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Why Top Landscapers (Like Duluth Lawn Care) Trust AMSOIL

Written by Charleen

Why Top Landscapers (Like Duluth Lawn Care) Trust AMSOIL

Andy Arendt|

Landscape professionals provide the most demanding proving grounds for two-stoke equipment. Their string trimmers, backpack blowers, chainsaws and other equipment run continuously in hot, dirty and wet conditions. And their brutal schedules leave no time for breakdowns.

As the video shows, AMSOIL synthetic lubricants have earned the trust of landscape professionals like Duluth Lawn Care.

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Small businesses with big challenges

Running a lawn and landscape business is tough. According to Lawn & Landscape magazine 2018 State Of The Industry Report, 72 percent of survey respondents said their location’s gross revenue in 2017 was less than $1 million.

The report listed the following challenges landscapers face to turning a profit:

  1. Quality labor shortage
  2. Fuel prices
  3. Low-ball competitors
  4. Personal stress
  5. High health insurance costs
  6. Abused equipment
  7. Expensive gourmet morning coffee and energy drinks

Large companies can have 5-10 zero-turn mowers at $15,000 a crack. They can also maintain eight or more string trimmers and backpack blowers, which can log 500-600 hours per year. That’s a lot of gas and oil.

Creating a profitable business in this environment demands maximum efficiency and cost control. Scheduling and executing jobs is critical and downtime due to unexpected equipment repairs can eat away at narrow margins.

AMSOIL delivers reserve protection

We focus on building protection into our synthetic lubricants that goes beyond the most demanding standards.

For example, AMSOIL SABER Professional Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil is guaranteed for any mix ratio up to 100:1. Using less oil compared to traditional 50:1 ratios lets professionals cut two-stroke oil costs considerably.

As noted in the video, Duluth Lawn Care mixes SABER Professional at the SABER Ratio™ of 80:1.

“The reason we mix it a little bit leaner that the manufacturer recommends is simply for the fact that we haven’t had issues mixing it at this rate,” said Duluth Lawn Care owner Matt Marciniak. “The cost savings is huge.”

Not only does SABER Professional reduce oil costs, it allows landscapers to use one mix ratio for all their equipment, eliminating confusion.

Equipment starts easier and runs better

Mixed at the SABER Ratio (either 80:1 or 100:1), SABER Professional is proven to fight power-robbing carbon deposits.

These images of Stihl string trimmer components from Duluth Lawn Care’s fleet offer visual proof. The exhaust port, piston and spark-arrestor screen are virtually free of power-robbing deposits following 1,200 hours of operation at 80:1.

By fighting power-robbing carbon, SABER Professional helps equipment start easier, run better and last longer. This adds up to big savings for small businesses fighting to preserve their margins.

Buy SABER Professional

SABER Professional extends equipment life

Since its inception, Duluth Lawn Care has trusted AMSOIL products to protect and extend equipment life. In this industry, landscapers commonly replace two-stroke equipment every two years. That hasn’t been the case with Duluth Lawn Care. Thanks to diligent maintenance and the excellent protection of SABER Professional, some of its two-stroke equipment is more than 10 years old an has accumulated 6,000-8,000 hours.

Duluth Lawn Care is a prime example of a lawn and landscape company that overcomes the top industry challenges. Not only has Duluth Lawn Care met these challenges, it has thrived for more than 13 years delivering quality service for its 4,500 customers. We’re proud to be a trusted partner of lawn and landscape professionals around North America.

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The Cost of Owning a Diesel – This Product is Not an Option

Written by Ches Cain

Diesel Fuel Additives – Not an Option in Diesel Ownership

Years of reviewing the effects of modern diesel fuel, mechanical issues, costs and designs of injectors, pumps, failures keeps the topic of the misunderstood fuel additive fresh in mind.

