Amsoil severe service Engine opened with 82000 miles, 10k oil changes...CLEAN!!!

[OVERKILL]

As my mentor taught me when I was just a kid,,, watching. He was doing an oil and filter change on his 1978 Oldsmobile 98. The car was black. Beautiful car. He said to me " kid, motor oil is motor oil. What matters is how often you change it " That was back in the conventional oil days. Now, I wouldn't dream of putting conventional oil in any of my cars. But, I still live by his rules. He never really taught me much,,,I just watched him,,,and learned..... I do 3 month/ 3k oil and filters on all my cars, just as he told me. They all run fine, and all have over 125k on them. I just put whatever synthetic oil is on sale in them. Do I think Amsoil is a good product ? Yes. Would I pay the price for it ? No . More suited for fleet vehicles in my eyes.

But that's wholly inaccurate. City Star isn't Mobil 1, even if you change it at 3K you are going to get different results. This is like saying food is food, by which metric a Taco Bell "toilet express" burrito is equivalent to a venison steak paired with garlic mash, green beans, carrots and a side salad.

 

[Hohn]

What's with the sludge between cyl 1 & 2 at 12:06?

I noticed it too. Kinda glossed over that part.

 

[IndyFan]

Not here, but less wear, cleaner internals, not supporting ExxonMobil.

Bet you actually are supporting them as a supplier to Amsoil...possibly base oil and some additives.

 

[BC1]

What is the problem with Exxon that you choose not to support them?

 

[Pablo]

What is the problem with Exxon that you choose not to support them?

I was being sarcastic. I thought that was established awhile back.

I don't hate ExxonMobil, but some people do.

Bet you actually are supporting them as a supplier to Amsoil...possibly base oil and some additives.

That was made clear further back if you read through the thread.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

When I run out of my stash of jugs and jugs of synthetic oil, I will look at all these high tier oils everybody is raving about. It will take me years to go thru my stash of Castrol / Valvoline / Quaker State / Mobil 1 synthetic oils.

 

[TomYoung]

I personally don’t think pictures of “clean” internals offer much insight. I would rather see used oil analyses and bearings past the point of engine failure. I don’t know that a clean looking engine means that suspended materials in the oil have not damaged wear surfaces.

 

[Navi]

What we will do in the future is a visit to Amsoil's secret laboratory and a tour of the Amsoil plant just to see what goes into this oil...

 

[ltslimjim]

What we will do in the future is a visit to Amsoil's secret laboratory and a tour of the Amsoil plant just to see what goes into this oil...

I mean, I thought we already saw that with Gale Banks tour of their facilities? Amsoil is superb as a boutique blender. No question.



I'm more interested in their updated Signature Series lineup; which is supposed to be coming soon.

To your OP, it's a nothing burger video. A nice bellyrub over coffee, but hardly scientific. What we want to see is engine tear downs on 10k mile OCIs, any history of oil consumption and a nice check on the piston rings/honing on the cylinder walls; etc. That said, the crank is gonna be fine and I doubt the engine suffered doing 10k on XL. It's a solid product equivalent to most higher end OTS synthetics at WM. The right oil for the OCI / conditions context should do this on an engine without known sludge; as far as clean under valve cover appearances.

Oils today are less likely to cause significant sludge seeing the same interval in the OP video, but the rest of the differences between oil choice depends on if the engine were to experience some deposits/varnish to the point there is an issue with the mechanical functioning of some part. IMO, the advantage to Amsoil is the repeatability at continuing to extend OCIs and their ATFs/gear oils do this same thing. A robust fluid for those wanting to decrease downtime/while also maximizing serviceable life.

At minimum, the video proves Amsoil's non-top tier offering can meet the minimum of what other OTS synthetics can do. But we don't have a scientific comparison of the same engine with a different lube. Therefore, to make more out of this video is simply not possible without further detailed results than a simple valve cover removal.

This is neither pro/con on Amsoil, but the usefulness of the data itself.

 

[wlk]

When this website starts touting 10,000 mile oil changes the thought which comes to mind is contamination, sludge, etc. I have flashbacks of all these internet mechanics showing blown engines where its clear the oil was not changed timely.

So I came upon this video where a man says his fleet business Ford Transit Connect with 82000 miles that has been changed every 10000 miles with Amsoil is super clean! He opens the engine and reveals nothing but a clean cam/chain and interior engine area. This really has my eyes open and changes my attitude. I guess you just have to have a certain oil to do the 10,000 mile changes otherwise it wont work. I dont think I would trust SuperTech 10,000 mile oil changes...that one more for the 5000 mile variety. However we can put our faith in the Amsoil Signature Series!

