
This is a very well thought out, systematic approach and has worked extremely well for over thirty years. There simply is no ROI to the API licensing program at this time. Amsoil does license their least expensive gas and diesel engine formulations, as much to make a point as anything else ....
Tooslick
Dixie Synthetics
(256) 651-3590, cell