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Amsoil Dual Guard opinions wanted.

4K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  Silvercreek 
#1 · (Edited)
Okay so here it is... I am looking at getting the the Amsoil Dual bypass filter kit...basically it allows you to run two oil filters.

Please understand I DON'T CARE FOR THE OIL WAR. I AM ONLY ASKING FOR OPINIONS ON RUNNING A SETUP LIKE THIS.

My reasoning behind this? I average roughly 20k-25k miles a year on my truck. Yes I do plan to keep this truck for a long time. If I ran this setup I would run the Amsoil 25k signature series oil and the two filters that they include. This setup allows for samples to be taken easily as well so I can keep track of how well the oil is doing over the course of the year.

So the question for all of you is... what do you think? Worth it at all? This does provide some peace of mind factor I guess for someone who drives A LOT.

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-produ...se-dual-remote-oil-bypass-unit/?code=BMK23-EA :box2:
 
#2 ·
I think the dual bypass and the Amsoil is worth it, even more so with someone that puts that many miles on a truck. Just my opinion here, but I wouldn't worry about extending my drain interval that much. I'd do it once, at maybe 12,000 miles to see where your at and then change it at maybe 15,000 to 18,000 miles. The reason I say this is getting a sample tested isn't that cheap. My truck holds 12 quarts and I only took a sample once just to get an idea where I was at. Where the samples really pay off is big rigs, larger tractors, heavy equipment that hold several gallons of oil. The cost of getting the sample tested would pay for a couple of quarts of oil for you.

I run Amsoil in my Cummins and change it once a year, but that's less than 15,000 miles for me. I think you have the right idea with the Amsoil and the filter kit, that's less oil changes, less downtime for you. I'd just sample it enough to get a pattern going and then run with it. I know in theory you can go the 25,000 miles or even longer, but I just can't do it, it seems to long.
 
#3 ·
i think it is overkill. these trucks are warrantied to go close to 8000 miles on dino oil for a hundred thousand miles. oil and filters have come along way. check out bob is the oil guy forum for getails. if your motor doesn't last for 250000 miles or more by just using a good quality oil filter and a name brand synthetic, following mfg oci, it won't be because of the oil or related oil failure. might be better off taking the money for the dual bypass system and putting towards a bumper to bumper lifetime warranty.
 
#4 ·
I see. Is it really overkill for someone like me who runs so many miles a year? I am not saying that the factory setup isn't up to par but I think this setup would give me peace of mind to run extended drain intervals without having to pay 50 bucks or so for oil and a filter every month and a half if I was running just standard oil. The timing may be a bit of an exaggeration but it does seem like I am always having to change my oil!

I could just run the full synthetic and go but again.. I am closing in on 70k miles and climbing and again I feel this may be worth it in my case but I have an open mind.

Anymore opinions on this are welcome. Thank you for the responses so far.
 
#5 ·
The Amsoil dual filter bypass set-up is very good and does what it is designed to do, but I agree with huntergreen it might be overkill, even considering the mileage you put on annually. A high quality oil and filter, along with the appropriate changes and your motor should last many thousands of miles. Of course you have to feel good about your choices with your truck, so at the end of the day do what makes you feel warm and fuzzy, the bypass dual filter kit, certainly will not harm anything.
 
#7 ·
i run 25000 miles just back and fourth to work. your mileage is not excessive. 25000 miles a year means you can change once a season. that is 6250 mile oci. syns can had fairly cheaply at wall mart. as are mopar filters. when i was in sales i would do 60000 miles a year. still only used mobil one changed every 10000 miles and all was good. also, you need to define what you consider extended oci. i started changing my own oil in the early seventies when 3 thousand mile oci was the norm and a 10000 mile oci was border line insane.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Sorry to resurrect this old thread but I have some experience with this setup and wanted to add some info.

The car was a '97 Passat TDI bought with 90k miles on it; I ran it up to 216k and then when I sold it I got 4 offers, two full price, sight unseen, from my craigslist ad. The engine didn't smoke except on cold startup for a minute like many of those diesels did. The engine used a couple of quarts per 10k miles due to the poor treatment of the previous owner or a bad break-in. I installed the kit and at one point experimented with never draining the oil for 40k miles; the oil analysis I was using said that was OK since the additive package was kept fresh with the top-up oil and the base stock never wears out on synthetic.

I don't know if I could have done as well without the kit. I do know it feels good that the bypass continually removes any grit from the engine, not just at oil changes as in the usual setup. Also removes blowby products and a lot of soot if you have a diesel. Your oil at the end of its life will be cleaner than a conventional filtered car with just a few hundred miles on the oil, since full flow filters let relatively large particles pass through. The kit is around $300 and I know people spend that much on silly shit for their vehicles, so why not for clean oil? Maybe it doesn't pencil out like the others here say, but what is peace of mind worth anyway? If you like your truck...

Needless to say, the extended changes (if you bother to change at all - use oil analysis to be sure) certainly justifies the use of best quality synthetic oil, at no added cost. If you try this strategy with synthetic *without* a bypass filter, that is questionable because the oil will get pretty dirty over twice the normal change interval.

Keep in mind you can buy this kit once and remove it and put it in your next truck too - OR you can charge more for the vehicle when you sell it because it shows you cared for it. I didn't remove mine because in that car putting on the adapter plate was a huge pain due to poor access. But it made my oil changes a lot easier as the filters were mounted vertically and I could even pre-fill the filters before installing them. I would change the bypass filter every other time I changed the full flow.

I also installed a bypass filter on a Sprinter van, not the dual, but just the bypass. This is easier because the hoses are smaller and the mounting options better. If you like the stock fullflow setup or can't find an adapter for the dual remote, this is the way to go. Also, this way removes all worries of a pressure drop through the hoses as someone mentioned might be possible with the dual remote (I don't really think so because the pressure relief valve in the engine controls the pressure, not the hoses).

My only question is, what does this do to my 100k warranty on my shiny new truck??

 
#10 ·
If a man wants 2 filters I say power to him. Over-kill never hurts anything except the pocket book and he will have the piece of mind that he is doing everything to help protect the engine for a long and extended service life. Especially since he plans on keeping the truck for a while.
 
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