Impressive In The Field

As an AMSOIL dealer, one product I rank in the top three where overly positive feedback is almost always given at each sale is our Diesel Injector Clean (and lubricant).  Of course many of those sales were started because I suggested to the customer to try our brand over whatever else they were using. And the majority of the time the customer was not using any at all! But the results seem to be instant thus the higher level of feedback.

Diesel Fuel Additives at Stan Houston's

Display at Stan Houston’s on 12th st – Diesel Fuel Additives and synthetic oils.

What To Expect

I could list all the sales info, product points to know, etc. but you can easily find all that in the product listing or technical data sheet (printable PDF). I wanted to state some of the instant feedback and some savings you can expect!

  • Increased mileage beyond any averages AMSOIL claims. I hear 2 to 3 more MPG’s although that’s not advertised.
  • Quieter engine
  • Regens cut in half – That alone is worth it! Unique to AMSOIL’s formula.
  • More power under load – You’ll notice more with the Cetane Boost
  • Solved sluggishness when passing
  • Skip past expected injector failure mileage to next to none
  • RV’s – amazingly easier starts on seldom used engines
  • Longer fuel filter performance
  • Less water buildup in tank

Lubricity

This is the reason it’s not optional. Not AMSOIL but the industry says you need a lubricant added to every tank of fuel.
AMSOIL recently posted about folks using 2-stroke oil in the fuel. They admitted it worked but only offers a fraction of the lubricant needed especially in modern injectors which rely on products with years of development. The results can be in the thousands saved on repair or replacement costs.

A fuel additive supplier who visited at one of our AMSOIL dealer conventions made it clear. He used a 2015 Chevy Durmax diesel for example. He said in 10 year ownership you will ether spend on average $750 on fuel additives or $6000 to $10,000 in injector repair.

Much of the failure is because the fuel or the over the counter additive doesn’t address corrosion within the injector. The wear resulting which is not visible without a microscope can be devastating to your engines efficiency. The injectors these days usually only have 1 to 2 microns of space around them so you cannot afford even the slightest  dirt causing wear or corrosion from a lack of proper additive.

Best way to buy in Sioux Falls

I keep a healthy supply at my shop at Exit 73 and also at Stan Houston’s on W. 12th St.

The best way to buy is get one 16 oz. bottle and the half gallon as the refill. The savings with the half-gallon is like buying four 160-ounce bottles but paying for three. A sight window is on all bottles assisting with the proper dosage.  And the best part is one ounce (1OZ) treats five gallons! It’s a great bargain even at full retail.

Of course you can buy through our website – AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean Product Code ADF.

We also have 5-gallon sizes for OTR Trucking operations and a small 8 ounce bottle (Case of 6) for passenger car diesels.

 

 

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Why Steve Scheuring Chooses AMSOIL

Written by Charleen

This Man is Living His Dream: Why Steve Scheuring Chooses AMSOIL

Daisy Quaker|

We all have dreams. Maybe it’s a trip across America on a Harley. Or the backcountry sledding trip of a lifetime. Maybe it’s climbing boulders and crossing ravines in a 1943 Willys Jeep. For Steve Scheuring, it was building a championship-winning Snocross team.

One day, 21 years ago, Scheuring decided to go for it. And he’s never looked back.

Today, Scheuring is a man living his dream.

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It’s about racing and the community

Even though starting the team and giving up a nice paycheck was a gamble, Scheuring’s drive and determination ultimately paid off. His professional snocross and side-by-side riders regularly climb the podium at events around the country.

Scheuring believes in his people. His goal is not just to be the fastest (although that certainly helps), but to build a team in which his community can take pride. Every autumn, racers flock to his 23-acre industrial park in Aurora, Minn., where Scheuring maintains a practice track complete with multiple snow-making machines.

When he’s not racing, Scheuring chases wildfires for the U.S. Forest Service. It’s fair to say Scheuring runs on adrenaline.

AMSOIL and Scheuring: more than just logos

Scheuring’s relationship with AMSOIL goes beyond the AMSOIL logos on his semi or race vehicles.

