Difference between European and Aimsoil Signature series.

afterburn 549 · 06-07-2025, 04:49 AM

Difference between European and Aimsoil Signature series.
Oil Experts please-
I have read and reread charts until my eyes are black and blue .
Looking up these stats, and I will admit this is a little over my head.
I thought my education was up to speed until this project.
Until now, reading oil lab tests and results has been fairly EZ.
There is a confluence of material that I don't understand why the Ero brand would be touted as better?
It's subtle in the paragraphs, but sort of there ?
Or, are they just being proactive about lawsuits?
This is NOT to start an oil war, but to dissect the dichotomy of what is real and what is hype.

https://www.performanceoiltechnology.com/amsoil-resources/comparison-signature-series-vs-european-vs-oe-vs-xl-vs-high-mileage

https://www.svtperformance.com/threads/amsoil-sig-series-vs-european-formula.1068696/

masraum · 06:28 AM

I'm no expert. While I think the info in the first link that you posted does show that there are differences between the 2 (looks like the viscosity is actually a little different, but like I said, I'm no expert), I suspect that the bigger difference may be in the additive package, the amounts of thinks like calcium, phosphorous, Zinc, and Moly. I also didn't see the oxidation index which I think is another key characteristic.

These charts below show a comparison of unused/virgin Driven DT40 and DI40 oils. The "DI" is for direct injection vehicles and has reduced calcium, I believe.

afterburn 549 · 06-07-2025, 02:02 PM

Thanx^^
I have spent a lot of time attempting a real answer to this.
It turns out it has been asked many times by as many!
Plus, every one of the long paragraphs and or pages does the noncommittal dance.
Everyone, insofar as they have exonerated their answer or abdicated it.
They do the word-sald type rope.
Blah blah
I will keep researching for another day or so.
Any helps is appreciated

masraum · 06-07-2025, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

Thanx^^
I have spent a lot of time attempting a real answer to this.
It turns out it has been asked many times by as many!
Plus, every one of the long paragraphs and or pages does the noncommittal dance.
Everyone, insofar as they have exonerated their answer or abdicated it.
They do the word-sald type rope.
Blah blah
I will keep researching for another day or so.
Any helps is appreciated

I think your best bet is to try to ask someone like Lake Speed or see if you can get a response from Amsoil.

When I was looking at the first link, it looks like the Euro stuff is slightly heavier than the SS, and the blurb below the chart says the same, that the cold start performance of the SS is a little better because it's thinner, and the Euro stuff maintains its viscosity better at higher temps. To me it sounds like the two oils may be a tiny bit different in viscosity (but both within 5W30 spec).

I know that in the videos, Lake Speed Jr has mentioned that the base oils can be better and some have more esters which makes a difference, but I don't remember the specifics of either.

What I did to find the charts for the additives of the 2 Driven oils above is a google search for "driven virgin oil analysis" (and several variations and similar searches). I was able to find a bunch of folks that had posted their results on various forums. Maybe you could do similar searches and find results that showed more of info about those oils.

afterburn 549 · 06-07-2025, 03:26 PM

^^ That is exactly what I have tumbled too.
But, if it is good for the ERO, why not for the domestic?
This seems like a great idea to sell the better brand rather than try to hype up two different ones.
Why sell a lesser quality?
The other hype is longer change intervals with domestics.
As if can't be done with the ERO?
For a certain my larger curiosity is not with longer change intervals, but just what is the definitive answer for the better oil.

afterburn 549 · 06-08-2025, 03:06 AM

A Bit more gathering here.
Feel free to jump in and correct me.
In the EU, 10K oil life has been mandated for a long time. (govt regulations)
That's the big oil difference.
Here, some oils advocate it.
SO, the EU uses a better base stock for theirs, as said.
Some oils here do.
I find no science so far that the lubrication is better.
The viscosity, as stated, is measured a little differently.
That might be important if you are driving in below-freezing temperatures.

masraum · 06:19 AM

The long oil change intervals seem to be (based on Lake Speed's videos) crap. Yes, some oils can be made with better base that doesn't degrade and maintains its viscosity better/longer.

But what can't be extended is the additive package. Additives gen used up, so over time/miles, the ZDDP, Moly, Calcium, etc... get used up. Those things play an important part in the role of the oil. I think the theory is that most of the time the amounts of those things are greatly reduced in more normal intervals (3000-5000 miles). So a 20k mile interval may be OK from a viscosity point of view, or the gov't point of view, it's not OK from the engine's point of view. I'm sure many/most people are also happy about longer change intervals, because it's cheaper and more convenient. Auto manufacturers are probably also happy about it, because modern engines, in theory, are made with better metalurgy and tolerances, so should be lasting a LONG time compared to older engines, but if the oil isn't protecting the motors as well due to longer change intervals (despite the fact that the oil itself is also much better than oils from 30, 40, 60 years ago) then they are still selling more cars and motors because they are still wearing out.

That's my theory

And many/all of the oil folks are doing it. When I go into a parts store and look at the oil, there must be 5-10 different kinds of Mobil 1. The "Mobil 1 FS" is marketed as a Euro-centric oil. Mobil 1 has a PDF that shows the phosphorous and zddp levels, but not the full additive package https://www.mobil.com/lubricants/-/media/project/wep/mobil/mobil-row-us-1/files/mobil-1-product-guide-rev-31.pdf

From their website they show 16 different types (my FLAPS just doesn't carry them all in stock)

My guess as to why they don't just sell 1 or even <5 different types, is money. I think the main characteristics could be broken down to base oil quality and additive packages. THere are probably additive packages that are very basic/minimal. There are additive packages that conform to various specifications required by different manufacturers. Then there are other additive packages. I think a lot of the "high mile" oils have seal conditioners, so for many/most of the oils, there could be a second version with the seal conditioners. And all of the different packages and additives add to the cost potentially in varying levels. A lot of oil manufacturers are, IIRC, reducing the Calcium in oils for the newer direct injection cars because it causes detonation or something like that. But I think Calcium is a good detergent for other motors that don't have DI.

afterburn 549 · 06-08-2025, 06:11 AM

I wrote lake speed junior we'll see what he says

afterburn 549 · 02:52 PM

Things I think I know from several hours of study . (too many)
One-
Lake Jr. answered me with a form letter, with no answer. Just blah blah blah and he doesn't work for the piston ring place anymore.
The big thing here.
After reading everything I could find on the internet, (lots of tech stuff), one thing stands out from the Ford Mustang flat-plane crank crowd.
They were at one point having the same discussion about the two oils.
Now, the caveat is this, I don't know what their main and rod bearing clearance is so that needs to be considered.
These people take their engineering and engines as seriously as most of us do about what we own.
It was not a teenie-bopper discussion.
There was someone of authority and respected by others, like some of the posters we have on our board here.
The end of the matter, it was said- (he said)
"Don't use the Ero formula as the Amoil Signature is twice a good. "
They recommended 0-40 for their *applications.
That's a loose quote.

So compare that, with all the scientific jargon about Ero base stock, which I am pretty sure is a bunch of crap as Ero has no oil wells that I know of...!!!
The Ero oil thing, as stated, is based on LL (long life oil changes)
For me, I am staying with 5W 30 as this car will never see weather below freezing.
I will never use the 0-20 oils.
SOOooo that's the best answer I can tabulate.

PS- In all this from the Ford people, I gather there are some real problems with their *engines, hence the best oil for application discussion.