AMSOIL Adds 700-Hour Limit to Signature Series Drain Interval

Because a motor oil’s service life can be greatly affected by vehicle operating conditions, AMSOIL provides definitions for normal and severe service and recommends corresponding drain intervals for each. One of the conditions used to identify severe service is “excessive idling.” Because this term is somewhat ambiguous, AMSOIL is adding a 700-hour limitation to its Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil drain interval for vehicles subjected to excessive idling. In normal service, Signature Series is recommended for up to 25,000 miles, 700 hours of operation or one year, whichever comes first. In severe service, Signature Series is recommended for up to 15,000 miles, 700 hours of service or one year, whichever comes first.

More information:
AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oils

Keeping Engines Clean with AMSOIL

Though conventional motor oil quality has improved over the past 30 years, this progress is also offset by emission-reduction strategies, including variable valve timing (VVT), which strangles the engine a little tighter and makes it run hotter.

The average motorist has never even heard of variable valve timing, but it’s a critical component in the operation of a vehicle. Almost every vehicle manufacturer has published a bulletin stating that the number one cause of variable-valve-timing system problems is small amounts of residue and sludge. In other words, cleanliness is absolutely essential.

In the old days, the engine’s intake and exhaust valves were set to open and shut at specific points in the four-stroke cycle for a set amount of time. With variable valve timing, engines can adjust the timing for when and how long these valves open and shut by relying on a combination of sensors and mechanical systems, many critically located on the camshaft and crankshaft. When these components get gummed-up with sludge or deposits, it can lead to poor performance and costly repair bills.

Because AMSOIL synthetic motor oil resists oxidation and breakdown in high heat, it is less prone to produce the varnish and sludge that damages these critical sensors.

Keeping engines clean by using AMSOIL synthetic motor oils helps them last longer. Cleanliness reduces wear, ring sticking and emissions while helping ensure all these components operate as designed.

More information  on AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil

AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants Proven in Las Vegas Taxi Fleet Field Trial

Click for information at AMSOIL.com

With modern vehicles producing increased heat, the ability of lubricants to protect against sludge and deposit formation is becoming more important. Motor oils and transmission fluids must demonstrate increased thermal stability throughout longer drain intervals for components to last as designed.

AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are formulated with reserve protection to withstand heat and its negative effects. To demonstrate it, AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil and Signature Series Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid were put to the test in taxi cabs operating in the searing desert heat of Las Vegas, Nev.

Taxi Fleet

Taxis are notoriously hard on lubricants due to excessive idling and constant stop and go driving loaded with passengers and cargo. Las Vegas summer temperatures added to the challenge, topping 100ºF during this field study.

Six vehicles operated with AMSOIL synthetic lubricants for 18 months. The vehicle selected for further analysis – a 2010 Dodge Charger equipped with a 2.7L V6 engine and 4-speed automatic transmission – accumulated 7,033 hours (102,582 miles) prior to the engine and transmission disassembly. Given the unusually high amount of idle time, maintenance intervals were determined in hours rather than miles. Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil (ASM), changed every 900 hours or approximately 15,000 miles, was used in the Charger’s engine, while the transmission used Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF), which was not changed during the study.

The Charger operated throughout Las Vegas up to 24 consecutive hours each day, with the engine shut down only during refueling and personnel changes. Average speed was 14.6 mph, while the EPA indicates the average speed for city driving is 21.2 mph, illustrating the excessive amount of idle time and stop and go driving.

Results

Transmission components prone to the effects of lubricant failure, including the valve body and clutch plates, revealed virtually no sludge and little wear after operating 7,033 hours (102,582 miles) on a single fluid change. Although the Charger carried a recommended transmission fluid change interval of 60,000 miles in severe service, Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic ATF continued providing superior protection well beyond the severe-service recommendation, confirming its ability to provide reserve protection.

