Mike Ford - AMSOIL Independent Dealer

John Baker |     May 02, 2016 10:36 AM   Fishing opener is right around the corner for us Northlanders. It’s essentially a regional holiday, rivaled only by the opener of gun deer season in the fall. Although some boaters and anglers don’t realize it, using a dedicated marine motor oil is vital to protecting marine motors for a few reasons: • Severe operating conditions • Exposure to rust and corrosion • Fuel dilution Demanding operating conditions Marine motors are characterized by high-rpm operation that can shear the molecular structure of oil and reduce its ability to protect against wear. On average, a marine motor propelling a boat 30 mph operates at 5,000 rpm, while an automotive engine powering a car 60 mph operates around 2,000 rpm. The added heat and stress invite wear and deposits. Heavy deposits can cause piston rings to stick, leading to compression loss and reduced power. Stuck rings can also lead to catastrophic piston s

Ed Newman | Apr 15, 2016 1:17 PM   Mechanical engineer Mark Nyholm is a diesel enthusiast who is truly happy to have found a career working with something he loves. Mark is Technical Product Manager – Heavy Duty here at AMSOIL, a position for which he is well-suited being technically and process oriented as he is. Before arriving here he had experience in automotive design, aerospace design and medical device equipment design. Having so much on the line spurs him on to pay attention to the most finite of details. “And in the end,” he says, “I always want to know why.” Why did this happen and not that? Here at AMSOIL he drives his department to dig into the nitty gritty and provide solutions with lasting benefits for customers. In addition to managing our diesel oil line, Mark helps develop best-in-class diesel fuel additives. One of these is  AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean , a product he’s always available to talk about. AMSOIL: Why is this produc

The complete line of AMSOIL motorcycle products ensures your bike is ready to hit the road. Bikers of all stripes are gearing up for another season of motorcycle rallies and summer road trips. Whether you’re into V-twins or metric bikes, AMSOIL synthetic motorcycle oils are dialed-in to meet the unique demands of your bike. V-Twin Motorcycles Powerful, hot-running V-twins generate intense heat, especially in slow-moving rally or parade traffic. Air-cooled bikes rely on a steady flow of air over the cooling fins to conduct heat away. Stop-and-go driving and periods of idling on hot summer days can quickly cause the engine temperature to skyrocket. If a motorcycle oil cannot withstand hot operating temperatures, its ability to provide adequate engine protection is compromised. In addition, the intense heat and mechanical action inside a motorcycle engine can cause motorcycle oils to lose viscosity, or shear. Bikes that share a sump between the e

Most motor oils only provide minimal protection against damaging engine rust and corrosion. The effects of rust and corrosion are easy to see on the exterior of vehicles and equipment. However, they can also form on the inside of your engine if you’re not using a properly formulated motor oil. The problem is especially problematic in engines used in applications that sit idle for extended periods, including the following. Boats Motorcycles Lawnmowers Classic cars Snowblowers Despite what most people assume, motor oils have no natural ability to protect against rust or corrosion. Instead, special rust and corrosion inhibitors must be added to the formulation to provide the required protection, and some oils simply don’t contain the correct additives in the correct concentration. Idleness equals no protection During engine operation, a layer of oil coats engine parts and the crankcase walls. The lubricant film protects against rust and c

Oil filters play a major role in the performance and longevity of an engine by removing contaminants and promoting proper oil flow. Modern engines introduce more contaminants into oil than their predecessors. To compound the issue, oil sumps are shrinking, leaving fewer detergents and dispersants to help fight the by-products of the internal combustion process. An oil filter’s capacity must improve to contend with the additional contaminants. Capacity refers to the amount of contaminants a filter can hold while still remaining effective. To understand the significance of capacity, it’s helpful to know the basics of oil filtration. Clean oil is vital to keeping engines running properly. The oil filter must remove contaminants introduced into the oil and prevent them from reaching sensitive engine parts without restricting normal oil flow. Internal sources of contamination include wear products from the rubbing surfaces of the engine, and degradat

Improved compatibility, faster engine warm-up times and reduced engine temperatures highlight the new formulation. Dominator Coolant Boost has been reformulated with the latest organic-acid technology. The new technology adds to the benefits provided by the previous formulation, including reduced engine temperatures by up to 25ºF (previously 19ºF) in straight-water applications and up to 54 percent faster engine warm-up times (previously 45 percent). Organic acids are more robust and longer-lasting than inorganic acids, offering excellent resistance to scaling, drop-out and corrosion. They also contribute to improved compatibility; the new Dominator Coolant Boost formulation can be mixed with soft, tap and distilled water, in addition to any brand of antifreeze. Users will also notice the product is now orange in color. While racers derive the most value from Dominator Coolant Boost, it provides benefits for everyday motorists, too. Helps Racers

