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Save Every Drop of Horsepower with UPPER CYLINDER LUBRICANT

Written by Charleen

AMSOIL UPPER CYLINDER LUBRICANT:  I use it and it works!

Now on the market for about a year: AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant (UCL) is the latest addition to the gasoline additive lineup. It delivers more lubricity than the competition and battles ethanol-related corrosion.

Fuel Additive Product Overview

Upper cylinders are one of the toughest areas of an engine to lubricate due to the intense heat of combustion and the design of today’s vehicles. New AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant delivers a much-needed layer of protection to this trouble area to help fight piston-ring and cylinder wear, maximizing engine compression and horsepower. Its lubricity improvers aid in protecting fuel injectors and other fuel-system components from wear, helping ensure excellent performance and long life.

Plus, it really works. AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant delivers 18 percent more lubricity than Lucas* and 20 percent more than Sea Foam* for better retention of horsepower and fuel economy. ¹

Inhibits Corrosion

Upper Cylinder Lubricant uses potent corrosion inhibitors to coat metal surfaces, block out moisture and stop deterioration before it starts. This is particularly important when using gasoline that contains ethanol due to its propensity to attract water and hasten corrosion. Inhibiting corrosion maximizes component life and reduces wear in the engine’s top-end to guard against compression loss and maintain optimum power.

Keeps Injectors Clean

Upper Cylinder Lubricant contains detergent additives designed to maintain injector cleanliness. It’s designed to work in concert with AMSOIL P.i. Performance Improver (API) to maintain injector and combustion-chamber cleanliness, retain fuel-economy and performance gains and maximize component life.

Capless-Compatible Packaging

The AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant bottle is fully compatible with capless fuel systems. Many new vehicles have replaced traditional fuel caps with capless systems. The threads on most bottles restrict them from opening the flap inside the fuel neck and also make removing the bottle difficult. Our packaging makes it easy to insert, pour and remove the bottle.

 

¹ Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant, Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant and Sea Foam Motor Treatment obtained on 02/13/2019 using the ASTM D6079 modified for use with gasoline.

User Comments:

I’ve been using this for almost a year now.  In my Ford Focus which is the 2.0 non-turbo I can now use 10% ethanol and get over 40 MPG! I drive from Sioux Falls to Omaha and back often so I can see a difference. It seems the only logical reason this happens is the better lubricity in the head and cylinder ring area. There must be a good amount of friction there. And the parts of the lubricant perhaps seal the rings and valves better as well as the valve stem.

As soon as I get 1000 miles on my Corvair (new engine and heads) I’ll try this as there is even greater friction on horizontal cylinders. It seems to sort of work like lead once did.

If you are going on a long trip keep this in the tank for maximum efficiency. The upper cylinder areas need lubrication. Adding this to the fuel relieves more stress from the engine thus better long term efficiency.

The best way to buy is by the case reducing the price low enough to only cost pennies per tank of gasoline.  Thus we keep several cases in stock for your use.

Find out more about this newer AMSOIL product Upper Cyl Lube!

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DEEP CLEAN: P.I. GASOLINE ADDITIVE – More Miles Instantly

Written by Charleen

Deep Clean:

P.I. PERFORMANCE IMPROVER GASOLINE ADDITIVE

P.i. Performance Improver Gasoline Additive (API) now features a new label, formula and capless- compatible bottle. The popular deep-cleaning gasoline additive continues to restore your engine’s power and performance and increase fuel economy.

Maximum Fuel Economy

AMSOIL P.i. (Performance Improver)  is a potent gasoline performance improver featuring concentrated detergents that aggressively clean stubborn, power-robbing deposits from injectors, valves and combustion chambers. It reduces emissions and increases fuel economy up to 5.7 percent. P.i. cleans your entire fuel system in one tank of gasoline and restores engine power and performance.

It’s also our best selling non-motor oil product here in the Sioux Falls (Exit 73) store. Also find it at Stan Houston’s

AMSOIL did their research and worked with the additive suppliers to create this product – thus don’t waste your time with other on the shelf “injector cleaner(s)”. If you have that’s great too as you will have something to compare results.

Deposit Clean-up

GDI injectors are located inside the intense heat and pressure environment of the combustion chamber, making them particularly vulnerable to deposits. Even small amounts of deposits can lead to decreased power and fuel economy. P.i. features improved cleaning power to remove stubborn deposits and keep GDI injectors functioning as they should.

