Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 HDD - Honda Prelude?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 6, 2002
Messages
211
Location
Mississauga, ON
I've read that the Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 HDD is one of the best synthetic oil out there, even for gas engines. Are there any drawbacks or benefits of using the Amsoil HDD in a Honda Prelude over any other oil? Does it protect better at higher engine speeds (8,000 RPM)?

Currently I'm using Amsoil 5W-30 synthetic and I have no problems with it, but I'd like to get some expert opinions on this matter.

Thank you.
 
I think it is decent oil as long as you don't fall for their extended drain interval recommendations. The last few oil analysis' I've seen on extended drain intervals weren't too impressive. Check out the oil analysis section there are a few posts of testing for Amsoil.
 
In all fairness to Amsoil, the really bad reports we have seen have been cases where the owner didn't do the right steps. In other words they went right into the extended drains after using a different oil. When switching to a different oil you don't want to do extended drains like that on the very first interval. Do a 5k interval first, then maybe a 10k interval, then by the third one you can safely go to the super long one, if oil analysis shows that your situation can handle it. Some people's driving habits simply won't allow it, which is why Amsoil's 25k claims are a bit out of touch with reality. They really should say 15k instead.
 
Ferrari,

I've been an Amsoil dealer since 1980, and the Series 2000/3000 products are significantly better (and more expensive) than the standard Amsoil 5w-30/10w-30. The Series 3000 will hold up better in this application than what you are using now, but I'd actually recommend the Series 2000, 0w-30 in this case. The 0w-30 is friction modified and will give you a bit better performance in the V-Tec engine.

TooSlick
 
Ferrari,

I wanted to add, I'd recommend testing the oil several times if you intend to run greatly extended drain intervals, but you should be fine with a 10,000 mile oil/filter change in this case.

TooSlick
 
I have used this oil for 32,500 miles in my 5.9L Cummins diesel engine and it still had life left at that point. If this oil can survive the rigors of use in a turbocharged diesel vehicle towing heavy loads, it will work wonders in a Honda. It will do an excellent job and you can extend your drains to amazing lengths if accompanied by periodic oil analysis.
 
If this oil can survive the rigors of use in a turbocharged diesel vehicle towing heavy loads, it will work wonders in a Honda

Sorry,

but that statement is not true. This particlular deisel engine is one of the easiest engines on a motor oil and the honda will created more stress on oil than yours and cannot extend drains no where close to that.

There is a couple of oil analysis posted in the oil analysis section with the same engine, one of which actual had amsoil was traded over to schaeffers blend and had over 22,500 miles and was continuing to run the blend. If I can find it, I'll post the link. You might have to "show all topics" instead of the 45 day on the top right to search for it.

[ September 08, 2002, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: BOBISTHEOILGUY ]
 
I will agree that the regular Amsoil synthetic ( not the 2000 or 3000 series) just does not hold up. I just received another analysis back at about 6700 miles where the TBN was down to 4. This is 10W30. I have one engine where this synthetic can go 12,000 but everything else is 7500 or so. The 3000 or the 2000 may work better but the ole regular synthetic is way overated for extended drains. I have 4 cars on the 10W30 now and considering switching all to the 5W30 HDD series 3000 or Schaeffer in at least one. Amsoil needs to revise the hype on this oil and get realistic.
 
Thanks for all your answers.

In terms of ultimate engine protection and NOT performance, would the Series 2000 0W-30 or Series 3000 5W-30 be better?
 
Ferrari,

Is this a brand new prelude that calls for using an SAE 5w-20 grade???

[ September 09, 2002, 01:36 PM: Message edited by: TooSlick ]
 
I would go with the 5W30 HDD in lieu of the 0W30. The 5W has a more robust additive package, cost is the same, and has a smaller range 5 to 30 versus 0 to 30 thus less VI improvers.
 
Ferrari,

I have run both these oils in my personal vehicles, along with oil analysis. The wear rates were basically identical and so was the amount of oil degradation. Since you live in a cold climate, I believe you can benefit from using the 0w-30 over the 5w-30. It is always a good idea to do some oil analysis testing if you plan to run very long change intervals, however.

