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The 3000 Mile Oil Drain Fails To Address The Real Issue

The 3000 Miles Oil Change Interval Doesn’t Address Oil Quality

When people say to me they change their oil at 3000 so not to take any chances that dirt could be causing damage or the oil could be getting “bad”, I say to them, why not change every 50 miles then?? I’m sure the oil is still good but as you said, why take a chance?

Let’s look at the top reasons for engine failure which relate to the oil.

#1 is lack of lubrication. Nothing to do with dirt but a poor quality non-synthetic even low quality synthetic made from Group III base stocks (There are over 80 different quality levels for a Group III oil thus lower prices – this does not fit the scientific definition of synthetic) can and will leave deposits OR lose viscosity early on both causing lack of lubrication.
#2 – Overheating – Often the damage done after a engine overheats is caused by the heat being too intense for the oil to hold its properties. An AMSOIL product would have prevented this especially in air cooled (V-Twin bikes or marine) and in the new trend of turbocharged engines. The coming LSPI issue will demand the oil be at least a 100% synthetic quality. It’s designed for temperatures beyond these issues.
So changing oil every day will not prevent the above. Any overheating event or the list of reasons which cause a lack of lubrication cannot be addressed by the 3000 mile oil change. Only by the quality of the oil. AMSOIL also adds performance and for the difference in price per quart is less than the cost of a cup of today’s coffee so the solution for protecting your investment is here!! And has been for 45 years.

Quality Oil Filtration is a Must but still only part of the issue

I couldn’t find the study as I was writing this but Federal Mogul published research that “dirt” in oil was actually a minor part of failure while things relating to lubricant quality were. Acids or loss of TBN was a much more severe issue. Corrosion and storage was a far greater contributor to reduction in engine efficiency and ultimately failure.

Mild quality oil filters solve the dirt issue for up to 10,000 miles but you still need an oil which can fight contaminants caused by fuel or advanced wear over the years (such as starting with a used vehicle which you don’t know the history of). AMSOIL addresses the contaminants with their advanced additive packages and are willing to cover that with a guarantee.

How do you know?

Note while that AMSOIL does back their oil for longer intervals, this is clearly stated for engines which are in normal operating condition and have not been modified. For modified engines, neglected ones or those with a good number of miles over 100,000 they do list severe service categories or one can always get our KIT-02 oil analysis kit and go from there.

Just use better oil and find out what you are missing!

AMSOIL use will tilt the scales of a nations fleet replacement statistics. Imagine that. Just from changing brands of oil.

The 3000 mile oil change interval excuse is much like arguing one brand of cigarettes is more healthy than another.
Use AMSOIL and unlock the full potential of your drive train!! Find out what others already know – AMSOIL is all about performance!
Ches Cain – AMSOIL Direct Jobber

New Motor Oil Specs are Coming

New Motor Oil Specs are Coming

As engine operating conditions grow more severe, so do the demands placed on your motor oil. New engine hardware such as turbochargers, direct injection and variable valve timing (VVT) place increased stress on your engine oil. You may find yourself asking, why do we need new engine hardware? What’s wrong with the tried-and-true equipment that has worked for years?

Well, automakers need every fuel economy gain under the sun they can get to meet tightening fuel-economy standards. And these new technologies help them get there.

More strict CAFE standards

The current corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard requires a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg by 2025 in the United States, a five percent annual improvement. These requirements have spurred the automotive industry to turn to the hardware mentioned above to build smaller, more fuel-efficient engines. In fact, by 2020, industry experts predict that almost every new vehicle will feature direct-injection technology (GDI). The vast majority will also be turbocharged (TGDI).

All upside, right?

Smaller, more-efficient engines that make the power and torque of their higher-displacement counterparts is all upside, right? In theory, maybe. But, in reality, today’s advanced engines undergo more severe operating conditions that can lead to…

  • Severe engine knock, also called low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI)
  • Increased engine temperatures
  • Compromised fuel injectors
  • Increased wear and deposits if the oil isn’t up to snuff

The biggest motor-oil-related challenge on the horizon is LSPI, also known as severe engine knock. LSPI can destroy pistons and connecting rods.

What is LSPI?

LSPI is the spontaneous ignition of the fuel/air mixture before spark-triggered ignition. It is another version of pre-ignition. Pre-ignition (engine knock) has been around since the beginning of internal combustion engines. LSPI, however, occurs under low-speed, high-torque conditions in TGDI engines, such as when taking off from a stoplight. This scenario can create conditions where the fuel/air ignites too early in the combustion cycle, throwing off the engine’s timing. The expanding combustion charge collides with the piston as it’s moving up the cylinder, potentially destroying the pistons or connecting rods.

How Does LSPI Occur?

Experts suggest the cause is due in part to oil/fuel droplets or deposits in the cylinder auto-igniting randomly. The droplets and deposits contain enough heat to ignite the air/fuel mixture before the spark-triggered ignition. This means oil formulation can play a role in reducing LSPI.

Testing has shown that certain motor oil ingredients can promote LSPI, while others can help reduce it. It’s tempting to think, “Well, dump a bunch of ingredients into your formulations that help reduce LSPI!” But some ingredients that help reduce LSPI have been limited over the years in motor oil formulations for other reasons.

It truly is a scientific balancing act confronting us oil formulators. It’s no easy task to formulate motor oils that deliver excellent wear protection, resist the increased heat of turbocharged engines, prevent deposits, act as a hydraulic fluid and, now, combat LSPI. The performance of the entire formulation – not just one or two ingredients – is what counts.

Coming Soon: New Oil Specifications

Difficult or not, next-generation motor oils will need to fight LSPI. In fact, they’ll need to pass an LSPI test to meet the new API SP and ILSAC GF-6 performance specifications set to take effect in mid-2019. General Motors is ahead of the game and requires oils to pass its own LSPI test. Its updated GM dexos1 specification (known as dexos1 Gen 2) is scheduled to take effect Aug. 31, 2017. The table explains the specs in a little more detail.

Relax…for now

For now, you don’t have to worry too much about LSPI. Your vehicle’s computer is programmed to avoid operating conditions that lead to LSPI. But, operating your engine under those conditions does promise fuel economy gains. And, once oils hit the market that combat LSPI, you can bet the vehicle manufacturers will reprogram their vehicles to take advantage in their never-ending quest for better fuel economy.

AMSOIL Prepared for the Change

We’ve been hard at work reformulating Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil, XL Synthetic Motor Oil and OE Synthetic Motor Oil to address LSPI. The early signs are exciting. Experimental formulations of AMSOIL synthetic motor oils provided 100 percent protection against LSPI in turbocharged direct-injected engines.* Expect to see them hit the market in the months ahead.

Check out this page to learn more about LSPI.

*Based on the engine test required for GM dexos1 Gen2 specification.