Please critique my Amsoil plan

[Frbl]

Car - 2005 Scion xA automatic w/130,00 miles - not burning any oil, perfect compression in each cylinder, run 20,000 miles per year

History - I have been running synthetic for 30,000+ miles, mostly Mobil 1 5w30 with PureOne filters - 7,000 mile OCI (change filter at 3500 mile intervals) - Blackstone used oil analysis have been very satisfactory

I would like to switch to Amsoil and go to longer OCI (and slightly longer filter changes). Here is my plan:

1) Amsoil 5w30 w/Bosch Distance Plus filter
2) 5000 miles later change out filter w/microGreen filter and top-up oil
3) 5000 miles later (10,000 miles total) send sample to Blackstone for UOA - then (probably) change filter w/microGreen and top-up oil
4) 5000 miles later (15,000 miles total) - send another sample for analysis and probably change oil and filter and begin again (unless UOA clearly shows I can go on simply with filter change and oil top-up)

Comments: I am hopeful that with Amsoil's hefty add pack and the addition of some new oil at filter changes the TBN should be fine throughout. I am changing filters more often than some might suggest mainly because this is a small Toyota engine and it seems more frequent filter changes go far in preventing sludge in these engines (just being cautious here). I am open to suggestions about the filter order here. I had purchased the Bosch filter first, then got a 2-for-1 deal on the microGreen filters before I even sat down to think out this plan. With the microGreen's claimed ability to filter out finer particles, I don't know if using them in a particular order makes a difference here.

I'll gladly accept any suggestions or criticisms, especially if they are reasoned and well-expressed and not just something like, "Amsoil sucks and you're an idiot!" While the latter may indeed be true, it would be nice to know why the former might be too.

 

[FZ1]

I like what you are currently doing. The 7k oil and filter change. You could try 2 ocis per year,Fall and Spring changes. You could switch to Amsoil if you wished,or try Mobil 1 Extended Performance. I would save the uoa money.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Pure 1 filter is good for 10-15k miles or 1 year which-ever is first. Mobil 1 is good for 10-12k miles, Mobil 1 Extended Performance is good for 15k miles or more. If you want to use Amsoil then you should go with SSO and do 25-30k miles or 1 year oil change, any less is a waste of money. No need to spend more money on the MicroGreen filter, but you may want to change Pure1 filter midway at around 12-15k miles.

 

[tflessner]

Sounds close to what I'm doing. I run the Amsoil ASL 5-30 and just change every 6 months, on October 1st and then again on April 1st. I also use the Purulator Pure-one filter but don't change it in between. I put anywhere from 15-20K miles on per year, sometimes pulling a boat or camper.

I've now got Amsoil fluids everywhere except the transfer case, and I'm changing that in 3 weeks.

 

[Pablo]

With 130K miles, I think any Toyota product has some level of gunk, with any oil. In your case, you probably have a low level - but worth cleaning never the less.

I would drain the current oil, and add a low cost oil. Drive a few miles or drive 500 miles. Then add a quart of MMO or use Amsoil Flush per the instructions with a new low cost filter. Repeat. This will safely rinse out the gumbo.

Use a Pure one or Mann filter. Use Amsoil ASL but only go 5K the first run. Then 7.5K, then 10K. 15K MAY be doable, but I would choose HDD or SSO for that or longer.

 

[Spector]

In Philly ( well, about anywhere in the country) if you are currently using 5W30 and switching to Amsoil I would go with the 0W30 or the 5W30 Series 3000 (can be used in gas engines)The 0W30 is more robust than the others (except for maybe the Series 3000) and in the winter a much better fit than the 5W.

My opinion. I used the 0W for many years going 12,000 or so OCI.

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: FZ1
You could try 2 ocis per year,Fall and Spring changes. You could switch to Amsoil if you wished,or try Mobil 1 Extended Performance.


I like this plan and continue using the Purolator Pure One filter. Either Amsoil 0w30 or 5w30 or the Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30. All three of these are excellent oils. If you want to do a one year oil change with a little cushion, use the AMSOIL Signature Series 0w30 and just change the Purolator Pure One filter twice a year.

 

[Scienceman]

Why change something that is already working?

 

[Frbl]

Thank you all for your analysis and opinions. I planned the UOA just for a safety check the first time around, not for a continual, ongoing process. Yeah, that could be pricey.

I will probably adjust the oil filter change accordingly. I'm a bit skittish about long filter change intervals from what I have heard about Toyota engines on Amsoil.

Several have wondered why I would change from the previous setup - Mobil 1 and Pure One filters. I guess I want to go for longer OCI's. I probably would not be saving much work - if I'm changing out a filter it's not that much more work just to change out oil, too - but perhaps for environmental reasons, I guess. I'm not a huge greeny, but I challenge myself sometimes to do a better job that way.

Mobil 1 Extended Performance and AMSOIL Signature Series are definitely going to make me think things over. And probably a flush via the method suggested above. I've been so tempted to drop the oil pan to check things out or perhaps the valve cover, too. But neither are leaking and I don't want to tempt fate! A gentle cleanse makes a lot of sense.

I'm also going to think about the 0w-30, too. The Farmer's Almanac is calling for a colder winter for the Northeast, after all! ;^)

Thanks again , all.

 

[Mau]

Isn't this vehicle using a Toyota motor? Is it a sludger?

 

[Frbl]

I do not know that this particular engine is a "sludger" per se - I'm referring to the generalization made about Toyota engines and long filter change intervals with Amsoil. Amsoil itself stopped selling their long interval filters for most (all?) Toyota engines saying that Toyota owners should "change the filter according to manufacturer suggestions."

 

[PhillyJoe]

I have a similar plan. I found 6 quarts of AMSOIL Signature Series 0w30 for sale on craigslist over the weekend and plan to do an oil change next month on my '07 Grand Prix GT. I normally change oil every 5-6,000 miles and I have 12 PF52's (another CL find.) Planning to run the oil 10-12,000 miles with a filter change in the middle with makeup oil.