Amsoil S2000 @ 7,700 miles.

[Patman]

$500?? Yikes!

If they saw something coming out the weep hole though, it's probably good they change it now before it leaves you stranded.

Paying big bucks like that sucks though. I just had to fork over 700 big ones on Sunday for new rear brakes on my Firebird. I heard grinding and squealing all of a sudden on Saturday, and it ended up that my pads were super low and killed the rotors. I knew the pads were low, and had bought new ones 3 weeks ago but it's so cold here I was waiting for spring to have a buddy come over and change them for me. So a $50 brake job turned into a $700 brake job! Although i think that it probably needed rotors anyways, it's made a light squeaking noise ever since I got the car in October 2001 that I assumed was the Auburn rear end but I guess it obviously was not. This squeaking noise is gone and the car drives way smoother than it ever has.

But that $700 out of my pocket hurts me real BAD!

Sorry I drifted

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:
Toyota found no coolant leak. I didn't think there was. My coolant level never moved and the oil shows no visible signs of milky color. While they were checking this they did say my water pump has started to leak slightly....now what? I'm spending $500 for a water pump.

---

Get a second opinion. Two years ago I kept seeing a little bit of coolant on the lower radiator hose of my Olds van. I looked and looked, but I never could locate its source. I finally took it to the dealer for a pressure test. An hour later the guy comes in the waiting room and tells me my water pump is leaking. I politely tell him he's full of s**t, pay for the test, and then leave. I knew that there was no way what I was seeing was coming from the water pump. I took the van to an independent shop that had done other work for me, and in 15 minutes they'd identified the problem as a leaking radiator cap. The cap was dribbling a little and the residue was winding up down on the lower radiator hose. Ten bucks for a new cap, no more coolant on the hose, and I'm still running the original water pump—the one the dealer was all set to replace.

Needless to say, I've never set foot back at that dealer except to go back by there and make them refund my money for giving me a false diagnosis.

 

[YZF150]

How do you think 1.5 quarts of makeup oil affected this analysis?

 

[buster]

quote:

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But that $700 out of my pocket hurts me real BAD!

---

I feel your pain, trust me. This whole mess just cost me $137, just for them to pressure test the cooling system. I held off on the water pump and will take G-Man's advice and get a second opinion. The toyota guy I spoke with didn't sound too concerned about it. I have 5 qts left of S2000 and I'm going to run it again and test it. I'm switching to Terry next time. I went with Blackstone bc of the free kit. The coolant level is fine and I now am not so sure blakstone really new what it was. If you read the comments, they say they SUSPECT it was from antifreeze. Well, today I found out it's not.

[ February 11, 2003, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

 

[buster]

If it's not antifreeze thought, what could it have been?

 

[Terry]

The chemistry of the detergent tricking the lab.

 

[YZF150]

Don't blame the lab for results that were bound to be skewed because of the sampling methodology. Neither Terry nor anyone else can divine the truth from an adulterated sample.

 

[Terry]

Thats why it is important that the analyst be given as much info as possible about the circumstances surrounding the sample.


Very few if any labs will have the time or expertise to offer that on a low cost test.

I will say I was able to look at the test above and determine that the glycol looks to be a false positive. It is correct that the detergent skews the results but unless taken in total you could miss it,as most did.

 

[Pablo]

Terry - a question: How do labs check for antifreeze in oil? MSGC?

All - this is alleged non-API Amsoil we are talking about here - no one has commented on the low P and Zn??

 

[buster]

They ASSUMED it was antifreeze and I think they were wrong. My coolant level hasn't moved a drop and it tested ok when pressure checked. My next sample is going to Terry.

 

[Terry]

Pablo, to detect coolant or glycol many use Astm D 2982 reagent strips or tablets, and or measuring levels of boron,sodium,potassium with spectrograph.

[ February 12, 2003, 06:27 PM: Message edited by: Terry ]

 

[buster]

Terry, based on Toyota not finding any leak, and my coolant level staying stationary, do you think it was still antifreeze? Blackstone labs didn't sound too confindent. Also, for your analysis services, do I send you a check to recieve kits? Thanks

[ February 12, 2003, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

 

[Terry]

Buster, because of the contamination with a detergent chemistry that can give a false positive I see why they called it the way they did.
I wouldn't have because we would have been communicating about it and I have seen alot of analysis results for automobiles using this oil.

Sure it is "possible" you may have a small leak but I don't think so.

Go to the site supporters page and see my ad. We also can provide our own kits sourced directly from Dyson Analysis, it does include NOX, OXD soot/solids,sulfur. I am currently working with Blackstone to incorporate those tests as well.

Because I travel so much, I prefer to use the Blackstone deal or any brand lab you prefer.

Cycling between our own kit and others is a good way to ensure accuracy and catch mistakes. Either way you'll get a good look at your equipement from me.

Buster, email me at [email protected] for more info, and thanks for the positive statements.

 

[buster]

Thanks, I will contact you shortly. Once I empty out this Rx treatment, I'm going to run one more S2000 out. I'm left with 4qts. I need to use. I wish I would have sent it to you the first time.

 

[MV Oil Fanatic]

quote:

---

Originally posted by buster:
I'm going to run one more S2000 out.

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Yeah, me too, Keats. I have reservations about S2000 and will opt for something with alternate spec ratings. But first I need to get new brakes all around.

 

[Pablo]

Guys why the reservations about Series 2000? Looks like it held up OK - wear wise....

ALL and TERRY -

What is to make of the P and Zn levels???? Almost every Amsoil sample P is > 1000 PPM, right?

 

[Terry]

Not after being reacted with TIDE, which has similar 1,2 Glycols that trick the test and deplete adds .

 

[Pablo]

So that must be the new low phosphate Tide!

Thanks.

 

[Terry]

Pabs, you asked why I am "down" on series 2000.

A few years back my customers had very good results using this product and the 20w-50 product.

I started noticing variations in oxidation rates, viscosity thickening on drains that where both extended and 7500 or less, combined with increased wear.

At the same time the raw materials suppliers for this company where changing and consistancy in formulation was not there from an analysis results point of view.

i.e. the first formulations of 0w-30 was better than the later, also they had to reformulate for the intro of reformed gasolines, with the solvency lost they counted on to enhance these oils ability to stay in grade.

I like the Amsoil oil, I even like Al,but the product is not living up to it's billing ,like M1 doesn't in certain areas.

For Amsoil I recommend using LC fine tuned with analysis to moderate the oxidation and vis thickening issues and you'll see tremendous extended drain capability WITH low wear.

 

[TooSlick]

Buster,

If you don't contaminate the next series 2000 sample , I think you'll find the chemistry looks much better.

Keep in mind that laundry detergent is formulated to lift oil stains out of cloths and disperse the oil particles in water - not exactly what you want in your analysis results! This detergent didn't affect the wear rates however, which are very low - for example iron wear is 1 ppm/1000 miles. I'd go out to a 10k-12k interval on your next run of the S2000, with a filter change/topoff halfway through. Since this is a high mileage engine, you may have had some sludge/varnish deposits as well, which could contribute to the solids level and thickening.

TooSlick