i'm gettin ready to do the first oil change on the truck and i'm goin to switch to synthetic. i need help decidin between amsoil and rotella t 5w-40. which one do ya'll think i should go with. how much will i need also. thanks in advance.

denny

the tests ive seen nothing comes close to schaeffers

Either is fine. I went with the Amsoil DEO and EAO52 filter, the Rotella as well as others would be just fine. You'll need 10 quarts, doesn't hurt to have an extra one or two also.

I use the Rotella T Syn 5W40. It has a good TBN to start with. It may not be as good as the others mentioned, but it sure is a lot cheaper, and I have had good Oil Analysis results with Rotella T Syn! The other oils are probably better for longer or extended oil change intervals.

What was the milage? I would wait till after 12,000 miles or so before using syn oil.Change the oil at 1000 and 6000 miles. With the syn you won't get things to seat properly and do vary the engine rpm and temp. Do let it warmup ( I like off of the needle) and let it idle for 5 mins or so to even out the head temps before you shut it off.

I was a big believer in amsoil but they have since made me mad with all the new "energy surcharges". With the long drain intervals it's still cheaper than dino but at the next change I'll be switching to Schaeffers.

bigred08 - how often you intend to change your oil?

If you're not going past 10k miles, you don't need a synthetic.

If you are going past 10k miles for an Oil Change Interval, then you'll have to consider just how far. Typically, the RTS, Amsoil, Delvac 1, and Schaeffer's all do well for extending the drains. The RTS is quite a bargin, when comparing results and taking purchase price into account. It is quite rightly regarded as a premium performer at a good price.

If you're looking to greatly extend the OCI, consider the Amsoil. The only reason I say this is that many of their products are warranted for up to 25k miles, when used in conjunction with their EaO filters, and analysis. I don't know that they're THAT much better than the other choices, but their written warranty is very specific and very comforting. As always, when going out this far, UOA's are mandatory at nominal intervals.