5w-30 or not?

[SimplyDaniel]

Has anyone had any experience with Amsoils diesel 5w-30? I am trying to decide if I should switch to the 5w-30 for the winter, or stick with the 15-40. I live in the Kansas City area. Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[jwilliams3]

I went to 5w40 Rotella synthetic.

It is diesel rated and available at wally world for about 12. 80 a gallon.

 

[lschultz]

You can run it if you want. I don't think you will see that much of a difference at least my son did not but we are down in Texas. He run the 5w30 for over 140000 in summer and winter. Only reason he switched cause the 15w40 is a little cheaper. I think there are quite a few fellows that live where it stays cold longer than around here that switch between the two.

 

[Buffalo]

A guy in my neighborhood with a new Powerstroke 6. 0 just burned up his engine with 10w/30. He took it in to the dealer for an oil change and that's what they put in it (verified by 2 oil samples). He had an Edge Juice with Attitude and no muffler. Was towing his toyhauler uphill at about 80mph and it started making a lot of noise and would only do 65mph. Took it into the same dealer, they pulled and partially disassembled the engine and said it would not be covered by warranty. He had it towed home and rebuilt it. Got it going, last night. Sounds good, now. Truck only had 5000 miles on it. I'd be careful about using other than recommended oil weights. Hope this helps. Joe F. (Buffalo)

 

[LightmanE300]

IMO 30 weight is too light for these engines once they get up to full operating temp. If it gets below 10F in Kansas, switch to a quality 5w40, like mobil delvac 1/truck&suv.

 

[BHolm]

Amsoils series 3000 5w-30 was specifically formulated for diesels and undoubtably targeted at trucks like ours. I have a case of it that just showed up yesterday and it will be going into my truck very soon. My truck sits outside, it was 9 degrees this morning. Most engine wear occurs at start up, that is exactly when this oil will shine, in colder weather. I have NO concerns about the 30 vs 40 viscosity number. I know that the Amsoil will hold up better than a conventional 15-40 at higher temps anyway. The truck I am putting it in isn't likely to see any heavy towing anyway. My goal is to maybe gain a little milage, have less wear on cold starts, take some of the strain off of cold starts and to be more comfortable with a longer drain interval. My second choice was the Rotella syn 5w-40. I doubt you can go wrong with either.

 

[RDHamill]

I've been using Amsoil 5W30 for almost 200,000 mile now, works perfect.

Was -17 C this morning, truck starts great.

I find oil pressure guage shows no difference with 15w40 or 5w30. Mind you where I live 90F would be about as hot as it ever gets, while we will see -40 this winter.

I'd never hesiate to use the Amsoil 5w30, other brands I could not comment on.

Good luck

 

[barbwire]

I now have 40,000 miles on the 5/30 Amsoil heavy duty in my 04. I have not drained it since I put it in the eng. . I also run the dual bypass system. I have been sampling the oil every10,000 mi. Thru our local Caterpillar dealer, and, every sample shows no extra wear particals or any other detrimental aspect. I also pull a trailer constantly, no matter what the temperature. So I guess it is my $. 02, FWIW. It was something I was leary of when it was suggested to me, as well, but I no longer have an issue with it.

Just for a little more info on the rig. It now has 68,000 on the od. Hope some of this helps. Barbwire

 

[p-Bar]

A guy in my neighborhood with a new Powerstroke 6. 0 just burned up his engine with 10w/30. He took it in to the dealer for an oil change and that's what they put in it (verified by 2 oil samples). He had an Edge Juice with Attitude and no muffler. Was towing his toyhauler uphill at about 80mph and it started making a lot of noise and would only do 65mph. Took it into the same dealer, they pulled and partially disassembled the engine and said it would not be covered by warranty. He had it towed home and rebuilt it. Got it going, last night. Sounds good, now. Truck only had 5000 miles on it. I'd be careful about using other than recommended oil weights. Hope this helps. Joe F. (Buffalo)

I highly doubt it was an oiling issue, try looking at the"Edge" and driving 80 mph up hill with a toyhauler. I would call that stupidity. You can't ask for 30% + H. P. without paying the price.

 

[amsoilman]

You can run it if you want. I don't think you will see that much of a difference at least my son did not but we are down in Texas. He run the 5w30 for over 140000 in summer and winter. Only reason he switched cause the 15w40 is a little cheaper. I think there are quite a few fellows that live where it stays cold longer than around here that switch between the two.

AMSOIL recommends both the 15W-40 marine and the 5W-30 for diesel use, although the series 2000 5W-30 is currently the most advanced diesel oil available. The reason for this is mostly in two of its additives. One is its VI (viscosity improver) additive, and the other is its wear additive package.



The VI additive allows the use of multi viscosity oil that WILL NOT shear back to a lower viscosity under any normal operating conditions for the expected maximum drain interval, which is well over 100,000 miles.

The big fear is that multi viscosity oils will shear back to a lower viscosity and the 40 wt top end is there to give the needed protection if it does. Most diesel engines run best with a 30 wt max viscosity oil and AMSOIL is the first U. S. Company to offer a multi viscosity oil with the additive package to do it.

I believe AMSOIL is the only oil available in the U. S. that uses this particular additive, although it is extensively used in Europe where synthetic oils are mandatory with much longer drain intervals than U. S. manufactures now recommend.



I know of a large fleet of OTR trucks (over 200) that are using the series 3000 5W-30 Amsoil, and they are lov'n it.



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[lmills]

Ive been running the 5w30 for just over 10,000 miles now. So far so good.

 

[gsbrockman]

A guy in my neighborhood with a new Powerstroke 6. 0 just burned up his engine with 10w/30. He took it in to the dealer for an oil change and that's what they put in it (verified by 2 oil samples). He had an Edge Juice with Attitude and no muffler. Was towing his toyhauler uphill at about 80mph and it started making a lot of noise and would only do 65mph. Took it into the same dealer, they pulled and partially disassembled the engine and said it would not be covered by warranty. He had it towed home and rebuilt it. Got it going, last night. Sounds good, now. Truck only had 5000 miles on it. I'd be careful about using other than recommended oil weights. Hope this helps. Joe F. (Buffalo)

If the dealer performed the oil change w/10W30, and was at fault, I can understand denial of warranty by FOMOCO. Why didn't the dealership take care of the engine failure ? If they didn't, and the PowerJoke still ran, it would be in the dealer's showroom, probably parked on top of a new Musrang or Pocus... .....

Greg

 

[SimplyDaniel]

Thanks

Thanks to all for the information. Next, on the the differentials, transmission, etc.

 

[PBerry]

I switched to rotella 5-40 back in march. I was running 15-40 rotella. I switched due to cold starts in the winter and was hoping on longer drain intervals. What I got was a little mileage increase and it has not been cold since then so I yet to see how much easier the engine will turn at 0 deg. The drain intervals have been the same, once it gets black and I can smell fuel usually by 5k maybe 7k at most it gets changed. Mobil 1 would also be a good syn choice as they sell their base stock to amsoil. I worry more about keeping my oil clean than anything. If you are running a box the oil will get dirty faster due to the unburned fuel still in the cylinder, black smoke out the tailpipe means black oil in the pan. I have not seen this to be a problem with farm equipment or big rigs, but alot of fuel and carbon in the oil cannot be good in the long run.

 

[amsoilman]

Mobil 1 would also be a good syn choice as they sell their base stock to amsoil.

WOW, I don't know where you came up with this, but I'm sorry to tell you... ... ... ... ... ... ... . THIS IS NOT A TRUE STATEMENT! AMSOIL buy's there base stock from LUBRIZOL!



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[LightmanE300]

Actually no, Amsoil buys their base oils from Mobil, and Lubrizol makes their additive package.

 

[LightmanE300]

As far as the 30 weight goes, what do you folks think the advantage is over 40 weight? I have run both, and with the series 3k 5w30 my wear metals were significantly higher than the next run I did with delvac 1. Same mileage, same conditions. I just don't see why everyone has to reinvent the wheel, and try to use a thinner oil.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I'm sold on Amsoil products, but after trying 5W30 once I won't ever run it again. The majority of guys seem to have good luck with it, backed up by oil analysis numbers, but when I was running it and it was 110 degrees here it didn't seem to cut it. I sampled oil on my '01 Ram since new to when I traded at 87K and my wear metal numbers spiked noticeably with the 5W30 (worse than Delo 400 when the truck was nearly new, with about the same miles on the oil). For cold to moderate weather I'm sure it's awesome oil, but running it in a climate like ours where 100+ is fairly common I would stick with tried and true 15w40. Amsoil 15w-40 seems to flow very well in 0 degree weather.



Vaughn

 

[DGFoster]

That is what will go in mine after 10,000 miles hits,ran it in my 2000 for 100,000 miles,fuel mileage was excellent.

Great stuff.

 

[amsoilman]

Actually no, Amsoil buys their base oils from Mobil, and Lubrizol makes their additive package.

I went back and read the thread. I thought we were talking ADDITIVES!



It is true, some of the Amsoil "Base Stock" comes from MOBIL Chemical, and some comes from HATCO. Amsoil Inc. does require that it meets their spec. BEFORE it is ever used by them, When it is still in the Rail Car, they analize three different area's of the tank to make sure it is within their specs. The additives come from Lubrizol and some from ETHYL.



Wayne

amsoilman