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Remember This When Trying to Find Which Transmission Fluid You Need

Written by Charleen
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Remember This When Trying to Find Which Transmission Fluid You Need

John Baker|

Take a look at just a few of the dozens of automatic transmission fluid (ATF) specifications on the market:

  • ATF+4
  • Mercon V
  • Mercon LV
  • Dexron VI
  • ATF DW-1
  • ATF T-IV
  • SP-IV
  • Toyota ATF-WS
  • Honda DW (ZF
  • Diamond SP-IV

You’ve likely heard the term analysis paralysis.

That’s what many people feel when they scan the shelves at Advance Auto in search of transmission fluid. They just want a quart or two of ATF to top-off their vehicle, but instead they must decipher a series of hieroglyphics or face the specter of ruining their tranny by choosing the wrong fluid.

There’s a sure-fire way to avoid this hassle.

But first, check out this survey by the Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA), which confirmed what many already know about buying ATF – the specifications listed on ATF labels can be confusing and misleading.

One reason is the sheer number of ATF specifications on the market. Interpreting the made-up words (“Mercon” and “Dexron” sound like diabetes medication or the latest U.S. Defense Department initiative, after all) leaves you shaking your head and vowing to service your transmission next spring.

It wasn’t always like this. At one time, Ford Mercon- and GM Dexron-type ATFs dominated the market and reduced your choices to a manageable few. Today, demand for those fluids has slipped below 50 percent and is declining as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) continue to introduce their own, proprietary specs.

What is an ATF spec?

Simply put, it’s a set of performance standards. It’s not an actual fluid, meaning you don’t go to NAPA in search of Mercon or Dexron transmission fluid. You go in search of a fluid that meets the Mercon or Dexron specification. In an attempt to make it easy for you, many ATF manufacturers print those specs in giant letters on the label. Judging by the survey, though, it’s not working. This means the fluid was subjected to – and passed – a series of performance tests stipulated by the authors of the Mercon or Dexron specifications.

Today, it’s normal for most OEMs to author their own performance specifications rather than recommend using a fluid that meets a different OEM’s specifications, for example Mercon or Dexron. You can blame it on technological advancements that have made vehicles tougher on transmission fluid than cars of yesteryear. An automaker that introduces its latest 500-hp land rocket wants to be sure you’re using a transmission fluid capable of standing up to the intense heat and stress churning through all those gears.

It may also have something to do with money. Brand XYZ would rather you buy Brand XYZ transmission fluid than another company’s fluid, which helps explain why some OEM-branded fluids are so expensive.

That brings us back to analysis paralysis.

How can we cut through the confusion and make transmission fluid selection easy? And how do we do it while meeting the performance demands of most modern automatic transmissions?

One transmission fluid to rule them all

That’s a bit of hyperbole in honor of my favorite trilogy about hobbits and orcs, but it’s not far off.

We formulated AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid and OE Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid to take the guesswork out of ATF selection. Both fluids are recommended for most of the common ATF specs on the market.

Mercon V? Check.

Dexron III? Check.

ATF+4? We cover that, too.

We take convenience a step further with our online Product Guide, which tells you which fluid your vehicle needs.

LOOK UP TRANSMISSION FLUID FO MY VEHICLE

If you tow, haul or engage in other types of severe service, use Signature Series Synthetic ATF. If you stick to the highway and mostly run to work and home, OE Synthetic ATF is your best bet.

So, when it comes to finding the right transmission fluid, forget about the hieroglyphics and just remember these six letters: AMSOIL.

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Common Fixes for a Transmission that Jerks or Hesitates

Written by Charleen
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Common Fixes for a Transmission that Jerks or Hesitates

John Baker|

The AMSOIL ATF is one of our best sellers in the Sioux Falls store. Thanks to you many local transmission shops are now suggesting it to their customers. You can pick up here and take to your favorite transmission shop.

Here are a few common reasons why your transmission may shift erratically, jerk or hesitate.

• Low fluid level
• Depleted fluid frictional properties
• Poor cold-temperature fluidity

Start with the easiest fix

There’s an old adage when troubleshooting: start with the least expensive and simplest fix. In this case, check the transmission fluid level first. Low fluid can prevent the transmission from shifting properly. It’s important to find out why the fluid is low and fix any problems. It could be a leaky seal or other mechanical defect. Otherwise, adding new fluid won’t ultimately solve the problem.