My 04 Expedition, my son has it now, was spotless w 3k mile oil changes, w bulk dealership oil by previous owner, when I purchased it at 182k miles.

Now this is what my 05 Element looked like at 190k miles and whenever the oil change light went off at quicklube joints bulk oil. Light is usually 7k on Honda if i remember correctly, never use it.

 

[Navi]

If you go with any API rated oil and change it at 3000 miles it will be clean like the Expedition. However once you start doing 7 to 10k changes the quality of oil matters.

As for a real controlled scientific study of actual engines chances are we wont get that. From following the internet here I can say the engine in the video looks awfully clean for a 10k change. I would even say it was flushed at some point. A few signs of varnish and a little sludge but pretty good mostly.

"Bulk oil" quality can be good or bad. It all depends.

 

[OVERKILL]

If you go with any API rated oil and change it at 3000 miles it will be clean like the Expedition.

That depends entirely on the application. Some applications, like low specific output V8's with massive sumps (the Expedition 5.4L) are going to be MUCH easier on oil than some mini-sump'd turbocharged DI rig. Our fleet HEMI's all got short oil changes with NAPA (Valvoline) bulk and all had pretty significant varnish under the valve covers. The HEMI also has a large sump, but at 69HP/L, is considerably higher power density than the 5.4L at 48HP/L.

And of course this is for areas we can see. Places like the ring lands are much more likely to accumulate deposits than the tops of cylinder heads.

 

[ltslimjim]

That depends entirely on the application. Some applications, like low specific output V8's with massive sumps (the Expedition 5.4L) are going to be MUCH easier on oil than some mini-sump'd turbocharged DI rig. Our fleet HEMI's all got short oil changes with NAPA (Valvoline) bulk and all had pretty significant varnish under the valve covers. The HEMI also has a large sump, but at 69HP/L, is considerably higher power density than the 5.4L at 48HP/L.

And of course this is for areas we can see. Places like the ring lands are much more likely to accumulate deposits than the tops of cylinder heads.

When you calculate HP/L is that based on power to wheels or simply the engine output by itself? My little 1.5L Fit is 109 HP at 5,800 RPM (lol)

 

[GW.]

I mean, I thought we already saw that with Gale Banks tour of their facilities? Amsoil is superb as a boutique blender. No question.



I'm more interested in their updated Signature Series lineup; which is supposed to be coming soon.

To your OP, it's a nothing burger video. A nice bellyrub over coffee, but hardly scientific. What we want to see is engine tear downs on 10k mile OCIs, any history of oil consumption and a nice check on the piston rings/honing on the cylinder walls; etc. That said, the crank is gonna be fine and I doubt the engine suffered doing 10k on XL. It's a solid product equivalent to most higher end OTS synthetics at WM. The right oil for the OCI / conditions context should do this on an engine without known sludge; as far as clean under valve cover appearances.

Oils today are less likely to cause significant sludge seeing the same interval in the OP video, but the rest of the differences between oil choice depends on if the engine were to experience some deposits/varnish to the point there is an issue with the mechanical functioning of some part. IMO, the advantage to Amsoil is the repeatability at continuing to extend OCIs and their ATFs/gear oils do this same thing. A robust fluid for those wanting to decrease downtime/while also maximizing serviceable life.

At minimum, the video proves Amsoil's non-top tier offering can meet the minimum of what other OTS synthetics can do. But we don't have a scientific comparison of the same engine with a different lube. Therefore, to make more out of this video is simply not possible without further detailed results than a simple valve cover removal.

This is neither pro/con on Amsoil, but the usefulness of the data itself.

Top notch facilities.

 

[OVERKILL]

When you calculate HP/L is that based on power to wheels or simply the engine output by itself? My little 1.5L Fit is 109 HP at 5,800 RPM (lol)

Just posted BHP from the manufacturer, so if yours is 109 advertised, that's 72.7HP/L, so a touch more than the HEMI and a lot more than the 5.4L modular. My 6.4L is 74HP/L.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

Not here, but less wear, cleaner internals, not supporting ExxonMobil.

So who does amsoil purchase base oil from?

 

[Pablo]

So who does amsoil purchase base oil from?

A variety of sources depending on which base oil of course. Amsoil buys to specification.

 

[OilStainedNapkin]

A variety of sources depending on which base oil of course. Amsoil buys to specification.

Well done to amsoil for “not supporting Exxon Mobil”

 

[OVERKILL]

So who does amsoil purchase base oil from?

I believe all of the majors, they draw from a broad slate. Do they use XOM? I would assume so, they have a diverse range of PAO base oils that would make them a logical inclusion.

 

[Pablo]

Well done to amsoil for “not supporting Exxon Mobil”

Who said Amsoil said that?