Napalm
02-26-2013, 08:27 AM
Now I'm going to start this with 2 parts so as not to go off the oil deep end because I don't want to hear it.
1) this isn't about trying to get people to use amsoil, I don't sell it and that's got nothing to do with the reason for this thread in the slightest.
2) I am selling people on the idea of a catch can, you should use one and you should check it regularly.
That said - I DD my G8GT, and I now have 98254 miles on Gertrude. She needs some new bushings and struts but I love my 4 door family car.
Because of my previous history with LS engines and I am an engineer I bought a catch can for my car within the month of having it. and I bought her used with 58K on the clock back in 2011.
I started off using Mobil 1 for oil changes - then RP because of the deal I could get off some clothing store website. I noticed I had to empty the catch can quite often with the L76 engine - more so than I did with my LS1 in the GTO. But still not major in the amount. About 1/2 through my standard 5000 mile oil change I would empty out the can.
Over the first year that can had some residue in it that accumulated along the sides. I would call it a tar like film it didn't come out when I dumped the oil and it was like baked on oil - which I think it about accurate. Since catch can is catching hot oil vapor of the PCV system and letting it condense in an AL can.
Last summer my car started to piston slap on cold starts (probably always did it but it was noticeable at this point and it had 90K+ on the dial). So I had heard many people wax poetic about Amsoil - to the point where a local guy basically gave me the 9qts for the change job last july. when I had 92K on the dial. He gave me the middle tier product that I believe have XL on the label.
fast forward to last Saturday - during cold weather it is common for your catch can contents to be a bit foamy and milky or watery. I was prepared for that. However what I got was more the color of starbucks mochachino - whatever the hell people get in those cups that looks like dirty chocolate milk. it was the lightest color, foamiest collection of crap I've ever poured out of a catch can. Now again - winter weather and colder starts etc it is normal to get some rather watery contents out of your catch can. AND if you are emptying shortly after driving it can be foamy in consistency. But what I poured out was nothing like I was used to.
I checked my coolant level as soon as the radiator cooled down - I checked the oil (which I do every other fill up anyway) and when through all the signs of a headgasket - but all was naught because the car runs fine - heats fine- has now fluid loss - oil was clean (note that after 6K miles the oil was about the same color as the M1 I had on the shelf), coolant was still red and bright (flushed last spring). etc etc.
Then I noticed something else - the catch can was perfectly clean on the inside. that tar residue I described before - gone. completely wiped away when I dried out my catch can with the paper towel. Bare shiny AL.
So to that I must note a few things - either this is a complete fluke or AMSOIL has more detergent and ? than any other oil I've ever used. and 2 it must encapsulate water in higher quantities because I can think of no other reason for the foamy - milky catch can contents. Meanwhile the oil with over 6K on it is about as clean as it was in the bottle.
No the piston slap didn't go away nor did I think it would. and I can't say that the valvetrain is any quieter than it was before, but it isn't any louder either.
But I thought I needed to post up about this because it was so unusual. I've used catch cans for over 10 years now on various engines but mostly GM products but I've never emptied one to find it cleaned out. They usually have some residue on the side of the can and winter months usually leads to some watery nasty crap. but I've never seem on come out clean and devoid of residue.
I will use Amsoil again in the car for the next oil change - and monitor accordingly. but so far I think I might switch over - incidentally for the 9qt change its actually cheaper than anything else I can get locally.
And flame away if you wish
1) this isn't about trying to get people to use amsoil, I don't sell it and that's got nothing to do with the reason for this thread in the slightest.
2) I am selling people on the idea of a catch can, you should use one and you should check it regularly.
That said - I DD my G8GT, and I now have 98254 miles on Gertrude. She needs some new bushings and struts but I love my 4 door family car.
Because of my previous history with LS engines and I am an engineer I bought a catch can for my car within the month of having it. and I bought her used with 58K on the clock back in 2011.
I started off using Mobil 1 for oil changes - then RP because of the deal I could get off some clothing store website. I noticed I had to empty the catch can quite often with the L76 engine - more so than I did with my LS1 in the GTO. But still not major in the amount. About 1/2 through my standard 5000 mile oil change I would empty out the can.
Over the first year that can had some residue in it that accumulated along the sides. I would call it a tar like film it didn't come out when I dumped the oil and it was like baked on oil - which I think it about accurate. Since catch can is catching hot oil vapor of the PCV system and letting it condense in an AL can.
Last summer my car started to piston slap on cold starts (probably always did it but it was noticeable at this point and it had 90K+ on the dial). So I had heard many people wax poetic about Amsoil - to the point where a local guy basically gave me the 9qts for the change job last july. when I had 92K on the dial. He gave me the middle tier product that I believe have XL on the label.
fast forward to last Saturday - during cold weather it is common for your catch can contents to be a bit foamy and milky or watery. I was prepared for that. However what I got was more the color of starbucks mochachino - whatever the hell people get in those cups that looks like dirty chocolate milk. it was the lightest color, foamiest collection of crap I've ever poured out of a catch can. Now again - winter weather and colder starts etc it is normal to get some rather watery contents out of your catch can. AND if you are emptying shortly after driving it can be foamy in consistency. But what I poured out was nothing like I was used to.
I checked my coolant level as soon as the radiator cooled down - I checked the oil (which I do every other fill up anyway) and when through all the signs of a headgasket - but all was naught because the car runs fine - heats fine- has now fluid loss - oil was clean (note that after 6K miles the oil was about the same color as the M1 I had on the shelf), coolant was still red and bright (flushed last spring). etc etc.
Then I noticed something else - the catch can was perfectly clean on the inside. that tar residue I described before - gone. completely wiped away when I dried out my catch can with the paper towel. Bare shiny AL.
So to that I must note a few things - either this is a complete fluke or AMSOIL has more detergent and ? than any other oil I've ever used. and 2 it must encapsulate water in higher quantities because I can think of no other reason for the foamy - milky catch can contents. Meanwhile the oil with over 6K on it is about as clean as it was in the bottle.
No the piston slap didn't go away nor did I think it would. and I can't say that the valvetrain is any quieter than it was before, but it isn't any louder either.
But I thought I needed to post up about this because it was so unusual. I've used catch cans for over 10 years now on various engines but mostly GM products but I've never emptied one to find it cleaned out. They usually have some residue on the side of the can and winter months usually leads to some watery nasty crap. but I've never seem on come out clean and devoid of residue.
I will use Amsoil again in the car for the next oil change - and monitor accordingly. but so far I think I might switch over - incidentally for the 9qt change its actually cheaper than anything else I can get locally.
And flame away if you wish