Does Amsoil Compared To Lucas Oil provide better engine protection? Absolutely, Amsoil often provides superior engine protection due to its advanced synthetic formulations and comprehensive testing. At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we provide an in-depth analysis, highlighting the key differences in performance and protection offered by each brand. For vehicle owners looking to enhance their engine’s lifespan, understanding the contrast between Amsoil and Lucas Oil, especially in terms of viscosity stability and wear reduction, is crucial.
1. Overview of Lucas Oil & AMSOIL
Lucas Oil and AMSOIL are prominent figures in the synthetic lubricant industry, sharing some similarities but also possessing distinct histories and characteristics, particularly in their origins and development.
1.1. Company Origins
AMSOIL was founded in 1968 by Al Amatuzio, a former jet fighter squadron commander, in Superior, Wisconsin. Inspired by his aviation background, Amatuzio researched, tested, and developed synthetic oils for automotive use, recognizing their exclusive use and potential benefits over conventional oils in jet engines.
Lucas Oil was established later in 1989 by Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte. Lucas’s background in long-haul trucking led him to develop oil and fuel treatments designed to reduce mechanical failures and improve fuel efficiency in the trucking industry.
1.2. Innovation
AMSOIL pioneered the first full synthetic motor oil to meet API service requirements in 1972 with its 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil. Amatuzio’s extensive research on synthetic oils led to this breakthrough. A fellow fighter pilot tested the formulation in his vehicle, which helped to confirm its superior performance, especially compared to low-quality conventional motor oils that rapidly degraded under high temperatures and made cold-weather starts difficult.
Lucas Oil has contributed to the industry, developing racing oils and additives, sponsoring racing events and teams.
1.3. Product Applications
Both companies offer a wide array of lubricants with slightly different focuses:
AMSOIL specializes in full synthetic lubricants for automotive, powersports, racing, motorcycles, ATVs/UTVs, snowmobiles, heavy-duty trucks, diesels, commercial vehicles, RVs, marine, small engines, classic/vintage vehicles, and various industrial applications like air compressors, bearings, turbines, and gearboxes.
Lucas Oil offers conventional and synthetic blends and oil additives, covering a similar range of applications as AMSOIL but with fewer total products.
1.3.1. Why Doesn’t AMSOIL Make Engine Oil Additives?
Performance testing indicates that engine oil additive products can significantly degrade the flow characteristics and wear-protection abilities of motor oil. Especially at cold temperatures, these additives can thicken engine oil, hindering lubrication during engine starts, when it’s most critical for preventing wear.
High-quality engine oils like AMSOIL are formulated with premium synthetic base oils, detergents, and additives. When an oil already provides a well-balanced formulation, additional additives are unnecessary.
1.4. Marketing Differences
AMSOIL distributes its products primarily through a network of independent dealers and focuses on marketing its products directly, establishing partnerships with aftermarket engineering companies, racing series, and automotive service centers via their AMSOIL Installer, Retail, and Commercial Account business opportunities. AMSOIL keeps its products largely out of big-box stores to maintain a competitive advantage and support value-adding service businesses that offer specialized products and services.
Lucas Oil utilizes more traditional retail distribution models, with its products available in major auto parts stores and retailers like Walmart and Amazon.
1.5. Ownership
AMSOIL has been family owned and operated since its inception. Currently, the founder’s son, Alan Amatuzio, serves as Chairman and CEO.
Lucas Oil is now run by Forrest Lucas’s son, Morgan Lucan, and his wife, Katie Lucas, maintaining its status as a family-owned business.
2. Lucas Oil vs AMSOIL Matchup
Both oil brands produce a wide variety of lubricants for similar applications. We’ll directly compare oils of similar viscosities and additives to see which provides the best technical specifications and performance test results.
Lucas Oil is known for its fuel and oil additives more than its motor oils. We’ll compare AMSOIL Signature Series with Lucas Oil Synthetic API SP passenger car motor oils, AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant versus Lucas Oil Upper Cylinder Lubricant, and AMSOIL Performance Improver (PI) with Lucas Oil Fuel Stabilizer.
3. AMSOIL Signature Series vs Lucas Oil API SP
This section will compare the best full synthetics for passenger vehicles from both brands regarding technical specifications and approvals. AMSOIL Signature Series and Lucas Oil Full Synthetic both meet or exceed similar specifications and approvals, but there are notable differences.
3.1. Specifications & Approvals
API Specifications:
- Both oils meet current API SP and SN Plus standards.
- Both have backward compatibility with older API specs.
- Both demonstrate a commitment to fuel economy through Resource Conserving designation.