Going Capless

Many new vehicles have replaced traditional fuel caps with capless systems. While adding some convenience at the gas pump, the feature can make using fuel additive bottles a challenge. The threads on most bottles are easily hung up and make treating fuel and removing the bottle difficult. The new P.i. bottle is fully compatible with capless fuel systems.

Formulation Change? Yes. The basic P.i. formula and benefits are the same, but we’ve added to them with new chemistry to better target deposits in direct-injection engines.

New Stock Number? No

New Treat Rate? Yes. Treats up to 30 gallons. Add entire bottle to tank at fill-up.

Pricing Change? No

  • Restores power and performance
  • Reduces need for costly higher-octane fuel
  • Reduces noise from carbon rap and pre-ignition
  • Controls pre-ignition “knock”
  • Maintains the engine efficiency, fuel economy and power of new vehicles
  • Capless compatible

Knocking Out Pre-Ignition

Most cars have “knock” sensors that adjust spark timing to prevent knock. Although audible knock is controlled, power is lost from retarded timing. Higher octane fuels can be used to help prevent knock, an effect called “octane requirement increase.” As a vehicle ages, more-expensive, higher-octane fuel is needed to keep it operating at peak performance. By cleaning combustion chamber deposits, knock is controlled, power is restored and costly higher octane fuel is no longer necessary.

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Steps To Maintain Your Snowblower – Things to Know

Written by Charleen
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Never Overlook This When Maintaining Your Snowblower

John Baker|

Thanksgiving day, 2016. While my family was gathered in my dining room, imbibing spirits and making merry, I was in the shed disassembling the carburetor on my snowblower, reeking of petroleum as rivers of gasoline flowed under my jacket cuffs and saturated me to the elbows.

Here’s what happened, and here’s how to avoid it.

Snowblower maintenance can be distilled to this Golden Rule: Maintain your fuel system.

I’ll say it again: Maintain your fuel system.

A snowblower that won’t start is almost always due to a fuel problem. And nothing raises your blood pressure like a dead snowblower following the season’s first snowstorm. You know it! We always wait to the last minute on that first snow.

Preventing fuel-system problems starts in the spring prior to storage.

Leave the carburetor full of gas

This is where everything unraveled for me. One theory says that shutting off the fuel line and running the engine until the carburetor empties helps prevent varnish that plugs the jets and prevents starting.

Wrong, at least in my case. As I discovered, leaving the carburetor empty and exposed to air hastens oxidation and varnish. Fluctuating temperatures and humidity throughout the summer invite varnish, and it doesn’t take much to plug the tiny orifices in a carburetor. Then, it’s just a matter of time before you’re stinking of gasoline on Thanksgiving day while blasting carb cleaner on everything within reach.

Instead, add fuel stabilizer at the end of the season, run the engine for a few minutes to distribute the treated gas throughout the system, then shut down the engine. Now you can shut off the fuel line for the summer. The treated fuel in the carburetor bowl provides protection and helps keep components clean.

Some people claim you should run the carburetor empty since the gas will evaporate anyway. That may be true, but evaporation takes time, and the carburetor will at least be protected in the interim.

Stabilize the gas

As mentioned, treat gas with stabilizer prior to storage. Stabilized fuel protects against oxidation and varnish throughout the summer.

Use ethanol-free gas

When water infiltrates your gas tank in the form of melted snow, it can cause phase separation, a phenomenon that occurs when the bond between ethanol (present in most gasoline sold today) and gasoline breaks. When this ethanol/water mixture enters the combustion chamber, it creates a lean-burn situation that can damage your engine.

For best performance, use 91-octane, non-oxygenated (ethanol-free) gas. Many gas stations offer non-oxygenated gas and advertise it for powersports and off-road use. It’s a little more expensive, but spending a few extra dollars a winter to help your $1,000 dollar machine run strong isn’t a factor, in my opinion. At the very least, use ethanol-free gas during storage to help ward off phase separation.

Perhaps test your gas to see if it is really and truly ethanol free. I know many who say “I never use ethanol” and after testing the source gasoline it turned out to be laced with ethanol! Put your gas in a glass jar and see if you see it separate over time. Sometime you need to shake it up.

(Find out how to fight ethanol problems in small engines.)

If you use ethanol-blended gas, consider continuous use of a fuel additive, such as AMSOIL Quickshot, formulated to address ethanol-related performance issues.

