Motor Oil Info

Bikers experience first-hand the mechanical stress their motorcycles endure. Modern bikes demand lubricants that protect against high internal engine heat, maintain film strength on gears under extreme pressure and guard against rust formation during storage. Motorcycles rev high and run hot, and lubrication failure could result in consequences for both vehicles and passengers. In addition, motorcyclists invest a great deal of time and money into their bikes, and they demand products that provide the best performance and protection for their investments.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils deliver maximum viscosity protection for hot-running American and foreign motorcycle engines, transmissions and chain cases. Their exclusive synthetic formulations effectively reduce friction and heat, keeping bikes running cooler and minimizing oil consumption.

A truck traveling an average of 120,000 miles per year and receiving an average of six miles per gallon consumes 20,000 gallons of fuel a year. At a price of $3 a gallon, annual fuel costs for this truck is $60,000. By switching from a conventional 15w-40 diesel oil to AMSOIL 5w-40 Synthetic Premium Diesel Oil and achieving a 1.6 percent fuel economy improvement, the truck reduces its annual fuel usage by 320 gallons, saving $960. The saving mount when extended to larger vehicle fleets. A 50-vehicle fleet saves $48,000 in fuel costs, while a 100-vehicle fleet saves $96,000.

Futher saving are realized through the extended drain capabilities of AMSOIL 5w-40 Synthetic Premium Diesel Oil. At a price of $13.55 a gallon, the conventional diesel oil for a single truck with a 32-quart (eight-gallon) oil sump costs $108.40. With a recommended drain interval of 10,000 miles, the truck requires 12 oil changes over 120,000 miles, for a total cost of $1,300.80. Recommended for extended drain intervals of three times the OEM-recommended drain interval, AMSOIL 5w-40Synthetic Diesel Oil must only be changed four times over 120,000 miles at a total cost of $838.40 ($26.20/gal.commercial price), presenting a savings of $462.40. The saving mount when extended to larger vehicle fleets. A50-vehicle fleet saves $23,120, while a 100-vehicle fleet saves $46,240.

Economic difficulties and high fuel costs have forced a significant number of trucking companies out of business over the past few years, while many others fight for survival by finding any and every way possible to minimize costs. More efficient operation can be achieved in a number of ways, including engine, truck and trailer design; drive line technology; tire design and fuel quality. Drivers can also play a critical role by reducing engine idle time and speed, while employing more efficient shifting patterns and driving techniques.

Although lubricants are often overlooked as a way to improve efficiency and minimize costs, use of AMSOIL 5w-40 Synthetic Premium Diesel Oil (DEO) over conventional 15w-40 oils presents fleets with an effective way to reign in costs without sacrificing protection. In fact, industry tests demonstrate a 1 percent fuel economy improvement by switching to 5w-40 diesel oil, while the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Federal Test Procedure confirms that AMSOIL 5w-40 Synthetic Premium Diesel Oil provides up to 3 percent better fuel economy than conventional 15w-40 diesel oils (1.6 percent improvement at a mix of 55/45 city/highway driving).

Because diesel fuel is a natural solvent, it causes a multitude of problems when it contaminates the oil, including reduced oil viscosity, reduced oil film strength, increased engine wear (particularly in the cylinder/ring area), increased volatility, weakened lubricant detergency, accelerated lubricant oxidation, varnish formation, acid formation/corrosion and low oil pressure.

The most notable problem associated with increased fuel contamination is reduced viscosity and the corresponding effect it has on oil performance. When combined with shearing conditions, as little as 4 percent fuel dilution is generally enough to reduce an oil’s viscosity to less than the specified viscosity grade.

AMSOIL sent five competitive synthetic CJ-4 5w-40 diesel oils to an independent laboratory for shear stability testing. Knowing the tough environment that diesels present to lubricating oils, AMSOIL doubled the standard Kurt Orbahn 90-cycle test and had the oils tested for 180 cycles. Samples were then contaminated with 2 and 4 percent ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel. As the graph shows, even after being shear tested for twice the industry standard and contaminated with 4 percent fuel dilution, AMSOIL maintained viscosity and was the only oil to stay within an SAE 40 viscosity rating. As other oils lost viscosity due to shearing forces and fuel dilution, their ability to protect against wear was jeopardized.