ILSAC Standards:
- Both oils meet current ILSAC GF-6A requirements.
- AMSOIL additionally lists GF-5 and GF-4, documenting backward compatibility.
- GF-6A is specifically for lower viscosity oils (0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30).
OEM Approvals
- Lucas Oil: Has several key OEM approvals:
- GM dexos1 Gen 3 (License # D335AADG273)
- Ford WSS-M2C946-B1
- Chrysler MS6395
- AMSOIL: Has a broader range of OEM approvals including:
- GM dexos1 Gen 3
- Multiple Ford WSS specifications (WSS-M2C946-B1, WSS-M2C946-A, WSS-M2C929-A, WSS-M2C961-A1)
- Chrysler MS-6395
- Honda HTO-06
- European ACEA A5/B5, A1/B1 certifications
Both oils meet current industry standards for modern engines and share several important OEM approvals. AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 demonstrates broader application capability through additional Ford specifications and European ACEA certifications. Both oils carry GM’s stringent dexos1 Gen 3 specification. AMSOIL’s additional European and Honda certifications suggest more extensive testing and validation across a wider range of applications.
Next, we’ll compare technical data provided by both manufacturers for their full synthetic 5W-30 passenger car engine oils.
3.2. Manufacturer Specified Ratings
The table below compares the technical data of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 and Lucas Oil 5W-30:
Oil Specs AMSOIL Signature Series vs Lucas Oil Synthetic
| Oil Specifications | AMSOIL SS 5W-30 | Lucas Oil 5W-30 |
| :—————————————————— | :————– | :————– |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D445) | 10.3 | 11.2 |
| Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D445) | 59.7 | 65.3 |
| Viscosity Index (ASTM D2270) | 162 | 166 |
| Cold Crank Viscosity (CCS), cP @ (°C) (ASTM D5293) | 5968(-30) | Not Listed |
| Pour Point, °C(°F) (ASTM D97) | -50(-58) | Not Listed |
| Flash Point, °C(°F) (ASTM D92) | 220(428) | >204(>400) |
| Service Life Guarantee | 25,000 miles/700 hours/one year | Not Listed |
Lucas Oil doesn’t provide many technical specifications within their data sheet for the 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil. It’s likely their product data sheets haven’t been updated recently to reflect current formulations. But, from the data they do provide, Lucas shows slightly higher viscosity metrics at both test temperatures and a marginally better viscosity index, suggesting slightly better stability across temperature ranges.
Lucas also doesn’t provide any cold-weather performance data like the CCS simulated cold-cranking viscosity nor the pour point. Lucas Oil’s synthetic 5W-30 shows a flash point of >204°C, which is abnormal to provide a range instead of a hard number. Assuming it is 204, it’s much lower than AMSOIL’s, which reports 220°C, suggesting better high-temperature stability and less oil consumption throughout the life of the oil.
While Lucas shows somewhat strong performance in basic viscosity metrics, AMSOIL provides much more comprehensive technical data and a clearly defined extended drain interval of 25,000 miles.
3.3. AMSOIL Signature Series vs Lucas Oil – Pricing
Lucas Oil doesn’t indicate a recommended drain interval for their oil, so we’ll assume an average OEM spec of 5,000 miles between oil changes. At the AMSOIL Preferred Customer pricing, their Signature Series 5W-30 is slightly cheaper than the Lucas Oil 5W-30.
Assuming an annual vehicle mileage of 15,000 miles, you’d need 3 oil changes using Lucas Oil versus just one running AMSOIL for the entire year. Lucas Oil would cost you almost $180 through the year just on the oil. You would save around $100 running AMSOIL through the year at retail and save even more with their PC discount, even after accounting for the price of AMSOIL’s membership.
4. Oil Additives?
Another major way that Lucas Oil and AMSOIL differ is on the idea of oil additives. Lucas Oil makes many different types of oil additive products, from oil stabilizers to stop leaks to engine treatments. AMSOIL does not make oil additives; in fact, AMSOIL’s position is that oil additives are unnecessary.
AMSOIL did their own testing to see how oil additives affected a base oil’s cold crank viscosity and kinematic viscosity at operating temperatures. They discovered several red flags to help consumers think twice before purchasing oil additives.
It’s unlikely someone using a top-shelf synthetic oil will augment their oil with an aftermarket additive, so they chose a name-brand conventional 5W-30 motor oil that’s readily available at almost any auto parts store. AMSOIL subjected the conventional motor oil to a few different industry-standard bench tests to determine wear protection, cold-flow ability, and viscosity stability. After gauging the oil’s baseline performance, they then treated samples of the same oil with two popular oil additives according to the treat rates specified on the labels and then tested the oil again.