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid has been proven in the field to deliver reserve protection against heat and wear. The demands on today’s automatic transmissions have multiplied. Excessive idling, extreme temperatures and hauling heavy loads all pose threats to a transmission’s longevity. Work vehicles are consistently used in these severe-service conditions but operators are often unaware of the toll it’s taking on their transmissions. Automatic transmissions have evolved into an intricate mix of gears, clutch packs and narrow oil passageways that require a steady supply of lubrication. They have become smaller yet must withstand higher horsepower and torque. Transmission fluid must act as a lubricant protecting against intense heat and shearing, and also as a hydraulic fluid to enable shifting. Neglecting this vital fluid leads to extreme heat stress, erratic shifts and catastrophic wear. Ultimately, a time-consu

John Baker | Jul 8, 2015 2:18:00 PM The environmental benefits of AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are well documented. • Extended drain intervals reduce the amount of waste oil entering the supply stream • Superior volatility resistance reduces oil consumption and air-pollution emissions • Maximum fuel economy reduces fuel consumption and our dependency of foreign oil However, our commitment to the environment extends beyond our products to our environmental management system, which is registered to the ISO 14001:2004 standard . For example, most of our packaging materials are obtained from responsible sources. Plastic containers are made of post-consumer resins, while cardboard boxes derive from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, whose benefits dramatically reduce waste (see chart). We partner with SmartWay® carriers to ship p

John Baker | Mar 29, 2016 11:18:20 AM The simple answer: Compared to their predecessors, modern engines run hotter and generate more wear-causing contaminants that end up in the motor oil. For maximum protection and engine life, use a durable oil filter that uses full synthetic media. It will trap smaller particles and hold more of them compared to filters that use cellulose or blended filter media, helping you get peak performance and the most years out of your engine. The detailed answer: An oil filter has one primary function: prevent contaminants in the oil from damaging your engine. It seems simple enough. However, today’s more intense operating conditions coupled with longer oil change intervals demand use of a premium filter to get the best performance and most years out of your engine. Increased contaminants – to boost fuel economy in

John Baker | Mar 18, 2016 8:55:01 AM The simple answer: Most oil manufacturers recommend changing their synthetic oils according to the service guidelines given in vehicle owner’s manuals. A few synthetic oils on the market, however, provide recommended service intervals on their back labels that are generally longer than those given in vehicle owner’s manuals. Each is different, so check the label carefully. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil , for example, protects so well motorists can use it for up to 25,000 miles/12 months (15,000 miles/12 months in severe service) if they choose. The detailed answer: Most motorists now understand that synthetic motor oil performs better than conventional oil. It delivers improved wear protection, offers better engine clea

John Baker | Mar 2, 2016 9:00:00 AM Nearly 40 percent of engine failures can be attributed to cooling-system issues. Clearly, it pays to take care of your vehicle’s cooling system. Sludge/slime are just one of the common symptoms of larger problems. Left unchecked, it’ll plug the radiator, heater core or fluid passages, resulting in overheating and expensive repairs. What causes it, and what can you do about it? • Additives dropping out – coolant consists of a base (typically ethylene glycol or propylene glycol) mixed with additives and water. The base is primarily responsible for providing freeze and boil-over protection. The additives guard against corrosion, cavitation and scaling. Mixing of incompatible coolants, however, can cause the additives to “drop out” of the

What Is Cetane and Why Does It Matter? Ed Newman | Feb 24, 2016 1:18:21 PM Cetane is a   colorless,   liquid   hydrocarbon   of   the alkane series,   C   16   H   34 ,   used   as   a solvent   and   in   cetane   number   determinations. In the same way that octane number ratings are applied to rate the ignition stability of gasoline, cetane values are assigned to diesel fuel to rate its combustion quality. Cetane numbers are used to indicate the combustion speed of diesel fuel. Diesel fuels with higher cetane ratings have shorter ignition delays, providing more complete combustion and allowing engines to operate more effectively. We asked mechanical engineer Mark Nyholm, AMSOIL Product Manager – Heavy Duty, to elaborate on the importance of understanding cetane and

John Baker | Feb 1, 2016 10:08:10 AM Whether you race motocross, hare scrambles or other events; or hit the trails on weekends with family and friends, you typically have one goal in mind: ride faster and more effectively. In racing, getting out of the gate quickly and grabbing the holeshot is critical to finish on the box. On the trail, you often must modulate the clutch to maneuver around obstacles and tame challenging terrain on your way to the front of the pack. Clutch slippage or inconsistent clutch feel, however, can lead to slow starts out of the gate and ineffective riding on the trail. To solve that problem, we introduced AMSOIL Synthetic Dirt Bike Oil  last year. The lubricant was fine-tuned to deliver confident clutch feel and excellent clutch protection. However, some riders prefer a dedicated dirt bike transmission fluid instead of a multi-purpose motor oil. For them,

