gear lube-raider-

[Kit Sullivan]

you know i gonna say amsoil, amsoil, amsoil. and when dd amsoil come out? 1972...mobil one? 1975

Amzoil came out in '73, blended from base stocks acquired from...Mobil Oil Corp, the inventor of synthetic PAO  lubricants.
After seeing limited success with Amzoil, Mobil decided to introduce thier own version of synthetic PCO (after all, they did invent the stuff), thus "Mobil 1" went on sale in "74.
Amsoil (after changing spelling from "Amzoil") later stopped using Mobil base-stocks when hydroiseromized group-IV base stocks became available, and the FTC gave American companies the right to legally refer to that as "synthetic".

Amsoil is good stuff, no doubt. However, all of thier corporate efforts seem almost universally aimed at increasing thier multi-level marketing distributorship scheme as opposed to making the most advanced lubricants...as thier advertising claims they do.
They can refer to all the bench tests they want to, but none of that is recognized as legal grounds to make performance claims.

[bigjohn]

why would mobil invent synthetics and sell it to amsoil first and then say 'hey the stuff is selling, let's sell some too'. the world doesn't work like that. you can't possibly think that i'm gonna believe that, do you?

[RangerRick]

According to this website.  http://www.synlube.com/synthetic.htm

See the below statement, taken from it


Amsoil

Amsoil of course likes to label their products with the Trademarked Slogan: "First in Synthetics"

At the same time while proclaiming the benefits of "synthetic" Amsoil products, they only describe their benefits, but fail to define what "synthetics" are.

Following is statement about "synthetic" from Amsoil website:

Synthetic lubricants are chemically engineered to form pure lubricants. Synthetic lubricants contain no contaminants or molecules that don't serve a designed purpose. They are made from molecules that are saturated with a higher percentage of carbon-hydrogen bonds, leaving fewer sites to which other, harmful molecules can attach and attack the molecular composition of the oil. In addition, their smooth, uniform lubricating molecules slip easily across one another. In short, synthetics' versatility and pure, uniform molecular structure impart properties that provide superior friction-reduction, optimum fuel efficiency, maximum film strength and extreme-temperature performance conventional lubricants just can't touch.
Amsoil does not have and never had any capability both technologically and equipmentwise to produce ANY lubricant base oil.

They simply re-package products that are bought in bulk from other companies, bottle them and put their own label on them.

[Fj_Ohio]

Thanks kit, interesting read and good stuff as always.

[Kit Sullivan]

why would mobil invent synthetics and sell it to amsoil first and then say 'hey the stuff is selling, let's sell some too'. the world doesn't work like that. you can't possibly think that i'm gonna believe that, do you?

I would hope you belive it, because it is easily verifiable as true.

Mobil invented synthetic lubricants under contract for military purposes. It was deemed far too expensive for "civilian" use and therefore they never pursued it.
Al Amatuzio, a retired military pilot was always impressed with the performance of synthetic lubricants on his aircraft, and upon retiring decided to bring the technology to the public. He approached Mobil and worked a deal to purchase base stocks formulated for PCO use. He added an additive package and called it "Amzoil 10W-30/40/50".
It sold well enough to make Mobil perk up and notice, spurring them on to marketing Mobil 1.

That info is easily researched, as long as you look someplace other than the Amsoil website.

Don't get me wrong: Amsoil is good stuff...all name brand synthetic oil is good stuff, you won't go wrong with any of it.
I just don't like how Amsoil continues to perpetuate the myth that they "invented" synthetic lubricants. They don't come right out and say it, as that would be a lie and a legal issue, but they certainly like to insinuate it with thier "first in synthetics" tag-line, and they sure don't deny it when someone else erroneaously claims them to be the inventor of it.

To me Amsoil is much the same as Amway. Nothing but a barely-legal pyramid scheme.