I tend to keep more of the Series 3000, 5w-30 in stock locally, as I also sell this oil for VW turbodiesels and pickup truck diesel engines. However,I think the additive chemistry of the 0w-30 is more optimized for a gas engine application than the Series 3000 diesel oil. I switched all my local customers who were running the Amsoil 5w-30/10w-30 synthetics over to the Series 2000 products (0w-30 and 20w-50) about six years ago. They are probably 90% of what I sell now for gas engine applications. I still would not run 35,000 miles on any oil without a by-pass filter, but the Series 2000 holds up very well for 15k-20k miles/1 year in a well maintained, properly running engine.

TooSlick
 
I wouldn't use any synthetic or dino oil without a used oil analysis at 5-7k.

The 5W30 HDD is an excellent product. I use it in the winter in everything from tractors to emergency generators, because it has the low viscosity in winter and protects more like a
35-40 grade. Its additive package is one of the best. My only wish is that the cost was lower.

I think you could accomplish the same thing (and chaeaper as well) by using Schaeffer's 5W30 Full synth #156 and adding 1/4 can of #132.
 
I just looked at the specs on the 5w30 series 3000 vs their regular 5w30, and can't see why the series 3000 is more expensive. The regular stuff has a better viscosity index, a better cold cranking number and a better Noack score. The 3000 has a TBN of 12 (vs 11) but other than that, the series 3000 doesn't show any better technical numbers at all. So how is it different that makes it supposedly better? Better additives? What are they? Better base oil?
 
The Series 3000 oil has a different additive package.
For what it may be worth, Al Amatuzio said that he runs the 5W-30 HDD Series 3000 in his own car (gas). Maybe he knows something about it.
 
Although the addtive packages appear to be the same upon analysis (as does the 0W30) the orginal 5W and 10W30 oils just do not seem to hold up as well under longer drain intervals as does the 5W30 HDD series 3000 and the 0W30 series 2000. Why is an excellent question? Again, the numbers upon analysis of the oils seems about the same for additives. Perhaps as noted above, ole AJ knows which of his oils has the more robust package and this is what he uses.
 
The HDD has a higher level of ester content, a higher Base Number Detergent/Dispersant package, and two new FM/AW components; one an ester and the other an organometallic compound similar to Shaeffer's #132.

I think the higher ester content/type and the additive may raise the price, but by $3 over base of the other oils? Common! I think hype has a lot to do with price.
mad.gif
 
I swiped a page from my B-I-L's Amsoil rag (Amsoil Action News) of Feb. 2002, page 8.

I did some calculations on their wear, tbn, and Vis. data for the 5W30 HDD. Now bear in mind this is for a diesel engine fleet of 10 units averaged over 240,000 miles; 5 units had petroleum oil and 5 had Amsoil. Sump capacity approximately 15 quarts. These are Kenworth Class 8 Cummins N-14 ESP3 DI engines.
I took the wear numbers from the 60,000 mile row of data:

Iron (Fe) - 0.001599 ppm/mile or 1.6 ppm/1000 miles or 8.0 ppm for 5k miles;

Lead (Pb) - 0.001153 ppm/mile or 1/153 ppm/1000 miles or 5.8 ppm for 5k miles.

*No copper or aluminum reported in the Action News; maybe original has it!?*

TBN - Decreased from 8.92 to 6.05 over 220,000 miles.

Viscosity - went from 10.87 to 11.56 cSt over 220,000 miles.

FF filter was changed every 20,000 miles and BE-110 By-pass was changed every 40,000 miles.

No mention is made about how much make-up oil was added or which trucks had the worst or best oil consumption or mpg.

The mpg averaged 0.197 better with Amsoil HDD. That's a 3% increase in mpg over dino oil.

Now here's the kicker: They had oil change intervals of 120,000 miles (paragraph 2) but reported the results in the table with mileage from 20,000 miles to 240,000 miles.

Question? How does one show trends from 20,000 miles to 240,000 miles when you have a discontinuity in data at 120,000 miles? IE, they essentially started over at 120,000 miles but are reporting their data as if it the oil went continuously from 20,000 miles to 240,000 miles.

I am not saying the oil is not good, but crappy and contradictory data like this is embarassing.

[ September 12, 2002, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top