Questions and Answers about AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils

What does the 'W' stand for in 10W30?

The 'W' stands for WINTER, not WEIGHT.  The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) established a series of viscosity classifications at both 100 and at 0 degrees Celsius.  If there is a 'W' in the SAE classification, then the oil is rated for low temperature use.  For example, SAE 10W30 meets the requirements for a 10-weight oil at cold temperatures and a 30-weight oil at high temperatures.  A multi-grade oil.  At high, or operating temperatures, it really does not matter what number is before the 'W', since that rating is for cold temperatures. 


Why should I switch to AMSOIL motor oil?

You should only switch to AMSOIL motor oil if you want better equipment performance or longer equipment life than you're getting with your current products.  Their performance advantages you'll get with AMSOIL motor oil include:

• Dependable cold weather starting
• Reduced likelihood of engine overheating
• Better gas mileage
• More power, better throttle response
• Cleaner exhaust
• Longer intervals between oil drains

The Longevity advantages you'll get with AMSOIL include:

A cleaner engine and less engine wear


Why does AMSOIL motor oil cost more than conventional motor oil?

Top quality products always cost more than lesser quality products.  But you get what you pay for.  With AMSOIL products, you get state-of-the-art research and development and the best materials blended under the strictest quality control regime in the industry.  Every attention is given to producing the finest motor oil in the world.  With that finest motor oil money can buy, you, the consumer, get the best engine protection and motor vehicle performance, bar none.  Sure, AMSOIL motor oil costs more up front, but in the long run, it pays for itself though better gas mileage, fewer repairs and longer engine life - and fewer oil changes if you choose to extend your drain intervals.


How long has AMSOIL been around?

AMSOIL was founded in 1972 with the introduction of the first 100 percent synthetic motor oil to gain an American Petroleum Institute performance rating and has led the industry ever since in the development of synthetic lubricants.

Many conventional oil companies just started offering synthetic and synthetic-blend oils within the past seven years and did so to cash in on a lucrative market.  They simply don't have the years of experience and commitment to the development of synthetic lubricant technology as AMSOIL.


How do I change to AMSOIL motor oil?

Exactly the same way you'd change your oil if you continued to use the same brand:  drain out the old and add in the new.

If you're switching a high-mileage vehicle to AMSOIL motor oil, you may wish to clean th engine with AMSOIL Engine Flush before installing the new oil.  Obviously you should also change your oil filter with an AMSOIL Ea Oil filter at the same time. 


Do I always need to use AMSOIL Engine Flush?

Not necessarily.  If you have less that 20,000 miles on your vehicle it is not necessary to flush your engine.  There is probably not enough sludge and varnish that will need to be removed.  Engines with more than 20,000 miles should have the flush completed prior to new AMSOIL being poured in.    On vehicles with higher miles (greater than 75,000 miles) use AMSOIL Engine Flush for a full 30 minutes and periodically rev the engine slightly to help move the oil and cleaner throughout the entire engine.  *Note: Engine Flush is not recommended for use in transmissions, differentials, air-cooled engines, engines that share a common oil sump with the transmission (motorcycles & ATV's) or engine not equipped with an oil filter.


Can I use AMSOIL Synthetic Motor oil in my high mileage vehicle?

Certainly!  The best practice for introducing high mileage vehicles to synthetics is a three step process.  If your vehicle has more than 75,000 miles, first use Amsoil Engine Flush as mentioned above.  The next step then is to use AMSOIL's Extended Life 5W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil (XLM)along with an Amsoil EaO Oil Filter for 7,500 miles, then the last step would be to use AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Motor Oil and a new EaO Filter.  By following the above steps, you will help your high mileage engine clean years of sludge, grime and varnish that has accumulated.


When can I put AMSOIL motor oil in my new car engine?

