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Want the Best Diesel Oils for Your Vehicle?

Written by Charleen

Confused About Diesel Oil? We’ll help you

Joel Youngman|

Your diesel truck is a serious investment – don’t skimp on protection. AMSOIL manufactures the best diesel oils on the market, providing the ultimate protection for your hard-working diesel engine, preserving the horsepower you crave and keeping you on the road.

We engineer our synthetic diesel oils with the same passion and pride you put into your turbodiesel, providing protection you can depend on in the most severe operating conditions.

Do you want extra engine protection?

Excessive wear to diesel cylinder liners and rings leads to increased oil consumption and loss of compression, reducing horsepower and fuel economy.

AMSOIL delivers rock-solid wear protection you can rely on.

Do you tow or haul?

Operating at up to 150,000 rpm in temperatures that exceed 1,000°F (538ºC), a turbocharger on a stock engine can dish out a lot of punishment to your oil.

If it’s not formulated to take the beating, the oil can break down, creating deposits and wear.

For some, stock engines don’t provide enough power, but dropping a tune on your engine puts even more stress on both your turbo and your oil.

Here again, AMSOIL delivers.

When you push the Turbo in your diesel, we'll provide the extra protection.

Do you store your vehicles and equipment?

Intermittent use, prolonged storage, humidity and short drives can lead to the development of rust and corrosion, causing major damage to diesel engines.

Come of the better known diesel oils offer little rust protection if any.

Do you drive in hot temperatures?

AMSOIL synthetic diesel oils resist thermal (heat) breakdown better than conventional and competing synthetic diesel oils, effectively retaining their protective viscosities for added engine protection in extreme temperature conditions.

Check out the entire AMSOIL diesel Oil line

Do you drive in cold temperatures?

Unlike conventional oils, AMSOIL synthetic diesel oils contain no wax, staying fluid in sub-zero temperatures for easier starting, improved oil flow and reduced wear.

Signature Series 0W-40 has a broad viscosity range that offers 4X better cold-cranking ability than a 15W-40. Use the 0W-40 year round here in Sioux Falls  – no problem!

Find out how to keep diesel fuel from gelling in the cold.

Do you own a high-mileage vehicle?

AMSOIL synthetic diesel oils provide low rates of volatility (burn-off), reducing oil consumption during operation and passing less oil vapor into the combustion chamber.For example the Signature Series in 2017 and earlier Duramax engines per customer feedback yield a significant reduction in regens! The savings in fuel and agony is worth that alone.

Reduced oil consumption is especially important for the performance of your exhaust system.

lower oil consumption saves you in future diesel downtime and loss of fuel economy.

Signature Series Max-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil 15W-40

Buy AMSOIL Diesel in the online store

A top seller in the Sioux Falls 98th St Store.

 

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Signature Series: The Measure Of Performance

Written by Charleen

SIGNATURE SERIES: Brand comparison Testing – Viscosity

In the NOACK Volatility Test, Signature Series scored far below the API limit for evaporation and proved it remains where it’s needed most – protecting your engine.

Nearly 35 years ago AMSOIL became the first oil manufacturer in the United States to use the NOACK Volatility Test as a measure of motor oil excellence. Today, it’s the industry standard. Originally developed and used in Europe, the NOACK test was not commonly used for lubricants until AMSOIL Founder Al Amatuzio pioneered its use for automotive motor oils in 1985. Previously, a lubricant’s flash point was the primary way to approximate its volatility.

Oil Volatility: Feeling the Burn

Modern engines generate more heat than their predecessors. At elevated temperatures, the oil’s lighter-weight molecules can volatilize, or burn-off. The more volatile a lubricant is, the lower the temperature at which the lubricant will begin to evaporate. The more it evaporates, the less oil is left to protect the engine, and frequent top-offs are required. You may have owned an automobile that mysteriously “used” motor oil.

Volatility affects more than the rate of oil consumption. When light elements in oil evaporate, the oil’s viscosity increases. This thicker oil forces the engine to work harder and can result in numerous problems:

  • Reduced performance
  • Reduced fuel economy
  • Poor cold-temperature starting
  • Increased engine deposits
  • Out-of-balance oil formulation, potentially leading to reduced protection

Signature Series Limits Oil Consumption

Signature Series has a uniform molecular structure that limits evaporation and keeps it where it’s needed most – protecting your engine. It limits the volatility (burnoff) that occurs when oil gets hot, protecting against the harmful effects of oil thickening, additive imbalance, higher emissions and oil consumption. A lower NOACK number indicates better resistance to evaporation. Signature Series falls far below the API limit for volatility, reducing the need for frequent oil top-offs and limiting vehicle emissions.