AMSOIL has sponsored Scheuring Speed Sports since day one. Scheuring credits AMSOIL DOMINATOR® Synthetic 2-Stroke Racing Oil for saving his snowmobile following a coolant failure during a Snocross race.

In 2017, Lincoln Lemieux was 14 laps into the 20-lap race and going strong. Then he started slowing down and losing power. He pulled off the track and drove back to the trailer. The heat from Lemieux’s Ski-Doo RS600 engine was overwhelming. “There were parts of the engine that melted,” said Scheuring. “You could smell that antifreeze had gotten hot. Everything was just hot. That’s the best way I can describe it. Just hot.”

It turned out a $1 clamp had broken, separating the coolant lines and causing the engine coolant to pump from the system. The rubber O-rings that separate the cylinder from the head also melted, which caused the engine to lose compression and power. “There were a few other gaskets that actually melted inside the motor,” said Scheuring.

AMSOIL DOMINATOR Protects Scheuring’s Ski-Doo

In stock condition, Lemieux’s engine produces about 130 hp, but the team relies on piping, clutch, carburetion and other modifications to increase power by 20 percent. The modifications and lack of coolant exposed the engine to intense heat far beyond standard operating temperature.

“I believe 100 percent the reason that motor lived was because of the AMSOIL products.”“We go above and beyond the capabilities of these motors. If they fail they cost us money, they cost us time and they cost us races, and we can’t afford to lose any of those,” said Scheuring.

As Scheuring puts it, DOMINATOR Synthetic 2-Stroke Racing Oil saved his engine. “We’ve worked with AMSOIL the last 20 years developing two-stroke oils for our race sleds,” said Scheuring. “In my opinion, I believe 100 percent the reason that motor lived was because of the AMSOIL products.”

So, whether you’re riding the trails this weekend, or revving up the horsepower of your hobby car, we at AMSOIL love enabling you to pursue your passion.

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Outboard Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil Keeps 1974 Evinrude Running Str

Written by Charleen
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Outboard Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil Keeps 1974 Evinrude Running Str

So many variables determine the life expectancy of an outboard motor that it’s hard to predict with any accuracy how long an outboard motor will run.

But almost anyone would agree that a 1974 Evinrude that is still performing well in 2017 is unusual. If you’re the guy who got it for free, you’re thrilled.

Dealer Mark Neibuhr of Sequim, Wash. has a 1974 Evinrude Silver Starflite 135 hp outboard that he still uses. “I acquired this boat around ‘93 or ‘94, (totally stripped and gutted) and was given the outboard, which needed rebuilding,” Neibuhr said.

It was 2001 when he had the boat seaworthy and the Evinrude rebuilt, he said.

He used the boat in Louisiana before he installed AMSOIL products, Neibuhr said. He had installed the AMSOIL 100:1 oil when he was in Wisconsin, where the boat was used almost exclusively for water skiing in Lake Nebagamon, a small lake in the northern part of the state. Since 2012, he’s used the boat for salmon fishing and crabbing in the salt water of Washington’s Puget sound.

“After many years and hundreds of hours of use in Louisiana and Wisconsin, I moved west to Washington in 2012, where I continue using the boat in the salt water,” Neibuhr said. “It’s still going very strong, like-new compression readings and super smooth running and plenty of power still.”

Sometime in 2006 or 2007, Niebuhr started using AMSOIL Outboard Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil. “I immediately noticed a big reduction in smoke, especially at idle speeds …,” he said.

“The engine has never had any problems whatsoever while running AMSOIL 100:1 oil,” Neibuhr said. “I recently had to open up the powerhead due to a water problem. Upon disassembly, I was amazed at the internal condition of the bearings, cylinder liners, piston and rings, and the overall cleanliness of the internal parts. Most impressive was the complete absence of carbon deposits on the piston tops and ring grooves. I was amazed that after almost 10 years of using AMSOIL the engine looked as good as it did when I rebuilt it in 2001.”