Engine components susceptible to the formation of harmful sludge, including the oil pan, oil pickup tube and cylinder heads, revealed virtually no sludge, earning high ratings from an independent calibrated rater. Results prove the ability of Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil to safely extend drain intervals in severe service. Complete results are available in the Las Vegas Taxi Fleet Field Study (G3118) available from AMSOIL Inc.

Click for larger image

Following over 100,000 miles of severe service, the transmission case and cylinder
head contained virtually no sludge, confirming the superior heat resistance of
Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil and Signature Series Synthetic ATF.

Click for larger image

Reading a Product Data Bulletin: Viscosity

A lubricant's viscosity and how it changes under different temperatures and operating conditions is one of the most important properties determining performance and protection. Accordingly, Kinematic viscosity is generally the first property listed on an AMSOIL product data bulletin.
Kinematic viscosity, measured using ASTM D 445 methodology, determines an SAE oil's hightemperature viscosity grade (for example, the "30" in 5W-30), while its Cold Crank Simulator (CCS) viscosity, measured using ASTM D 5293 methodology, determines its low-temperature grade (the "5W" in 5W-30).

Why Two Different Test Methods?

Viscosity can be viewed in two ways. Kinematic viscosity is defined by the lubricant's resistance to flow and shear due to gravity. To illustrate, imagine pouring two containers, one filled with water and the other with honey. The rate at which each fluid flows is governed by its Kinematic viscosity. Since the Kinematic viscosity of water is lower, it flows faster.
Dynamic (or absolute) viscosity, measured by the CCS test, is defined as the lubricant's resistance to flow as indicated by its measured resistance, best thought of as the amount of energy required to move an object, such as a metal rod, through the fluid. It takes less energy to stir water compared to honey because the dynamic/ absolute viscosity of water is lower.
Each test method is designed to replicate a specific operating condition, allowing formulators and end-users to determine the lubricant's characteristics when in use. The CCS viscosity test evaluates the amount of energy it takes to start an engine at a specified cold temperature; the lower the viscosity grade, the lower the temperature at which the test is performed. The test assigns a value in centipoise (cP), used to determine the viscosity grade. Using Signature Series 5W- 30 as an example, its viscosity at -30ºC (-22ºF) can be no greater than 6600 cP to receive a 5W grade (see chart). Lower values reflect lighter-viscosity oils.
The Kinematic viscosity test attempts to simulate viscosity at normal operating conditions for a passenger car/light truck. The test is performed at 100ºC (212ºF) and/or 40ºC (104ºF), depending on the grading system being used. The value at
100ºC is used to determine the SAE viscosity grade. The test measures how long the oil takes to completely flow from a viscometer device heated to 100°C. The elapsed time in seconds is converted to centistokes (cSt). Lower values reflect lighter-viscosity oils.

Viscosity Index

The viscosity index (VI) of a lubricating fluid refers to how much the viscosity of the fluid changes due to temperature. A high VI indicates the fluid undergoes little viscosity change due to temperature fluctuations, while a low VI indicates a relatively large viscosity change. The Viscosity Index Test (ASTM D 2270) is based on the Kinematic viscosity of the fluid at 40°C (104°F) and 100°C (212°F). A fluid whose viscosity does not change much between these two temperatures will have a higher VI than a fluid whose viscosity change is greater. Viscosity index numbers above 95 are considered high. Fluids with a high VI provide more protection to critical components over a wide range of temperatures by maintaining fluid thickness and the necessary fluid barrier between parts.
AMSOIL posts data information proudly on each product page at or near the bottom of the page. Check out the different AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils data information posted by clicking on a specific motoroil and opening the page. Compared to other motoroils on the market, AMSOIL is clearly superior. AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils

3,000-Mile Oil Change Comes Under Fire

The standard 3,000-mile oil change interval is under attack. Promoted for years by most motor oil companies and quick lube businesses as an essential part of proper vehicle maintenance, the public has become much more skeptical in recent years. In fact, searches for "3,000 mile oil change" in top Internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo! primarily yield articles and blog postings that challenge the practice and refer to it as a "scam" or "myth."

