Motor Oil Jun 3, 2019 Test: Which Brand Wins?
In our Jun 3, 2019 test we compared 4 motor oil options head to head. AMSOIL Signature Series came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
AMSOIL Signature Series
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Kendall GT-1 Max
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The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“AMSOIL did win all three events”
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Anti-wear additives
- 1AMSOIL Signature Seriesjust over1500 parts per million
nearly the same as Kendall
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinum
less than Red Line, no exact ppm given
- 3Red Line
a lot more than Pennzoil, no exact ppm given (transcript attributes this to a brand mangled as that line, resolved to Red Line by elimination since AMSOIL and Kendall additive levels were already covered in the same sentence)
- 4Kendall GT-1 Maxjust over1500 parts per million
nearly the same as AMSOIL
Evaporation test (200g oil heated to 375F for 3 hours)
- 1AMSOIL Signature Series
started at 442.28 grams, ended at 440.00 grams, loss of 2.28 grams
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinum
started at approximately 416.87 grams, ended at approximately 414.77 grams, loss of 2.1 grams as stated (transcript garbled the digits as fourteen sixteen point eight seven and four and fourteen point seven seven; the stated 2.1 gram loss matches this reading exactly, kept as the literal garbled transcript figures with this derivation noted)
- 3Red Line
started at 423.32 grams, ended at 420.72 grams, loss of 2.6 grams
- 4Kendall GT-1 Max
started at 407.07 grams, ended at 404.35 grams, loss of 2.72 grams
Lubricity test (bearing wear scar)
- 1AMSOIL Signature Series
showed a much smaller wear scar than Kendall, no numeric value given
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinum
lost the lubricity test to Red Line, showed more wear
- 3Red Line
far less wear than Pennzoil, terrific film strength, did a really good job on the lubricity test
- 4Kendall GT-1 Max
did very well but AMSOIL showed a smaller wear scar
Total base number (TBN)
- 1AMSOIL Signature Series
much higher than Kendall, no exact value given
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinum8.6
- 3Red Line10.2
- 4Kendall GT-1 Max
same as Mobil 1, no exact value given
Cold flow race at minus 40F
- 1AMSOIL Signature Series
cooked AMSOIL finished barely ahead of new AMSOIL; Team AMSOIL beat Team Kendall by six inches
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinum
cooked Pennzoil narrowly ahead of new Pennzoil early, then Team Pennzoil took the checkered flag, finishing about one inch ahead of new Pennzoil and around three inches ahead of Red Line
- 3Red Line
cooked Red Line was slightly ahead of new Red Line early; Team Red Line lost to Team Pennzoil, finishing about three inches behind at the line
- 4Kendall GT-1 Max
new Kendall finished ahead of cooked Kendall by less than an inch; Team Kendall lost to Team AMSOIL by six inches
All measurements (1 more)+
Detergents
- 1AMSOIL Signature Seriesaround33 percent
more detergents than Kendall
- 2Pennzoil Ultra Platinumnot tested
- 3Red Linenot tested
- 4Kendall GT-1 Maxnot tested
How it was tested
- evaporation and thermal breakdown test: 200 grams of oil heated to approximately 375F for 3 hours, weighed before and after for evaporative loss
- lubricity test: bearings weighed before and after, wear scar measured, film strength assessed
- cold flow race: new oil versus previously heat cooked oil of the same brand, both cooled to minus 40F and raced down an inclined track to compare flow
- lab analysis of anti wear additive content, detergent and dispersant levels, and total base number (TBN)
“AMSOIL did win all three events”
Data notes and caveats
This video actually covers two parallel semifinal matchups feeding a final four bracket: AMSOIL vs Kendall (the title framed primary matchup, AMSOIL won all three events) and Red Line vs Pennzoil Ultra Platinum (secondary matchup, Pennzoil won two of three events despite Red Line winning the lubricity test). Both AMSOIL and Pennzoil advance in the bracket. The products array preserves both matchups with per-product notes; the build should be able to split this into two head-to-head pages if desired.
