Amsoil way to $$$$$...switching to RTS

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Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
Steve S - In very high utilisation vehicles there may be a case for a high level synthetic HDEO. It becomes a cost benefit equation in the end. Of course very high extremes of climate (cold/heat) make a synthetic HDEO a good proposition

It is common for Class 8 Interstate trucks here in OZ to experience from say -10C to 45C wihin an 18hr trip! Even then most engines survive well on mineral lubricant changed at the recommended intervals

Yes but most on this board do not utilize the syn oil and bypass filter to make it pay. Years ago I was running sleeper team from San Leandro Calif. "San Francisco bay area" to Portland Ore. or Salt lake City Utah The engines are built to handle it. Also Ran the 48 states for a long year "two winters" I hate snow and cold"".
 
Originally Posted By: cowhorse01
errrr, wasn't "bashing" Amsoil......just stating a fact that their oil is getting expensive. My question is simple. Am I getting better protection for the extra 8-10 dollaors over the cast of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 or for the 15-20 dollars over the cost of a good dino, say, Delvac or Delo? hmmmmmm, bashing? ok......

What would make you think the dino HDEOS don't give you enough protection? There are thousands of class 8 trucks that have engines costing more than your whole truck costs new that are more than adequetly protected with conventional oils if that is any proof. The Amsoil 15w40 is a well proven oil that should do 25,000 miles without breaking a sweat with the bypass filter.
 
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: cowhorse01
errrr, wasn't "bashing" Amsoil......just stating a fact that their oil is getting expensive. My question is simple. Am I getting better protection for the extra 8-10 dollaors over the cast of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 or for the 15-20 dollars over the cost of a good dino, say, Delvac or Delo? hmmmmmm, bashing? ok......

What would make you think the dino HDEOS don't give you enough protection? There are thousands of class 8 trucks that have engines costing more than your whole truck costs new that are more than adequetly protected with conventional oils if that is any proof. The Amsoil 15w40 is a well proven oil that should do 25,000 miles without breaking a sweat with the bypass filter.


I am seeing that they will give me enough protection. I don't disagree at all there. My question was mainly what happens when you switch back to Dino that would have different additves after using a synthetic for so long. Group IV oils also different bases, chemical make-ups, etc.....
I know I am thinking about this too much, but I am keeping this truck for a LONG time and don't want to cause problems like sludging, mixing oils, and that sort of thing. I am strongly considering either Delvac or RTS if I stick with synthetic. I will say that $9 a gallon for oil is pretty tempting and I already have ByPass Filtration, so that helps. I can at least go 10k with Dino.
 
There will no problem switching to conventional oil the additives are all the same . You may be happier keeping Amsoil in your engine and doing 25,000 oil change intervals the oil is capable of that kind of service in your engine with the bypass filter by looking at your used oil analysis. To me the big problem with syn oil is many think they are doing their engine a favor running it at conventional oil intervals negating the advantage of the syn oil holding up better in longer oil change intervals. Do a used oil analysis every 10,000 miles and run the oil till it starts to need changing,you will get the same life out of your engine with fewer changes.
 
Delo and delvac get the job done. They just aren't extended drain or severe service (ice road trucker type) oils. If i had the time to change oil for the savings it's not a bad deal at all! Their synthetic offerings are pretty good too IMHO.
 
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: cowhorse01
errrr, wasn't "bashing" Amsoil......just stating a fact that their oil is getting expensive. My question is simple. Am I getting better protection for the extra 8-10 dollaors over the cast of Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 or for the 15-20 dollars over the cost of a good dino, say, Delvac or Delo? hmmmmmm, bashing? ok......

What would make you think the dino HDEOS don't give you enough protection? There are thousands of class 8 trucks that have engines costing more than your whole truck costs new that are more than adequetly protected with conventional oils if that is any proof. The Amsoil 15w40 is a well proven oil that should do 25,000 miles without breaking a sweat with the bypass filter.


Probably longer than 25K miles. Of course I'm talking class 8 trucks here, but I did 30K oil changes using Kendall 15w40, no bypass, Baldwin filters and got 1.4 million miles on the truck before getting out of it. It still only used a gallon of oil about 14-15k miles and still got over 7 mpg. The engine was a Cummins N-14.

Now with my '06 International 9400 with a Cummins ISX, using Amsoil AME 15w40, FS2500 bypass filter, I am seeing how far can really go without a complete oil change. Just got the truck, so have no longevity results yet. From other owners results, can realistically expect maybe once a year or less complete oil changes. That is around 150K miles.