Do Fuel Additives Work? John Baker | Nov 25, 2015 9:20:14 AM Store shelves are littered with fuel additives that claim to provide a number of benefits, including... • Increased fuel economy • Smoother engine operation • Reduced emissions • Extended engine life • Maximum horsepower Do they work? A quick Google search reveals multiple articles that claim they don’t. There must be a good reason so many people regard fuel additives with skepticism. One reason is, while most motorists expect to experience the benefits promised by fuel additives immediately , it takes several tanks of treated fuel before most additives provide any noticeable performance improvement. That doesn’t bode well in a society used to getting what it wants, when it wants it. Engine condition plays a vital

Do You Know the Seven Responsibilities of a Motor Oil? Ed Newman | Nov 20, 2015 8:26:43 AM There are so many things we take for granted and give very little thought to. Air is one of them. We seldom feel a need to understand what happens when we breathe, how oxygen in the atmosphere ends up in our bloodstream so as to nourish the cells of our bodies. Gravity is something else we give little thought to, even though it has a daily impact on our lives. (Be careful where your toes are when you drop something heavy.) Something else we usually take for granted is motor oil. If we've been properly trained we know we have to change it once in a while, but beyond that how many people really know why? What does motor oil really do anyway? Here are seven tasks that motor oils

from AMSOIL Newstand: Conventional Vs. Synthetics Oil, whether synthetic or petroleum-based, consists of molecular chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms, referred to as hydrocarbons. Petroleum crude oil is a thick, highly flammable dark-brown or greenish liquid with high energy densities. Many contaminating elements exist in this complex mixture of hydrocarbons, including sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and metal components such as nickel or vanadium. Petroleum crude oil is the raw material used for a wide variety of petrochemicals, including solvents, fertilizers, plastics and lubricants. The oil refining process separates the various types of molecules in the oil by weight, resulting in a concentrated batch suitable for today’s uses such as gasoline, LPG, kerosene or base oils for lubricants. The chemical composition of conventional motor oil can vary substantially and depends on the raw crude oil refining process. While petroleum base oils are refined, synthetic base oils

What Kind of Oil Does My Car Take? John Baker | Oct 29, 2015 11:30:14 AM One way to find out is to go out to your car, dig the owner’s manual out from under the napkins and pairs of sunglasses in the glove box and look it up. Or, you can consult the AMSOIL Product Guides at amsoil.com . Simply enter your vehicle information and follow the prompts. Your vehicle manufacturer will typically recommend an oil of a specific viscosity (e.g 5W-30) that meets the latest industry specifications. For most domestic cars and trucks today, it’s API SN. But some vehicle manufacturers recommend oils that meet their own, proprietary motor oil specifications. Although the practice is more common with European cars, General Motors recommends using a motor oil that meets its dexos1™ specification in many of its cars/light trucks. How do you know if your oil meets t

The Handyman’s Manifesto   John Baker   | Oct 2, 2015 9:37:32 AM Many signs point to the death of the handyman – and woman. Industry statistics tell us fewer people change their own motor oil each year. In fact, by next year, 80 percent of the population is expected to take their vehicle to an auto service center, quick lube or other business to have the oil changed. The percentage is no doubt higher for transmission, differential and other, “more difficult” services. The reasons are many. An aging population. Smaller engine compartments that make performing maintenance more difficult. Sophisticated new vehicles that require specialized tools and a degree in electrical engineering just to open the hood. It’s as if car manufacturers and circumstances are conspiring to rip the ratchets from our hands. And it’s for our own good, right? Who wants to spend a gorgeous September Saturday crawling like a bug on a filthy garage floor as his or her five-year-old daughter points and laughs

Low-Volatility Motor Oil Helps Unlock Your Vehicle’s Performance   John Baker   | May 26, 2015 3:16:00 PM Modern engines, particularly those equipped with performance-enhancing technologies like direct fuel injection and turbochargers, generate increased heat compared to their predecessors. At elevated temperatures, such as during severe service or when driving in hot summer weather, the oil’s lighter-weight molecules can volatilize, or literally “boil off.” The more volatile a lubricant is, the lower the temperature at which the lubricant will begin to evaporate. The more it evaporates, the less oil is left to protect equipment and the faster a user must replace the lost oil. You may have experienced this phenomenon by owning an automobile that “uses” motor oil in irregular intervals. Volatility affects more than the rate of oil consumption. When light elements in oil evaporate from heat, the oil’s viscosity increases. This thicker oil forces the engine to work harder, resultin