 

NOACK Volatility Test

In the NOACK test, an oil sample is weighed and heated to 250°C (482°F) for one hour. Dry air is passed over the sample, carrying the oil vapors that have boiled off and depositing them in a beaker. The original sample is removed and re-weighed. Any reduction in weight is reported as a percentage loss of the original weight.

Signature Series Fights Viscosity Breakdown

AMSOIL fights viscosity breakdown better than the competition, providing superior protection of pistons, cams and bearings.

Signature Series Neutralizes Acids

AMSOIL Signature Series is fortified with a heavy treatment of detergent additive and it delivers 30% more acid neutralizing power than Mobil 1, and 36% more than Royal Purple, helping engines to stay cleaner, Longer. Also due to requests AMSOIL is comparing Schaeffer’s to these comparison tests.

WELL-BALANCED PROTECTION

Signature Series’ well-balanced formula delivers exceptional protection in all areas of motor oil performance.

Signature Series Fights Wear

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil provides 75 percent more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear than required by a leading industry standard, extending the life of vital components like pistons and cams. Based on independent testing in the ASTM D6891 test using 0W-20 as worst-case representation.

Signature Series Guards Turbos

Signature Series protects turbochargers 72% better than requiredC by the GM dexos1® Gen 2 specification. CBased on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 in the GM turbo coking test.

Signature Series Protects Against LSPI

AMSOIL synthetic motor oils achieved 100% protection against LSPI. Based on zero LSPI events in five consecutive tests of AMSOIL Signature Series, XL and OE 5W-30 Motor Oil in the LSPI engine test required by the GM dexos1 Gen 2 specification.

Signature Series Cleans

AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil has 50% more detergents to help keep oil passages clean and promote oil circulation. It provides 90% better protection against sludge. vs. AMSOIL OE Motor Oil 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 PLUS specification.

Sioux Falls customers can stop on in at Stan Houston’s Equipment company 2030 W 12th St.  for AMSOIL products locally. If you don’t see something please request it and we will get it stocked!

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What’s the Best Hearing Protection for the Gun Range?

Written by Charleen
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What’s the Best Hearing Protection for the Gun Range?

Mark Nyholm|

Summer weather is finally here, at least for us in the northern half of the U.S. and Canada. The longest day of the year, June 21 – the summer solstice – has come and gone. As someone pointed out to me, we’re on the backside of long days here in Sioux Falls and they are only getting shorter. “Kind of depressing,” I said.

This can only mean one thing: we are losing precious minutes at the range to sharpen our skills. Whether you are a single-projective guy/gal sharpening your skills beyond 300 yards or you’re deep into the trap or sporting clays season, get out there and take advantage of the long days.

What? Hearing protection?

One topic of scrutiny and personal opinion is hearing protection. If you don’t wear shooting hearing protection, shame on you. Ask anyone in his or her elder years about hearing. You may have to speak up or repeat yourself, like I have to with my father. He or she will tell you long-term abuse of your ears is no fun in your golden years.

Unfortunately, everyone you talk to about the “best” hearing protection will give you a personal “best” answer. That’s why there are so many options for hearing protection. Wade with me into the deep end of the pond and we’ll cut through the “insider-baseball” information and try to simplify.

It’s all about decibel reduction

The end game with shooting hearing protection is decibel reduction. The greater the decibel reduction, the better.

What’s the threshold for protection? According to OSHA, a conversation is about 60dB and the threshold for pain is about 140dB. Anyone exposed to 85dB for more than eight hours must wear hearing protection. Exposure to about 110dB for just one minute can cause permanent damage.

What is the decibel level of a firearm?

  • Probably 95 percent of firearms produce more than 140dB
  • Even a simple .22-caliber rifle is about 140dB
  • Big-bore firearms and shotguns can produce more than 175dB

What was the threshold of pain again? You got it – shooting a firearm without ear protection puts you in harm’s way.

Now that we know what our ears can take, what is the best way to help protect them?

When shopping for hearing protection, look for its Noise Reduction Rating (NRR).

Every product marketed to help protect your ears and reduce noise has this rating. The higher the number, the better. If the product doesn’t list the NRR, stay away from it. Most of the cheaper foam ear plugs offer decibel reduction in the low 20s to low 30s. That’s not bad for the cost.

But be careful – the NRR assumes the plug is seated completely in your ear. Ineffective seating is the largest issue with these plugs, and most people don’t use them properly.

