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National Trade
Publication
Praises AMSOIL!
LNG
Publishing Company, Inc.
In the March 2003 issue of
Lubes 'n' Greases,
Automotive Editor David McFall wrote an
in-depth article on the subject of extended oil drain intervals and
touted AMSOIL as a safe, cost-effective and environmentally preferred
choice. He praised AMSOIL for their commitment to excellence and labeled
AMSOIL "unshackled"
for never conforming to industry norms and standards.
Compare AMSOIL to Mobil 1,
Pennzoil, Quaker State, Castrol and more!
AMSOIL 10W-30 Motor Oil and ten
competing oils were subjected to a series of tests. AMSOIL
outperformed all the competitors in nearly every test! See the
impressive test results!
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Technical Properties for
AMSOIL Synthetic Oils
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To insure that motor oils function at
specified levels, they are put through a battery of tests using standardized
test procedures developed by the ASTM (American Society of Testing and
Materials). The ASTM was founded in 1898 and their standards govern the
majority of testing performed on motor oils in North America.
These sophisticated (and expensive) test procedures
measure various technical properties of a motor oil such as viscosity,
performance at temperature extremes, anti-wear capabilities, volatility and
safety characteristics. Every motor oil on the U.S. market must go through the
same series of tests and every oil company can provide you with their test
results.
Listed below are
brief descriptions of the more important ASTM tests.
These include tests for:
Click
here to see how well AMSOIL Synthetic 10W-30 Motor Oil stood up against
the top-selling 10W-30 motor oils (Penzoil, Castrol, Quaker State, Havoline
and Mobil 1) in a series of ASTM tests. The results are impressive! |
Viscosity is the measurement of how thick an oil is at a given
temperature. Fluids that take longer to flow have a higher
viscosity and are often referred to a being "thicker." (Molasses
has a higher viscosity than water.) These tests determine how
well a motor oil adjusts to environmental changes, such as
temperature and gravity, which ultimately determines the level
of protection for your engine.
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Viscosity Index Test (ASTM D-2270)
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A high VI is desirable:
- Better wear protection at low and high temperatures
- Easier starting
- Less consumption/leakage
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Viscosity Index (VI) is a number assigned to
lubricants to describe how much their viscosity changes according to changes in
temperature between 104ºF and 212ºF.
The VI indicates the degree of change. This is the most important
characteristic of any lubricant. |
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Kinematic Viscosity Test (ASTM D-445)
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A lubricant with a kinematic viscosity
that is midrange (not close to neither the high or low
limit) is desirable:
- Helps components work their best
- Lubricant stays in grade
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Measure a liquid’s flow under the influence of
gravity. |
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Performance at Temperature Extremes Tests
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These tests determine how well your car's engine will handle
extreme cold
temperatures in the winter and extreme hot temperatures in the
summer. These tests also help to determine the level of
engine protection you can expect from the oil.
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Cold Crank Simulator Apparent
Viscosity Test
(ASTM D-2602)
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Low values indicate
improved cold temperature pumpability and flowability. (Oils that thicken too
much in cold temperatures won’t allow engines to turn fast enough to start.)
- Easier and more dependable cold-weather starts
- Wear/friction reduction
- Longer oil life
- Improved fuel economy
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Determines the apparent viscosity of motor oils between
minus (-) 40ºF and 32ºF and at high shear rates. (The
temperature and shear rate of this test is considered
representative of the conditions encountered by car
engines cranking in cold temperatures.) The results are
used to assign SAE "W" grades. |
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Pour Point Test (ASTM D-92)
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The lower the pour point, the more useful the
lubricant is in cold temperatures.
- Easier and more dependable cold-weather starts
- Wear/friction reduction
- Extends equipment life
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Determines the lowest temperature at which the oil
flows. |
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High Temperature/High Shear Rate
Test (ASTM D-4683)
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Lubricants with high scores are preferred.
- Maintains their viscosity in the face of high temperature and shear
conditions
- Prevents bearing wear
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Measures viscosity and the rate of temporary and
permanent viscosity loss of an oil under conditions of high temperature and high
shear rates. (The temperature and shear rate of this test is considered
representative of the conditions encountered in the
bearings of car engines in severe service.) |
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This test makes it easy to compare motor oils and see
which ones are better at preventing engine wear.
