AMSOIL 2017 Year in Review (Part 1)

Jamie Jarvi|Dec 29, 2017 1:31 PM

Here at AMSOIL, 2017 delivered a whirlwind of activity from start to finish. From new and reformulated products that further solidified our status as the leader in synthetic lubricant technology, to the loss of our beloved founder Al Amatuzio, it’s been a year of highs and lows unlike any other in our history.

Let’s take a look back at where we’ve been as we enter into 2018 with big things on the horizon. Special thanks to my fellow blogger Lindsay Premo for helping track down all this information.

January:

We launched reformulated Heavy-Duty Metal Protector, protecting scores of vehicles and equipment from the effects of rust and corrosion.

February:

We revamped our diesel line of synthetic motor oils to exceed new API CK-4 requirements. Signature Series Max-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil represents the top tier of AMSOIL protection, while AMSOIL Heavy-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil provides diesel owners with an upgrade over other synthetic and conventional oils.

We took a little trip out west to Hammertown for the King of the Hammers. Team AMSOIL racers Brad and Roger Lovell once again dominated the Smittybilt Every Man Challenge, taking first place for the second year in a row.

March:

AMSOIL 20W-50 Zero-Turn Synthetic Hydrostatic Transmission Fluid and AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Small-Engine Oil are introduced, rounding out the commercial-grade product line.

March saw the multi-year reign of Tucker Hibbert fall as Kody Kamm sailed to an overall season victory in the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series. With the new rule change for the 2017-18 season that bans engine modifications, will Kamm be able to repeat? We’re getting close to finding out.

April:

AMSOIL Founder and Chairman of the Board Albert J. Amatuzio passed peacefully in Duluth, Minn., surrounded by family. The industry mourned the loss of a true visionary who launched an entire synthetic oil revolution that forever changed the automotive world. He changed the lives of countless people. Read some of their stories here.

The 2017 Spring Carlisle event took place, bringing out the masses for one of the largest car shows and swap meets in the nation. AMSOIL is the Official Oil of the Carlisle Events series, which holds several events throughout the year focused on specific auto enthusiast groups.

We launched new and reformulated brake products to better meet the needs of modern brake-system maintenance and operation. New AMSOIL DOT 3&4 Synthetic Brake Fluid, AMSOIL Dominator DOT 4 Synthetic Racing Brake Fluid and AMSOIL Brake & Parts Cleaner join the product family.

The second-annual Ultimate Callout Challenge brought out the big guns in the diesel performance industry, drawing together top diesel builders in Indianapolis for a dyno shoot-out, sled-pull and drag race. Heavyweight Lavon Miller took the title in 2017 and is likely the one to watch in 2018. You may remember him from his days of holding court in the Diesel Power Challenge.

May:

AMSOIL 15W-60 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil hit the market, giving Victory and Indian Scout owners a premium alternative to higher priced manufacturer-branded oils. This long-sought-after product hit the masses just in time for Laconia Bike Week, proudly presented by AMSOIL.

Cruisin’ Ocean City took over the Ocean City, Md., boardwalk over Memorial Day weekend with more than 3,500 registered vehicles and scores of spectators. As the Official Oil of this event, we had the honor of awarding a six-foot trophy to the 2017 Best of Show winner. Check out the full story and pics here.

June:

AMSOIL hosts the AMSOIL Northland Law Enforcement K-9 Foundation event at the AMSOIL Center in Superior, Wis. Community members gathered on the AMSOIL grounds for a live demonstration and up-close look at the law enforcement vehicles and equipment that keep us safe. Founded in 2013 by Al Amatuzio due to his love for our canine friends, the Northland K-9 Foundation was established to create a fund for local law enforcement to build and expand highly skilled K-9 units. Learn more about this worthy cause here.

In June we saw the new and improved TORC: The Off-Road Championship kick off in the Midwest with a total revamp of the series. The growth of the Pro 2wd class, new racers in Pro 4×4 and the continuation of the UTV class made for a more exciting race season. 2018 is sure to be even better.

The 2017 Diesel Power Challenge commences, bringing together the nation’s top diesel builders for a head-to-head competition involving dyno testing, drag runs, a fuel economy challenge and more. 2016 champ Charlie Keeter defended his title, earning himself another giant trophy for his collection and a check for $1,500 along with a $500 shopping spree from AMSOIL.

