Need experienced input on AMSOIL OE vs SS

[robwlf]

i use amsoil ss as well, have in my last 2 cars

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[hungryhippos]

Amsoil

I'm reviving this because everyone probably enjoys more information and knowledge. Please not I'm not a professional mechanic nor do I have a degree in any related field. I'm just a car enthusiast.

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For SS and OE, my Amsoil dealer and several different forums have suggested that OE has different additive vs the SS, the big difference you'll see on the user end is your OCI. I don't know the exact numbers and details on chemical make up differences but the consensus seems to be OE has a shorter OCI vs SS. I'm also inclined to think that SS has a better additive package to last longer. I don't know if it protects better but I know you don't have to change as often.

http://syntheticoiltechnology.com/m...amsoil-oe-xl-and-signature-series-motor-oils/

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3419471/Amsoil_OE_vs_XL?

http://www.ramforum.com/f44/amsoilSSvsXL

www.ft86club.com/forums/

The guy feels like he's trying to make a sales pitch so interpret his information carefully [ame]

For me, I'm putting in Amsoil SigSeries in my wife's ecoboost that is a dd not because we need it but because peace of mind more than anything and I don't mind splurging a little on something we both care about (because yellow race car). Also, when it comes to turbo4bangers, Amsoil has been my first choice for many many years. I've trusted them with both my mitsu evo's and all my subarus. As long as you're following good oil change schedules for your style of driving, the only difference you'll most likely see is the amount of green on your wallet and peace of mind of using a high quality oil.

As a side note, I'm going with 0W-30 instead of 5-30 because even at ambient starting temps, 0W-30 oil still isn't viscous enough to lube the car at start up like it would be at normal operating temp. What I do know is that Amsoil 0W-30 SS performs better than FMC 5W-30 synblend or any other 5w-30 (inb4 i find out I'm wrong) when the engine is cold and everyone knows that most of your wear and tear happens in the first couple minutes of starting a cold car. I'll take all the cold engine protection I can get with Amsoil's 0W-30 SS line. If ya'll are consistently heavy footed, I'd go with the 5W-30 instead. It gives up a little cold start performance for slightly better performance at normal operating temps. (same thing applies to 0w-20 & 5w-20 for you ppl with the bigger engines)

www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/AmsoilSS0W-30vs5W-30

This thread makes me feel bad for buying the mobile 1 on sale and planning to change it every 3k miles

Don't feel bad, Mobil1 makes very high quality oil, you probably aren't missing out on much. Is it better than Amsoil? That's very much debatable, especially when you bring in price, OCI and your personal requirements (dd vs track/drag/xcross) You can easily push that OIC to 5k if not more (7500 or even 10k but I'd send an oil sample to blackstone to verify). We don't live in the days of conventional oil where you have to change every 3month/3k mi. While ford does use a synthetic blend from factory, I personally don't recommend a synthetic blend on any performance car nowadays. Full synthetics don't cost much more and they offer better protection and lubrication. I've been running amsoil or mobil1 0w-30 for the last 10 years on every single car i've owned (that requires a xw-30 oil), even on cars that recommended conventional 10w-30 oil. Many years ago, the conventional -> synthetic swap and vice versa was considered to be problematic but this isn't the case anymore. Oil technology has come a long way even if you compare to 10 or 20 years ago and I'm thankful for this new oil, less maintenance and better protection for a small price increase.

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I know this is very much a personal opinionated point of view, but people who buy a performance car and then try to cheap out on oil are putting themselves in higher risk situations. A couple extra bucks on a good oil change is better than a spun bearing or pick your favorite cheap oil related problem (unlikely to happen but a possibility nonetheless). Most people are out the door at no less than 30k for any of the mustangs. A 50+ dollar oil change a couple times a year isn't a big deal to protect a comparatively pricey investment. ...which is why I also have Mobile 1 change ready to go because I got 6 quarts and a wix filter for $35 from oreilly's. Mobil1 is a suuuper close second place behind Amsoil for me, be proud you went with Mobil1, they make great oils as well.

This has been a relatively uneducational post by hungryhippos. Thanks for reading, I'm going to enjoy my $25 savings by visiting a local brewery. Peace out boy scout #lifepriorities

 

[Chameleon]

Signature series and never look back!

 

[Dominant1]

I've been using amsoil ss for years it has the best protection available. Using 5w-50 for my n/a build taking place next week!

 

[18psi]

The biggest dilemma, for me, is the fact that my car see's a lot of cold starts (usually 50F--60F throughout the year. maybe 40-50 in the winter months). My trips to work are short, 11 miles. Other than that, the only "hard use" the car gets is the occasionall WOT blast to 60-80mph. That's it. I don't track it, I don't beat on it repeatedly, it lives a very easy life.

I hear that sub 15k mile OCI on Amsoil SS is really kind of a waste, and have seen recommendations of 15k miles or 1 year, whichever comes first. There is no way I'm racking up 15k miles in a year, I barely hit 10k in 2 years, so am I wasting money with fancy oil?

 

[Dominant1]

Doesn't matter how many miles you drive, what you get from the high tier oils is maximum internal protection for all moving parts. which in turn makes the engine last longer. Tests show the sludge buildup with conventional oil is much greater then Amsoil and sludge as we all know is the engine killer!

