Skip to main content

Should You Use Diesel Competition Oil?

Written by Charleen

Should You Use Diesel Competition Oil?

Mark Nyholm|

video
play-sharp-fill
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.

video
play-sharp-fill
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.

diesel, , , ,

How Engine Wear & Deposits Kill Horsepower

Written by Charleen

Common Engine Wear & Deposits Will Kill Horsepower

John Baker|

Most people equate engine wear and deposits with a sudden, catastrophic engine failure that leaves you stranded alongside the road. In reality, wear and deposits are more likely to erode engine power and efficiency over time. Here’s how it works and what you can do about it.

Engine compression = power

For your engine to produce maximum power, the combustion chamber must seal completely during the compression and combustion strokes. Wear and deposits can prevent the valves or piston rings from sealing, allowing pressurized gases to escape the combustion chamber and take potential engine power with them.

To illustrate, imagine using a hydraulic floor jack. Pumping the handle will raise the vehicle as long as the release valve is tightly seated and doesn’t leak. A poorly sealed release valve, however, allows pressure to escape, causing the vehicle to sink to the ground no matter how much you pump the jack handle.

The same principle applies inside your engine. If some of the pressure created during the compression and combustion strokes is lost due to valves and piston rings that don’t seal completely, the engine will create less power.

engine wear identified

Wear & deposits reduce compression

Over time, deposits or valve wear can prevent the valves from closing completely, interfering with a good seal. Wear can also interfere with proper valve operation, disrupting optimum fuel/air flow.

If the piston rings do not seal tightly against the cylinder wall, pressurized combustion gases can escape past the rings and enter the crankcase, taking potential power with it.

Worn or stuck piston rings produce the same effect. The rings are designed to move freely in their grooves and press tightly against the cylinder wall. They should form a seal that prevents fuel/air from escaping. Ring wear can interfere with formation of a tight seal. Likewise, deposit buildup can cause the rings to stick in their grooves, also preventing a good seal. As a result, some fuel/air escapes the combustion chamber during compression, reducing power. On the combustion stroke, pressurized gases can blow by the rings and travel down the cylinder wall and into the oil sump, taking potential power with them. This is what’s meant when someone says an engine has lost compression.

(Check out our 5 Ways to Boost Horsepower for Under $500)

AMSOIL Signature Series helps prevent the problem

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil provides…

  • 75 percent more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear*
  • 90% better protection against sludge **

Its outstanding performance helps prevent deposits and wear that rob engines of horsepower, helping preserve that like-new feeling you crave when driving.

FIND AMSOIL PRODUCTS FOR MY VEHICLE

*Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 0W-20, in ASTM D6891 as required by the API SN specification.

**Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 in the ASTM D6593 engine test for oil screen plugging as required by the API SN specification.

Maintenance, ,