Simple foam ear plugs are fine for inexpensively protecting your hearing (if used correctly). Quite frankly, though, I don’t understand spending $3,000 on a firearm and only $1 on a 10-pack of ear plugs. What costs more, good ear protection or the hearing aids you will be buying in your elder years?

Custom-fit ear plugs are better

If you are looking for the Cadillac of foam-insert ear protection, look for custom-fit ear plugs. They come with instructions to insert the provided material into your ear and wait. The material dries and forms to your ear. They provide their claimed NRR since they fit properly into your ear. Instead of about $0.25 a pair, they cost around $15 a pair. But that’s still cheap for what they do.

Noise-canceling ear muffs

Looking for the best hearing protection available? Noise-canceling ear muffs are about the best you can get. They come in a range of qualities and prices, from about $20 to more than $100.

They electronically measure and dull sound in fractions of a second. Many allow you to hear a normal conversation while wearing them. When the bang goes off, however, they immediately compensate to protect your ears. You’ll find many brands out there with lots of options. Like to listen to music while shooting? Many options have you covered.

Beware the bulk, though

Although noise-canceling ear muffs are likely the best and most convenient, they are also the most bulky. Many people don’t like all that bulk at the side of their head as they shoot at the range or on the sporting clays course.

I could continue go on. The reason this topic is so complicated is because every ear is shaped differently and everyone has his or her preference.

In the end, find something that combines comfortable with the highest NRR rating you can find. A brand I like has the slogan, “Protect it, or lose it.”  I couldn’t have said it better.

As always, happy shooting…and be careful, especially with those ears.

Get AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants for your Firearms

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New ATV/UTV Oil Change Kits Offer Maximum Convenience

Written by Charleen
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New ATV/UTV Oil Change Kits Offer Maximum Convenience

AMSOIL ATV/UTV Oil Change Kits combine everything needed to perform an oil change on the most popular models of Polaris* ATVs and UTVs in one convenient package, including…

To find the correct ATV/UTV Oil Change Kit for your machine, consult the appropriate Product Guide.

Look up My ATV

Look up My UTV

WHY YOU SHOULD UPGRADE YOUR ATV/UTV PROTECTION

Accessories equal weight. It’s common to burden your UTV or ATV with accessories designed to increase power or productivity, especially for UTV owners. Enthusiasts often add roof and door panels, a winch, a plow, skid plates and other accessories. Plus, how often do you haul a load of gravel or pull a trailer or other implement?

This all adds weight, and a good rule of thumb is that extra weight equals extra heat. Heat, in turn, causes lubricants to break down sooner, which places your engine and differentials at risk of wear.

Heat invites engine wear. The oil’s primary job is to form a protective layer on metal parts to keep them separated so they don’t rub together and wear out. High heat from the stress you place on your machine, however, can cause oils formulated for standard service to become thinner (lose viscosity). Oil that has lost viscosity can fail to develop an oil film of adequate thickness or strength to protect against wear.

Plus, high heat invites sludge and performance-robbing deposits inside the engine. Sludge can clog oil passages and starve the engine of oil, while deposits can cause the piston rings to stick or interfere with proper valve operation, leading to reduced engine compression.

Since compression equals power, over time your engine can make less power, limiting your ability to ride or work as effectively as possible. Eventually, deposits and sludge can wreck the engine completely.

Shift to better performance. The story is similar inside the transmission, differential and front drive. All the extra weight and stress of hard work and performance riding concentrates intense pressure on gears. The lubricant coats the gear teeth during operation, guarding against metal-to-metal contact and wear. The added stress, combined with high heat, can break the fluid film and literally squeeze the lubricant from between the gears, leading to wear. As with the motor oil, high heat causes the lubricant to thin, which negatively affects wear protection.

Upgrade to synthetic lubricants. So what’s the solution? Ride more conservatively? Haul lighter loads and work less?

Never. Upgrade to high-quality AMSOIL synthetic motor oil, differential and transmission fluid, front drive fluid and other lubricants, especially if you’ve modified your ATV or UTV for greater power or productivity. AMSOIL synthetic ATV/UTV lubricants don’t contain the impurities inherent to conventional lubricants, meaning they deliver better performance and last longer. Their naturally tough base oils resist extreme heat and maintain a strong protective film better than conventional products.

Think of synthetics as just another performance upgrade. You don’t think twice about dropping a few hundred dollars on a snowplow or work trailer. Over the course of your machine’s life, the few extra dollars you spend per oil change or transmission/differential service is a drop in the bucket by comparison.

*All trademarked names and images are the property of their respective owners and may be registered marks in some countries. No affiliation or endorsement claim, express or implied, is made by their use. All products advertised here are developed by AMSOIL for use in the applications shown.

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