Hey Al, series 2000 or regular?

[tnmk]

Aldive, are you using the series 2000 Amsoil, or the regular flavor?

Do you see better MPG with the series 2000? How much difference between the 2?

 

[rizzjc]

I've been using Series 2000 since my truck was new. 140k miles on it now. I've had about a 15% gas mileage increase. However, I've never used the regular synthetic from Amsoil in it, so I can't compare.

 

[aldive]

Aldive, are you using the series 2000 Amsoil, or the regular flavor?

Do you see better MPG with the series 2000? How much difference between the 2?

I use the Series 2000 0w30 with bypass filtration.

I have not seen any difference in mileage when compared to the other Amsoil synthetics.

 

[tnmk]

so you have used both?

I just changed mine recently with reg amsoil 5-30 and now have on order the same for our other two cars. Then after reading the literature on 2000 it of course said better mpg, but not nessarily better thatn the reg.

And just why is there a 1 year limit? I understand the miles driven limit, but not the 1 year limit.

 

[rizzjc]

It's mostly marketting, and convenience. You have to have some limit, and filters don't last forever, so they use a 1 year interval. But that assumes no UOA, which can be used to prolong the interval long past that. I know a guy with 100k on his Dodge Diesel, who has never done a complete change since switching to Amsoil (only the filter, and top off). But that is with regular UOA's to verify that the oil is still good. Without the UOA there are a lot of things that could get in there, and deplete the additives, so they set that limit when an oil analysis is not used.

 

[tnmk]

Yea I like the idea of the UOA, but I would want to do the bypass filter if I did that.

So realistically with the new EA filters, I could go the full 25,000 miles? which for me is well beyond a year.

 

[rizzjc]

I still think that the EaO filters are only guaranteed for a year. However, being full synthetic filters, they should go much longer. The older SDF filters were only guaranteed for 6 months. I often went much longer (OK, I rarely changed it at 6 months). The UOA is the only way to monitor it. I look at it this way. No, I don't put 25k on the car in a year, but it only costs me about $50 to do an oil change. $50 a year isn't bad, and gives me great protection, and saves me a lot of time. The only thing I have to remember to do more often is to check my oil level. Right now I'm doing a UOA about every 5k, but that money adds up, so I only plan to do it as long as it takes me to find out where my elevated silicon (dirt) is coming from.

 

[tnmk]

I'm not arguing the value of doing once a year, but every 25k would be better. Curious, how much is it to do a UOA? I know the kits are cheap, is that the only cost?

 

[aldive]

The lab I use for VOA and UOA - Dead Link Removed

Their pricing for various services is on the website.

 

[rizzjc]

I use Oil Analyzers, which is basically Amsoil, and you can get the kit from Amsoil for $25, which includes the return postage. Some probably don't like using them because you are asking them to analyze their own fluid. I like them because the TBN is included in the cost. Price is less if you are a preferred customer. They have a nice pump for $28 for getting the sample too.

 

[tnmk]

I'm a new dealer, so I would get the price break, but I hadn't seen much for pricing, course I didn't look real hard either. But for the price, considering you still have to change the filter, might as well change the oil too I think. Not really saving that much not changing. But I can certainly see the value in large capacity vehicles.

 

[rizzjc]

Yes, but I don't do them all of the time. My plan is to get a baseline to justify my change interval, and then just do a UOA every few years or something as preventive maintenance (i.e. uncover possible problems early). Right now I am getting elevated levels of silicon, so I'm trying to figure out where it is coming from. When it is cleaned up, then I won't do the analysis for a while. That's the type of tool I see it as anyway.

 

[tnmk]

So how do go about figuring out your getting to much silicon (or anything else for that mmatter?)

 

[rizzjc]

Do an oil analysis, and that's one of the the items is tests for. The oil analysis looks for levels of certain contaminants, wear metals, and additives.

 

[tnmk]

I know that part, but how do you find the source of the conatamination?

 

[rizzjc]

I'll let you know when I find it.

If you know anything about engines, you should have a clue. I don't, so I ask around. I've replaced the PCV valve and lines, cleaned the intake and replaced the gaskets up to the intake (throttle body, etc). I've "upgraded" to an Amsoil EaA air filter (inside the stock airbox for now). We'll see if any of that helped when I do the next analysis. Could be the intake gasket. Probably what I'll look to do next. Actually, I might seafoam it again, and pay more attention to where the smoke from under the hood is coming out of. I noticed it last time, but didn't get in there to see where it was actually coming from (whether from the intake, or the exhaust).

However, I'm open to anyone's idea as to where the dirt is coming from.

 

[tnmk]

I've built engines in the past, I know a fair amount about them, but I really wouldn't know what by-products a particualr problem is causing. Sorry.

If you saw smoke under the hood, I would be investigating that. Intake gasket has got to be a PITA