Jump to content
HybridZ

Lubricant and seal compatability... Interesting find...


Mikelly

Recommended Posts

As most of you know, I'm now the owner of a C5 corvette. The Car had axle seals leaking fluid, which is covered in a known TSB from GM. I swapped to the newer and more improved seals, and filled the trans and differential with Redline synthetics... and the seals started leaking again... as did the trans to differential seal (Tranny is connected to the diff at the REAR of the car!). I did some research and found that redline is ester based, and will cause some newer seals to swell and cause leaking.

 

I swapped everything over to AMSOIL (THANK YOU DOUG CARROW, MY AMSOIL DEALER!!! :D:D:D ) and I've put two hundred miles on the car with NO LEAKS!

 

I'm done with redline... i'll be using AMSOIL in everything I own from now on...

I'm also gonna become a dealer! :lol:

Mike 8)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bastaad525

*getting more interested in amsoil every day*

 

 

just seems that there are as many naysayers as there are guys in love with the stuff. The Mobil 1 I use now seems to pretty hard on seals as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When installed the LT1/T56 I put fully synthtic Valvolen Dextron III in my T56. Then I noticed that the tranny was leaking, not a lot but a little. So I put the car up and took a peek at it. After degreasing it and checking for leaks it seems to be just seeping "through" the case? :shock: I cant find the leak? Now Im thinking maybe its leaking were the middle of the case is bolted together? I dont know if the fluid did it or not? Now you got me thinking? :?

 

Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Doug, it had about 1000 miles on it when I noticed it before, BUT it was abvious that it had been doing it for some time, due to the dirt, and mess in the area around the axles and differential covers...

 

Mike 8)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bastaad525

I had asked this months ago... so is it a fact that Mobil 1 WILL cause leaks? I remember someone saying that Mobil and other synthetics were really hard on seals... kinda makes me wonder if that doesn't negate any benefit of using synthetic in the first place. I use it to hopefully help prolong engine life of the hard parts, but what's the point if I have to remove the engine to replace failed oil seals and gaskets all the time??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No. One thing you need to understand is that there are different grades of oil, just like there are different grades of fuel... The AMSOIL 2000 series oil is a grade 4/5 oil, where as most of your generic off the shelf autoparts store chain stuff is grade three... AMSOIL makes that stuff to, in the 1700 series product line. However, as Doug mentioned that you could go to the link on his signature to his website, and from there go to AMSOILs website... Interesting comparison between AMSOIL and MOBIL1.

 

Here is the other thing to look at... You hear these car makers all the time claim that their vehicles can go XXXX miles between oil changes. That is simply not the case with grade three oils of any kind, due to the inability to stave off contaminates. The grade three oils might be able to fight off molecular breakdown, but the contaminates will get the best of the internals... It is a two fronted attack. Grade 4/5 oils are TRUE 7500-15000 mile oils. THAT is the payoff in a $7 quart of oil. I'm paying $4-5 for a quart of Mobil1 oil. I change the Mobil1 every 3000 miles regardless. I will change the 2000 series AMSOIL at 7,500-10,000 mile intervals. That extra $1-2 will pay for itself in the oil change interval increases.

 

When you think about AMSOIL 2000 series, think of it in the same class (And some would argue better than) Royal Purple, Silcolyne, and Redline when it comes to motor oil.

 

I'll let you guys know how it goes, but bottom line is these cars we build are a huge investment, and often take our "play money" or investment money... Why not invest in YOUR investment?

 

Mike :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

at 45 degrees below zero, on a frosty Michigan Morning, Amsoil was the ONLY lubricant available that had the viscosity required when hot, AND that would allow me to actually SHIFT the transmission in my 62 VW Microbus.

 

After moving to CA, and going back to Dino Oil (no big swings in temperature!) I experienced, after a rebuild of the tranny and reduction boxes, a TERRIBLE sound like something binding and breaking after 3+ hours of straight through highway driving at 75mph+.

 

Tranny rebuilder told me the reduction gear boxes were overheating and breaking down the Dino Oil. Put the Amsoil back into them, and it's there to this day, 65K miles later. Regular Particulate sampling shows no undue flaking of gearsets, synchros, etc...

 

So I have synoil in all trannys and gearboxes ever since...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

at 45 degrees below zero' date=' on a frosty Michigan Morning, Amsoil was the ONLY lubricant available that had the viscosity required when hot, AND that would allow me to actually SHIFT the transmission in my 62 VW Microbus.

