What oil should I use? Bye Bye Amsoil!!

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My money would be on the filter ADBV failing, causing dry starts. I am very familiar with this scenario and chased it for many years on my Tundra V-8 engine. Changing to a different brand of filter would be the easiest and cheapest troubleshooting you could do. You don't even have to change the oil (in fact, you should leave the same oil in there to eliminate a variable). Just spin off the old filter and put a PureOne (first choice) or WIX filter that matches up with your engine.

The AMSOIL XL oils are first rate IMO, so there's no need to switch oils as your first troubleshooting event. Nor is taking it to a mechanic yet.
 
Good idea. I'll pick up a new filter today and switch it out after work. i don't have any extra amsoil on hand so i guess ill just top it off with some other synthetic fluid.

I've tried the Wix filters and got the same noise, then switched to the Amsoil filters and nothing changed. The thing is it makes the noise when the filter is brand new also, im not sure the ADBV could be failing on 6 good filters in a row.

did you check out my video a few posts back of the tick? yours sounded the same?
 
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Originally Posted By: Pablo
First of all, just so you know (and not to start an argument) the XL oil is not a "true" synthetic oil. It's actually one of the better group III oils, but again the base oil is not truly and fully synthesized from smaller molecules.



Wow. You would guess the First In Synthetics to carry nothing but True synthetic oil!
 
I have a fussy engine as it would seem yours is as well. I have lifter ticking with the XL-7500 series oil when I used it so I went back to M1 for the warranty period and all was fine. After my warranty was up I tried Amsoil's ASL and SSO to which I had no lifter ticking and a much smoother running engine. I suspect it was because I was using an oil with more PAO content which had better flow characteristics in the colder weather than the XL series primarily group III oil.

That doesn't make all Amsoil products bad, it just means this isn't the right fit for my engine IMO.

I wouldn't judge all Amsoil products by your experiences with 1 which might not be the right fit for your application.
wink.gif


Now, if you want some other suggestions for oils other than Amsoil I would use Mobil-1 or Pennzoil Platinum these are very good oils IMO.
grin2.gif
 
As a disclaimer, I use Amsoil full synthetic 5-30 in the Corvettes without issue.
I did notice however, in the wife's 5.3 Tahoe dino is A LOT quieter than any syn. I use any syn but Movil-1 in it because the type of driving she does often has the OLM indicatinga change < 4000 miles


Steve
 
Ok this is all good info. Im learning some stuff here. I'm going to change the title of this post so it doesn't sound like im knocking Amsoil. Before I started this thread I just figured it may not be a good fit for my car though. Now I know some things.
 
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My 01 Impala and buddies 97 Grand Prix GTP ran Mobil 1 their whole lives. If it still happens after the filter swap you can ride out the OCI or drain and fill some Mobil 1 5w-30. The 3800 Series II/III seem to like Mobil 1, it's just right. Also remember that 5w30 between brands can be a thinner 5w30 or a thicker 5w30, you may be on the thinner side so that may be why your hearing it.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Might try a Purolator Pure One or even an AC Delco filter from the dealer.
Johnny thanks for reminding me. I also needed a new filter choice to help the ticking as well. I happen also to be using the Amsoil EAO because all other filters would cause ticking as well. So Johnny has it right, maybe try a filter change with your oil choice.
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Originally Posted By: Johnny
Originally Posted By: Johnny
(For your peace of mind) if you are going back to 3K changes, try Pennzoil 5W-30 in the yellow bottle and your favorite filter. WIX, Purolator, what ever you like.


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This original recommendation was based on two comments; 1) want to save some money, and 2) doing 3K oil changes for peace of mind.

If you are going to do 5K+ oil changes and you want to stay with a synthetic oil, skies the limit. Pick your favorite brand and have at it.

I would disagree with my friend Pablo on one thing, the Amsoil XL series oils are synthetics, just made with Group III base stocks instead of mostly PAO.


Hey, Johnny, just because some regulator says that Group III can legally be called synthetic does not mean that true believers have to agree. Your PP is a fine oil, just, in my opinion and others, not a true synthetic. If I were using Pennzoil for a 5,000 mile OCI, I would choose the Yellow Bottle.
 
Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Originally Posted By: Johnny
(For your peace of mind) if you are going back to 3K changes, try Pennzoil 5W-30 in the yellow bottle and your favorite filter. WIX, Purolator, what ever you like.


welcome2.gif
to BITOG





This original recommendation was based on two comments; 1) want to save some money, and 2) doing 3K oil changes for peace of mind.

If you are going to do 5K+ oil changes and you want to stay with a synthetic oil, skies the limit. Pick your favorite brand and have at it.

I would disagree with my friend Pablo on one thing, the Amsoil XL series oils are synthetics, just made with Group III base stocks instead of mostly PAO.


Hey, Johnny, just because some regulator says that Group III can legally be called synthetic does not mean that true believers have to agree. Your PP is a fine oil, just, in my opinion and others, not a true synthetic. If I were using Pennzoil for a 5,000 mile OCI, I would choose the Yellow Bottle.


Need to clear up a few things:

It is not MY PP. Have not worked for them since 2005 and could really care less what anyone uses.

Might have started with some regulator, but Group III is now excepted as a synthetic base stock by all the major oil companies and their chemist. Although I agree, there are still some diehards out there that will not except it.

You are correct though, I would have absolutely no problem doing 5K oil changes on yellow bottle Pennzoil.
 
Piston slap goes away gradually, while lifter tick tends to stop more abruptly, and you might have some getting quiet sooner than others, so the character of the noise changes. Piston slap sounds very similar to the muffled noise of a diesel engine, but quieter (unless it's a Subaru).
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Originally Posted By: 1999nick
Originally Posted By: Johnny
Originally Posted By: Johnny
(For your peace of mind) if you are going back to 3K changes, try Pennzoil 5W-30 in the yellow bottle and your favorite filter. WIX, Purolator, what ever you like.


welcome2.gif
to BITOG





This original recommendation was based on two comments; 1) want to save some money, and 2) doing 3K oil changes for peace of mind.

If you are going to do 5K+ oil changes and you want to stay with a synthetic oil, skies the limit. Pick your favorite brand and have at it.

I would disagree with my friend Pablo on one thing, the Amsoil XL series oils are synthetics, just made with Group III base stocks instead of mostly PAO.


Hey, Johnny, just because some regulator says that Group III can legally be called synthetic does not mean that true believers have to agree. Your PP is a fine oil, just, in my opinion and others, not a true synthetic. If I were using Pennzoil for a 5,000 mile OCI, I would choose the Yellow Bottle.


Need to clear up a few things:

It is not MY PP. Have not worked for them since 2005 and could really care less what anyone uses.

Might have started with some regulator, but Group III is now excepted as a synthetic base stock by all the major oil companies and their chemist. Although I agree, there are still some diehards out there that will not except it.

You are correct though, I would have absolutely no problem doing 5K oil changes on yellow bottle Pennzoil.



Johnny,
If the XL7500 isn't synthetic then why does it say synthetic on the front of the bottle? Here's the link

https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/xlf.aspx
 
Originally Posted By: tig1

Johnny,
If the XL7500 isn't synthetic then why does it say synthetic on the front of the bottle? Here's the link

https://www.amsoil.com/storefront/xlf.aspx


Because Mobil lost their court case against Castrol.

To the OP, for 3k mile OCIs.....IMO, you'd be crazy not to use supertech (or supertech syn).
 
Guys I understand the court thing, I'm only asking ,if the 7500 isn't synthetic why does it say it is on the bottle?
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
Guys I understand the court thing, I'm only asking ,if the 7500 isn't synthetic why does it say it is on the bottle?
No offense, but then you don't understand the court thing.

The court thing was over being allowed to claim an oil was synthetic when it used Hydrocracked oil as it's base. (Group-III).

Amsoil is using GRP-III in the XL-7500 series oil and can call it Synthetic as does Castrol.
 
It was NOT a court thing.

Amsoil uses the EXACT same reasoning Castrol, Pennzoil, and a host of others do with their Group III oils for the XL product line.

I am not sure why any of this is new news to folks with over 100 posts.
 
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