Change The Oil in the Spring

Used oil contains acids that can slowly corrode metal components. Prior to storage, change the oil to remove acidic byproducts and ensure maximum protection throughout the summer. After changing oil, I like to run the engine for a couple minutes to distribute oil throughout the lower end of the engine.

Fog the engine

Use fogging oil to protect the upper end (cylinder, piston, valves) from corrosion during storage. Remove the spark plug, which provides the perfect time to inspect its condition, and spray a little oil into the cylinder. Slowly pull the starter cord a few times to distribute the oil, then replace the plug.

Check the gear housing – It can fail!

Clean any debris from around the filler port on the auger gear housing, remove the plug and ensure the gear lube level is up to the top. If not, add the correct lubricant (check your owner’s manual for viscosity).

Inspect belt condition and linkages

Stressing a worn belt after it’s sat idle for months is a recipe for a breakdown. When a belt does break, it’s often while clearing the first big snowfall of the year. Spring is the prime time to check the condition of drive belts and linkages. It’s much easier and far more comfortable to crawl around your snowblower on a mild, spring day than in the winter.

One final word of advice: Keep an eye on the weather at the start of winter. When the forecast calls for the first snowstorm of the season, start your snowblower a few days early to ensure it’s ready to go.

That gives you plenty of time if your snowblower won’t start – like about two hours on Thanksgiving day – to fix any problems.

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Help Revive a Lawn Mower (and other equipment) that Runs Rough

Written by Charleen
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Help Revive a Lawn Mower (and other equipment) that Runs Rough

John Baker|

Judging someone’s character can be boiled down to this key question: do they love going to the dump?

An affirmative answer indicates a visionary – one who sees a fashionably distressed dining set where others see a worn out table and chairs. One who sees the south wall of their new chicken coop where others see dusty old windows. One who sees his new (free) rolling shop stool where others see a ratty office chair.

Why drop $50 on a shop stool when you can get a sweet unit like this free at the dump?

So, while I salivate at adding a lawnmower, snowblower or other piece of equipment from the dump to my family fleet, I also burn with shame toward my fellow man for discarding something that might have been easily repaired.

There has to be a better way

One of the biggest reasons people junk their lawnmower, string trimmer, chainsaw or other equipment is because it starts hard and runs rough. A dirty carburetor is often to blame.

Over time, oxygen deteriorates the gasoline in the carb, leading to the formation of varnish and other deposits that stick the float, block the screens and plug the tiny fuel passages. The result? Fuel that doesn’t flow properly and an arm nearly ripped from its socket from fruitlessly yanking the starter cord.

Engine deposits are another problem

The combustion chamber grows intensely hot during operation. The heat breaks down motor oil, creating carbon that can lodge in the ring lands and cause the piston rings to stick. Stuck rings reduce engine compression, which makes starting more difficult and reduces engine power.

Gasoline byproducts can form deposits on the piston crown, which can lead to pre-ignition. That’s when a super-heated chunk of carbon ignites the fuel/air mixture before the spark plug fires, causing a shock wave in the cylinder that can lead to piston damage.

In two-stroke engines, deposits can block the exhaust port or spark arrestor screen, choking off airflow and leading to rough-running. If bad enough, the engine will quit running altogether.

String trimmer exhaust port plugged with carbon deposits, causing it to run poorly.

An effective way to prevent hard-starting, rough-running equipment is to treat gas with gasoline stabilizer prior to storage and to periodically clean the carburetor and combustion chamber with a good fuel additive. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself at the dump paying to dispose of your lawnmower, snowblower or other equipment while people like me lie in wait, rubbing our hands together with glee.

If your engine and carburetor are already dirty and causing grief, clean them with AMSOIL Power Foam. It’s a potent cleaning agent that…

  • Cleans deposits from ethanol and degraded fuel
  • Removes gum and varnish
  • Maximizes horsepower
  • Restores startability
  • Helps improve fuel economy
  • Reduces pollution

It will not damage seals, gaskets, rubber or plastic materials commonly used in gasoline engines.

I’ve tried it a few times on my lawn and garden equipment, and it’s pretty simple to use. Just run the engine to normal operating temperature, remove the air filter and spray Power Foam into the intake as fast as possible without stalling the engine. You may have to rev the engine to facilitate the process. Make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area because an impressive volume of smoke will emit from the exhaust.

Then, shut off the engine and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

While you’re waiting, Power Foam‘s potent formula attacks and loosens the built-up carbon and varnish, helping free stuck rings, clean the valves and piston crown, and remove varnish from the carburetor. If the engine is especially dirty, you may want to repeat the process.

