Amsoil 0w30 formula change?

[piston_honda]

Hi all, I apologize if this has been covered in the past. My quick search did not turn anything up. n00b question below...

A while ago, I started using Amsoil 0w30. From Amsoil's website at the time (from what I remember) they listed 0w30's specifications as something like 'Kinematic Viscosity @ 100 = 11.46' and 'HTHS = 3.4'. According to the website now (http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/tso.aspx) with the 'updated' specs the values are 10.4 and 3.2 respectively. I'm sure all the other numbers have changed too. Anyone have any idea what has happened? Did the formula change? When you compare 0w to 5 or 10w, it does not appear to be much better at all. I remember 0w having superior high temperature performance than 5w or 10w.

Thanks

 

[ConfederateTyrant]

The formula was changed back in late 2005, but they did not update the website until last month. So the information you saw on the website when you bought it was not correct for that formula.

 

[LargeCarManX2]

It did change, and the Zinc dropped quite a bit too.

 

[piston_honda]

So, if I understand this correctly, the 0w does not offer any performance advantage over 5w or 10w in high temp situations like autocrossing or on lapping days at the local track?

 

[JAG]

Correct. The xW number tells the viscosity properties at certain temps well below freezing. The HTHS value is what matters most for high temperature situations, but only so much is needed for each engine. Beyond that, viscous drag increases without giving more wear protection.

 

[buster]

The PDS was over 2.5 years old. Was just updated. Shame on Amsoil for having the wrong specs all that time. For people using it in VW's, that could have been an issue. Honestly your better off using ASL/ATM/AFL/S3k anyway.

 

[piston_honda]

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Correct. The xW number tells the viscosity properties at certain temps well below freezing. ...

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That part I understand.

Unfortunately, I was under the impression that the 0w30 offered better protection at higher temperatures based on the old spec sheet all this time.

Maybe I'll just switch to German Castrol!!

 

[JAG]

GC is a good switch.

 

[wgtoys]

"The PDS was over 2.5 years old."

There is no good excuse for that, especially for a company which relies on the Amsoil network marketing model. How long does it take to upload a new data sheet onto the company website? If it takes more than 15 minutes then someone isn't doing their job correctly.

 

[buster]

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There is no good excuse for that

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There isn't. However, I do realize we are a very demanding/anal bunch and very few EVER look at the PDS's of oils they use. I bet less than 1%. Regardless though, with some cars specs are VERY important so I really don't quite understand why it took so long to get it updated.

 

[TeeDub]

I'm running the API\SM version of the Amsoil 0w-30 in my 1.8L, 225 Hp Audi turbo and it works just fine. Oil consumption is very low and the engine runs very smoothly.

I'd still recommend the S2000 over the regular 5w30/10w-30 for a high temp application like a turbocharged engine. Amsoil is formulating their TSO/ASL/ATM formulations slightly thinner these days, partially to meet the fuel saving requirements of ILSAC/GF-4. But for the most part, these are very minor changes in viscosity. If the old formula worked well for you, the new one will too.

TS

 

[ekpolk]

Are we talking about the change from the version that had the thickening issue to the newer one that doesn't/didn't thicken the way old TSO did? Or was there another change? Apologies in advance for arriving late in the conversation...

 

[Pablo]

There have been a couple changes, but the major one was the lower viscosity, increased ester change.

 

[Pablo]

I have no concept why Amsoil didn't update the TSO specs. In the meantime they came out with a load of new products, new spec sheets, web pages, etc for those products. One thing - Amsoil still isn't a "large" company by any means. Maybe they just didn't get to it.

Frankly the "new" TSO is a better oil than the old/intermediate formula. It doesn't have a huge advantage over the Amsoil XW-30 products, I readily admit. Even the ASL 5w30 has a lower 40°C viscosity and a higher 100°C Vis. And if you want a V8 XW-30 for super long drains, I recommed the HDD 5w30.

 

[oilboy123]

A friend uses the ASL for 10,000 oil drains with EAO filt.

I am thinking he could conservatively go 12,000 with the
0-30 in a Toyota Echo.

He is a fuel economy fiend. I have tossed around the idea of him running the 0-20.

Opinions .................?

 

[buster]

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I have tossed around the idea of him running the 0-20.

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I would recommend that as well. TSO does contain some special additive that Amsoil claims is proprietary. It's also found in the S2k 20w-50 racing oil. I would guess it's some ester. I know that the S2k line of oils do have more esters, primarily for racing applications.