Anyone Read TDR Issue 57 Oil Lube Analysis?

[DixonL]

After reading that article it is obvious there is a lot of mis information about what oil companies are leading you to believe.



I thought his article was very unbiased. Unless I can find some information to challenge his article I may have bought my last order from Amsoil. Looks like Valvoline Premium Blue looked to be a great bang for buck.



Thad (Ohio)

 

[damar]

What they didn't test is AMSOIL Synthetic SAE 15W-40. It has a TBN of 12 which is higher than all but Red Line. The number 1 rated oil appears to be conventional dino oil. The Valvoline website shows a full synthetic but it is 5W-40 CI-4 Plus. For heaving RV towing I will stick with AMSOIL SAE 15W-40. When you get to the CJ-4 oils, I think you will see that they all have a low TBN. Having used synthetic oil since 1976, have seen the results on tear down engines, I intend to stay with synthetic oils

 

[blacksheep4x4]

It,s kind of funny they didn't test the Amsoil that most of us would use.

15w40

 

[Newt]

If you go by the article, it makes you wonder what you should use in the new Diesels.

 

[CDonaldson]

I have yet to receive the new issue, but I did read what has already been posted on the main page in PDF format. I too was suprised that they did not test the Amsoil 15w40 along with all the others. It is the MOST recommended oil by members on all the diesel sites.



I have been using the Valvoline Premium Blue CI-4 oil since day one in my truck. If the CI-4 becomes obsolete and replaced with the CJ-4, I plan on switching to the Amsoil 10w40. I have been undecided about going to synthetic since the VPB has been giving me excellent oil testing results, but I certainly will move to Amsoil before using the new CJ-4.



I saw Valvoline Premium Blue "Classic" in a truck stop recently, I did not know it was CI-4, actually I did not give it much of a thought until I read on another site that the CI-4 was going to have the name change, so we will still be able to get the CI-4 under the new label of classic. I also read somewhere that someone else had seen the new labeled classic in a NAPA auto parts. I plan to check out my local NAPA and a few other places to see if they are stocking the classic label as well. Wherever I find it, I'll let everyone know who' handling it. I am sure there are many here who use the VPB and would like to continue using it.



CD

 

[SMorton]

I just emailed Amsoil tech this evening to inquire if they were aware of this unbiased article as well! As a user and dealer of their products, it's a little suprising to see where they placed. I did make the mistake of putting the Amsoil Premium CJ-4 in my truck last oil change, I'll have to switch it right away and go back to the 15-40, yikes!







2004. 5 600/325 48RE, 4:10 anti spin, 4X4 QC, MBRP duals, AFE 2, Edge Juice/Attitude, Rhinoed, Amsoiled

 

[HEMI®Dart]

Saw that too. They tested the 5W-40 European diesel oil I think?

 

[HEMI®Dart]

It,s kind of funny they didn't test the Amsoil that most of us would use.

15w40

Used to run 15W40 Amsoil. Tried the thinner Series 3000 5W30 Diesel oil & the used oil analysis came back w/ less wear metals than the heavier stuff.

 

[DixonL]

The part of the article that interested me the most was two points:



1. Was a great conventional oil is just as good as a great synthetic oil.



2. Oils are becoming more like commodities. As long as they meet the API specs. All of the CJ-4 were bad and almost all the CI-4 plus was either "Best" or "Good".



The best oil tested was the Red-Line synthetic... . but would it perform that much better than a great conventional oil? His reply is "I doubt it". I'm sure if the Amsoil 15W-40 was in the test it would have done very well, I don't think that is the point. The point is there is not that much differnce in performance within the "Best" Catagory. I do believe if you were compairing Amsoil to the Satisfactory or the Ho-Hum catagories then there is a reasonable argument... . but when you have conventional oil like Valvoline Premium Blue and Chevron Delo 400 test very similar to Red-Line, Rotella Synthetic, Valvoline Premium Blue synthetic..... it is hard to justify the double the cost with little to no added performance.