You can use AMSOIL motor oil right from the start.  No need to wait for rings to seat or parts to wear in.  They'll do that on their own.  You should change the AMSOIL motor oil at the auto maker's recommended drain intervals during the break-in period so the metal particles generated by engine break-in don't cause excessive engine wear.  This is usually 500 miles.  With DIESEL engines however, since they take much longer to "break in"; a switch to AMSOIL should not take place till there is 10,000 miles on the engine.  Oil consumption tends to reduce to a normal level once break in has completed.

 

If my car has a nasty oil leak, should I use AMSOIL?

NO!  an engine with a bad oil leak will be rather expensive - FIX THE LEAK.  AMSOIL will not fix pre-existing problems, it certainly helps in keeping problems from happening, but won't do much to a problematic engine.  If there are not a lot of miles on the engine and it is leaking, if you fix the leak, then introduce AMSOIL to the engine, the cost savings of AMSOIL will pay for the repair over time.  A common rumor states that with an engine with high mileage is switched to AMSOIL, the engine WILL leak.  What actually happens quite often is this.  An engine that has a lot of miles on it, also has a lot of built up sludge.  This sludge actually acts as a seal along compressed areas - gaskets.  With the engine-cleaning additives found in AMSOIL start to do their thing, and clean your engine, the sludge is removed.  Now with the sludge removed the seals and gaskets will start to leak.  Some gaskets actually dry out and become useless with the sludge build up, so when the sludge goes away, the gasket will leak.  It's not the AMSOIL that makes your engine leak, it's the faulty gaskets!

Why are AMSOIL synthetic motor oils good for extended drain intervals?

It's all in the formulation.  Because AMSOIL motor oils are made with synthetic base stocks, they resist thermal and oxidative breakdown, which suits them for extended drain use.  AMSOIL pairs top-quality long-life synthetic base stocks with top-quality long-life additives.  The fact is, other oil companies don't use the quality additives AMSOIL uses because it simply doesn't pay to pair long-life additives with short-lived conventional base stocks.

Carefully controlled demonstrations conducted jointly between AMSOIL and commercial fleets have proven the safety and effectiveness of the 25,000-mile drain interval recommended for Amsoil synthetic motor oils (excluding the XL-7500 oils).  In fact, many entities with which AMSOIL has conducted demonstrations have used the oil for significantly longer drain intervals and still been rewarded with lower rates of engine wear than they were with conventional lubricants and conventional oil drain intervals.
 

Does extending oil drain intervals void new car warranties?
 
No.  Automakers warrant cars against failures or malfunctions due to manufacturing defects for a period defined by time or mileage.  No maintenance practice, such as extending drain intervals, can render the warranty null and void.  

When a failure or malfunction occurs, the car dealer or a representative of the car maker will examine the failed or malfunctioning part to determine the cause of failure or malfunction.  If an indisputable cause-and-effect relationship between the failure and the length of the oil drain intervals cannot be established, then the length of the oil drain intervals is immaterial to the warranty claim and the claim may not be refused on the basis of extended oil drain intervals.  

In fact, when AMSOIL Dealers notify AMSOIL INC. that car dealers or other businesses are misinforming their customers about warranty issues surrounding synthetic oils and extended drain intervals, AMSOIL INC. sends the following letter to the car dealer or business:  It has come to our attention that a member of your staff (name) has been informing customers that the use of synthetic motor oil, or the practice of extending oil drain intervals, voids manufacturers’ warranties. Neither claim is true.  Please review the following facts about synthetic motor oil and put an end to these false statements. 18 Carefully controlled demonstrations conducted jointly between AMSOIL and commercial fleets have proven the safety and effectiveness of the 25,000 mile AMSOIL drain interval.  Synthetic motor oil was introduced to the automotive public in 1972 by AMSOIL INC., with its introduction of the world’s first API (American Petroleum Institute) rated synthetic motor oil. Since then, every major oil manufacturer has followed AMSOIL’s lead and has introduced synthetic motor oils of their own. The performance benefits are indisputable, as evidenced by the fact that every jet engine in the world today uses only synthetic oil.  Vehicle manufacturers recommend lubricants according to their viscosity grade and service classification.  Any oil, whether it’s conventional petroleum motor oil or synthetic, meeting the correct viscosity grade (5W-30 for example) and the current North American service classifications, may be used without affecting warranty coverage.  In fact, synthetic oils labeled with the most current service specifications are not only recommended, but in many applications, actually required.  Furthermore, the practice of extending oil drain intervals does not void warranties.  Original equipment manufacturers pay or deny warranty claims based on the findings of failure analysis. To affect the vehicle warranty, the lubricant must be directly responsible for the failure.  If the oil didn’t cause the problem the warranty cannot be voided, regardless of brand or length of time in use.  Note also that a warranty cannot be voided by verbal instruction only.  If voided, it must be done in writing, stating the specific reason. The fact is, AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils exceed the most demanding worldwide performance standards, including the API SM and ILSAC GF-4 North American standards, and meet all original equipment manufacturer warranty requirements.  AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils are specifically formulated for long drain service and provide superior performance and protection to that provided by conventional motor oils.  AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils may be recommended and installed with complete confidence and at no risk to warranty coverage. We appreciate your attention to this matter and anticipate no further misunderstanding regarding synthetic motor oil.  AMSOIL INC. Customer Service Division c.c. legal department.


