EVO X guys.. what weight oil do you get?
Mar 14, 2009 | 01:31 PM
#16
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Glad to help. Agreed on manufacturers prefering a lighter weight oil for start up, i.e. a 5W30 instead of a 10W30, but the issue isn't really weight, it's flow. Lighter weight oils will flow through the pumps easier, which is critical on a cold start where critical oil film has drained off engine components and needs to be replenished quickly before wear occurs. This is why I prefer oils like AMSOIL that are a hybrid of PAO base stocks and esters; PAO offers incredible lubrication properties and the esters not only offer great detergency but most importantly, polarize the oil. This gives the oil a magnetic attraction to metal surfaces so that it helps maintain better film strength. It also clings to metals for sustained periods of time even after the engine is shut down, ensuring that there is still some oil film on those critical metal surfaces during your next cold start up. 
Last edited by STi2EvoX; Mar 15, 2009 at 09:43 PM. Reason: fixed typos
Mar 15, 2009 | 04:44 PM
#19
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From: California!
Glad to help. Agreed on manufacturers prefering a lighter weight oil for start up, i.e. a 5W30 instead of a 10W30, but the issue isn't really weight, it's flow. Lighter weight oils will flow through the pumps easier, which is critical on a cold start where critical oil film has drained off engine components and needs to be replenished quickly before wear occurs.
I am all about start-up lubrication. Been considering the switch to 0w30 or 0w40 lately.
Mar 15, 2009 | 09:12 PM
#20
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Mar 15, 2009 | 09:27 PM
#21
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AMSOIL SSO OW30 or RD 5W20/10W30 are the best choices for both start up and more importantly, operating temp protection. AMSOIL is the best stuff out there, it really is. After running it in my STi, my X, having seen and read countless comparison tests results and most importantly, seen first hand the difference by doing oil analysis, I won't even consider running anything else.
Mar 16, 2009 | 12:40 AM
#22
AMSOIL SSO OW30 or RD 5W20/10W30 are the best choices for both start up and more importantly, operating temp protection. AMSOIL is the best stuff out there, it really is. After running it in my STi, my X, having seen and read countless comparison tests results and most importantly, seen first hand the difference by doing oil analysis, I won't even consider running anything else.
Also where do you buy your Amsoil and filter, feel free to PM me, thanks.
Mar 16, 2009 | 01:55 AM
#23
AMSOIL SSO OW30 or RD 5W20/10W30 are the best choices for both start up and more importantly, operating temp protection. AMSOIL is the best stuff out there, it really is. After running it in my STi, my X, having seen and read countless comparison tests results and most importantly, seen first hand the difference by doing oil analysis, I won't even consider running anything else.
Hopefully the oil doc can jump in and answer this since SSO is supposed to be the premier oil ..
Anyways. . I'm waiting for the availability of the dominator series to run on track .. 10w-30
.. while waiting .. European HD 5w-30
Mar 16, 2009 | 11:46 AM
#24
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First off, there is no such classification as "wear state" that I am aware of. You are probably referring to the 4 ball wear test, and there are some details that you are not aware of. Allow me to ellaborate... In the ASTM 4 ball wear tests, the SSO 0W30 produced a wear scar of .406 mm, while Mobile 1 EP 5W30 produced a 1.0 mm (the smaller the wear scar, the better). As far as the ASL 5W30 is concerned, it does NOT outperform the SSO either. The 4 ball wear test procedure's parameters have recently changed as of december from D4172 to D4172B. The old test ran for 4 hours at 1800 rpms/150 degrees centigrade, while the new test is run for 4 hours at 1200 rpms/75 degrees. I spoke with Oil Doc, and he said that he talked with AMSOIL and that their comments were that the test results for the SSO have not been updated yet to reflect the new test results, but that the SSO still does, as it should, outperform the ASL and every other 30 weight oil on the market. The new test results should be updated shortly .
.
Last edited by STi2EvoX; Mar 16, 2009 at 12:29 PM.
Mar 16, 2009 | 07:12 PM
#25
First off, there is no such classification as "wear state" that I am aware of. You are probably referring to the 4 ball wear test, and there are some details that you are not aware of. Allow me to ellaborate... In the ASTM 4 ball wear tests, the SSO 0W30 produced a wear scar of .406 mm, while Mobile 1 EP 5W30 produced a 1.0 mm (the smaller the wear scar, the better). As far as the ASL 5W30 is concerned, it does NOT outperform the SSO either. The 4 ball wear test procedure's parameters have recently changed as of december from D4172 to D4172B. The old test ran for 4 hours at 1800 rpms/150 degrees centigrade, while the new test is run for 4 hours at 1200 rpms/75 degrees. I spoke with Oil Doc, and he said that he talked with AMSOIL and that their comments were that the test results for the SSO have not been updated yet to reflect the new test results, but that the SSO still does, as it should, outperform the ASL and every other 30 weight oil on the market. The new test results should be updated shortly .
.I'm comparing within AMSOIL and not with other oils ..