AMSOIL synthetic motor oil was introduced in 1972 as the only motor oil on the market recommended for 25,000-mile/one year drain intervals, and the company has spent much of the last 36 years as the lone voice promoting the benefits of extended drain intervals. However, AMSOIL has recently welcomed an increasing number of companies and organizations to the party. Although they still don't recommend drain intervals as long as AMSOIL recommendations, the momentum is growing.

Vehicle manufacturers have mostly recommended oil change intervals exceeding 3,000 miles in recent years. In fact, most recommend intervals of 5,000 miles or more. Ford Motor Company recommends drain intervals of 7,500 miles in its model year 2007 and newer vehicles, while other manufacturers incorporate oil monitoring systems in their newer vehicles that allow motorists to extend drain intervals even further.

In its December 2006 issue, Consumer Reports encourages drivers to follow the longer oil change recommendations of vehicle manufacturers, saying, "Although oil companies and quick-lube shops like to promote this idea [that engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles], it's usually not necessary. Go by the recommended oil-change schedule in your vehicle's owner's manual. Most vehicles driven under normal conditions can go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Some models now come with a monitoring system that alerts the driver when the oil needs changing. Depending on driving conditions, these can extend change intervals to 10,000 or 15,000 miles."

Steve Ritter, senior editor of Chemical & Engineering News, writes, "Conventional wisdom has held that the oil should be changed about every 3,000 miles. This notion has been ingrained into people's heads for decades, in part as a marketing ploy by oil companies. The 3,000-mile interval made sense when engines used single-grade nondetergent oils. But with the latest oils and car designs, it's no longer necessary to change oil that often under normal driving conditions."

Concerned about the effects of used oil on the environment and responding to research thatindicates 73 percent of California drivers change motor oil more often than their vehicle's manufacturer recommends, the California Environmental Protection Agency and its Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) have emerged as another strong opponent of the 3,000-mile oil change. The group recently launched a public information program and website (www.3000milemyth.org) designed to "bust the 3,000-mile myth" and encourage drivers to reduce used oil volume by following the longer oil drain recommendations of vehicle manufacturers.

"Used motor oil poses a great risk to the environment," said CIWMB Chair Margo Reid Brown. "With better made cars and the rise of synthetic oils, the 3,000-mile standard is not always recommended."

Most recently, General Motors announced its support of the CIWMB program to educate drivers about oil change intervals. According to GM, standard 3,000- mile oil change recommendations are based on outdated engine and oil technology, and the company instead recommends changing oil based on its Oil Life System. Currently included on over 97 percent of all GM vehicles sold in the U.S., the GM Oil Life System typically allows drivers to extend drain intervals up to 10,000 miles through use of a computer-based software algorhythm that measures vehicle operating conditions. With 31 million vehicles on the road equipped with the Oil Life System, GM spokesman Tom Henderson claims following its recommendations rather than the 3,000-mile rule could save 100 million gallons of oil annually.

In addition to the environmental benefits associated with less waste oil, extended drain intervals save consumers money. For example, customers who purchase conventional oil at $3 or more per quart, drive 12,000 miles per year and follow 3,000-mile oil change recommendations spend atleast $60 per year on oil alone (assuming a five-quart sump capacity). AMSOIL Dealers and AMSOIL Preferred Customers who pay $6.45 per quart (based on case pricing) under the same conditions pay only $32.25 per year.

"When it comes to oil changes, less is more," claims the CIWMB. "You'll have more money in your wallet by changing your oil less, and fewer oil changes mean less oil that needs to be safely managed and recycled."

Premium AMSOIL synthetic motor oils offer the longest drain intervals on the market, unsurpassed protection and performance that effectively extends equipment life and improved fuel economy, saving customers money at the pump and reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil.