409,000 Miles Without an Oil Change!
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After 409,000 miles without an oil change, the
AMSOIL-protected Mack engine in this 1990 truck was as wear-free as an engine in
comparable service treated to TWENTY TIMES the oil changes.
Colonial Heights, Virginia –
"I didn't see any surprises in there at all. Based on my experience
with AMSOIL Motor Oil, it came out the way we expected," said
owner/operator Haywood Gray of his 1990 Mack E7-400 engine. |
Using AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel and
Marine Oil and the
AMSOIL By-Pass Oil Filter, Gray ran the
engine 409,000 miles without once changing the oil. When the
E7-400 engine was torn down by the local Mack dealership and its
parts examined by an independent certified engine rater, it
showed light to moderate wear throughout. In fact, according to
the engine rater, the parts could have been put right back in
the engine. "I see no reason why the engine couldn't run on," he
said.
The rater's findings were confirmed by
oil
analysis: The sample of used AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy Duty
Diesel and Marine Oil contained 1/6 the lead and 1/3 the iron
allowed by Mack condemnation limits . . . after 409,000 miles
without an oil change!
That's
protection . . . that's AMSOIL! |
Haywood Gray's Experience with AMSOIL
Gray began using AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and
Marine Oil in the E9-400 V-8 engine of a 1984 Mack
truck after the engine accumulated 45,000 miles. For 280,000
miles, Gray changed his oil at 40,000- to 60,000-mile intervals,
though his oil analysis reports showed, without exception, that
the oil was good for continued use. At 325,000 miles, Gray
increased his oil drain interval to 100,000 miles. The engine
was torn down at 600,000 miles when Gray decided to sell the
truck. The cylinder liners, bearings, pistons, rings and oil
pump, all treated to extended oil drain intervals with AMSOIL,
were found to be in excellent condition.
Gray continued using AMSOIL 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel
and Marine Oil in the engine of his
new truck, a 1990 Mack with a E7-400 engine. With the new truck,
instead of using 100,000 mile drain intervals, Gray began basing
his oil drains on the findings of a used oil analysis program.
He also installed an AMSOIL By-Pass Oil Filter. After 630,000
miles total and 409,000 miles without an oil change, the E7-400
engine was torn down by the local Mack dealership in December
1996 and its parts were examined by an engine rater from
Lubrizol, a major oil additive manufacturer.
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Independent Engine Rater Findings
The engine showed light to moderate wear throughout, just as
an engine in similar service and lubricated with conventional
oil changed at 15,000- to 20,000-mile intervals would show. In
fact, according to the engine rater, the parts he examined
(pistons, rings, cylinder liners, bearings and valve train
components) could have been put right back in the engine and
would have continued to provide the good, dependable service
they had provided all along – after 409,000 miles without an oil
change!
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Photos of Engine Tear Down
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"The pins show no wear at all. The piston crowns
and lands show a normal amount of carbon. The skirts are very clean with
a few fine vertical lines." |
"The rings are very, very good. All the rings are free. None are broken.
No plugging whatsoever in the oil rings." |
"Probably 95% of the crosshatching is still in the liners. No scuffing,
no cavitation in the liners. The liners could go back in the condition
they're in." |
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Again, very, very light wear. These could be put
right back in and used again." |
Light wear. They compare to [those in] an engine
that had 15,000- to 20,000-mile [petroleum] oil and filter changes." |
Minimal wear. These, too, compare to [those in] an
engine that had 15,000- to 20,000-mile [petroleum] oil and filter
changes." |
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Discussion
Many factors enable AMSOIL to be safely used 20 times longer
than petroleum oils may be used:
Stability – AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and
Marine Oil is far less prone to thermal
and oxidative breakdown than are petroleum oils. Stability
inhibits the formation of carbon deposits, varnish, sludge
and acids, which helps the engine run clean and protected.
Neutralization ability – While rapid TBN loss
often renders conventional oils unfit for continued use, 12-TBN
(Total Base Number) AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and
Marine Oil offers lasting protection
against engine corrosion.
Viscosity retention – Some conventional oils'
viscosity slips out of specification within a few thousand
miles of an oil change. AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy-Duty Diesel and
Marine Oil neither loses viscosity as
shear-prone oils do, which promotes wear during high-temperature operations, nor gains viscosity as
oxidation-prone oils do, which promotes wear during startup
and cold-temperature operations.
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Additional Demonstrations
Gray's successful use of AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil in
extended drain service is not unique. AMSOIL has conducted
demonstrations with fleets all over North America. In each
instance, AMSOIL has been proven safe and effective in extended
drain use. In fact, these studies showed that AMSOIL used in
extended drain interval programs consistently delivers lower
rates of engine wear than conventional oils used in conventional
drain interval programs.
What Makes AMSOIL So Good?
Synthetic base stocks, top-quality additives and, most
importantly, more experience formulating synthetic motor oils
than any other company.
AMSOIL Aces the Test
Haywood Gray has his used oil tested regularly to ensure the
ongoing serviceability of the oil and well-being of the engine.
In the engine oil report card, wear metals tell the whole story.
A high wear metal content indicates a high rate of engine wear.
In fact, most engine manufacturers publish upper limits on wear
metals content at which an oil must be changed to assure
continued engine protection. Even after 409,000 miles, AMSOIL
protected better than Mack limits required! |
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Wear Metal Tests
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 IRON
Even after 409,000 miles, AMSOIL contained only 1/3 the wear metal IRON
allowed by Mack condemnation limits. |
 LEAD
Even after 409,000 miles, AMSOIL contained less than
1/6 the wear metal LEAD allowed by Mack condemnation limits. |
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What Is Oil Analysis?
Oil analysis is a maintenance management tool that allows
users to monitor equipment condition for maximum equipment life,
maximum lubricant drain interval length and optimal downtime
scheduling. Oil analysis saves users significant money by
reducing equipment replacements and repairs, reducing the volume
of lubricant purchased and destined for disposal and, most of
all, by reducing downtime.
Customers like Haywood Gray "trend line" their oil
analyses. Trend lining involves comparing the results of
previous oil analysis reports to those of the most recent report
to establish trends in wear metals content, viscosity, acid
content, acid neutralization ability and other characteristics
as specified. |
Departures from established trends indicate a change in engine
or lubricant condition and the information they provide may be
used to correct abnormal conditions before they cause damage or
failure.
For more information about oil analysis, visit our
Oil Analyzers,
Inc. page. Oil Analyzers, Inc., a division of AMSOIL, Inc.,
provides cost effective, quality oil analysis services.
Learn more about
AMSOIL Synthetic 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel and Marine Oil and
the
AMSOIL By-Pass
Oil Filter. |
 
| AMSOIL, the leader in automotive synthetic
lubrication, produced the world’s first API-qualified synthetic
motor oil in 1972. Trust the extensive experience of AMSOIL, The
First in Synthetics®,
to do the best job protecting your engine. |
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