I've used AMSOIL for about 6 years, for personal and my companies vehicles. Engine protection, longer intervals between changes allowed than any other synthetic are my primary reasons.
For example I have a sports car, and drive less than 7,000 miles a year, I change once per year in fall before I store it. I have several other vehicles that are used for different purposes and 3 months changes for all my vehicles is too much to remember. My tow vehicle may get changed more often depending on how much I haul the TT or my Bobcat (heavy use).
I expect the wide variety of opinions on this will get me flamed but please visit the Amsoil website, I have not found any of their claims to be misleading from personal experience, the best stuff they have is recommended up to 35,000 miles or 1 year. Second best (what I use is up to 24,000 miles between changes), You must read the fine print though, for heavy use it is less. They recomend changing the filter and adding a quart at your manufacturers change intervals. When towing I do this at 2,000 to 3,000 miles.
The best Mobil syn just came out advertising 15,000 miles of use. Then there is Royal Purple which has a good following in the racing crowd. I don;t know their specs but I'm dialed in and satisfied.
Tore down a 213,000 mile BMW, (my son overheated it and blew head gasket),always used syn, there was no ridge at the top of the cylinder to indicate wear and it used no oil. Same story on 94 GMC pickup 150,000 miles, (employee overheated it and blew head gasket)(Both of these were water pumps failed) Inside of engine had 0 sludge even in the crevices.
The GMC got so hot it melted the temp sensor wire plug off. The oil burned onto the valve covers but every lifter was clean! Had it not been for the syn oil I beleive I would have bought a new engine instead of head gaskets.
I tore down my 69 vette with 35,000 miles, oil changed 3,000 miles, or 3 months, it had Dino in it since day one and it had sludge in all the valleys etc.
My Bobcat manual recomends it and I use it in all generators and other small equipment as well. Amazing how long it stays clean.
There seems to be opinions as to using Dino to break in the motor. To this I can say Corvettes, BMW, and other HI Perf motors come from the factory with Syn. I have noticed a 10% increase in mpg at 10,000 miles or there about on 2 GM V-8 motors bought new and using Amsoil. IMO they just loosen up around then. No need with todays engines to use Dino and increase wear for awhile for them to perform a long time. I beleive you just put 10,000 miles of extra wear on the motor doing that.
I began to use syn on a GM 5.7 Tahoe at 50K and noticed a little increase in mpg. This motor just drinks gas, so any improvement is saying something.
I am on several BMW forums and some of those guys actually do oil tests regularly, sending samples to the lab to learn when to change the oil. They brag how long they can use it just changing filters because it doesn't break down chemically and we know these cars aren't cheap. The Europeans are way ahead of us in this. The BMW oil life computer will go to 14,000 miles average. (based on driving and time)
Some people will never get comfortable with it, but that is fine, I didn't jump right in at first either until I saw results. You just have to adjust it's use for your needs and driving style.
For a small fee you can become a preferred customer of Amsoil and get perhaps a 20% discount. I buy it by the case and their filters, it's delivered to my house and no I don't resell it. I am also changing transmissions and transfercases to syn as they become due for service in my vehicles. My new Silverado came with syn in the trans.
I also like the fact that I consume less oil by changing filters only as needed and the once a year oil change. Less money going overseas to all our good friends!
Sorry for the length but I guess I have had a lot of vehicles to test and talk about. to those who use different brands of syn I salute you, as you are on the right track because of the reasons listed above. I'm in no position to debate brand preference nor do I care to, like I said I'm dialed in.
PS: I fired the employee, but my son....he paid for the repair and did the work. Then he blew the rear end in my GMC, "you mean you have to step on the brake when changing to reverse to get unstuck"? He is now a laborer not a truck driver.
Good luck and enjoy your new truck, I love my new version, it's like a BMW with a box on the back!
Tom O'Neill & DW Kathie
07 VR-1 305FKS
07 Silverado CC LTZ 6.0 MAX
Honda EU3000is
in my cureent Titan, I run Mobil 1 Synthetic 5/30 in engine, Royal Purple in the tranny and T-case and Mobile 1 in both diffs. BTW - on my other thread about getting a new truck - when they pulled the transmission it was burned - I BURNED SYNTHETIC - something got hot. In my wifes car I use Mobile 1 5/20. I am hard core synthetic : )
2007 Nissan Titan Off-Road w/ leveling kit---THIS THING IS A PIECE OF JUNK
2008 Jayco Jayflight 28BHS
Me, wife, one little girl and one little boy
all along for the ride.
No matter what you decide, you might want to get a bypass oil filter which is another filter you install that takes a small amount out of the system and re filters it thru a filter that removes even smaller particles than the regular filter. Google bypass oil filter for info. I went with the Amsoil setup which you can use with any type-brand oil. Even if you don't use their oil, their filters are supposed to be some of the best available.
Everyone will have their opinions.......here's mine for the stack. I used to think synethic was a waste, however, I do run a synthetic blend in both diffs on my 97 Dodge and Synthetic ATF +4 in the trans.
The Ford owners manual calls for the motorcraft "synthetic blend" so I run the blend in my Ford vehicles.
I run Vavoline full synth in my motorcycle, 20W50. It's an air cooled engine, so I like the added benefits of the syn in my MC.
I think dino oils are also just fine, but they require more frequent changes. Per the owner's manual for my wife's new 08 Focus, the reccomended oil change interval is 7500 miles! THe "special service" is 5K....I'll be changing it every 5K irregardless.
Just my .02
1997 DODGE RAM 4x4, 2500 SERIES, , Reg. cab, 5.9L V8, AT, 4.10 gears. Prodigy Electric Brake Control
1995 BOOMER (Skyline) Model 2223
I'll give my $.02! I use Mobile one. I only average less than 5,000 miles a year on my truck. Bought 6 years ago with 10,000 miles on the clock. It just turned 37,000. So I only change oil twice a year, filter every three months. Truck sits a lot in the garage. I feel it is better on start up with the Synthetic after sitting! with only two changes a year it isn't that expensive.
Wnt back to Dino once, but didn't like it. Engine seemed much noisier on start up. I went back to Mobile one after a month or so!
2000 F-350 V-10 SRW Super Cab, 4x4 Short Bed. Prodigy Brake Control, BilSteins, and Scan Gauge II! 2003 Jayco Designer 31RLS (33ft)
No I'm not a judge, it's just a nickname! "SEMPER FI"
I use 5w-30 Mobil 1 in both cars. It's only a few dollars more if you change your own oil.
I change the oil in my Tahoe when the oil life computer says to change (usually about 8,000 miles). I used 0w-30 Mobil 1 in the last change. It meets the GM spec and is supposed to save fuel.
My wife's Altima gets it's oil changed every 6 months (or 7,500 miles) per warranty requirements.
I use Mobil 1 and let the oil monitor system tell me when to change it. In my case the oil monitor system indicated the change interval at something like 9,000 miles which to me is a bit long on Dino.
I always have Mobil 1 on hand anyway since my wife's 2005 GTO requires it.
I know there are other options and I can save a buck or two here and there but to me the incremental cost is worth it. I change my own oil too which also helps offset the extra cost.
I use Mobile 1 in my truck. No issues so far. I my other vehicles get dino oil.
2000 F350 DRW 4wd CC 7.3l PSD
37" Tires w/ 5.13's
Suncoast 4R100
2007 Host Yellowstone Democracy is 2 foxes and a sheep deciding on what to have for lunch, liberty is a well armed sheep contesting the vote.
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I went back to Mobile one after a month or so!