 

[18psi]

You're right, better safe than sorry and $25-30 more for the best stuff isn't that much more. Welp, I ordered Amsoil SS 5w20 once again.

 

[5LITERV8]

Not sure if this was discussed but just wanted to add one point to this topic. Unlike the Amsoil OE the SS is not API certified since it has high ZDDP levels. ZDDP or zinc dialkyldithiophosphate is basically anti friction oil additive. According to API, high levels of ZDDP can cause damage/failure to the catalytic converter over time. Although I have yet to see any evidence of this in real life. This oil then is technically not warranty approved by Ford as it doesn't have the API certification stamp on it like the Amsoil OE does. Not sure if this matters to a lot of people as I personally don't care about it. Most of the oils that I have used in my previous 2 vehicles have not been API certified.

 

[hungryhippos]

TL : DR Different oils are used for different applications and driving styles.

Not sure if this was discussed but just wanted to add one point to this topic. Unlike the Amsoil OE the SS is not API certified since it has high ZDDP levels. ZDDP or zinc dialkyldithiophosphate is basically anti friction oil additive. According to API, high levels of ZDDP can cause damage/failure to the catalytic converter over time. Although I have yet to see any evidence of this in real life. This oil then is technically not warranty approved by Ford as it doesn't have the API certification stamp on it like the Amsoil OE does. Not sure if this matters to a lot of people as I personally don't care about it. Most of the oils that I have used in my previous 2 vehicles have not been API certified.

newer engines with tighter tolerances don't burn as much oil as older ones and a catch can will at least slow that problem.

I hear that sub 15k mile OCI on Amsoil SS is really kind of a waste, and have seen recommendations of 15k miles or 1 year, whichever comes first. There is no way I'm racking up 15k miles in a year, I barely hit 10k in 2 years, so am I wasting money with fancy oil?

To answer your question straightforward, yes. But you should confirm the life of your oil by sending it to a oil testing facility like blackstone labs after a change, most people change oil waay to early and waste money. They'll give you a report that says how your oil is doing and give you a basic idea of how the engine is doing inside. The biggest thing is that you need to match your oil to your driving style. This is a fantastic source on educating yourself on oil. I heavily recommend all car enthusiasts spend a little time educating themselves about oil. https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php

Tell them what kind of car you drive and how you drive it and they'll advise you on a couple different brands and weights. Just because Amsoil is considered the best doesn't mean that you actually need it in your car. Most people usually want a couple things out of oil. Good price, good fuel economy, and the right additive package and oil quality to protect the engine which I think is incredibly reasonable. Pennsoil PP is a highly regarded oil when it comes to people who daily drive specifically for those reasons I just listed. I'm in a financially safe place that I can afford 6 quarts of Amsoil at full price which is why I'm fine using it and changing every 6months because you're right, not everyone will drive 15k in 1 year and it is a waste of money because there are plenty of oils on the market that will work perfectly fine. This leads us to your next comment based on your driving style.

The biggest dilemma, for me, is the fact that my car see's a lot of cold starts (usually 50-60F throughout the year. maybe 40-50 in the winter months). My trips to work are short, 11 miles. Other than that, the only "hard use" the car gets is the occasionall WOT blast to 60-80mph. That's it. I don't track it, I don't beat on it repeatedly, it lives a very easy life.

40F isn't that cold but if that worries you, buy a 0W-x0. at 40F, 0W-x0 still isn't viscous as the engine at normal operating temp. Better yet, let the engine idle for a solid minute before you move it so that oil has a chance to get to the right places to lubricate the engine. Remember, cold oil, even at 0W is not viscous enough to get everywhere.l As we all know, most of your wear and tear is when the engine is cold aka not at nominal operating temp so I'll take all the viscosity I can get at to make sure that oil gets everywhere as fast as possible. For daily driving, I'll always take the side of thinner oil because you aren't revving that engine out past 3k most of the time and the fuel savings is nice(we're talking like 2-5+% fuel consumption decrease (depending on what oil you came from) so don't think that you're gunna somehow magically hit 40+mpg because of oil).


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You're right, better safe than sorry and $25-30 more for the best stuff isn't that much more. Welp, I ordered Amsoil SS 5w20 once again.

I whole heartedly agree with this, but not everyone can afford the best and there are plenty of synthetic oils that can protect the engine and still save yourself a couple $$

inb4 someone says, if you can't afford quality maintenance on a car, you shouldn't have bought a car that costs that much. ~__~

 

[18psi]

Thanks man, I really appreciate your input.

 

[Must_Tang]

Hi,

Here's the link to the oil test as previously mentioned in the thread.

https://540ratblog.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/motor-oil-wear-test-ranking/

 

[Optimum Performance]

Just to add an alternative. BG has really good engine oils. This KIT has been popular.

 

[sk8erord]

Changed my oil after 8k miles with Amsoil SS 5w-20 (longest I've ever gone on an OCI - made me nervous). Sent in for Blackstone UOA. Here are the results for your viewing pleasure:

 

[5LITERV8]

This is a good report, thanks for posting it. I just tested Penzoil UP and got a really good report as well. Currently running Royal Purple HPS as I had some left overs but I am not expecting anything great with that oil.

 

[WhiteyDog]

I run the Amsoil SS with their EaO filter. So far so good.

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