Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Are you burning lots of AMSOIL

[mavrick01']

Just wandering if any body is burning double the amount of oil when you switched to AMSOIL. I am running series 3000 5w30.

 

[lschultz]

Son runs it in his 99. Has 12000+ and it uses almost none. He changes filter at 5000 and then filter/oil at 10000. I have run it in the ones I had before I got my 03 and they used none. How many miles did you have on it when you switched to the 5W30?Maybe the rings were not seated yet. Any leaks?How much mist is coming out the blow by hose?I'm sure you will get others to comment on this.

 

[mavrick01']

not much coming from blowby

When I switched i had 20,000 miles I now have 50,000 and I change the filter every 5,000 and the oil every 10,000.

 

[HEMI®Dart]

That's strange. I use Amsoil Series 3000 5W-30 and burn virtually none. I have 119,000 miles.

 

[Sled Puller]

What oil did you run before you switched?

 

[TomGolden]

I have the same truck/engine as yours. I ran Delo 400 15W-40 from mile 500 - 32K, then switched to Amsoil 15W-40 HDD&M. I used to change both oil & filter with the Delo at 4500 - 5000 mile intervals, now with the Amsoil, I change filter every 5000, and oil and filter every 10K. Never leaked a drop, never used a drop of oil, either type I have used.



Tom

 

[monkfarm]

oil gulping

I use Amsoil 15-40, and it almost never uses much (1/2 qt--10,000miles) but every once in a while it just gulps 2 qts like nothing, and I can't really figure out why (seems like I'm driving the same)

 

[mavrick01']

Well

The oil that I used before was premium blue 15w40. Now I'm talking a quart every ten thousand. I also am a firm believer in WIX filters, and I am considering switching back to Premium Blue.

 

[John]

Re: oil gulping

Originally posted by monkfarm

... but every once in a while it just gulps 2 qts like nothing, and I can't really figure out why

It would seem you have had certain driving situations where you have driven steeply downhill, thereby puking a quantity of oil out the draft tube.



There is a TSB for this.

 

[Chipstien]

I would say it is unlikely that switch brands of oil is going to solve this prob. But you might try switching to the 15w-40 and seeing where you stand.

 

[BarryG]

I have run the amsoil 5w-30 and am now using their15-w40 and never really noticed any consumption but just a week or two ago I read a someting from Cummins that stated using a quart every 4-5k was normal.

 

[Lnwing]

Switching from 15-40 marine to series 3000 seemed to increase consumption in my 95, so I'm back to the 15-40.

I have a Massey(Perkins 354 Quadram w/800 hrs. ) that really didn't like the Amsoil; used 2 qt. /day in light duty applications. Changed back to dino and consumption is nil.

 

[boydo]

5-30w is a good oil for starting and warm up, however when the motor is under load(maxium temp) the oil will become thin and lite.

This is where burning and/or loss of oil takes place. I would recomend a 15-40w, preferably redline 15-40 high performance diesel oil - it's the best! Filter change @ 9000k & oil/filter change

@ 18000k.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Mine used a little more oil as well when running the Amsoil 5W30.



1 quart every 10,000 miles certainly isn't excessive to me, mine's used 1-1. 5 quarts every 10,000 miles since new (81k now). Certainly ain't worried about it!



Vaughn

 

[John]

not true!

Originally posted by boydo

I would recomend a 15-40w, preferably redline 15-40 high performance diesel oil - it's the best!

I have news for you boydo...



I used Red Line 15W-40 Diesel synthetic engine oil in my '98. 5 24v engine starting at approx. 13. 5k mi. (after a break-in of Cummins/Valvoline 15W-40 Premium Blue mineral engine oil).



I experimented with the Red Line synthetic for the next 25k mi. (or so), submitting samples to Blackstone at every oil change interval (7. 5k mi. )... note: I said oil change interval. As in, I changed the oil and filter every 7. 5k mi. Even with that anal oil change frequency (for a very high quality synthetic), I still experienced less than desirable oil analyais reports (and written comments on all those reports) the entire time I used the Red Line synthetic.