Surprisingly, the conventional oil treated with both oil additives showed improved wear protection in bench testing compared to the untreated oil. But, it came with a big tradeoff.
The oil additives impaired the oil’s cold flow ability and increased the viscosity so much so that it no longer met the viscosity requirements of a 5W or a 30-weight oil. From the graph pictured below, the orange bar shows the untreated conventional oil’s performance in the Cold-Crank Simulator (CCS) Test (ASTM D5293). CCS testing is important to determine an oil’s ability to flow well during cold starts, which helps to prevent dry starts and protects against wear.
The untreated oil falls within the acceptable range for a 5W oil (6,600 cP max @ -30°C is allowed). AMSOIL OE 5W-30 Synthetic Oil is also included for comparison (dark blue bar). Both the stop-leak additive and the oil stabilizer increased the oil’s viscosity so much that both samples no longer meet the requirements of a 5W oil, completely failing the test.
This means the oil won’t flow as readily at startup, severely impairing the oil’s ability to prevent wear protection at the time when most wear occurs. It’s also important to note that cold-flow isn’t just important for those of us in colder climates. Cold to your engine is really any temperature below normal operating temperature, which is about 212°F (100°C). The better the oil flows after the engine has sat for an extended amount of time, the better it will protect against wear. The CCS Test is also representative of an oil’s flowability at 80°F (17°C) or warmer.
4.1. Oil Additives Effect on Viscosity at Operating Temps
Now, what about the oil’s viscosity at normal operating temperatures? Will oil additives also impede an oil during normal operation?
Again, the engine oil additives raised more red flags. In this graph, the orange bar shows the viscosity of the untreated conventional oil at 100°C (212°F). It falls within the acceptable range for a 5W-30 oil, shown by the transparent green area.
Now look at the viscosity at 100°C (212°F) of the oil treated with the stop-leak and oil stabilizer additives. Both samples of oil now fall outside of the acceptable viscosity range, ultimately altering the oil to resemble a 40- or 50-weight oil instead of the 30-weight the engine manufacturer recommends.
Over time, your engine will suffer from using these oil additives. They might appear to help stop an oil leak temporarily, but is a leaking seal or gasket worth ruining your entire engine?
The truth is, if you’re using a high-quality engine oil that is already formulated with a well-balanced combination of synthetic base oils, additives, and detergents, like AMSOIL, you don’t need additives. And your oil will flow properly at all temperatures. If you want your motor oil to flow like glue, use an oil additive. If not, choose AMSOIL.
5. AMSOIL vs Lucas Oil Testing & Reviews
Several comparison ASTM tests have been done showcasing how AMSOIL and Lucas Oil stack up in side-by-side performance tests.
5.1. Cold Crank Testing
AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 provides better cold cranking viscosity than Royal Purple, Red Line, and Lucas Oil, helping improve wear protection for engine components at startup. This is based on independent third-party testing in the industry-standard ASTM D5293 Cold Crank Simulator test as required by SAE J300.
For the most protection during startup, especially in colder climates, AMSOIL Signature Series is the obvious choice.
5.2. Better Rust Protection
AMSOIL Signature Series 15W-40 provides up to 2X better rust protection compared to Mobil 1, Shell Rotella, Schaeffers & Lucas Oil. This is based on industry standard testing using the NMMA FC-W Rust Test.
5.3. Lubricity Testing – Additives
AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant delivers 18 percent more lubricity than Lucas and 20 percent more than Sea Foam for better retention of horsepower and fuel economy. This is based on independent testing of AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant, Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant, and Sea Foam Motor Treatment obtained on 02/13/2019 using the ASTM D6079 modified for use with gasoline.
6. AMSOIL or Lucas Oil?
Based on our detailed comparison of AMSOIL Signature Series and Lucas Oil Synthetic 5W-30, here’s what stands out:
Both oils are high-quality full synthetics that meet modern engine requirements, but there are some notable differences. When looking at specifications, both oils carry important certifications like API SP Resource Conserving and GM dexos1 Gen 3, but AMSOIL includes additional approvals like Honda HTO-06 and European ACEA certifications, suggesting broader testing and validation.
Looking at the technical data, Lucas Oil actually shows slightly higher viscosity numbers and a marginally better viscosity index. However, they don’t provide several crucial specifications that AMSOIL does – like cold-weather performance data and exact flash point temperatures. This transparency from AMSOIL gives us more confidence in understanding exactly what protection they’re getting.