Worn fluid equals poor shift quality

Transmission fluid that has aged and lost some of its frictional properties can also lead to poor shift quality. When your vehicle’s computer tells the transmission to shift gears, hydraulic pressure (provided by the fluid) squeezes a series of plates together inside a clutch pack to connect the engine to the transmission output shaft and route power to the wheels. The fluid’s frictional properties play a vital role in ensuring the clutch plates bind together properly and gear shifts occur seamlessly.

Over time, the fluid’s frictional properties can degrade, leading to elongated, jerky or inconsistent shifts. In this case, it’s time for a fluid change.

How do you know for sure the fluid is worn? The only definite way to find out is to conduct used fluid analysis. However, fluid that smells burnt or appears dirty is likely due for a change. It’s best practice to change the fluid before the frictional properties are depleted and you experience poor shifting. Those poor shifts can cause the clutches to wear more rapidly and lead to bigger issues that need mechanical repairs.

Be aware of “adaptive” transmissions

One interesting note affects newer vehicles equipped with adaptive transmissions. These units “learn” your driving habits and the characteristics of the fluid to adjust shifts accordingly. As the fluid loses its frictional properties, the computer compensates and adjusts transmission performance.

** If you’ve recently changed your fluid, the computer may still operate as if old fluid is installed, causing poor shift quality. In these cases, keep driving and eventually the computer will “relearn” your driving habits and the behavior of the new fluid and adjust accordingly. The problem was significant enough on some 2012-2013 Ford F-150s to cause Ford to issue a technical service bulletin (TSB 13-1-10).

What do “frictional properties” look like?

We know what good, crisp shifts feel like. Can we dive in even further and see what they look like?

We can, and they appear as a flat, boring line on a graph. The dark blue line represents the frictional properties of new AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid. The light blue line shows the frictional properties of the same fluid after more than 180,000 miles in taxi cabs operating in the intense heat of Las Vegas.

As you can see, the lines are extremely close, with no abrupt spikes or dips. This means, after 180,000 miles of severe service, the fluid continued to deliver crisp, confident shifts.

Granted, it’s not exciting to look at – unless you love driving and want to protect your transmission.

Cold weather can reduce shift quality

When the temperature drops, transmission fluids with poor cold-flow properties can thicken and cause elongated and hard shifts until the fluid has warmed up enough to flow properly. Switching to a high-quality synthetic transmission fluid will help. Synthetics don’t contain waxes, as conventional fluids do, meaning they remain fluid at lower temperatures for improved shifts during cold weather.

The best transmission fluid available won’t fix a broken transmission. But using high-quality synthetic fluid can help improve shift quality and maximize transmission life.

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The Pinnacle of Performance

Written by Charleen
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The Pinnacle of Performance

The new Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil formulation builds upon its rock-solid foundation to offer enthusiasts a new level of engine protection.

Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil
(ASM, ALM, AZO, ASL, ATM, AZF, AMR)

Improving Signature Series was a challenge, but the results prove the new formulation blows the doors off the latest industry standards. Capitalizing on its firmly established success, our upgraded Signature Series Motor Oil provides enthusiasts with maximum protection and performance. The new formulation will become available in September or when current inventory is depleted.

Formulation Change? Yes

Date Available?  September (rolling change)

New Stock Numbers? No

Price Change? No

  • 75 percent more wear protection1
  • 100 percent protection from LSPI2
  • Trusted by professional engine builders
  • Ideal for turbos & direct injection
  • 50 percent more cleaning power3
    •  Guaranteed protection for up to 25,000 miles or 1 year
    (in normal service)

 

Maximum Wear Protection

Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil provides
75 percent more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear1 than required by a leading industry standard, extending the life of vital components like pistons and cams. Its strong fluid film keeps metal surfaces separated while its robust anti-wear additives further reduce wear in metal-to-metal contact regions for maximum engine life.

Protects Pistons from Low-Speed Pre-Ignition

We armed Signature Series with an advanced detergent system to protect vital engine parts like pistons and connecting rods. Most new engines feature gasoline direct-injection (GDI), often combined with a turbocharger to boost power and improve fuel economy. These new technologies pose significant challenges to motor oil, one of which is the advent of low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI). LSPI is the spontaneous ignition of the fuel/air mixture prior to spark-triggered ignition. It occurs in today’s advanced engines and is much more destructive than typical pre-ignition. Signature Series provided 100 percent protection against LSPI in the engine test required by the GM dexos1® Gen 2 specification.