Although I had been a staunch Red Line customer for over 9 years at the time I started using their Diesel engine oil in my Ram... having excellent results with every other product of their's that I had tried (many!), I felt the higher cost of the Diesel synthetic was not doing anything for me... as in, it was not value added.



So, the search was on! I then went to Cummins/Valvoline Premium Blue 2000 (semi-synthetic) for 2k mi. and changed to Amsoil 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel & Marine. My first oil analyais report back after the switch was my best yet!



As good as that was, I got a wild hair to try their 5W-30 Series 3000 engine oil, adding their Dual Remote Bypass system. The first oil analysis looked really good but...



I didn't like the additional blowby vapor that I was seeing constantly. Although it didn't look as though I was losing any oil (as verified on the dipstick), I still wondered.



After some careful calculations (5W-30 Series 3000 used for 20k mi. , changing the full flow filter at 10k and 20 k mi. /the bypass filter at 20k mi. -VS- 15W-40 H-D Diesel & Marine changed at 10k mi. along with both the full flow and bypass filters)...



I saw that it was virtually the same cost! Sooo... that's what I went back to... and I'm still using this maintenance schedule. Plus, the oil analysis reports back up that decision as being the most prudent method I've found so far.



Just for the record, I've used virtually every high quality synthetic on the market. I've also been exclusively into synthetics for over 23 years.

 

[John Berger]

Re: oil gulping

Originally posted by monkfarm

I use Amsoil 15-40, and it almost never uses much (1/2 qt--10,000miles) but every once in a while it just gulps 2 qts like nothing, and I can't really figure out why (seems like I'm driving the same)

I've had similar experiences over the last 10K miles, although not as much oil as you are talking about. Only when I tow, though. I use Amsoil 15W40

 

[BLACKRAM]

Never burned a drop in 62,000 miles.

 

[HC]

Originally posted by mavrick01'

Just wandering if any body is burning double the amount of oil when you switched to AMSOIL. I am running series 3000 5w30.

Just thought I'd bring back the original question.

Yes, my oil consumption was higher with 5W-30 than with 15W-40. The Amsoil website shows Noack volatility at 6. 7% for 15W-40, 8. 6% for 5W-30. I'm sure it's not really linear, but based on those numbers I'd expect almost 30% higher oil consumption due to the blowby bottle alone, plus maybe a little more due to what gets past rings, seals, etc due to the slightly thinner oil.



It's an increase that is big enough to notice, but not big enough to be a technical concern. If your oil use really doubled, I would suspect additional problems. But before I'd say it was doubled, be sure everything was exactly the same when you checked it:

a) Same number of miles driven

b) Similar weather and driving conditions

c) Parked on the same level spot when checking

d) Timed from shutdown; don't check it 3 minutes after shutdown for one reading, and then let it sit for 6 minutes for some other reading.



(c and d get me every time)



Once you notice "some" increase, any of the above could cause you to overestimate (or underestimate) the true change. To those who see dramatic changes in rate ("gulping") from time to time, I'd bet good money you'd see the same thing if you changed to any other brand of oil.

 

[geusterman]

I had a 93 12 valve in a Cobra motorhome and at about 30K switched to Amsoil and began to lose oil somewhere. Figured it was so slippery I was burning it. Was losing a quart or two every 1000 miles. Went back to Delo and no problems. Never knew why. Maybe a mixture of Amsoil and Delo would have worked. I am a fan of Amsoil as we got over 300K on a Chevie Citation four cylinder. The motor never died but the rest of it fell off. George

 

[Rhondasway]

bait and switch

Okay John, I know you've been after me to switch, and you do have excellent data (per usual, I might add! ), but I have not heard any information regarding the Premium Blue (or did I miss something? ). Why isn't that as good?

Also, I don't feel comfortable changing my oil so infrequently. I've been told (by Piers) that I absolutely must change my oil more frequently with the increase in fuel that I'm now running. Putting a "better" product will not negate the dirtiness caused by the burning fuel, will it? Meaning: I will still have to change as frequently, right?

Be patient with me John! You know I don't do anything new unless I am convinced it's worthwhile (or if it makes my life easier )... I do have an oil change coming in a couple of weeks, so... maybe now's the time.