Did Amsoil change it's drain interval recommendations on the Diesel Oils?

" SERVICE LIFE - Series 3000 5w-30 (HDD)
In light-duty diesel engines, non-turbocharged diesel engines, heavy-duty diesel engines, turbocharged diesel engines: drain oil at intervals up to twice or more the oil drain interval length recommended by the engine manufacturer if extended drain intervals are supported by the findings of a used oil analysis program, or six months, whichever comes first."

" 15w-40 (AME) Diesel engines, fleet vehicle engines and industrial engines: drain oil at intervals up to two times longer than recommended by the engine manufacturer or at six month intervals. Extended drain intervals may be used if they are supported by the findings of used oil analysis."


It looks like for all the Diesel Oil you have to use Oil Analysis now if you go past the vehicle manufacturer's recommended change limits?

 

Were you really going to try to run 30k miles without analysis anyway?

 

No,

The recommendation from the Product Change Interval Guide is "Up to 2 times or longer w.oil analysis or 6 months, whichever comes first."

So, with a Dodge Cummins, using 7500 (schedule B) intervals, I could go to 15k, within a 6month period, without using oil analysis to stay within the Amsoil warranty.

However, if you go under the individuals Oils' specs, they say what I posted above. So, there's a confliction.

I just want to know which Amsoil recommendation is correct.

I called the Amsoil Tech Line and am waiting for a response.
"Ron" stated that Amsoil is making some interval change recommendations and he had to check it out and get back to me.

Not trying to start any oil wars here...I have been using the 15w-40 for almost a year and change at 7500 miles or 6months anyways...

 

Sounds like the lawyers have the louder voice in the board room's these days.

They probably want to avoid any un-necessary lawsuits from individuals who ruin engines through neglect and want Amsoil to pay for it. I doubt the policy change is due to any change in the additive package.

I don't think any policy change will have an adverse impact on sales volume either. The folks who buy that kind of oil are usually better informed than the general public anyways.

 

If you change at 7500 miles anyway then why even make post anything. You are doing what DC reccomends anyway, so why bother. I run mine until End Of Life by running an AMSOIL Tri-Gard By-Pass system. I currently have 6 months & 7k miles on the currentl oil and have only changed the oil filter and prefilled it with oil. The oil analysis supports continued use of the oil. I'll check it again in 6months or 7.5k miles. Just to let you know I should be changing oil every 3750 miles and I don't and I won't. Even if I didn't have the Tri-Gard sytem installed I would keep th oil in for atleast 6 months or 7.5k due to it being AMSOIL and NOT dino oil

 

I ran the same oil in my 89 for four and a half years (60000 miles) with oil analysis. It was still good at that point. I am running 20000 miles now on my 99 with the dual remote set up. I change the main oil filter every 5000 miles and the bypass when I change oil.

Not recommending anything here, just telling you what I do.

 

I get confused by some people. I personally just don't see the point in extending these oil change intervals. Right now it cost more to fill up my tank one time then it does to change my oil, oil filter, and fuel filter. I change my oil around every 4500 miles so I guess there is no need for an oil analysis( and the extra time and money that it takes).

I think that when I go to sell my vehicles at some point, people want to hear that the oil has been changed regularly. There is no way I would buy or warrant a truck that has only had its oil changed every 15, 20 , or 60K miles. Oil changes are the most important maintanance procedure on any vehicle, why mess with that. I understand that some peoples oil is fine after many, many miles. I guess it is different strokes for different folks.

 

Yeah, some people like to here that the oil was changed every 3k miles. But then it real nice to be accused by the dealer of having a new engine in your vehichle that has 45k on it Of courde you have to prove them wrong and have them do a engine ID trace to verify that it is the original engine that has been running AMSOIL since about 15k miles. It was so clean they didn't want to take it as a trade until they verified it
That is the reason why I AMSOIL and a By-Pass system now. If the engine can be maintained as clean as possible on the inside then it should fail unless somthing actually gives way. So if they have to open it up they will be able to determine it was NOT from neglect or not changing the oil
By the way that engine that had it's oil changed every 3k prior to filling it with AMSOIL and dropping the oil pan & cleaning out the 1/4inch of sludge.
So I may be extending I oil change interval but I am still maintaining my engine better than most.

 

Rossn, I'm not sure what you're truly getting at. Are you trying to figure out what the proper drain interval for your particular truck is? An amsoil recommendation nor the dodge recommendation will give you that exact answer. The only way to find out is to cough up the $15 and 3 seconds it takes to take an oil sample and find out. My opinion is that most people that consider themselves to be on 'schedule B' for oil drains could probably use schedule A. Sure we make some trips less than 10 miles but that does NOT automatically qualify us for schedule B, it's if you drive in those conditions predominantly.. Anyway if you're using Amsoil 15w40 HDD oil, you can easily do 10-15k miles between drains without even thinking about it. If I were you I'd run it 10k and never think twice or get an analysis. These trucks are easy on oil.

