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The Grizzly Lodge in British Columbia Relies on AMSOIL

Written by Charleen

The Grizzly Lodge in British Columbia Relies on AMSOIL

Fancy Snowmobiling Winter Getaway called Grizzly Lodge

_by David Hilgendorf|October 24, 2022

The Grizzly Lodge relies on generators, groomers, snowmobiles, snow bikes and track trucks in subzero day-to-day operations. Owner Adam Trainer discusses the extreme conditions his equipment faces and why he trusts AMSOIL products to protect all of it.

AMSOIL: What do you do?

Adam: I run a backcountry snowmobile lodge about 50 km (31 miles) out in the mountains, and I’ve been doing that for almost ten years now.

AMSOIL: Is that difficult?

Adam: It’s a huge challenge operating 50 km from pavement, with only snowmobile or helicopter access. Just getting supplies in here, rental sleds up and down the trail, parts when things break down, it’s a big challenge.

Grizzly Lodges snow groomer.

AMSOIL: What kind of equipment do you use?

Adam: Our generators run 24 hours a day; 7 days a week for 8 months at a time, so they take a lot of abuse.

Our Snowcat gets a lot of hours grooming the trails, with lots of cold starts. We get down to -35°C. Cold starts on the diesels are tough, so that’s a challenge on wear and tear.

Same with snowmobiles. We don’t have the space to park them all inside, so they’re also getting lots of cold starts down to that -35°C range where lubrication is absolutely key. We also run some Yamaha* snow bikes and they take a beating. We ride them hard.

The track truck is used for bringing groceries and hauling supplies. That thing does several trips a week and without it the food and supplies won’t get delivered. It’s key to keep that baby running.

Dirtbike converted for snow use.

AMSOIL: How do you keep all those machines operational through the extended subzero winters in British Columbia?

When you’re operating in a location like this, in a remote place in the mountains where a trip to town is at least a couple of hours, depending on the day and conditions, we like to run the best products possible because downtime is costly.

It’s key that all our equipment – generators, snowmobiles, track truck, Snowcats, you name it – it needs to be running top-notch. So we run premium AMSOIL products.

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Why Your Marine Lower Unit Needs Regular Service

Written by Charleen
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Why Your Marine Lower Unit Needs Regular Service

Though your marine motor gets all the attention, your boat isn’t going anywhere without the lower unit. Its combination of gears, bearings and other components turn horsepower into movement. Lower units are resilient and can last for years – provided you service them annually. Here, we reveal the inner workings of a marine lower unit and show the common suffering points.

And call us for our new quart version of the gear lube in the EZ Packs (for 2022). Meets all 80W-90, SAE 80 and 75W-90 use.  AMSOIL Marine Lower Unit Gear Lube covers them all.

 

 

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Should You Use Diesel Competition Oil?

Written by Charleen
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Should You Use Diesel Competition Oil?

Mark Nyholm|

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April is here, and for those who love to spend time at the drag strip challenging their reaction time, on a dirt strip hooked to a sled, or tied down on a roller dyno grunting for power, the diesel competition season is upon us.

In the U.S. alone there are more than 400 different events that typically start the first week of April and carry us through October. So, whether you’re wrapped up in your own build, or just like watching others battle it out, there are plenty of opportunities.

Big power comes with a big price

Spend time in this competitive arena and you’ll soon learn that this hobby – which some call an addiction – isn’t cheap. Like all highly engaged enthusiasts, money is no object when it comes to getting the next fix. Competition is highly addictive and it inspires something in people to want more and more.

How much does one spend to play here? The sky’s the limit. But, to bring you back down to earth, I’ve seen trucks well into the $100,000 range.

When you spend that kind of money on your truck, you aren’t buying cheap parts from your local parts store; you’re buying custom parts from highly respected sources.

If you’re buying the best-of-the-best parts, why wouldn’t you want the best-of-the-best lubricants to protect those parts from failure? The answer, of course, is that you do.

Now, you may or may not be using the same oil in your competition truck as in your daily driver truck. If you are, pay attention – there is something better out there.

But first, if you are using a different oil in your competition truck, I’d love to know what convinced you to switch and how you decided to use the oil you’re using today. Was is based on your inner circle of influencers or product testing that demonstrated improved performance? I ask because I’ve met guys who know everything mechanically about turbochargers, for example, but who don’t realize that lubrication performance influences whether or not the turbo lives a long, healthy life. So, if your decision was the result of inner-circle influence, I suggest allowing real performance to dictate your decision.

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AMSOIL has been the Official Oil of the Diesel Power Challenge and Ultimate Callout Challenge since their inception. We’re heavily involved in the turbodiesel pickup world, whether they be daily drivers on the street or a totally hot race truck on the track. We have products for both ends of the spectrum.

That said, if you’re on the competition end of the spectrum, do we have something new for you – AMSOIL DOMINATOR® 20W50 Competition Diesel Oil. It’s now available to help support competitors with additional confidence to push their truck even further.

This new diesel oil was built from the ground up for those who heavily modify their engine. How heavily, you ask?

  • More than 1,000 hp, but less than 2,000 hp

You’ll notice it’s a 20W-50, providing 50 percent more film thickness when compared to a 15W-40.* This, coupled with a boost in zinc, provides additional protection against higher cylinder pressures and wear. We built extra durability into this oil to outperform 15W-40 oils and other manufacturers’ 20W-50 oils.

