RowJ

I agree that a synthetic oil is more likely to fine a potential leak... due to it's higher quality base oil and it's 'penetrating' ability. Companys that blend high quality petroleum oils (non synthetics) get the same complaints. But don't we all want an oil that will get into every nook & cranny?
My arguement is with people that claim synthetics 'cause' leaks! Maybe just symantics, but...?

Regarding max wear at startup... I don't know for sure, but suspect it's more marketing than fact for the following reasons!
-Todays oils (and todays engines) do well at retaining some coating action after shutdown.
-No load on the engine at startup.
-We're dealing with an event (dry start) of very short duration.
-I know of no studys showing a high numbers of starts (delivery trucks, etc.) shortens the life of an engine??

Lastly, Catapillar did a 20 yr study, after WW II, that showed one interesting finding.... "acid action, and not friction, causes 90% of engine wear".
This fact is a great argument for more frequent oil changes... as acid forms only after an oils additive package depletes and the TBN # drops below half it's starting value.

RJ
EDIT-HOHN & I were typing at the same time. It just took me more words to say basically the same thing as he

Hdmax

Unless you like giving your money away for no reason, I would stick with Rotella.

Amsoil is way over priced, and it under performs. I got wrapped up in there scam. (And that is pretty much what it is, a SCAM) They work on the same princple as SCamway works. It`s all a Pyramid scam.

RowJ

Sorry if you had a bad expirience...but I feel your comments are unreasonable!

I know, and have seen, dyno sheets from racers that got similar HP/TQ from Amsoil as they did from other oils. They pay to buy the oil for it's ability to protect and lubricate under extreme conditions.

I personally consider Amsoil to be an excellent quality product. Worth the money? That's for each of us to decide. Their prices are comparable with other top end lubricants (R. Purple, Hydrotex, Red Line, Synergyn, Schaeffers, etc.)

By 'pyramid' I assume you are refering to their Multi Level Marketing system. I'm not a big fan of MLM but it's legal (Pyramid skeems are not).

RJ - JMO....... and not affiliated with Amsoil in any way.

VADSLRAM

Someone got a bad upline.
I got into amsoil because of a pushy chief I worked for. then he had me dropped for not selling enough. I was buying from a dealer by my inlaws for a year because I'm sold on the stuff. I won't go into specifics because I'm not here to change anyones mind. This new dealer told me I could save money by renewing my dealership and getting dealer cost..he didn't care how much was bought. He also was a great source of info on oils of all sorts (he's a chemical engineer and started for the same reason of saving$$$)
Any synthetic stock has a higher molecular bonding coeficiant (sp) basically what makes the oil creep everyone talks about. the more intimate the fluid bond the better the heat dispersal. Oil cools like 40% of the engine (crank, rod, pistons etc. and parts of the engine can get well over 250 degrees. If you think I'm BSing look at what the best electronic heat sink compounds are made with.
Usually an oil that is blended for extended drains have a more robust additive package and that means better cleaning, dispersal, acid neutralizing..everything that good oil does. The stuff is expensive and dino oil that figures on 3k changes doesn't bother with as much of it.
Bottom line no matter what brand oil you use synthetics are better and can be gotten cheap enough to be competitive with dino.
If they weren't better would Mercedes, Porche and Corvette, Volvo and I think the High-po Acuras specify synthetic?

supr

Do you know the definition of the Lottery?
It is a tax on the mathmaticly impaired.
A similar analogy can be made to people who buy syn for their trucks. It costs 4 times more, but Cummins says the change interval is the change interval, regardless. We are not racing our diesels(most of us, anyway), Perhaps the ONLY good reason is folks in really cold climes that can not plug in their trucks.
A friend of mine with a 2500 went for the Amsoil scam. He found he burned more oil than with dino. Also, he was not pleased that his oil got blacker than tar.
Some people feel good about giving their money to the Amsoil/syn pusher man, maybe they sleep better at night. Fact is, Dello & rotella are both qulified by Cummins, and tens of thousands of trucks run with them, including the majoity on this site. They use them because they are qulity products that do the job for a reasonable cost.
I know logic will not work for Amsoil/syn users. That's OK, because PT Barnum comes to town once a year or so, to help with your problems.

Jfaulkner

Actually if you would re-read what I typed you would see that it is a valid comparison. A common class 8 truck engine holds roughly 9gal, a 5.9 Cummins holds 3 gal so the 20,000 mile and 7000 mile intervals are a perfect comparison.

HOHN

Mea Culpa-- you are correct and I didn't read very carefully. Where'd those glasses go again?


I'd like to throw this out there: A good option for you guys who prefer dino oil but want a better cold weather performer is run the Rotella 10w-30. This stuff has a pour point of -40 so, it's almost as good as many synthetics. Then again, the regular 15w-40 pours at -33F.

http://www.shell-lubricants.com/prod...RotellaTMG.pdf


IMO, dino oils are getting good enough to where the benefit of synthetics makes the cost/benefit harder and harder to justify.

displacedtexan

That is a good point. Dino oil has made great leaps in the past decade. It is not the same stuff it has always been. Not by a long shot.

RowJ

I find myself constantly defending a product that I don't use....strange!

If your friend burned more oil with Amsoil than with dino... it's because his engine is in poor condition. A well maintained 5.9L Cummins should burn no oil... synthetic or not!!

Further evidence of possible poor maintenance is "his oil got black as tar". Amsoils additive package (detergent, dispersent, anti acid, etc) is stronger than many other oil companys. It WILL clean up a dirty engine better than most.... hence, the very black oil.
If he stayed with the Amsoil, used a good oil filter and changed oil more frequently for 2-3 changes, that "black as tar" condition would cease to be a problem.

JMO - RJ