Anyone running Amsoil ?

[Only Toyota For Me]

Trying to decide between ASL 5w30 and SSO 0W30. Any experiences out there would be appreciated.

I've switched all my vehicles to amsoil with great results, and would like to run it in the boat. I have been running mobil one 5w30, and every time i change it annually the oil looks pretty dark.

Anyone running the Amsoil ATF either?

[sailtl]

I use Ams/Oil 5-30 and ATF. No problems at all.

[lilfoo2225]

no offence but i wouldnt run that stuff in my lawn mower!! i think its very over rated. 

[Only Toyota For Me]

I use Ams/Oil 5-30 and ATF. No problems at all.

ASL 5w30? Any benefit you think of running SSO 0W30?

Did you perform a flush on the ATF when you switched or just drain and refill?

I need to service the trans in our boat pretty quick, so any help would be appreciated.

Can i get the filter on this site? How much is it?

[sailtl]

I use Amsoil 5-30
Which filter are you looking for? Oil or Trans
I just drained and refilled Trans. NO flush.
Trans filter is stainless steel and no need to change unless damaged somehow.
You can buy the oil filter on the site or just pick 1 up for 2000 Lexus LS400.

[Rambling Wreck]

Lilfoo2225, opinions are great but as we know, everyone has one. What I find helpful is when someone says WHY they have a particular one. I don't use the product so I don't have a dog in the fight but statements like that usually END discussions instead of encouraging them....

[Rambling Wreck]

Almost forgot, I am also curious about the dark oil at the end of the season. I don't know what the original guy used in my E21 but Breakaway used a synthetic blend. However, he only ran the darn thing for 10-20 hours so it hardly had time to circulate! I went back to conventional oil figuring I would change over to Mobil 1 at 200 hours. I finally reached that milestone so I converted for the first time last summer. Regardless, the oil was still black at the end of the season. I am not talking amber or even dark amber as some members have stated, I am talking black. Any theories and, more importantly, solutions?

[breakawaydaze]

Black oil, hmmm,

I have put some thought to it and do have some thoughts.  First of all, I think boats run rich as a rule.  You cannot help getting carbon particulates in your oil with a rich burning engine.  Second,  Have you seen the air filter?  Really small and more like a flame arrestor than anything else, plus its getting all its fresh air from the basically closed engine box.  Third, high RPM most of the time, and dead idle the rest, not alot of mid level engine action.  Fourth, lots of run the socks off then let it sit a couple weeks.  I think this all would be considered severe conditions.  It would be interesting to get some more folks to do an oil analysis at the end of the season.  There is no telling what is in there after a tough summer on the lake. 

                                                 Just some thoughts from the local "Aging Hipster"

[breakawaydaze]

By the way Wreck, I just saw your lake is up another 6 feet!  You better get that bobcat soon, or you will not have any shore left to work on!

[lilfoo2225]

i have lots of examples for the use of amsoil. i just dont think we have enough time to go through them all. me being a motorcycle mechanic and been around that type of oil for awhile. people wanted to switch because they thought it would be cool and ended the life of there motors in bikes and snowmobiles the day of the switch. i know people who drink those energy drinks that say MONSTER and NOS just cause its cool. so i ask them if they would drink it if it said im a flamer. no they say! so just stick with what works. yes im sure theres people out there that have never had problems. but if the oil your using is just fine and wether its black 'wich breakaway is right' or not and your motor didnt lock up. keep using it. put in whats the motor calls for! me personally i use maxima products for my toys and castrol gtx for anything else. any oil is better than no oil but i wouldnt recomend changing back and forth with synthetic and non synthetic oils. so i will END my opinion on the aging old topic wich oil is the best?  

[Only Toyota For Me]

I use Amsoil 5-30
Which filter are you looking for? Oil or Trans
I just drained and refilled Trans. NO flush.
Trans filter is stainless steel and no need to change unless damaged somehow.
You can buy the oil filter on the site or just pick 1 up for 2000 Lexus LS400.

The 5-30 XL line competes with mobil one which is cheaper than the ASL. ASL is their 100% synthetic oil.

What kind of A job is it to drain the trans, and how many qts. does it take? I thought the trans had a filter that needed to be replaced?

I'll be going with either a Mobil one M1102 or a Amsoil EAO57. Haven't decided yet, but i'd imagine with the way mobil one pricing has been going the EAO will probably get the nod.

Thanks for your help.

[Only Toyota For Me]

Almost forgot, I am also curious about the dark oil at the end of the season. I don't know what the original guy used in my E21 but Breakaway used a synthetic blend. However, he only ran the darn thing for 10-20 hours so it hardly had time to circulate! I went back to conventional oil figuring I would change over to Mobil 1 at 200 hours. I finally reached that milestone so I converted for the first time last summer. Regardless, the oil was still black at the end of the season. I am not talking amber or even dark amber as some members have stated, I am talking black. Any theories and, more importantly, solutions?

I'd imagine in your situation that because of the use of conventional oil, the synthetic is now cleaning the motor of deposits, etc...

I was told when we bought our boat to run ONLY 5w30 full synthetic.

What filter you running?

I was told by my amsoil rep that a synthetic media type filter is best to use in a boat, due to possible moisture in the oil and the harsher running conditions a boat sees over an automobile.

[Only Toyota For Me]

Black oil, hmmm,

I have put some thought to it and do have some thoughts.  First of all, I think boats run rich as a rule.  You cannot help getting carbon particulates in your oil with a rich burning engine.  Second,  Have you seen the air filter?  Really small and more like a flame arrestor than anything else, plus its getting all its fresh air from the basically closed engine box.  Third, high RPM most of the time, and dead idle the rest, not alot of mid level engine action.  Fourth, lots of run the socks off then let it sit a couple weeks.  I think this all would be considered severe conditions.  It would be interesting to get some more folks to do an oil analysis at the end of the season.  There is no telling what is in there after a tough summer on the lake. 

                                                 Just some thoughts from the local "Aging Hipster"

I think i agree with you here, but i would like to add another 2 cents if i can.

I would venture to say that the oil doesn't get hot enough because it's not driven long enough to actually burn off the moisture or fuel in the oil. Thoughts?

[Rambling Wreck]

If memory serves me (at my age that is not a given), the general concensus of the group was to run conventional oil for the first 200 hours to allow the rings to seat propoerly then switch to synthetic.

Regarding the warming up of the oil, I sometimes run the boat for several hours at a time when the kids and their friends are tubing and skiing, or at least it seems it when a kid is learning how to ski at 2PM at the end of July when it is 102!!

As to changing the ATF fluid - it is very easy to drain with a fluid extractor - vital for those of us that do the annual maintenance while the boat is in a slip. They are readiliy available  - I think I got one made by Tempo. Astro also makes one. The key to making this easy is to break the paint bond between the nut and the cap on the ATF filter reservoir (see the maintienance section for some great pictures of all of this). You can get the cap back on without loosening the nut (I have done it) but you will be looking for a dog to kick or your wife to ..., well, you won't enjoy it.

Breakaway, yes, the lake only has 16 ft to rise before getting back to full pool - woohoo!!! I had to run up there to pull the dock in this weekend. Second weekend in a row I have had to do this. I was a tad late this time. The end of the walkway was in the water - about 2 in more and the electrical junction box would have been under water. Soil was very wet and soft so cranking that baby in was a JOB!

[sailtl]

About 2.6 qt Trans Fluid
Epic Winterizing Procedure-Direct Drive in Maintenance section of web site.