Ultimately, you’re going to ask yourself this question: Should I run 20W50 DOMINATOR Competition Diesel Oil in my truck?If you care about the longevity of your engine while you compete, the answer is YES. Using a diesel oil capable of withstanding the intense stress these engines create is cheap insurance. This helps build the confidence you need to compete and gives you the protection you need to win!

*Compared to the 3.5cP HTHS limit for SAE 15W-40.

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The New SEVERE GEAR Easy-Pack

Written by Charleen
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The New SEVERE GEAR Easy-Pack

Enthusiasts pride themselves on finding their own solutions to tough problems. When there’s no manual, they roll up their sleeves and make it work. But even the most inventive gearhead inevitably throws down an oily rag and wonders why the process has to be so difficult. Changing gear lube is often one of those frustrating tasks.

Differentials Require Service

A clean, high-quality gear lube helps prevent the howls and whines that can occur from extended periods of metal-to-metal contact. It provides differentials and transmissions with crucial protection – particularly against the rigors of towing and hauling – and it should be changed on a schedule to protect your pickup. Unfortunately, changing this vital fluid doesn’t come without challenges.

Tight Squeeze

Removing the cover on your “pumpkin” and draining the fluid might not be difficult, but installing new fluid requires the ability to push liquid uphill. Unless the pickup is lifted, differentials are packed in high and tight. Reaching fill holes is difficult, and you cannot tip the bottles at an angle that allows the fluid to run into the differential with the help of gravity.

Troublesome Current Solutions

That’s why most gear lube is sold in conical plastic bottles. The idea is that you’ll be able to squeeze the gear lube from the bottle and force it into your diff. Unfortunately, those bottles are rigid and hard to squeeze. You cannot get all of the fluid out of the bottle, so you end up buying more than you truly need to get the job done. Pumps are an improvement, but even those can be leaky or require a third hand to operate without major spillage.

The Mess

No matter your method (pump or conical bottle), it seems impossible to service differentials without making a big mess.

The AMSOIL Solution

The new AMSOIL easy-pack eliminates all of the old obstacles.

Easily access hard-to-reach fill holes. The packaging is flexible. Just bend it until the nozzle is pointing where you need it to be and insert it into the fill hole.

Easily squeeze out entire contents. Empty the easy-pack into your differential with no waste and no mess.

AMSOIL Severe Gear 75W-90 and 75W-140 100% Synthetic Gear Lube (SVG, SVO) continue to provide the same great performance.

  • High film strength for high-load demands
  • Reduces friction and provides the ultimate protection against wear
  • Helps maintain efficiency
  • Well-suited for towing, hauling, racing, commercial use or other severe duty
  • Durable easy-pack makes the job cleaner and faster
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No Fear and Loathing at the Mint 400

Written by Charleen

No Fear and Loathing at the Mint 400

Lindsay Premo|

“In some circles, the Mint 400 is a far, far better thing than the Super Bowl, the Kentucky Derby and the Lower Oakland Roller Derby Finals all rolled into one. This race attracts a special breed…”  – Hunter S. Thompson

In 1971, author Hunter S. Thompson wrote his famous article “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” while covering the Mint 400 for Sports Illustrated. Thompson’s article was later adapted into a novel and then into a film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro, signifying the Mint 400’s relevance to American pop culture.

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The Mint 400 started in 1967 near Las Vegas as a public relations event to promote the Mint Hotel’s annual deer hunt. Race organizers sent two matching dune buggies 600 miles through the desert from the Mint Hotel to the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Calif. The event because famous overnight, with national television coverage drawing the attention of race fans across the country.

Some of the “special breeds” who have competed in this event include Al and Bobby Unser; Rick Mears; Mickey Thompson; actors Steve McQueen and Patrick Dempsey; and comedian Jay Leno.

AMSOIL racers to take to the desert

Coming off an impressive seventh-place finish at the King of the Hammers UTV race last month, two-time Mint 400 champion Bryce Menzies is looking to do it again in this year’s Trick Truck class. His fellow #TeamAMSOIL racer Brad Lovell is also looking to keep the momentum going following a second-place finish at last month’s King of the Hammers EMC. Lovell, who took second in the Vintage Open Class at last year’s Mint 400, will be competing in his first ever 6100 race.

Prior to racing on Friday, Lovell’s pit crew will participate in the Method Race Wheels Pit Crew Challenge along Fremont Street on Thursday evening.

Stop by the AMSOIL booth

AMSOIL will be located on Fremont Street throughout all the pre-race events. Be sure to stop by and pick up your exclusive Runs on Freedom™ bandana. Fill out our survey on Friday, March 8 for a chance to win the fender from Lovell’s new 6100 truck following the race.

On Thursday and Friday, Menzies’ UTV from King of the Hammers will be on display. Lovell’s Bronco will be displayed Thursday and his new 6100 on Friday. Both Menzies and Lovell will be in the booth Friday at 2 p.m. local time signing autographs for fans.

Buy two SEVERE GEAR® easy-packs, get one free

We’re also offering a special promotion as part of our Mint 400 partnership. Buy two AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR Synthetic Gear Lube easy-packs and get one free. It’s the same gear lube Menzies and Lovell trust in their race vehicles.

Find more information on the promotion here.

As always, tune into our social media channels for updates throughout the race. The week kicks off Wednesday, March 6 in Las Vegas. Check out the complete schedule of Mint 400 events here.

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We’ll see you at the races!

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