Oil related engine failure and warranty survery.

[AzFireGuy79]

How do you know this was an oil related failure. Just like the fellow with Amsoil gear oil issues, its hard to prove a metallurgy vs lube failure. Unless you Have the parts examined by a lab you are merely pointing fingers.

I have never had a lube related failure besides a weak ten bolt in my camaro.

 

[Jim 5]

One other point. Everyone is talking about how good oils are now. And they are.

However, let's not forget that the typical SEFI car these days presents far less challenges to any oil going in it. No, I'm not talking about a direct injected, forced induction Audi/BMW which presents some new challenges.

I'm talking the run of mill, normally aspirated EFI car of today. I believe the refinement and efficiency in modern engines creates less polution of the oil than cars used to.

Take the UOA fora a 6k mile UOA in a modern 70k mile Chev ecotec and compare that to the same oil it a 70k mile '73 Chevy with a 350, a Holley 4BBL and points ignition. You're going to get a dramatically worse outcome (at least that's where I'd put my money) on the '73 Chevy's UOA.

We have to give some credit to the engineering of the cars as well as the oils these days.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
While the chance of having a oil related issue is rare, I think ignoring the legal document called the Owners manual and its recommendations is not too smart.

IF (and a big IF) you have anything go wrong, why give them ANY chance of hassle?

I have been asked for receipts when I had head gaskets go bad in a vehicle that never has those type of problems. They felt if I did not do proper OCI with the correct oil, it could overheat the engine and cause the issue.

But I agree and over the way too many miles I've driven and decades of ownership, oils are excellent! Esp the oils from mid 90s to today!

Take care, Bill


Look out for those flying pigs! I agree with Bill.

( j/k

)

This pretty much sums it up for me too. While I have never seen a failure personally or through work that I would say was strictly due to the oil itself I have seen failures where using the wrong oil was blammed. My comments over my time here about use the right stuff due to warranty is based on the things Bill talks of.

You have an owner's manual that tells you what is required as far as weight and ratings. Use something that qualifies. If you do have an engine problem and you needed a 5W-30 that meets Chrysler MS6395/GM6094M/etc..., is API certified w/ starburst, and needs to be changed every 6/6000 then that is what you should use and do. Don't use a 5W-40 or 20W-50 that does not meet/exceed the mfg's oil standard and/or that is not API certified to the correct levels. Don't go a year and 50K with your OCI's either.

When I worked dealer parts and service I saw a LOT of engine problems that while not really the oil's fault where blammed on the wrong oil used or improper maintenance( i.e. time frame )and the warranty was not honored( couple challenged but upheld in court ). I posted on here recently in another forum where someone asked about engines replaced under warranty. I talked about my Sister's Impala getting a new engine. Before GM did that they verified she did all of her maintenance and did it on time with the correct oil. Actually, before they pulled it and tore it down to try and find the noise( last step before replacement )they verified the maintenance. It does happen.

While under warranty you are best off to stick to the maintenance schedule and requirements in your owner's manual. Do what you want after but stay with it when under warranty. The oil itself may not be at fault but if you use the wrong stuff and do not change it on time, and then have an internal engine problem, you just might be in for a hard time getting it covered even if the oil itself( other than wrong weight/rating )is not really the problem.

"IF" you are going to stray from the manual make sure it won't bite you in the behind if you have issues down the road. I actually have strayed slightly on my 08 Ram 5.7L w/ MDS BUT my dealer is ok with it and helps me on paperwork. Otherwise I would not take the chance.

I need a 5W-20 that meets/exceeds MS6395 and that is API Certified w/ Starburst. I am required to change it by the OLM or 6/6000 which ever comes 1st. I use RP 5W-20 and I change it every 5K which meets all of the requirements except the API SM/Starburst part. It is still an API certified oil so the dealer is ok with that and knows IF it was going to hurt anything it would be the cat's not the engine. The RP exceeds Chryslers oil spec as well. They do my OC's with my parts but they leave off use customer's parts for me. If they wouldn't do that I would probably not do this.

Use an oil that meets your manual requirements is the most fool proof and safest route bottom line.

 

[wolfc70]

I have only heard of one outright engine component failure. A friends Passat needed a new camshaft at 60k miles. She did 10k OCI based on the owners manual, which would have been ok if she had the oil changed at the dealer. She did not though, and went to a quick lube place "because it was cheaper" and most likely used just regular dino 5w-30. Well any VW fan will tell you that the 1.8t is pretty hard on oil, and extended OCI's with conventional oil led to a lot of sludge issues. Basically her cam got no oil and ruined the bearings and scored the lobes. Not to mention sludge everywhere.

This is not exactly oil related, more of owner ignorance, but still, oil was in the car. It was just improper oil used for an improper length of time. The repair was very expensive, and I told her that even the "expensive" oil changes at the dealer would have been thousands less than replacing engine components.

 

[fsskier]

Originally Posted By: tinmanSC
Originally Posted By: fsskier
The engine ran fine, the differential burned up the ring and pinion within 5K miles. Wore the teeth completely off, gone!!


Did AMSOIL ever pony up and give you a new diff/compensation?


No, no chance of help from them. As mentioned previously, the amsoil rep's - all "true believers" suddenly decided that the car was poorly maintained, and I was an abusive driver. Both statements were dead wrong, it shows the downside of "confirmation bias" where people choose the explanation that they prefer.

Another poster suggested that the gears likely had poor metallurgy but remember: The first set came from the factory in Germany, and failed well within the warranty.
The second set came from US inventory, and also failed within the warranty (24K miles at that time). Years later I talked to the mechanic who changed them, he had still never done any others beside mine..... not counting a couple at very high mileage and the lubricant had all leaked out.

I suspect most Amsoil products are much better tested now, but - kinda like the famous "Synlube" - remarkable advertising claims are no substitute for verified testing.