Will my oil pressure or idle RPM change when I switch to AMSOIL?
 
They might.  AMSOIL is a better friction reducer than conventional oils and friction directly affects oil pressure and idle speed.  Less friction in the engine will lead to lower oil pressure and more RPM's at idle. Since synthetic oil doesn’t have to “push” as hard to overcome friction as conventional oil does, the oil pressure drops.  The engine still has adequate oil circulation, but like the heart of a person whose blood pressure is lowered through medication, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard for the end result.

The change in idle speed is similar to the difference in the feeling of running through water versus running on dry land.  You run more slowly in the water because the water resists your movement more than the air does. In the engine, conventional oils slow moving parts because of the higher amount of friction (resistance to movement) in the system.  Synthetic oils allow parts to move more quickly because they keep the level of friction lower.  Again, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard for the end result.

By making work easier for the engine, AMSOIL gives more miles to the gallon, too.  Simply set your idle speed down and enjoy the fuel savings benefit of better friction reduction!
 

Does AMSOIL offer technical support for its products? 

The AMSOIL Technical Services Department offers technical support for AMSOIL products.  As my customer, you may ask me, your AMSOIL Dealer, whatever questions you wish about AMSOIL products.  If I don’t know the answer personally, I may request information from my AMSOIL sponsor or Direct Jobber.  If my sponsor or Direct Jobber cannot personally answer our question, he or she may direct me to contact AMSOIL Technical Services.  Initial contact with AMSOIL Technical Services should be made by sending a G-40 AMSOIL Technical Service Request Form to: AMSOIL Technical Services 2206 Winter St. Superior,WI 54880. G-40 forms are available from AMSOIL telephone ordering (1-800-777-7094) or on the AMSOIL corporate website at www.AMSOIL.com.  If your question involves an AMSOIL lubricant you’ve been using, Technical Services may require me to send a sample of the lubricant in question.  Samples must be about four ounces in volume and must be collected in a clean, non-breakable container.  The container must be clearly identified with the following information: • My name and ZO number • Your  name • The make, model and year of the equipment or vehicle • The component from which the sample is taken • The AMSOIL product code for the lubricant sample 20 • The date the sample was taken • The time or miles on the sample • The time or miles on the vehicle or equipment A brief explanation of our request. The appropriate fee must also be submitted with the G-40. The G-40 contains a fee schedule.

While AMSOIL Technical Services probably will not require us to send the component from which the sample was taken, we should keep it until we’ve received our answer from Technical Services.  If the question involves a two-cycle oil, we may be required to send the component.


Should I use oil additives with AMSOIL?

No.  

AMSOIL is a solo act.  Everything your engine needs for lubrication and protection is in the oil. Additives can upset the oil’s precise chemistry, or worse, interact with the oil in unpredictable and harmful ways.  Save your money ... and your engine.  Skip the additives.