Mike Ford - AMSOIL Independent Dealer

John Baker |      May 26, 2016 8:59 AM Tracker Marine/Bass Pro Shops Photography As fun as it is to own a boat, they can create several headaches if you neglect maintenance. Following these tips can help you stay on the water and out of the garage performing unplanned, expensive repairs. Check trailer tire pressure and condition – If you don’t get your boat to the lake, you can’t get to the fish. Trailer maintenance is often completely forgotten. It’s not uncommon to see someone pulled over alongside the highway because their trailer tire blew out. Trailer tires typically run at higher psi than automotive tires. Check the sidewall for the correct pressure, which is likely around 50 psi. A low tire equals a hot tire, and hot tires are more likely to blow out. Check for weather cracking. Trailer tires often sit outside year-round, exposed to the sun. Replace cracked tires and store your trailer with the tires elevated during the off-...

John Baker | May 12, 2016 1:00 PM The garage. Protector of vehicles, incubator of great ideas. Many innovative companies owe their beginnings to the humble garage. Apple, Harley-Davidson and Google, to name a few. It makes sense. The house is where we make sensible decisions, do our taxes and plan our kids’ lives. The garage, however, promotes experimentation, novelty, freedom. An array of tools spread across the workbench, a sturdy vise and a welder offer the promise of ideas reaching full fruition and things getting done. When it comes to vehicle maintenance, some of us enjoy the challenge of fixing nearly any problem that arises, like replacing an old timing belt or bad starter. Given how tough it is to work on modern vehicles, some only perform oil changes, serpentine belt changes or other relatively simple tasks. Whatever your level of commitment, working in the garage simply feels good. Keeping track of receipts, dates of service or vehicle mil...

John Baker | May 16, 2016 2:04 PM Although gas is hovering around only $2.00 per gallon these days, increasing fuel economy is still a top priority for most automakers, due in large part to more strict corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) requirements on the horizon. One strategy automakers are using is widespread use of synthetic lubricants. How do synthetics increase fuel economy compared to conventional lubricants? Reducing viscosity increases fuel economy At one time, most passenger cars/light trucks used 10W-40 motor oil. Then it was 5W-30. Today, many vehicles call for 5W-20 and 0W-20 oils. And an even lower viscosity, 0W-16, is on the horizon for certain newer vehicles. The lower the oil’s viscosity – defined as its resistance to flow – the more readily it will flow. Imagine a jar of honey and a glass of water. Stirring water with a spoon requires less energy than stirring honey. The same principle applies to your engine and motor oil. ...

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 catastro...

Ed Newman | Apr 29, 2016 1:48 PM The number-one function of motor oil is to act as a barrier between moving parts so as to minimize friction. There are at least three almost self-evident benefits of reducing friction: • Reduced wear, which results in longer engine life o AMSOIL shields your automobile with 75% more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear than required by a leading industry     standard.* • Reduced heat in moving parts, which lowers the overall operating temperature of the equipment • Increased engine efficiency so as to generate more power from less force What is friction? We all know what it is even if we don’t understand the mathematical equation that engineers use to express it. I remember a science lesson at some point during my school years when we were instructed to rub our hands together so we could feel the warmth generated by friction. It’s basic, but it makes a point. Friction creates heat. Learning how to start a fire is one of ...

John Baker   | Apr 22, 2016 9:06 AM   Three on the tree. Four on the floor. The transmission has contributed much to our rich automotive vernacular. With few exceptions, however, the days of manually shifting are gone. Most cars and trucks come standard with automatic transmissions. Many sports cars, long the safe haven for manual-transmission purists, have even ditched sticks for paddle shifters. A flick of your finger has replaced the satisfying feeling of letting off the gas, depressing the clutch pedal and engaging the shifter in perfect harmony. More gears equals better fuel economy Though they may not deliver the visceral connection to your vehicle like a manual transmission, automatics’ increased gears and computerized controls, which shift more optimally than all but the most skilled drivers, do increase fuel efficiency by allowing the engine to spend more time in the “sweet spot.” The “sweet spot” is simply the engine speed, measured ...

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 al...