Protects Turbochargers

The tremendous heat and stress turbos create can cause some oils to break down and form harmful bearing deposits through a process known as turbo coking. Over time, turbos can suffer reduced performance or fail altogether. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil handles heat so well that it protects turbochargers 72 percent better than required by the GM dexos1 Gen 2 specification.4 It enables modern engines to achieve their full potential and service life. Signature Series provides the ultimate protection against extreme heat and the harmful deposits that can plague turbochargers and features the high film strength needed to guard against accelerated wear.

Maximum Cleaning Power to Battle Sludge

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil has 50 percent more detergents3 to help keep oil passages clean and promote oil circulation. Its detergent and dispersant additives are so effective, Signature Series provides 90 percent better protection against sludge5 than required by a leading industry standard.

Easier Cold-Starts

Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil does not contain paraffins (wax) and stays fluid in temperatures as low as -58ºF. Extreme cold causes other motor oil to thicken, starving vital moving parts of lubrication, accelerating wear and even preventing vehicles from starting. Signature Series provides 66 percent better cold-temperature performance than conventional oil for easier starting, better fuel economy, improved oil flow and reduced wear.

Reserve Protection

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil provides reserve protection, allowing you to go up to 25,000 miles or one year (in normal service) between oil changes if you choose. Its unique synthetic formulation and long-drain additive system are inherently stable to resist oxidation and neutralize acids over longer periods.

Signature Series is designed to deliver outstanding engine protection, cleanliness and performance over extended drain intervals – guaranteed. It provides peace of mind so you can fit oil changes into your schedule, while also reducing vehicle maintenance and waste oil.

Limiting Oil Consumption

Signature Series has a uniform molecular structure that limits evaporation and keeps it where it’s needed most – protecting your engine. Volatility (burn-off) occurs when oil gets hot, causing lighter molecules to burn off or evaporate. Signature Series falls far below the API limit for volatility, reducing the need for frequent oil top-offs and limiting vehicle emissions.

 

  1. Based on independent testing in the ASTM D6891 test using 0W-20 as worst-case representation.
  2. Based on independent testing in the LSPI engine test as required for the GM dexos1 Gen 2 specification.
  3. vs. AMSOIL OE Motor Oil
  4. Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 in the GM turbo coking test.
  5. Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 in the ASTM D6593 test engine test for oil screen plugging as required by the API SN specification.

In all future engine technology required for the extreme miles per gallon required in gasoline engines, the oil will be the weak link (Per lubricant industry publications) but AMSOIL already surpasses next to impossible ratings.  Well any well established company can eventually get to the overbuilt quality factor AMSOIL has but will not for two reasons. #1 the stockholders won’t allow it as there is no profit there. #2 should they create an oil like ours they would have to charge at least 30% higher price due to the additives required and to keep their margins workable for the distribution chains thus pricing themselves out of the industry..
Thus the customer is left with one choice to protect these new engines – AMSOIL!

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World’s Most Powerful Outboard Motors Rely on AMSOIL

Written by Charleen
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World’s Most Powerful Outboard Motors Rely on AMSOIL

Seven Marine, maker of the world’s most powerful outboard motors, has a saying: We move the people who move the world. The Germantown, Wis. company designs, builds and sells outboard motors that produce up to an astonishing 627 hp and power some of the fastest and most impressive watercraft in the world.

All that power places tremendous stress on their sophisticated motors, which is why they turned to AMSOIL synthetic lubricants as their factory- and service-fill lubricants after having previously used Mobil* products. We sat down with Eric Davis, Seven Marine Vice President, to get the story.

AMSOIL Magazine: What makes Seven Marine unlike any other manufacturer of marine motors?

Eric Davis: We build the most powerful outboards available on the market today. We use a completely different technological approach than any other outboard manufacturer by using the small-block supercharged V-8 out of the Cadillac* CTS V and applying that in its normal horizontal configuration under the cowl. And that really makes Seven Marine unique because all other outboard motors are vertically oriented. That means we can use the performance, quality and emissions advancements that are central to automotive engines and apply that to outboard motors for the first time. In addition, we pair the engine to a ZF* marine wet-disc-clutch transmission. We’re the only outboard that uses a transmission. Because of that, our motors don’t shift in the lower unit.