The biggest practical difference comes down to service life. AMSOIL Signature Series is guaranteed for 25,000 miles or one year, while Lucas Oil doesn’t specify a drain interval. For the average driver doing 15,000 miles annually, this means three oil changes with Lucas versus just one with AMSOIL. At Lucas’s Amazon price of $11.99 per quart, you’d spend almost $180 yearly on oil alone. AMSOIL would require just one oil change for the same period, making it significantly more economical – especially with their Preferred Customer program.
Beyond the cost savings, fewer oil changes also means less time spent on maintenance, reduced environmental impact from oil disposal, and lower filter costs since you only need one instead of three. For someone looking for maximum protection with minimum maintenance requirements, AMSOIL makes a compelling case here.
For most drivers, the decision will likely come down to price & performance. For those prioritizing maximum engine protection and verified extended drain intervals with the added benefit of reduced costs, AMSOIL Signature Series is the clear choice.
And from our analysis of engine oil additives and how effective they are at quickly deteriorating the quality of your oil, as well as the performance testing of popular upper cylinder lubricants, showcasing the superior lubricity of AMSOIL UCL alongside Lucas and Sea Foam products, AMSOIL is the obvious choice for any and every application over Lucas Oil.
In my professional opinion, AMSOIL offers a better overall value. AMSOIL fuel additives also perform much better than Lucas Oil products in independent lab testing. For the protection you demand and the performance you deserve, choose AMSOIL.
7. FAQ
7.1. What are the main differences between AMSOIL and Lucas Oil?
AMSOIL specializes in full synthetic lubricants and offers extended drain intervals, while Lucas Oil provides conventional and synthetic blends and is known for its additives. AMSOIL also emphasizes a broader range of OEM approvals and more comprehensive technical data.
7.2. Which oil provides better engine protection?
AMSOIL generally offers superior engine protection due to its advanced synthetic formulations, better cold-cranking viscosity, and higher resistance to rust, as demonstrated in various industry-standard tests.
7.3. Is AMSOIL more expensive than Lucas Oil?
While the upfront cost may seem higher, AMSOIL’s extended drain intervals make it more economical in the long run, requiring fewer oil changes compared to Lucas Oil.
7.4. Does AMSOIL offer oil additives?
No, AMSOIL does not offer oil additives. The company believes that its synthetic oils are formulated to provide complete protection without the need for additional additives, which can degrade oil quality.
7.5. What is the service life guarantee for AMSOIL Signature Series?
AMSOIL Signature Series is guaranteed for 25,000 miles, 700 hours of operation, or one year, whichever comes first.
7.6. Which oil is better for cold weather starts?
AMSOIL’s Signature Series offers better cold-cranking viscosity, making it superior for cold weather starts compared to Lucas Oil.
7.7. Are AMSOIL products available in retail stores?
AMSOIL primarily distributes its products through independent dealers and strategic partnerships, keeping its products largely out of big-box stores.
7.8. Which oil is recommended for racing applications?
Both AMSOIL and Lucas Oil offer specialized racing oils, but Lucas Oil is more widely known for its racing oils and sponsorships in the racing community.
7.9. What certifications do AMSOIL and Lucas Oil have?
Both oils meet API SP and ILSAC GF-6A standards. AMSOIL additionally holds a broader range of OEM approvals, including Honda HTO-06 and European ACEA certifications.
7.10. How do oil additives affect engine oil performance?
Oil additives can negatively impact engine oil performance by increasing viscosity and impairing cold flow ability, potentially leading to reduced wear protection, especially during engine starts.
8. Make an Informed Choice with COMPARE.EDU.VN
Choosing the right motor oil can significantly impact your vehicle’s performance and longevity. AMSOIL and Lucas Oil both offer quality products, but understanding their specific strengths and weaknesses is crucial.
At COMPARE.EDU.VN, we strive to provide comprehensive, unbiased comparisons to help you make informed decisions. Whether you prioritize extended drain intervals, superior cold-weather performance, or cost-effectiveness, our detailed analysis of AMSOIL and Lucas Oil will guide you to the best choice for your needs.
Don’t let the vast array of options overwhelm you. Visit COMPARE.EDU.VN today to explore more comparisons and discover the ideal products for your vehicle. Our expert insights and user reviews ensure you can confidently select the best solutions for your specific requirements.
Contact Information:
- Address: 333 Comparison Plaza, Choice City, CA 90210, United States
- WhatsApp: +1 (626) 555-9090
- Website: compare.edu.vn
9. Sources
- AMSOIL Official Website
- Lucas Oil Official Website
- Independent Laboratory Testing Data (ASTM Standards)
- OEM Specifications and Approvals
