A Comparative Study of SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oils

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A Comparative Study of SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oils

A Comparative Study of SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oils

Over many years, AMSOIL Inc. has been known in the industry as the “king of comparison.” One of the reasons for this is what many people know about motor oils is only what they read in an advertisement. As a result, AMSOIL has endeavored to educate consumers to the actual differences between lubricants, synthetic and conventional.

AMSOIL-5W30-Motor-Oil-StudySynthetic lubricants can provide benefits conventional oils cannot provide. In addition, all oils are not the same, even synthetics. All oils, synthetic or conventional, are not created equal.

We believe that an educated consumer can make an informed decision.

While conventional motor oil sales remain flat, synthetic motor oils continue to demonstrate strong annual growth. Motorists now recognize that synthetics legitimately improve engine performance, particularly in engines that operate under severe service. Performance cars and many traditional family vehicles today leave the factory with synthetic oil installed and recommended as the service fill, contributing to synthetics’ increased demand. Oil manufacturers have responded. Many now formulate multiple synthetic motor oils, often led by a flagship product that represents each company’s most advanced technology.

This study compares the performance in laboratory tests and cost-effectiveness of AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil to several passenger-car/light-truck synthetic motor oils widely considered by marketers and consumers to be the best available.

The methodology used utilizes laboratory bench testing conducted in accordance with American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) procedures examining several areas of motor oil performance, including resistance to deposit formation, wear protection, high-temperature stability, resistance to acid formation and cold-temperature performance. Bench tests are used widely to differentiate between formulations.

Among other requirements, ASTM tests are always repeatable and controlled. This is why whenever looking at comparative data, ASTM tests are the only accurate method to determine actual performance characteristics and differences, as compared to “carnival tricks” used by some marketers to make their product look good.

An important fact of any published testing results by AMSOIL Inc. is the data is always provided by a third-party independent laboratory to eliminate any bias. Some companies publish “in-house” data; AMSOIL never publishes in-house data: AMSOIL only publishes independent, third-party non-biased data. This is an important consideration when determining the facts.

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil ranked first in four of the six comparisons. In contrast, while some oils performed well in a few areas, they did not perform as well as others. Different results from one test to another indicate an emphasis in one area of performance does not correspond to increased performance in other areas of testing. It also reveals the difficulty inherent in formulating a high-quality motor oil that performs well in tests designed to assess optimum engine protection and life.

You will recognize the brands listed in the tests.

Read or Download A Study of SAE 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oils