AMSOIL Magazine: What performance advantages does that design provide?

Davis: It allows us to optimize the lower unit with a twin-pinion, race-inspired design that’s smaller in diameter. That benefits us in high-speed-cruise fuel economy and top-speed capability. A twin-pinion also gives you a tremendous amount of durability.

So, when you use a horizontal crankshaft engine, go with a wet-disc-clutch transmission and finish with a twin-pinion lower unit, you really get an outboard that’s built completely different, which is how we’re able to deliver the amount of power and torque to the propeller that sets us apart from everyone else.

AMSOIL Magazine: Your most powerful motor produces 627 hp. On what type of watercraft are people using your outboards?

Davis: The vast majority of our applications are multi-engine, and the trend lately has been more quads than anything [using four engines simultaneously]. We address the market that’s called the ‘super consoles,’ so we’re talking about 40-plus-foot, centerconsole, off-shore boats. Four engines can be done using a boat as short as 43 feet and as long as 61 feet.

AMSOIL Magazine: Who’s buying your outboards?

Davis: By the time you find out what they’ve done or what they do, they’ve touched your life in some way, shape or form. We use as a corporate tag line, ‘The Power to Move Those Who Move the World,’ and that really came from the fact that our customers are exactly those people, whether it’s the northern hemisphere’s largest onion farmer or the family that owns the third-largest grain distributor in the world – all kinds of people like that. They have truly amazing stories.

AMSOIL Magazine: How do they use your outboard motors?

Davis: It varies a lot. In general, they use them for transportation. They’re moving great distances, and what makes the applications unique for Seven Marine is that they’re trying to traverse those distances at high-speed cruise. They use the applications for everything from island-hopping to poker runs to deep-sea fishing. We have customers in the Gulf of Mexico who are running 150 miles to fish the rigs, so they’re cruising three hours at 50 mph to get out there and fish. We have people in Alaska 150 miles from civilization. Generally speaking, they’re covering great distances at pretty good clips.

AMSOIL Magazine: Why did you choose AMSOIL synthetic lubricants for your engines and transmissions?

Davis: When you’re trying to deliver the most luxurious experience for the customer and deliver the most performance at this level of power, you really have to have the best of everything to make sure it works properly. And you have to be confident that you have the best lubricants to ensure you’ve got the ultimate in durability. AMSOIL, on the engine and transmission side, has been the best products we can find. That allows us to be confident that when we do a factory-fill and recommended servicefill with AMSOIL, that you’re going to get that same factory performance day-in and day-out.

AMSOIL Magazine: What did your own test results tell you about AMSOIL products?

Davis: When we started doing oil sampling from dyno testing and looking at the performance of the oil and its degradation, the AMSOIL results were superior than what we were using before [Mobil products]. We’re endeavoring to build the absolute best world-class products we can and innovate in the marine industry, so we prefer to have an oil that we feel is as innovative and technologically advanced as the engines that it’s going into, and that leaves us with AMSOIL

In Sioux Falls review our marine 10W-30 and 10W-40 4-stroke oil for the big blocks, the new Mercury 25W-20 and several 2-stroke oils for injection units both OEM and our famous HP Injector formula and the 45 year old 100:1 outboard pre-mix.

And our best seller – the highly stable and water resistant Marine Gear Lube 75W-90.

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Propane Tank Deal – FULL while Supplies Last

Written by Ches Cain
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I still have a lot of inventory of new, used and refurbished tanks. We fill them when you buy.

Sioux Falls propane tank bargain center

These are priced way below what the market charges, I just have too many and need to put those funds into our oil business so if you need propane for your grill or garage heater now is the time to buy.

If you need your propane tanks filled for winter, NOW is the time to get your large tanks filled as the price is now going up!! 100# (23 gallon tanks) we have a great price to fill.

Refurbished only $35 includes $16 in propane. Yes a FULL tank, not a under filled.  Everyone else gets $40 to $50 for a rusty 20# tank only filled to 15#.

You can buy a real cheep tank at Costco but you still have to fill it. My price is still less. I also have new tanks full for $40 and re-certified tanks for $30 full.  So get them now while I still have them as I will no longer carry tanks when these are gone.

We will however still fill them at a reasonable price.

sioux falls propane tank

 

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