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I think he meant the API certification. Last time I checked, not many Amsoil products meet the API certification while every oil sold in the auto parts stores do.
I heard it's not that Amsoil won't meet the API certification, but that it's because Amsoil refuses to pay the hundreds of thousands of $$$ just to have every single product it makes officially API tested and certified. If that's true, then it's the old blackmail scenario: pay us the money, or we won't certify your oil...
Since Amsoil charges so much money for their product - it seems like it would be easy for them to recoup the costs of certification. Add 10 cents to their already outrageously priced product and no one would care.
I think they don't WANT certification. It would invite comparison to all the certified products. Amsoil wants to stand alone and not face the "any certified oil will do the job" argument.
I use whatever dino oil the garage put into the sump of my old cars. The Buick, with 184k, shows between 40 and 80 psi depending on engine rpm and oil temp. I assume the Subie, with similar mileage, does the same. I change oil twice per year or 3,000 miles which ever comes first. I top off the cars with Pennzoil 20W-40 or Shell Rotella 20W-40 very high detergent oil. Both engines run fine. I do not see any reason to spend the money for synthetic oil.
Since Amsoil charges so much money for their product - it seems like it would be easy for them to recoup the costs of certification. Add 10 cents to their already outrageously priced product and no one would care.
I think they don't WANT certification. It would invite comparison to all the certified products. Amsoil wants to stand alone and not face the "any certified oil will do the job" argument.
A friend of mine runs a modified dirt race car and uses nothing but Amsoil. I know for a fact that he has NEVER had one engine let go.
And Amsoil is not that high priced...just hard to find.
Amsoil and Redline are "Group 5" ester-based oils, completely different from Mobil-1 which is a Group 4 PAO oil.
Any oil that maintains the film, usually the most stressed area is the cam/cam follower, so long as the film holds up you are fine, more margin does not buy you anything as such.
However I like having the extra margin. Most dino oils do allow some metal to metal contact on the cam lobes in most engines.
I will say this, I run Redline MTL in the VW 5-speed in the roc. The fill plug on this transmission is the same level as on the original 4-speed version, but the 5-speed should have 2 liters of lube, not just 1.5 which would be level with the plug. This is about the only transmission I know of that is not "right" when filled up to the fill plug. So I ran about 120K miles with only 1.5L of MTL in the trans. 5th gear set is physically "up" in a sort of "penthouse" above the fill port, if you don't have enough lube in this trans the 5th gears can overheat from lack of lube. Google "BrokeVW" if you want more information on the 1980's VW 020 transmission.
You can see the 5th gear gears by looking in the fill port, you have to duck your head a little but you can look up and see the teeth. Long story short I would say MTL saved my 5th gear set. I can't prove anything one way or the other, a sample size of one does not prove anything anyway. But I think I got more than my money's worth out of $18 for 2 quarts of this stuff.
I run Lucas 5W-20 in our minivan and Lucas 20W-50 in my work car. The kind of oil you buy says alot about how much you care about your care. Sure, Super Tech (Walmart brand) oil is good enough if you hate your vehicle. I have experienced cooler temps, a smoother idle and a touch better mileage. But, to each his own.
I run Lucas 5W-20 in our minivan and Lucas 20W-50 in my work car. The kind of oil you buy says alot about how much you care about your care. Sure, Super Tech (Walmart brand) oil is good enough if you hate your vehicle. I have experienced cooler temps, a smoother idle and a touch better mileage. But, to each his own.
Hmmm... I get Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer at OReilly's, but I haven't seen any of their actual oil.
Is it a specialty oil that isn't widely carried?
What kind of price tag does it carry? Similar to Mobil 1 or Castrol Syntec?
Hmmm... I get Lucas Synthetic Oil Stabilizer at OReilly's, but I haven't seen any of their actual oil.
Is it a specialty oil that isn't widely carried?
What kind of price tag does it carry? Similar to Mobil 1 or Castrol Syntec?
Yeah, you have to order it. I order it from Summit Racing with free shipping. It's around $7/qt. Approx.
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