Worldwide Reputation – AMSOIL President Column

From the President – AMSOIL HQ in Superior, WI

Last winter I was riding snowmobile with a group of friends in northern Wisconsin. We stopped for a break and another snowmobiler came in wearing a red AMSOIL Racing Jersey (G3537). I struck up a conversation with him and we talked about snowmobiles, riding and AMSOIL. I told him how AMSOIL sold that jersey for a while, but it had been unavailable for years. AMSOIL reintroduced the jersey after a popular contestant on China’s version of “America’s Got Talent” wore it on that show. Suddenly demand from China for that jersey skyrocketed. I never revealed who I was or how he basically had my name emblazoned on his chest. It was an interesting conversation and I was happy to hear an unfiltered opinion of my company and its products.

More Lucas and Sea Foam Comparison Testing

Reputation is important to me. It is earned, not given. It takes years to develop and almost nothing to destroy. Under the right circumstances, even untrue rumors can ruin solid reputations. Fortunately, AMSOIL has a rocksolid reputation, and we go above and beyond to keep it that way. For most customers, that starts with our products. AMSOIL products are the best in the world. I could not be more proud of that. We compete against the biggest companies in the world, and our products come out on top. Our products do what we say they’ll do. This month we’re introducing a new product, AMSOIL Upper Cylinder Lubricant. Once again, the competition isn’t up to par. In fact, Sea Foam,* one of the most recognized fuel-additive brands, and Lucas,* the leading seller of upper cylinder lubricant, are ineffective. They’re no good. And we’re going to show you the proof.

That’s no way to treat customers, and that’s no way to do business. It’s personal for me – it is my name on the bottle. I would not do anything to damage my reputation, and I respect your reputation. You represent AMSOIL in the field and it is your word that sells AMSOIL products. You can be confident that you are representing a company that has integrity. You can be proud to wear the AMSOIL logo every day. I know I am. Plus, you never know who will ask you about it or what type of business it could lead to. We introduced a completely new clothing line in the spring and we’ve got several new items coming out this fall, including the recently released snowmobile jacket.

Speaking of snowmobiling, if you haven’t visited your retail accounts that carry our snowmobile products, now is the time. If you live in the south or don’t have accounts that carry those products, the new Upper Cylinder Lubricant and the updated pricing information are also perfect reasons to pay your accounts a visit. We provided new printed price lists to every active commercial and retail account. A follow-up visit from you could be just what they need to spark that next order.

Steps To Maintain Your Snowblower – Things to Know

Never Overlook This When Maintaining Your Snowblower

John Baker|Nov 06, 2018 10:01 AM

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.

Tag: Winter