Amsoil experience
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,018
Likes: 0
From: Front Royal, Virginia
Smokindave's post is correct. 3 weeks ago I changed lifters because of a constant ticking that developed. Didn't help. Read this post 3 days ago and changed the Amsoil out. Problem solved. Having said that I am not giving up on Amsoil. I've used it in 4 motorcycles without any problems. I don't sell Amsoil products but I have a commericial account with them. I use Amsoil in 9 service trucks and will continue to do so. I think there is an enormous difference between a water cooled automotive engine and an air cooled motorcycle. This has been a brutal summer in Virginia. Temperatures constantly in the mid to high 90's. I ride 150 to 350 miles most weekends. I think the Amsoil simply broke down under harsh conditions. I am dissapointed that it did but I can a make a case for Amsoil because of the weather. I suspect other brands have broken down also. We just haven't read about them. Or maybe, like me, riders think something else is wrong. I have two and a half cases of Amsoil for my bike and I'm not throwing it away. I will start changing it every 3000 miles instead of 5000. When I use that up I'll rethink the oil issue. My oil temp dropped about 30 degrees also. Never belived for a second that changing oil would have resoled my poroblem but it did.
Gary
Gary
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,741
Likes: 45
From: Indian Land, SC
Just changed out my Amsoil 20/50 & Amsoil Filter. Oil had about 3000 miles on it and was very black. No gasoline smell whats-so-ever.
Replaced with Mobil 1 20/50 and a HD Premium5 Filter.
No more noise at start up.
Do I think it was an oil problem, NO....A filter problem, YES.
Only reason I replaced the Amsoil Oil is because I have two cases of Mobil 1 sitting in the garage and didn't feel like reordering the Amsoil right now.
Been using Amsoil in my vehicles and bikes for about seven years without an incident, so I have faith in their oils....I will from now on only use HD Premium Filters on the bike.
Replaced with Mobil 1 20/50 and a HD Premium5 Filter.
No more noise at start up.
Do I think it was an oil problem, NO....A filter problem, YES.
Only reason I replaced the Amsoil Oil is because I have two cases of Mobil 1 sitting in the garage and didn't feel like reordering the Amsoil right now.
Been using Amsoil in my vehicles and bikes for about seven years without an incident, so I have faith in their oils....I will from now on only use HD Premium Filters on the bike.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,967
Likes: 18
From: Florida
I did the lifter thing too! But get a little rattle when I start up....goes away when it warmed up....Though it was a heat shield but not...I going to try Syn3 or Red Line with a new(HD) filter tonight.....Jerry
Well, I have 4 qts of Amsoil still so I'll just go with the HD filter and see what happens first.
Well, I have 4 qts of Amsoil still so I'll just go with the HD filter and see what happens first.
Last edited by Jerry1834; Aug 3, 2010 at 12:23 PM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 440
Likes: 0
The Emporer Has No Clothes!!!!!!!!!!
It sure would be interesting to see some UOAs from the problem machines. That would certainly give a window into whether or not there is anything wrong with the oil.
My gut is that there is nothing wrong with it per se. But believe the reports on noise that disappears after a change.
It's easy to blame the brutally hot summer and the EPA for what appears to be Amsoils failure to stand up to their marketing materials.
Maybe the truth will come out... Could Amsoil be nothing more than just an ok oil, that can't hang in the uber high temp world of HD? If so, my grandpa was wrong!!!! You don't always get what you pay for.
My $4.29 a qt VR1 don't exhibit any of these symptoms, and at least through the 2500mi UOA has done well, even with a long EITMS run with oil temps over 300 it's still a 50w.
It sure would be interesting to see some UOAs from the problem machines. That would certainly give a window into whether or not there is anything wrong with the oil.
My gut is that there is nothing wrong with it per se. But believe the reports on noise that disappears after a change.
It's easy to blame the brutally hot summer and the EPA for what appears to be Amsoils failure to stand up to their marketing materials.
Maybe the truth will come out... Could Amsoil be nothing more than just an ok oil, that can't hang in the uber high temp world of HD? If so, my grandpa was wrong!!!! You don't always get what you pay for.
My $4.29 a qt VR1 don't exhibit any of these symptoms, and at least through the 2500mi UOA has done well, even with a long EITMS run with oil temps over 300 it's still a 50w.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,741
Likes: 45
From: Indian Land, SC
The Emporer Has No Clothes!!!!!!!!!!
It sure would be interesting to see some UOAs from the problem machines. That would certainly give a window into whether or not there is anything wrong with the oil.
My gut is that there is nothing wrong with it per se. But believe the reports on noise that disappears after a change.
It's easy to blame the brutally hot summer and the EPA for what appears to be Amsoils failure to stand up to their marketing materials.
Maybe the truth will come out... Could Amsoil be nothing more than just an ok oil, that can't hang in the uber high temp world of HD? If so, my grandpa was wrong!!!! You don't always get what you pay for.
My $4.29 a qt VR1 don't exhibit any of these symptoms, and at least through the 2500mi UOA has done well, even with a long EITMS run with oil temps over 300 it's still a 50w.
It sure would be interesting to see some UOAs from the problem machines. That would certainly give a window into whether or not there is anything wrong with the oil.
My gut is that there is nothing wrong with it per se. But believe the reports on noise that disappears after a change.
It's easy to blame the brutally hot summer and the EPA for what appears to be Amsoils failure to stand up to their marketing materials.
Maybe the truth will come out... Could Amsoil be nothing more than just an ok oil, that can't hang in the uber high temp world of HD? If so, my grandpa was wrong!!!! You don't always get what you pay for.
My $4.29 a qt VR1 don't exhibit any of these symptoms, and at least through the 2500mi UOA has done well, even with a long EITMS run with oil temps over 300 it's still a 50w.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: trumann, arkansas
mike from amsoil email me right back and wants my phone number. he wants to talk to me about the oil one thing i can say he did get right back with me will also tell him about the form and what it says here about the oil
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: Somewhere in Jersey
Keep us posted. Thanks
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 2
From: Northern Colorado
so i just read all the posts on this. and the thing that i notice most? if it had been any oil other than amsoil, a lot of folks would be jumping up and down saying 'here's your proof', but since its amsoil, well, there must be something else wrong. syn3 (or insert any other brand here.....) is thin, bad oil. amsoil is thin, and you're immediately asked if your eyeball is calibrated for viscosity.....
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
I learned many years ago that one bad apple does not spoil the whole barrel.Amsoil has more than proved itself worthy for me.All that has been written about it's top quality products and all the independent lab results just proves their worth.Also been using synthetic's since the 70,s,know for a fact how good it is for internal combustion engines.Been building engines since the 60's and have seen a lot of them apart.For those that have not,you can bet all the syn motors are in much better condition than the dino motors.Using synthetics is all about finding the viscosity that best works with your particular set up.Those that do not follow these guidelines simply do not understand the inner workings of their toys.All internal combustion engines are not created equal.