SSO is .406 and the Dominator 10w-30 is 0.356 (or something similar)
Mar 19, 2009 | 01:38 PM
#27
Sure you wanna run Amsoil SSO 0W30 with a catalyst? Seems like possible trouble waiting for you down the line with what they run for ZDDP. I'm not saying don't use it, or that ZDDP causes issues, but if they suddenly start having everyone cut out ZDDP to save cats.. who knows. (I could care less since I'm running a test pipe in my X and have no emissions testing here..)
Just a friendly warning?
Just a friendly warning?
Mar 19, 2009 | 01:51 PM
#29
great info.
yes most cases people think a 0w is thinner than a 10w, remember guys the W means weather NOT WEIGHT,
for the evo X it depends guys, some of my customers want to run 20w50 on their cars yes you heard that right 20w50, but they do a lot of racing lots of dyno runs, and hard core street driving, race gas, meth ect....
our SSO 0w30 is a great oil with some lube abilities, our XL 10w30 is a great oil.
let me clarify, our AMSOIL RD series is our racing oils, ok so our racing oils or any racing oils are not street legal for a reason they are loaded with Zinc and Phosforus they are not good for catalytic converters, the Rd oils are super hands down in lubrication, however these oils are not meant for daily driving, yes you can daily drive them however you want to change them sooner than our 100% synthetics
yes most cases people think a 0w is thinner than a 10w, remember guys the W means weather NOT WEIGHT,
for the evo X it depends guys, some of my customers want to run 20w50 on their cars yes you heard that right 20w50, but they do a lot of racing lots of dyno runs, and hard core street driving, race gas, meth ect....
our SSO 0w30 is a great oil with some lube abilities, our XL 10w30 is a great oil.
let me clarify, our AMSOIL RD series is our racing oils, ok so our racing oils or any racing oils are not street legal for a reason they are loaded with Zinc and Phosforus they are not good for catalytic converters, the Rd oils are super hands down in lubrication, however these oils are not meant for daily driving, yes you can daily drive them however you want to change them sooner than our 100% synthetics
Amsoil SSO 0W30 is one of the best oils on the market, second only to the RD 5W20. I am amazed at some of the comments by people on here regarding oil weight concerns. Some of you people don't seem to realize that a 0W30, 5W30, and a 10W30 ARE ALL THE SAME WEIGHT. Since most of you don't understand how to read oil ratings, hopefully this will help. The first number is the weight at cold start up, the second is at operating temperature. Once the engine is warmed up, THEY ARE ALL 30 WEIGHT OILS. As far as the RD 5W20 is concerned, and why I recommended it; it is almost the same weight as the SSO 0W30 and offers even better protection, thanks to the uber high amounts of ZDDP. For those that do not know, oil weights are all based on a centistoke scale, and the SSO barely makes a 30 weight oil, while the RD 5W20 is on the high side for a 20 weight, so they are almost the same weight oil. The difference is literally about a tenth of a point.
In any case, the thing that most people don't realize is that the weight of the oil isn't as important as the film strength, as this is what really provides the protection that the engine needs. This is dependant on the quality of the basestocks and additive packages used in the particular oil in question. For example, a high quality 20 weight oil with a good film strength will outperform and provide more protection than a mediocre quality 40-50 weight oil any day of the week. All these guys that are running 50 weight oils in their evos thinking that it's necessary because they live in a hot climate or because they are making a little extra power over stock are ********; they are losing power and gaining NO protection over a high quality lighter weight oil. In any case, run whatever you want to run.
At the end of the day, everyone has different preferences and I am only making recommendations based on my experience. For those that are interested though, I am currently running the SSO (soon to be RD 5W20), and my X made more power than any other similarly modded X on my shops dyno by about 10 whp, and in my last oil analysis test, has lower wear metals and better TBN ratings than mobile one scores from other evom members' test results. The proof is in the pudding.
In any case, the thing that most people don't realize is that the weight of the oil isn't as important as the film strength, as this is what really provides the protection that the engine needs. This is dependant on the quality of the basestocks and additive packages used in the particular oil in question. For example, a high quality 20 weight oil with a good film strength will outperform and provide more protection than a mediocre quality 40-50 weight oil any day of the week. All these guys that are running 50 weight oils in their evos thinking that it's necessary because they live in a hot climate or because they are making a little extra power over stock are ********; they are losing power and gaining NO protection over a high quality lighter weight oil. In any case, run whatever you want to run.
At the end of the day, everyone has different preferences and I am only making recommendations based on my experience. For those that are interested though, I am currently running the SSO (soon to be RD 5W20), and my X made more power than any other similarly modded X on my shops dyno by about 10 whp, and in my last oil analysis test, has lower wear metals and better TBN ratings than mobile one scores from other evom members' test results. The proof is in the pudding
.
Mar 19, 2009 | 01:58 PM
#30
I just picked up 3 Mobil one extended filters and 15qt of MOBIL ONE 5w30 Extended Performance for $90 bucks. Too good of a deal to pass up. Should be good for a year once I purchase the EVO this summer.
I ran Mobil One and I happy with it. I doubt changing the oil from Mobil one to AMSoil will make a difference in the 120k most people own the car, especially for a DD with some thrashing.
I ran Mobil One and I happy with it. I doubt changing the oil from Mobil one to AMSoil will make a difference in the 120k most people own the car, especially for a DD with some thrashing.