 

For all you guys that seem to enjoy seeing just how long you can go without changing your oil, I have a question. What exactly is it about Amsoil that makes it's users want to do this. I have nothing against Amsoil, I have used it in my race bikes and 4 wheelers and it seemed fine but in the end I couldn't justify the extra $ and effort it took to use it. I could just get some Mobil 1 synthetic up the street at Autozone which by all accounts seems to be as good.

I know it sounds like I'm trying to dog Amsoil, but I'm not. I'm just wondering why so many people want to stretch out their intervals with it, and why people that use other oils that are also of high quality don't seem to? Is there something I'm missing? I know of an Amsoil dealer w/ a Dodge/ Cummins whos main thing was to drive his truck around with a big sticker saying "Over 100,000 miles on 1 oil change". Now thats impressive if true, which I doubt it was but I did hear that his engine took a dump shortly thereafter. I really don't know what I'm getting at here, but I get the impression that some are suggesting that regular oil changes ( 3k to 7500k) with regular oil is worse for your truck than the Amsoil/ extended thing. I plan on switching over to Rotella syn w/ 5k mile intervals. Is that a bad thing?

 

Coolslice, at 5k intervals you might as well be using regular Rotella dino oil. Unless you're seeing extreme cold temps or want to run extended intervals, I can't really see a point in spending for synthetic. And that's coming from someone running an Amsoil dual bypass and extended intervals Synthetic flows better in cold, and is less resistant to coking on the turbo if you shut down hot. It also can resist breakdown longer than dino so you can extend intervals. If you want to drain every 5k, dump in some delo, d1300, or rosmella...seriously..

The reason you see people using Amsoi specifically for extended drains is because it's formulated specifically to be an 'extended drain oil' .. You'll notice many people also use Mobil Delvac 1 - which is also designed to be used over extended drains. These oils have beefier additive packages and higher TBN's to allow for longer drains. It's not just brand preference.. Hope that helps explain it.

Ok I have to stop posting and replying, it's become clear I'm avoiding my work!!

 

As Lightman said what we are doing is trying to break our dependance on OIL. We are doing our part in using as little as possible by extending our drain interval. Yes we pay more for the synth oil but we also see the benifits from it. My rpm's at 65 are 200 lower than before AMSOIL. This equates into less engine wear and better fuel mileage. If fill your truck from head to toe with true synthetics you will reap the benifits of less friction in those areas, which in turn mean less wear, which inturn means better economie. In other words we are being CHEAP(actually FRUGAL)

 

Supergewl, how did it change your rpm? No offense at all , and I'm certainly no mechanic, but I thought rpm was a function of gearing once in lockup.

I do extended drains so I spend less time under my truck and more time driving it, I'm not necessarily on an oil conservation campaign I like the cleanliness, superior flow, and heat handling characteristics of synthetic. The bypass system allows me to do it as cheaply as using dino and stock filters, and requires a ton less work.

 

When Scheid Diesel tore my truck down at 148000 miles, they said it was the cleanest engine they had ever seen inside. There was absolutely no wear on the bearings or anything and I was going 50000 miles on oil at the time. You can call and ask them if you doubt me. They didn't even have to bore it to go oversize, they went back with everything stock size.

Now you ask, why were they tearing my engine down at 148000 miles? It was becasue I got stupid and pulled 21000 pounds up over Afton Mountain at 72 MPH with no EGT gauge. Number six piston got to the liquid stage on the top. The truck still ran well for 380 miles after that and got me all the way home even knocking like someone was in there with a sledge trying to get out.

Then there's the guy in NC that had over 300000 miles on his oil the last time I talked to him.
BTW, if you're changing the big A at 5000 miles, I need some more customers like you.

Why I run extended oil changes, I prefer sitting in my truck driving it, not laying under it with hot oil dripping on me. If you don't like it, don't knock it. The oil companies love you man. There is absolutely nothing wrong with dino oil or changing it every 5000 miles.

 

I use Esso full synthetic 0-40 and a Harvard bypass system and If I am towing I change about 15000 miles and so far I have not had an oil change period go by with out a lot of towing miles but I would not worry about going 20,000) I also use oil analysis.
I am also wondering how Supergewel lost 200 rpm with synthetic oil or maybe he changed from 4:10s to 3.73s at the same time.
Jim O