I'm not saying don't buy Amsoil... . I may still buy their small engine oil, grease, oil filters, and some other things as I like their stuff. Unless I can see some unbiased information that shows that it is that much better oil ... ... and that my engine would benifit from it... . then I question if the additional cost is really worth it. I am spending around $80. 00 for an oil change right now... . when I could be spending around $45. 00. I'm sure someone is going to chime in about extended drain intervals... but the article says you can change the better conventional oils at the extended drain intervals too. I am going to change my oil every 5000-7500 reguardless of what brand I use, as my own personal preference.



Thad (Ohio)

 

[JFaughn]

My Rotella T 15w-40 , tested bad in the article , but I am running my oil to 12,000 miles , and thats because my oil analysis [ from 2 different labs keep telling me there was more life left & that the metals were good , TBN over 9 ] .
I am not saying anything bad about the article , just that I do not make changes with out proof that I can verify , something like this article I would use as a guide , but not an end all be all .

 

[BTowler]

Used to run 15W40 Amsoil. Tried the thinner Series 3000 5W30 Diesel oil & the used oil analysis came back w/ less wear metals than the heavier stuff.

Cummins says to run 5w40 if you use synthetic.

 

[testraub]

Called Valvoline this AM and asked about Prem. Blue Classic which will be CI-4. It's due to start hitting the streets in about 1 month.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

Used to run 15W40 Amsoil. Tried the thinner Series 3000 5W30 Diesel oil & the used oil analysis came back w/ less wear metals than the heavier stuff.

I've been switching off and on between those two. I like the 15w-40 for summer and the 5w-30 for winter. The 5w-30 seems to thin to run in the summer months.

 

[CDonaldson]

I saw the CLASSIC PB in a truck stop in Iowa last month. Also saw it in another truck stop in Santa Roas NM last week. It is already out to the truck stops, and some have reported seeing it in NAPA stores.



CD

 

[BTowler]

I've been switching off and on between those two. I like the 15w-40 for summer and the 5w-30 for winter. The 5w-30 seems to thin to run in the summer months.

I wouldn't put 5w30 in a diesel unless you are in Alaska in winter. 5w40 is what you should run if you use synthetic.

 

[John R]

Is it not true that the professional estimates were done by analyzing the chemistry of the additives in each sample? If so, there is no inclusion of any wear tests or thermal degradation tests. Wouldn't we want to see a complete spectrum of tests in order to have a better estimate of how an engine will respond with each oil product?

 

[amsoilman]

Is it not true that the professional estimates were done by analyzing the chemistry of the additives in each sample? If so, there is no inclusion of any wear tests or thermal degradation tests. Wouldn't we want to see a complete spectrum of tests in order to have a better estimate of how an engine will respond with each oil product?

ABSOLUTELY! You really can't tell how an oil is going to perform based "ONLY" on the additives within. Put that oil to "WORK" then do some testing, that's when you'll see the differences in oils.



Wayne

 

[tgordon]

What would be the most "accurate" way to do an after use test, take new engines off the line break then in the same and then run the same course with them?



It is intriging to me how close alot of the oils are for the begining composition to each other with the large discrepancy in price.



Troy

 

[Kry226]

Virgin oil analysis doesn't necessarily translate into a 100% indicator on how well those oils perform with use.

Bottom line, you could use any of the oils listed and never have an engine oil failure for many hundreds of thousands of miles.

 

[RJOL]

I've been using Delo 400 (from Costco) since 2001. Delo recently changed their 400 from CI-4 to Delo CJ-4 LE (at least, that's all that Costco carries now). It also went from about $36 per case to over $50. I have been using Delo CJ-4 for the past year, in my 2005 CTD. If this article is to be trusted, and I have no reason not to, I guess I will switch to buying Cummins/Valvoline Premium Blue, from Cummins Northwest, or just go down to Wally World and get some "Wal Mart Super Tech Universal," as they are both rated better than Delo 400 LE and cost significantly less...