Recently, he decided the boat and engine were overdue for painting and restoration.

“I did considerable research into the original colors and marking of the engine as it was in 1974, and the picture is as close as I could get,” Neibuhr said. “The only difference was a small decal that had ‘Silver Starflite’ affixed to the mid section of the outboard. So I improvised and thought the people at AMSOIL would appreciate my ‘creativity.’”

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ECHO String Trimmer Technical Study

Written by Ches Cain

AMSOIL SABER® Professional Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil resisted performance-robbing deposits and maintained power and performance in ECHO string trimmers.

Published September 2016

Overview Government mandates require modern handheld trimmers and other twostroke equipment to produce less exhaust emissions. To comply, some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) design their equipment to run on leaner fuel/oil mixtures. Burning more air and less fuel/oil, however, also increases heat. To withstand this intense environment and ensure equipment lasts as designed, modern two-stroke oils must demonstrate improved wear protection and detergency. Objective Demonstrate through lab testing that the latest generation** of AMSOIL SABER® Professional Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil exceeds the increased performance needs of ECHO* string trimmers in particular, and modern two-stroke string trimmers in general. Methodology Testing was conducted on eight ECHO trimmers in the AMSOIL mechanical lab and followed a test plan designed to compare two-stroke oils in simulated real-world conditions. Test duration is designed to simulate an extended length of service. The OEM’s recommended 50:1 mix ratio was followed.

test_parameters

SABER Professional was installed in four trimmers and ECHO Power Blend was installed in another four. Computer-controlled actuators operated the trimmer throttle triggers according to an identical protocol for each unit. Images of trimmers arranged on the test stand are included for reference.

trimmer_engine_set

 

Test administrators monitored engine rpm, spark-plug temperature, exhaust emissions and other parameters to ensure consistent, repeatable operation and gauge overall performance of each trimmer. After 300 hours of operation, the trimmers were disassembled and inspected. Note: Test results published in this Technical Study describe and represent properties of oils that were acquired on the dates listed in Table 1 on the facing page. Results do not apply to any subsequent reformulations of such oils or to new oils introduced after completion of testing. All oils were available to consumers at the time of purchase. Testing was completed in July 2016. The differences in effects between AMSOIL SABER Professional and ECHO* Power Blend* are statistically valid at the 95% confidence interval for exhaust port blockage and spark arrestor screen plugging.  The carbon buildup on pistons was not numerically quantified as part of the study.

Weed trimmer ready for engine testing

The test was run using two engines for each treatment. The study was then replicated using the same n=2 design. Exhaust- port blockage and spark-arrestor screen plugging were compared using a paired t-test. Equipment was run at factory-set conditions and there was no effort to intervene on any problems developed by the equipment outside of recommended maintenance in the owner’s manual. String trimmers arranged

Piston Rings/Piston Skirts

Deposits in the ring grooves can cause the rings to stick and lose effectiveness. Engine rpm can decrease and the engine cab lose compression. Significant compression loss leads to engine failure. Heavy deposits on the piston skirt increase friction and reduce performance.

Piston ring deposits with ECHO and AMSOIL

Deposits appear heavier on the pistons lubricated with ECHO Power Blend. The pistons lubricated with SABER Professional appear cleaner. SABER Professional provided improved detergency and extreme-heat resistance. Both oils guarded against piston ring sticking well.

Piston Crowns/Undercrowns Heavy piston crown deposits can cause preignition and poor performance. While undercrown deposits are unlikely to impede performance, they are an indicator of the oil’s detergency properties. With modern two-stroke equipment running hotter, oils must demonstrate strong detergency and heat resistance to maintain piston cleanliness and peak performance.

piston crowns undercrowns deposits from Echo oil

Pistons lubricated with ECHO Power Blend appear to contain heavier crown and undercrown deposits. In contrast, the piston crowns lubricated with SABER Professional look clean, with low levels of deposits. SABER Professional provided improved detergency and extreme-heat resistance.

