? for the Oilman

[MuleShack]

I currently use a product from Lucas oil that is called a heavy duty oil stabilizer. I use it to add to the motor oil for extra protection and have also added it to transmission, which help smooths shifting and wear.

Question is, does Amsoil carry a product similiar to this? I have looked and didn't see any similar. I have bought most other stuff from you since last fall, and need to order more items. If Amsoil has such a product i wanted to get it on the next order.

Thanks

[theoilman]

No, AMSOIL does not have any "oil additives".

Second, AMSOIL builds only complete motor oils - do not use any additive with them. If you use something else you void the AMSOIL lubricant warranty. (Most brands of oil carry some type or warranty and ALL of them will void the warranty with the use of another additive.

Engine oil is a complex blend of base stocks and quite a few different additives. There might for example be 5 different chemicals that do one job, five others for a second job and another 5 for a third job. But when you formulate a lubricant you find that only a few of one type will work with only a few of another. Etc, Etc for putting them all together. Putting a complete package together is a very complex lubricant engineering job. If you want to add something do you know if it will work with and complement all the ones in your current oil? Or might something you add actually harm the way some of them work? At the very least you will take them out of balance with each other!

If your oil needs another additive, you are using the wrong oil! Use AMSOIL, it is fully formulated and balanced to do your job correctly.

My personal opinion about Lucas products - they aren't worth carrying home. I base my opinion on technical data comparisons which included Lucas products. AMSOIL Motor Cycle Oils White Paper and Gear Lubes White Paper both give very extensive data by independent labs using industry standardized test procedures - In both cases the Lucas products were so bad that they failed the viscosity tests for new oil in the bottle. If they can't pass such basic tests I surely can't trust any product made by them!

[MuleShack]

Thanks,

I wasn't mixing with Amsoil, i was adding it to my cummins and was using the Rotella 15-40. I had changed the oil previous to my original order.

I will just go with the Amsoil next go round. For summer use, pulling trailers and boats should one go with the 5w40 Premium Diesel or the 15w40 Heavy Duty Diesel? and how many miles is each one good for? 12K?

Thanks

[theoilman]

There is a lot of technical information here, please read carefully!

For the newest - "Ultra-Low Emission" highway use diesel engines you must use the new CJ-4 oil - AMSOIL product is the 5W-40 produce code DEO. I've been working on a 'Lube-Tip' on the questions of diesel engine oils, fuels and "Ultra-Low" to email out but I haven't been satisfied with it and started over twice and still not happy with how it reads - as soon as I get it done I will email it out to all I have addresses for, portions are included in this post. (To get added to this list go to my site and update/add your email, link below.)

For an "Ultra Low" emission engine use AMSOIL for the longest manufacturer recommended interval. Extended only with the use of a regular oil-analysis program.

For 2006 and earlier (and 2007 with 2006 engines, check underhood decal) the better oil is the CI-4+ spec. Two AMSOIL products: 15W-40 product code AME (a best seller) and 5W-30 Series 3000 producd code HDD for best performance/best fuel economy (and higher price).

AMSOIL can be used for 1 year / 15,000 miles severe duty (and over 95% of diesels are severe duty - towing, heavy loads, commercial use, extreme temp environment, dirt roads, chip or other performance enhancing options, and more - any one puts you in severe duty).

This interval can be extended greatly with the use of a regular oil-analysis program.

WHY two different specs? Thank the EPA and the requirements of the new Ultra-Low Emissions engines. There are many emissions systems changes on these engines, but three specific ones I need to mention:

The first two are directly in the exhaust - the catalytic converter(s) and the exhaust particulate filter. There are 3 families of chemicals that have been used for many years by most oil companies for the additives in diesel engine oil that are now severely limited - they will cause damage and plugging to these units in the exhaust. The additives being used to replace the old ones are not as effective and cost more (thanks EPA).

The new CJ-4 oils therefore may and are probably not as good as a CI-4+ oil to protect your engine.

The third significant trouble area with the new engines is the EGR - they are now dumping up to 30% exhaust, pre-cooled (which is making the cooling system have to work harder yet), back into the intake. With this and the closed crankcase systems much of the emissions that used to go out the tail pipe are getting dumped into the oil. Yes, the oil is being victimized and sacrificed to reduce the emissions (thanks EPA).

The major oil companies apparantly have assumed that we are too stupid to know or learn the differences and have sacrificed us - most of them are now selling only CJ-4 oils and giving all of us with 2006 and earlier engines a less protecting oil. They have abandoned CI-4+ oils for the consumer market (they may still be making them bulk for the big commercial users, I don't know for sure.)

AMSOIL has made the assumption that our dealer network is good enough to understand and our customers are smart enough to know and learn and use the correct product!

AMSOIL will continue to make CI-4+ and CJ-4 as two separate products for diesel engines at least through 2010 (when the next generation diesel emission systems are due to be released) with no decision made as to products after then yet.

[MuleShack]

Thanks for the good information above. I didn't know all of the details of the oil specs with the new motors. Mine is an 05, so i will order the CI-4+ products.