What's the story with Amsoil?

I just bought an '05 Sti and the dealer recommended Amsoil.

He doesn't sell it, so that's not the reason, Subaru makes no such specific recommendation.

I intend to maintain a strict 3000mi interval, so is there value in Amsoil vs. Mobil 1?

Philip

Reply to
Philip Procter
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That's like asking, "Is the Mac really a better operating system than Windows?" (or, vice versa). You like to start religious wars or something? ;-)

Reply to
Hal Whelply

Not too mention 3k miles is wasting your money on synthetic.

Reply to
Henry Paul

True. I just switched to Mobil 1, and I'm going to stretch it to 6,000 miles, which isn't much on synth, but keeps me within the owner's manual specs, plus saves me a trip to get an oil change, and all at about the same price as two dino changes at 3,000 miles each.

HW

Reply to
Hal Whelply

Hi,

With 3k change intervals, dino oil should serve you just fine. Google "high mileage oil" and see if you can find some of the stories from the Honda guys: a lot of them have 400k miles and more on dino oil. Makes us Subie guys look like pikers (I've ONLY got 354k miles on mine. Dino oil with 3k change intervals. :D)

Now if you're looking for a million mile engine, maybe there would be a payback? The guy who (still?) holds the No. 2 spot in the Guinness book had a shade over a mil on a Honda Accord running Castrol Syntec, but I don't know his change routine.

Amsoil's a good product, as is Mobil 1, but you've gotta look at the "dollars and sense" of your situation to make a decision between them or dino.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Courtright

I just switched to Mobil 1 myself! I am playing a bit of a daredevil though as my Impreza has 100k miles on it. I figured I have to do the timing belt anyway and I planned to do the seals soon so it's no big deal if I get leaks.

Reply to
Henry Paul

I am an AMSOL dealer myself and have been using it for 20 years. I chnage it once a year which works out to be about 10k miles. The last vehicle I sold was a Nissan Hardbody w/ 120k miles. It never used a drop of oil between changes and the engine looked brand new inside. I use it for the extra protection and the fact that I don't have time to change my oil every 6000 miles. And, BTW, the Mac IS much better than a Wintel box! :>

-Rob

Reply to
Rob Munach

Not to put down Amsol but I got rid of an 88 sentra with >250k miles on the original engine, not burning oil and engine was clean inside as well. Used dino oil with avg 7k mile chance interval.

Personally I can't justify the cost difference nor see any benefit in going with syn oil. Weather extremes here just doesn't justify the syn usage.

Mickey

Reply to
Mickey

An addendum:

Most of the "syn-dino" and "short-extended change interval" wars don't show us any numbers, which makes the discussions pretty empty. But here's a link where some guys ARE trying to do a valid head to head (courtesy of a virtual clone of this discussion on one of the Toyota NGs):

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It's a work in progress, but interesting nevertheless.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Courtright

If you are changing oil every 3000 miles it doesn't matter much what you use. I've always used Mobil 1. But, I was specifically told that synthetics were not nessesary. I'll probably stick with mobile 1 anyway with a 5000 mile change interval.

BlueSTi "Scary-Fast"

Reply to
BlueSTi

So what would make you think you might get a leak? Just curious.

BlueSTi "Scary-Fast"

Reply to
BlueSTi

Whatever floats your boat. Part of the problem is that Nissan makes frickin bulletproof motors (for the most part). If you had one of these Toyota V6 sludge motors, then you would see the difference.

Reply to
Rob Munach

Hi,

I ~might~ have one of 'em (I say "might" cuz mine's at one end of the scale of engines that "could" be affected.) Previous owner put ~215k miles on it as a daily commuter. She was religious about maintenance by the book, including 3k oil changes, at her trusted dealer, who ran it on regular Pennzoil dino oil (save the flames!) Let's just say the engine's in a LOT better shape than my Subie was when I got it at 209k with a "dubious" maintenance program! I doubt running a synthetic would have made much difference on either car.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Courtright

If it is a sludge motor, she proabably could have more than doubled that oil change interval without any adverse affects.

Reply to
Rob Munach

I'm not really sold on some of the claims of synthetics (and Amsoil is a TRUE synthetic) but in the car I drive 850 miles a week I use Amsoil 2000

0-30 or whatever it's called. I change it every 35,000 miles (that's right, 35 thousand) and 1/2 way in between put on a new filter and top off the oil level. With dino or Mobil 1 my interval was 5,000 and I could tell I was due by the way the engine sounded plus I would be down 3/4 quart. With the Amsoil I never notice a difference in the way the engine sounds or runs and my outfit doesn't consume ANY. TG
Reply to
TG

Only that the consensus seems to be high mileage engine conversions to synthetic can cause leaks. Personally, I think it is worth it. My car seems to have more power somehow just from changing over.

Reply to
Henry Paul

Petroleum based oils cause the polymeric seals to swell, thus preventing leaking. Originally, synthetics let the seals shrink and harden thus causing leaks. This was even more problematic with synthetic ATF. All new synthetics have additives to prevent seals from hardening, so while it may no longer be a problem with synthetics, some people are just conditioned to believe so.

Reply to
ceraboy

Which is funny because Subaru oil seals will leak on dino oil as well.

Reply to
Henry Paul

Yup...

My dealer parts guy tells me "Subarus were designed to leak, and they work perfectly according to design."

Rick

Reply to
Rick Courtright

Think of it as a secondary oil filter system. Old out got out the bottom, new oil come in the top. I know plenty of guys with hondas over

400,000km that just change the filter once a year and keep putting oil in the top, never opening the drain plug.
Reply to
Chris Phillipo

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