 

After moving to CA, and going back to Dino Oil (no big swings in temperature!) I experienced, after a rebuild of the tranny and reduction boxes, a TERRIBLE sound like something binding and breaking after 3+ hours of straight through highway driving at 75mph+.

 

Tranny rebuilder told me the reduction gear boxes were overheating and breaking down the Dino Oil. Put the Amsoil back into them, and it's there to this day, 65K miles later. Regular Particulate sampling shows no undue flaking of gearsets, synchros, etc...

 

So I have synoil in all trannys and gearboxes ever since...[/quote']

 

Just think what it would do for all the other components, parts and peices. :D

Although with 65K on the fuild, you might want to think about changing it. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bastaad525

The main thing that sold me on Mobil 1 is the fact that several manufacturers put it in their high end performance cars these days... and knowing that these companies probably spend a lot of money researching stuff like that, it must mean something that they choose to run the Mobil 1 in the cars that would be the most punishing to their oil. Either they come with Mobil 1 from the factory, or you're only supposed to run mobil 1 in them after breakin, I forget. Some cars that I believe apply here are the Dodge Viper, Chevy Corvette, and Mitsu Evo.

 

To me that is about the most positive recommendation you could get. Then again, I also try to pay attention to the guys that are racing and what they are using... but sometimes wonder if they use what they say or just say they are using a certain brand because of a sponsorship, but really don't.

 

I used to think I too could get away with changing my Mobil 1 less often than non-synthetic oils but really after the regular intervals it starts to look and smell pretty badly, so I dont feel safe running it much more than 3000 miles either. And anyways, for me it's not about extended oil change intervals, really it's about getting the most miles I possibly can out of this car that I've put so much money into.

 

I'm gonna check out that Amsoil link now, would like to read the amsoil/mobil 1 comparison. Think I'm sold on putting it in my tranny and diff at least. Had heard great things about the redline gear oil as well, how it really makes a tranny shift smoother, but I dont want to mess with my seals after just spending $800 to pull the trans and replace every seal on it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bastaad525

are there any retail stores that carry amsoil products? Along with the additional cost of the oil itself I kinda wonder at the price of shipping... at 5 quarts per oil change the stuff isn't gonna be light. Any local places in SoCal? Also, do all the benefits of amsoil ONLY apply to the 2000 line? What about the XL 7500? The 2000 stuff only comes in two viscosities... 0-30 and 20-50... the XL stuff is also cheaper, comparable with Mobil 1.

 

How does the XL7500 rate against mobil 1? Or how about the "high performance" 10-40?

 

Really, which would be the best out of the different types of amsoil to use in my car (see sig)? Well of course the 2000 would probably be the 'best' but... okay... which would be the 'second best' :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

are there any retail stores that carry amsoil products?

Ck in your local auto parts stores' date=' yellow pages.[/color']

 

Also, do all the benefits of amsoil ONLY apply to the 2000 line? What about the XL 7500? The 2000 stuff only comes in two viscosities... 0-30 and 20-50... the XL stuff is also cheaper, comparable with Mobil 1.

No, the series 2000 are some of the lastest products offered.

The XL 7500 series are blends to compete in the quick lube market.

See the comparison on my web. :D

 

How does the XL7500 rate against mobil 1? Or how about the "high performance" 10-40?

 

Really, which would be the best out of the different types of amsoil to use in my car (see sig)? Well of course the 2000 would probably be the 'best' but... okay... which would be the 'second best' :D

I use / have used the 10W 30 turbo formulated or series 2000 20W50 for all of my track events and hot street (nice perpared car), but ck out the products offered and their specs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bastaad525

One interesting thing I noticed on the amsoil website, they do a comparison of oil filters there. Now I remember specifically a few months ago that there was a pretty big thread where people were debating oil filters, and the general consensus was that the fram filters were crap. No discrepancy there, however, a lot of people were recommending the Wix/napa filters as a good alternative to the Fram stuff. According to the Amsoil website the Wix filters tested the WORST out of five filter brands tested, yes worse than the fram, which was second worst (order from best to worst was Amsoil, AC delco, purolator, fram and wix). Wish they'd compared the mobil and bosch premium filters... some of the priciest filters at the store!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...