Best synthetic oil?

[Billc]

rja,

Don't remember all the places I went when doing research. There was not a place that had compared the different synthetics, that I found.

I spent a lot of time at the TDR board. "www.turbodieselregistry.com". This board is for Dodge diesel owners, and is fantastic. Also went to the Ford board. Called Amsoil, Castrol, Penn oil...basically anyone who made a synthetic. I came to the conclusion that all the synthetics were about the same. I went with Amsoil becasue I thought they answered my questions the best. Also they invented the stuff.

Don't know if you can find my posts from last year, but I didn't think the synthetics were worth the money. After reading about synthetics for 6 months I changed my mind.

Guess the main reasons for the switch were:

1) Synthetics didn't break down like dyno oils do.

2) In normal operating conditions synthetics are cooler.

3) You don't change synthetics as often as dyno oil. They ended up costing about the same to use.

I do think each must come to their own conclusions.

Bill Cook

 

[heehaw]

i'm not an amsoil dealer, anymore, but i do still use it; there have been 2 things that showed me the difference between synthetics and pet lubricants; 1- my weed-eater; you have to pull the string out by hand, with pet grease in the "head" and shaft, i just idled the motor, and the head stopped spinning, and i pulled the string out; when i switched to synthetic grease, idling the motor doesn't stop the head from turning; i have to push the head on the ground to get it to stop, so i can extend the string; 2-i drive @6 miles to work, when i switched to synthetic oil in my truck, the engine didn't heat up enough to get warm air from the heater; with pet oil, and exactly the same warm-up time and driving distance, i had heat the last 3 miles.
heehaw
ps; a local mechanic was working for ups when they switched to synthetic lubricants; of course they got it in 50 gal drums, and he didn't know what "brand" it was; but he did say they had a lot more leakage problems, especially with the transmissions: the trucks already had lots of miles on them when he did the changes.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by heehaw on 11/21/00 02:08 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[geneP]

I was told that the reason for the leakage in engines with higher mileage was because the petroleum oils leave a carbon deposit under the seals. The higher detergent in the synthetic oils disolve the deposits. I've always heard that it is not recommended to switch to synthetics in a high mileage engines because of this.

Gene MS

 

[lschultz]

The car that I commute to work in a 92 Honda Civic VX I switched to Amsoil 0W30 when it had 128000 miles,it now has 177000+.Never has leaked and does not use any oil.I used Amsoil Motor Flush before I put it on Amsoil.I use this oil in the transmission too.Use it in everything including M6800.

Larry Schultz

 

[MChalkley]

One reason seal leakage is common when switching from petroleum lubricants to synthetics is that petroleum lubes contain distillates that seep into seals, causing them to swell, but synthetics don't contain these volatiles (which accounts for some of synthetic's advantages) and this allows them to evaporate from the seals without being replaced, thus allowing the seals to shrink back up, causing leaks. Another reason synthetics leak more is because petroleum tends to mask a bad seal by gumming up when exposed to air, while synthetics will simply keep leaking through.

A friend of mine had 150k or so miles on a diesel Isuzu I-Mark (4-door compact) and had a rear main leaking bad enough to need a quart every 2k miles or so. He switched to Amsoil and lost 2 quarts of oil in the first 100 miles. Needless to say, he switched back to petroleum until he could get the seal fixed. After that, he switched back to Amsoil and didn't have any other leaks at all. He's now got almost 450k on it and it's still going strong. He's on his third transmission, though (the one he just put in has Amsoil in it, so we'll see how well it holds up).

MarkC

 

[Billc]

I switched my Dodge over to Amsoil at 85K this past July. We now have over 100K and never had a leak. Had been using Rotella until the switch over.

Bill Cook

 

[Anonymous Poster]

RJ, I am not at home rite now and will not be for a couple weeks but I dohave some websites marked that tells all about oil. I too am an Amsoil dealer, costs a few dollars a year and I buy oil wholesale for my self and friends at a hugh discount, I use it in all 20+ engines I own and differentials ect and like it. I never try to push it on anyone as I know what a contraversial subject oil gets to be on any webboard. Gary

 

[Tinmann]

Okay if one uses Amsoil in their tractor, what is the name of the hydraulic oil that would replace Super UDT? Just curious,I may be interested in going with synthetic since I only have 65 hours on my 3710 HST.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Tinmann on 12/30/00 10:45 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[Anonymous Poster]

RJA,

I too am considering Amsoil for my new tractor (after the 10 hr. service). I don't have an opinion based on personal experience, but can tell you what impressed me most here in the group discussion ;

Mark posted a report giving temperature readings for similar engine workloads, and I couldn't shake the belief that the Amsoil's lower temp. has to be reflecting less friction-generated-heat somewhere/somehow.

As long as this didn't cause cooler-than-engine-spec. running temps., I think it almost has to be a "good thing".

Combined with less carbon-buildup (if true) and what other benefits are claimed ( it's been awhile since I looked at the threads), I don't see how you can go wrong.

Some of these "Mark-type" guys are serious about finding "the best" way, concerning their tractors, and I don't take their advice lightly. I don't know where you could get more honest and "believable" opinions!

Larry


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[Anonymous Poster]

Tinman, I went with the Amsoil ISO 46-30wt in my JD 4200 HST, havehad no problems with temps down to -20 already this winter. Should do you a good job. gary