Wrist Pins & Bearings The wrist pin and bearing are exposed to extreme heat due to their proximity to the combustion event. Ineffective lubrication can result in deposits, polishing and flat spots on the wrist pin restricting rotation. As the engine works to overcome this restriction, the piston can bear increased pressure, leading to scuffing and eventually failure.

wrist pins

All eight wrist pin bearings demonstrated no issues throughout the test, indicating the oils provided good protection. None of the wrist pins contain flat spots. Both of the oils performed well in this area.

Exhaust Ports

For the engine to run properly and produce maximum power, exhaust gasses must flow freely out the exhaust port during operation. Restricted exhaust causes RPM and power loss, starting difficulties and eventually, failure to operate.

Exhaust ports

SABER Professional demonstrated low exhaust-port deposits. In contrast, all four exhaust ports on the engines using the ECHO product suffered blockage, with two more than half blocked with deposits.

Note: Airflow loss was calculated using a flow bench to measure restriction which was converted to a percentage of flow compared to an unblocked exhaust post.

Spark Arrestor Screens

Exhaust gasses continually flow through the spark arrestor screen located on the muffler which is prone to plugging. Like the exhaust ports excessive deposits on the spark arrestor screen restrict airflow and reduced power.

Spark arrestor screens

SABER Professional demonstrated low spark-arrestor screen deposits. In contrast, screens on the trimmers lubricated with the ECHO product contained higher levels of deposits. The screen from engine 5 was nearly completely blocked with deposits after 239 hours of the 300-hour test and required replacement. On average screens from engines using ECHO Power Blend suffering 4X more airflow loss than screens on engines using SABER Professional 2-cycle oil.

Note: Airflow loss was calculated using a flow bench to measure restriction which was converted to a percentage of flow compared to an unblocked spark arrestor screen.

Main Bearings

The main bearings receive little lubrication given their location in the lower end of the engine. Deposits are an indicator of poor oil detergency. Heavy deposits can restrict bearing rotation and eventually lead to failure.

Echo main bearings

The bearings lubricated with SABER Professional appear to contain fewer deposits.

Crankcases

Oils with ineffective detergency properties can allow deposits to accumulate in the crankcase. During operation, deposits can circulate throughout the engine and reduce performance.

crankcase housing Echo

Crankcase deposits look heavier in the engines using ECHO Power Blend. The engines using SABER Professional appear clean and free of harmful deposits.

RPM & Spark-Plug Temperature

Reduced rpm and spark-plug temperatures are indicators the engine is producing sub-optimal power. This can be caused by heavy exhaust port and spark arrestor screen deposits which restrict air flow through the engine and result in reduced power. The following graphs depict the average rpm and spark-plug temperature of engines at wide-open throttle using SABER Professional and ECHO Power Blend.

Engines using SABER Professional maintained consistent power throughout the study, while the average spark-plug temperature declined slightly. In contrast, the engines using ECHO Power Blend slowly lost power as the study progressed. Similarly, the average spark-plug temperature suffered a drop.

RPM curve Echo string trimmer

Conclusion

As demonstrated in lab testing designed to simulate a full season of real-world use, AMSOIL SABER Professional Synthetic 2-Stroke Oil provides excellent protection for ECHO* brand string trimmers. SABER Professional outperformed ECHO Power Blend* XTended Life* Universal 2-Stroke Oil by providing improved resistance to piston deposits, crankcase deposits and exhaust port blocking. Due to its ability to limit exhaust-port and spark-arrestor-screen deposits, SABER Professional protected against rpm loss 21 percent better, resulting in reliable operation. The latest generation of SABER Professional meets or exceeds the increased performance requirements of ECHO SRM 225 trimmers.

AMSOIL fully supports the use of SABER Professional as a replacement for ECHO Power Blend XTended Life Universal 2-Stroke Oil, and warrants its use according to the AMSOIL Limited Liability Warranty (G1363).

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