Whew. These are only a few highlights in the first half of the year, and there’s plenty more we can cover. We will do just that in Part II of the AMSOIL Year in Review coming up next, so stay tuned.

Should I Switch to a Lighter Viscosity Oil in Winter?

Generally with todays vehicles it’s not an issue but you should check the particular recommendations in the owners manual

John Baker | Oct 08, 2018 11:51 AM

Motorists sometimes ask if they should use a lighter viscosity of motor oil once winter arrives.

Yes – provided your vehicle manufacturer allows it.

Run out to your vehicle and fish the owner’s manual from the glove box. Or open a digital copy on your phone.

Somewhere in the back you should find the motor oil recommendations. Many vehicles, particularly domestic, call for a lone viscosity of motor oil. It’s likely 5W-20 or 5W-30. That’s what you’re supposed to use all the time. Doesn’t matter if it’s -20ºF (-29ºC) or 100ºF (38ºC) outside. The engine was designed and manufactured to operate most efficiently using that particular viscosity of motor oil.

But some vehicle manufacturers – often foreign – recommend different motor oil viscosities depending on ambient temperature. You may find a chart in the owner’s manual like the one below that shows which viscosity you can use depending on the temperature. The manufacturer typically recommends a lighter viscosity when the temperature drops during the winter.

Your vehicle owner’s manual may contain a viscosity chart like this one.

In this case, we recommend using the lightest recommended viscosity during the winter.

Why?

Two reasons:

Maximum wear protection at startup
Easier cold starts

To understand, you have to understand motor oil viscosity. If you’ve navigated to this page after a Google search, you probably know something about viscosity already. But a little refresher can’t hurt. (Check out this post for a detailed explanation of viscosity.)

Viscosity refers to the oil’s resistance to flow and is its most important property. The lower the oil’s viscosity, the more readily it flows at cold winter temperatures. Of course, the opposite is true – the higher the oil’s viscosity, the more slowly it flows when cold. That means an 0W-20 oil will flow better when it’s cold than a 10W-30.

Dub-ya

Which brings me to my next important point.

The oil’s “W” viscosity describes its characteristics when it’s cold. And by “cold” we mean 40ºC (104ºF). The second number (e.g. the “30” in “5W-30”) describes the oil’s characteristics once your engine reaches normal operating temperature, or 100ºC (212ºF).

Engineers agree that most engine wear occurs at startup. One reason is because gravity pulls much of the oil into the sump as the vehicle sits overnight.

When you start the vehicle the next morning – even if it’s not that cold outside – a few critical moments pass before the motor oil travels through the oil pump and navigates the narrow oil passages to reach components throughout the engine. It’s during those moments that accelerated wear can take place.

As such, it’s beneficial to use an oil that flows readily at startup to reach engine components as quickly as possible.

Since lower-viscosity oils flow more readily, they provide better cold-weather startup protection compared to higher-viscosity oils.

On a side topic with AMSOIL if your vehicle calls for 5W-20 or 0W-20 both can be seen as interchangeable with the superior synthetic base oils used. Neither one make a cotton picken bit of difference unless we are at -45 all week, then the 0W-20 may be a little better.

From South Dakota to Texas many of our

Crank it up

Lower-viscosity oils also provide less crankshaft resistance as the engine turns over. When the temperature plummets below zero, the motor oil can thicken so much that it prevents the crankshaft from spinning fast enough to start the engine. This is particularly a problem with conventional oils since they contain waxes that thicken in the cold. Synthetic motor oil, in contrast, doesn’t contain waxes and, therefore, provides easier cold starts.

Check out the video to see for yourself.

Along the same lines, oil that provides less resistance to moving engine parts also maximizes fuel economy. That’s the primary reason automakers are trending toward lighter viscosity oils in their new vehicles.

A word of caution…

It’s important to note that using a higher-viscosity oil does have its benefits, too. Higher viscosity oils tend to provide improved wear protection since they promote formation of a thicker fluid film on engine parts. They’re also more resilient to oil consumption than lighter viscosities.

Bottom Line: Switch to the lightest viscosity oil your vehicle manufacturer recommends in the winter. Doing so maximizes wear protection at startup while improving cold-weather starts.

Tag: diesel