Not sure why even on pickups with diesels and bypass, and sampling, one could not go w...a....y beyond 25K oil changes. Then the added cost of a high quality synthetic would be not an issue.

Oh... As for Amsoil being so expensive.... checked with my local Mobil distributor about 5 gal and 55 gal lots of Mobil Delvac 1. Over $1700 for a 55 gal drum. $500 more than Amsoil AME. I can even get case of 2 2.5 gallon jugs of Amsoil for $30 bucks cheaper than a 5 gal bucket of Mobil Delvac 1.

No brainer here.... Mobil will not be getting my business.
 
Well, let's hope I can go the 30k OCI, and I will stick with Amsoil. I love the stuff, but now that it's $25 a gallon plus shipping, I have just been considering going to $9 a gallon Delvac and doing 10k OCI's. I have another 10k on this one though, so I am still thinking 'til then.
 
Hey guys

I am a new member here. I have a 2006 2500 Dodge Cummins. I am
also interested in the best bang for the buck dino or not. Has
anyone heard of Lubrication Engineers, and is it any good.
 
Originally Posted By: Laird1
Thanks. Is this an oil well suited diesels. If I remember the oil
was pricey and I believe it is also a dino.


How about starting a new thread instead of taking over this one? Thanks...
 
Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
TiredTrucker - 7mpg from a N14 - truely outstanding!!!!!

Don't count on 150k OCIs with the ISX though...................
Not even running Amsoil????????????
 
Nice one Steve S... ISX with insane amounts of EGR and an occasional injector blow out can be kryptonite for even Al's special sauce. I've seen a fleet of ISX's in class 8's make Delo Syn 5w40 it's beyotch in just 40k mile intervals.
 
Originally Posted By: Doug Hillary
Hi,
TiredTrucker - 7mpg from a N14 - truely outstanding!!!!!

Don't count on 150k OCIs with the ISX though...................


Not even if running bypass filtration? Also, isn't EGR soot levels decreased somewhat using ULSD compared to LSD? Was planning on using Amsoil AME instead of going to a CJ-4 because of the higher TBN and no DPF to worry about since it is a 2006 engine.

Thoughts?
 
AME is tough as nails and will most likely lower consumption versus the traditional HDEO's used in your platform. If you are running sufficient bypass filtration, Donaldson ELF filters and keep an eye on your air filtration you should be able to break the 65k mile mark in an ISX traditional line haul operation with AME (or Mobil Delvac 1 for that matter). Now if you have high idle times, a need for overspeed (LOL) or use biodiesel blends all bets are off!!

I highly recommend that you use their flush product at about a 15-20% ratio before you get started. In fleets I consulted with that have trialed the AME product or other various synthetic offerings there was definitely a benefit to future TBN retention, consumption and soot dispersal by flushing the units versus not flushing. Your sump size in an ISX with bypass is going to be approximately 42 quarts so no need to waste expensive oil to do the job that an initial flush could do. Also, FYI the ULSD switch didn't reduce the soot loading from EGR technology. It did, however, reduce the acidic sulphur byproducts formed via incomplete combustion that contaminate your oil...this is why you see the newer CJ-4 oils all have lower starting Total Base Numbers. The theory is that there is reduced sulphonation of the oil now so the acid neutralizers could be safely backed out of the formulations. Nitration via oxides of nitrogen still exists and definitely puts a wallop to your oil in the real world so in your case (pre-2007) staying with a high SAPS CI-4+ high quality synthetic + bypass is probably the optimal choice. The ISM's and ISX's are soot forming mongers...bypass filtration or, as Doug points out, centrifugal separation will be your friend in the long run.
 
Hi,
TiredTrucker - It all comes down to using used oil analysis and trending the results. Most heavy high speed diesels will reach their lubricant condemnation limits in either iron or soot long before 150k miles. Try it and see!

By-pass filtration will not stop the inevitable build up of contamination - it MAY delay it reaching the lubricant's condemnation level by an unknown amount (miles/time) - hence UOA trending

In real world use I have never seen engines regularly go much beyond 80k miles before one or the other lubricant condemnation factors are reached. Usually 60k miles is a reasonable expectation. But I am always learning!

As for the API rating - well I would always use the latest available that is Approved by the Manufacturer! In the end they DO know best

pickled's comments always make practical sense!
 
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For may gaser i couldnt justiy the cost either. It was still cheaper changing oil every six months with PP vs Amsoil every year.
 
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