Replace the air filter, start the engine and pat yourself on the back for helping prevent the addition of one more perfectly usable piece of equipment to the local dump.

It may be unfortunate for scavengers like me, but it’s great for your wallet.

And here’s another Sioux Falls secrete for you lawn care customers!! A frequent weedeater problem easy to repair.

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Solve ethanol issues before they arise

Written by Charleen
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Prevent Ethanol Issues Now

The fuel some love to hate isn’t the problem – letting gasoline sit too long is the real problem.

Len Groom | TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER

How did an alternative fuel made mostly from corn grown in the Midwest become a political lightning rod?

Whatever the reason, ethanol is always a controversial topic. Some love it, citing its ability to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while supporting American jobs. Some hate it, saying it reduces fuel economy and wastes farmland that could be used to grow food.

I’ll leave that debate to someone else. Instead, I want to talk about the effect ethanol can have on fuel-system components, especially in powersports and lawn & garden equipment – and what you can do to avoid those problems.

What is ethanol?

But first, some background info. Ethanol is an alcohol fuel derived from plant materials, such as corn, barley or wheat. It’s mixed with gasoline at different ratios to produce the fuel you buy at the pump. Most of us are familiar with E10, which is gasoline that contains up to 10 percent ethanol. Today, E15 is becoming more common. And owners of flex-fuel vehicles designed to run on increased concentrations of ethanol can opt for E85.

The upside of ethanol

Years ago, lead was added to gasoline to, among other things, boost octane rating and help prevent engine knock. It turned out lead poisoned catalytic converters and harmed the environment, so it was replaced by methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). However, MTBE was shown to damage the environment if leaked or spilled. Today, ethanol has replaced MTBE as a more environmentally friendly means of boosting octane.

Fuel-system problems

That brings us to a major knock on ethanol – it’s propensity to degrade rubber and plastic fuel hoses and carburetor components. Ethanol can cause gaskets and fuel lines to harden, crack and then leak. It can also cause aluminum and brass fuel-system components to corrode and develop a white, flaky residue that clogs fuel passages. Some marina personnel I’ve talked to say up to 65 percent of their repair orders are attributed to fuel-system problems.

PHASE SEPARATION

Ethanol isn’t to blame

While ethanol has become a popular scapegoat for mechanics, especially in the marine industry, it isn’t the enemy – time is the enemy. Why do ethanolrelated problems affect powersports and lawn & garden equipment more than your car or truck? Because your boat or lawnmower can sit idle for weeks or even months. During that time, the fuel can absorb moisture since ethanol has an affinity for water. That’s why ethanolrelated problems are so common in marine applications. Water can break the molecular bond between gasoline and ethanol, causing the water/ethanol mixture to separate from the gasoline and fall to the bottom of the tank. This is known as phase separation, and you can see an example of it in the image above.

Phase separation causes a couple problems. The engine can draw the ethanol/ water mixture into the carburetor or injectors, leading to a lean-burn situation that can increase heat and damage the engine. In addition, the gasoline left behind no longer offers adequate resistance to engine knock since the ethanol that provides the increased octane the engine needs has separated from the gasoline. Burning low-octane gas can cause damage due to engine knock, especially in two-stroke engines. Finally, if your boat, lawnmower or other piece of equipment sits unused, the water/ethanol mixture can slowly corrode aluminum and brass fuel-system components, not to mention rubber and plastic fuel lines and gaskets. Eventually those components fail and require replacement.

Driving your car or truck almost every day doesn’t allow enough time for phase separation to occur, which is why we don’t see these issues nearly as often in the passenger car/light-truck market.

Prevention is the best solution

Although some fuel additives on the market claim to reverse the effects of phase separation, there’s no way to reintegrate gasoline and ethanol once they’ve separated. Instead, it’s best to prevent it.

One solution is to use non-oxygenated, ethanol-free gas in your powersports and lawn & garden equipment. It costs a little more, but it eliminates problems associated with ethanol. Another solution is to treat every tank of fuel and container of gas with AMSOIL Quickshot®. It helps keep water molecules dispersed in the fuel to prevent phase separation. It also cleans varnish, gums and insoluble debris while stabilizing fuel during short-term storage.

It’s a great way to avoid ethanol-related problems and keep your equipment protected. There’s nothing controversial about that.

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