One Arm Bandit!

In the Amsoil lab they show how the Falex test machine, more commonly known as the "One Arm Bandit," can show false test results and mislead people. I've seen this more commonly used at shows with oil additives, showing how various oils seize the machine up, but adding their miracle product shows how much more protection it supposedly adds. Some of the products tested here are Mobil 1, Amsoil, Pennzoil, Prolong, and finally how Head and Shoulder shampoo outperforms them all!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Amsoil
• Mobil
• Pennzoil
• falex
• text
• oil
• synthetic
• petroleum

[John082866]

It seems Amsoil is using the same manipulation to discredit the test. The 4 ball wear test is not recognized by API (the regulating industry for engine oil). The 4 ball wear test is recognized by AGMA. So it is a perfectly valid test for gear oil and greases. So throwing a test number behind it, making it appear to be a valid engine oil test is manipulating the facts and labeling the bearing test machine "One arm bandit" seems fairly dramatic. I do support not using additives in the oil.

[TechnilubeCom]

@John082866 True, for "real world" testing, but the 4-Ball wear test is an ASTM test with procedures for gear lubes and other lubricating oils. The testing is designed to determine how well the lubricant can protect the moving balls. This becomes a pretty good measure of film strength for oils tested. Direct correlation to real world conditions could be a little more complicated but it does provide a pretty good method of comparing one lubricant to another with the same test parameters.

[theoriginalcraig]

There's TWO problems with this video:

1) Royal Purple is up on the counter, as if it is one of the brands guilty of falsification in its test results...BUT...they leave it alone. Why? Because they never compare directly to Royal Purple, as it outperforms AMSOIL.

2) While Royal Purple does this test, they do DIFFERENT BEARINGS FOR EACH BRAND OF LUBRICANT, nullifying the argument that they go last in order to rig the results.

[TechnilubeCom]

@theoriginalcraig well, one major flaw to the test it that it isn't an industry standard one. So if RP is using this, they are using outdated testing,. The current industry standard is the 4-Ball Wear Test (ASTM-D 4172). Amsoil used to use this test prior, back in the 70s, but were ridiculed it wasn't accurate, so switched to the 4-Ball test. Not to knock RP quality, and it's been a while since I compared the specs between the two products, and just tried to find them and couldn't....

[TechnilubeCom]

@theoriginalcraig But when I did several years ago, their various test results, 4-Ball, NOACK, Film Strength, etc, didn't compare. Call it Amsoil hype as well, but they did do White Paper tests comparing Motorcycle Oils, RP did not come out on top in the standard tests again; and also a Gear Lube White Paper where RP failed several GL-5 tests, some fresh fluid from the bottle. The tests for these papers are typically done by an outside testing facility, not within Amsoil, they print the results.

[TechnilubeCom]

@theoriginalcraig Also, the point of the video is to show how this test can be manipulated to show results the user wants. I've seen primarily oil additive companies at some of the shows I've been at using it. It isn't an accurate test. If RP is using it to prove their point, even with new bearings, then they are doing the same viewer manipulation that some of the "here today, gone tomorrow" additive companies are trying to dupe people with, and that would be sad.

[lonewolf8481]

I have used all the shown products as well as those not shown and for the MONEY amsoil is by far the closest i have come to worth it. I look at it economically like this, Amsoil XL is a ten thousand mile oil and i buy it at around 8 bucks a quart and mobile one in some places is around the same or more money, but only is good for 7500 miles now looking at the miles and the fact that amsoil does perform to all specs and i get better gas milage then i did with mobile one i would have to choose ams

[John082866]

Technilube- So, I'm a little confused by your response. You agree with my comment but disregard it because you're an Amsoil distributor and need the 4 ball wear test to sell your product despite the fact API doesn't recognize it as a valid test for engine oils. Isn't that manipulating the facts to take advantage of an unsuspecting public? Certainly that machine can be and has been used by some weak sales people inappropiately. Until API recognizes the test, Amsoil Is doing the same thing.

[153eddy]

Royal Purple is a well marketed synthetic oil that performs as good as any conventional oil. I once drank the Royal Purple kool aid too and thought it was good. The truth is they dont stand behind their product and after several of my own comparisons Amsoil is a lot better oil then RP. Had my oil tested for wear with each one and big differences with Amsoil being way better.