When you think of oil, chances are that you are thinking about engine oil. This motor oil flows through your engine and provides lubrication to mechanical components. However, there are others that are in many ways just as important.

One such oil is the gear oil. This mixture serves as a lubricant for the manual transmission, transfer case and differentials-many of the systems that are under constant stress. Because of this, gear oil has a very high viscosity compared to other forms of oil.

Have you ever wondered what makes premium gasoline “premium”? The answer is a high octane rating. Gas is rated based on its octane rating, which is the resistance of petrol and other fuels compared to the point at which it will ignite. A higher octane rating is an indication of how efficiently the fuel will be burned. Therefore, when you see the numbers 87 or 90 on the pump at the gas station, it is telling you the tendency of the fuel to burn in a controlled manner.

So that raises the question, how do companies create a higher octane rating? The answer is that they mix various alcohol fuels and utilize fuel additives. Some fuels, such as methanol or ethanol, have an octane rating above 100 and can raise the overall rating. Fuel additives do the same, increasing the gas’s octane rating and providing lubrication.

In this day and age, the vast majority of oils we use are synthetic oils. While they may utilize a petroleum base, synthetic oils contain a variety of artificially made chemical compounds. These oils are still relatively new to the market, and there are constantly new esters and advances in the technologies.

Synthetic oils are made from three base stocks: polyalphaolefin, synthetic esters, and hydrocracked. There is also a sub-group known as synthetic blends. These oils contain various mineral oils and up to 30% synthetic oil.

Hard working diesel engines present a serious challenge to the lubricants that protect them. Tight clearances and intense pressures can generate enough force to tear apart the molecular structure of the oil, causing permanent viscosity loss. Permanent viscosity loss is termed “shear” and leads to accelerated equipment wear, oil consumption and deposit formation.

Shear stability measures lubricant’s ability to withstand shearing forces without degrading to a lower viscosity. To meet CJ-4 requirements for shear stability, the American Petroleum Institute (API) requires diesel oils to pass the Kurt Orbahn 90-Cycle Shear Stability Test.

Resisting shear and maintaining protective viscosity in the harsh operating conditions of diesel engines is challenge enough for many diesel oils, but maintaining viscosity in the face of fuel dilution is another challenge altogether. Factors such as frequent starts, excessive engine idling short trips and cold weather have contributed to moderate levels of fuel dilution in diesel applications for years, while recent issues with emission systems have brought the fuel dilution problem to a whole new level.

Most of us remember to change our oil periodically, but unless you take particularly good care of your vehicles and power equipment, chances are that you neglect the oil filter. While changing your oil is essential to maintaining proper lubrication, oil filters are an integral piece of this puzzle as well. Without a well-maintained filter, deposits can build up and your oil won’t last long.

Oil filters have a longer lifespan than oil, but they should still be changed about once a year. If you change your own oil, chances are that you have the knowledge needed to replace the filter as well. If you have some questions about the process, there are several websites that provided step-by-step instructions. AMSOIL oil filters, filters to 15 microns where others only filter to 30-40 microns, there is a difference.

Conventional lubricants often contain paraffins (wax) that cause the lubricants to thicken and lose ability to flow in cold temperatures. Cold-thickened lubricants sometimes hinder the rotation of the vehicle’s crankshaft so much that it cannot rotate fast enough to start the engine. In addition, cold-thickened lubricants may leave working parts unprotected for as long as five minutes, causing significant wear.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils contain no paraffins and flow readily in extremely cold conditions, reducing drag on moving engine parts, allowing engines to start in the coldest winter temperatures and providing immediate post-startup lubrication. AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils have been shown to yield significant increases in fuel economy over conventional motor oils.