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Four Ball Wear Test (ASTM D-4172)
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The smaller the wear scar, the better the protection provided by the
lubricant.
- Longer equipment life
- Fewer repairs
- Reduced downtime and maintenance expenses
- Longer oil life
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Evaluates the friction- and wear-control ability
of a lubricant. The Four Ball Wear Test puts one rotating ½-inch diameter
steel ball against three fixed ½-inch diameter steel balls, which are covered
with the test lubricant, under specific conditions of pressure, temperature, revolutions
per minute and duration. Wear scars are measured and averaged.
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Volatility is the tendency of a liquid (or solid)
to evaporate under the influence of temperature. Volatility increases as
temperature increases.
These test results will help you decide which oil you
should have in your engine for those times you can't quite
make it in for an oil change on time.
Note: In the early 1980s, AMSOIL became the first
motor oil manufacturer in the United States to routinely
subject its oils to NOACK testing and report the results. At
a time when U.S. oils were not required to meet any
volatility standards, AMSOIL was formulating oils to beat
stringent European standards! Now, the future of the motor
oil market is being shaped by oil volatility limits.
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NOACK Volatility Test (DIN 51581)
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Lubricants with low NOACK scores are
preferred. Low NOACK scores indicate an oil that is less prone to
evaporation at high operating temperatures. Low NOACK scores indicates an
oil that will keep their original protective and performance qualities longer.
- Better oil circulation
- Maximum fuel efficiency
- Less oil consumption
- Less deposit formation
- Stable viscosity for low and high temperature wear
protection
- Fewer emissions
- Longer oil life
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The NOACK Volatility Test is a standard test used
to measure the evaporation loss of lubricating oils in high temperature service. It provides a basis
for estimating the approximate useful life of a lubricant. In the NOACK, a
test specimen of oil is heated to 482ºF and held at
that temperature for one hour. The pre-test weight of the specimen is
compared to the post-test weight, and the test oil’s percentage of weight loss
is determined.
The NOACK Volatility Test was developed in Germany and has long been a
specification test for European motor oils. Volatility
testing became a requirement for North American motor oils in 1992, with the
introduction of API SH/ILSAC GF-1 oils. Volatility standards were
tightened with the 1996 introduction of API SJ/ILSAC GF-2 oils, which required a
weight loss limit of 22%. A maximum of 15% evaporation loss is allowable to meet
the current API SL/ILSAC GF-3 specifications. |
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Acid Neutralization, High Temperature
Deposit Control and Rust Inhibition
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Unfortunately, current passenger car motor oil test protocols do
not include tests that measure high temperature deposit control, but since this
is an important function for a motor oil it is worth mentioning. A motor
oil's Total Base Number (TBN) refers to the quantity of acid neutralizing
material present in the oil. (Detergent-alkalinity additives fight high-temperature deposits and neutralize acids.) The higher the TBN, the more
effective the oil is and the longer it will last.
These test results will help you decide which oil you
should have in your engine for those times you can't quite
make it in for an oil change on time.
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Total Base Number (TBN) Test
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The higher a motor oil's TBN, the more effective it is.
- Suspends wear-causing contaminants
- Reduces the corrosive effects of acids
- Longer oil life
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Total Base Number (TBN) is the measurement of a lubricant's reserve alkalinity,
which aids in the control of acids formed during the combustion process.
Most passenger car motor oils offer only 7
TBN and are formulated with detergents that quickly lose TBN value. With
TBN loss, oils lose their ability to neutralize acids, prevent high-temperature
deposits and inhibit rust. TBN loss is a primary reason oils require
changing. AMSOIL uses highly effective detergent-alkalinity additives in all of
their motor oils. |
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These tests determine the fire resistance ability of a
motor oil.
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Flash and Fire Point Tests (ASTM D-92)
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High flash and fire points are preferred.
- Safer to use
- No oil should be heated to temperatures near its flash point
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Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a
flame causes vapors to ignite.
Fire point is the lowest temperature at
which burning is sustained for five seconds. |
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Test Results for AMSOIL Synthetic Oils
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| 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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