New AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program

New AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program

The AMSOIL Preferred Customer Program has undergone significant improvements, offering additional benefits for members with no changes to membership fees.

Reduced Pricing

AMSOIL Preferred Customers continue paying wholesale price for AMSOIL products, a savings of up to 25 percent.

Shipping Promotions

Preferred Customers receive exclusive promotions for reduced shipping costs.

Product Promotions

Preferred Customers receive product-specific promotions.

Free Gear

Randomly selected Preferred Customers will occasionally receive free hats, shirts or other gear when they place an order.

P.C. Points

Preferred Customers now earn points on all purchases. Every 50 points earned is redeemable for $1 off a future order. Points do not expire unless the Preferred Customer allows his or her membership to expire. Points summaries can be checked in the Preferred Customer Zone.

Referral Rewards

Preferred Customers who refer friends and family members to the AMSOIL P.C. or Dealer Program receive 500 bonus points after the referred customer makes a purchase. Simply send friends and family to www.amsoil.com/friends to register. A sample email and social media message are available in the Preferred Customer Zone.

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Leading the Field in Deposit Protection

Leading the Field in Deposit Protection

Testing proves AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil provides more complete protection against damaging deposits than its competitors.

The push toward smaller, fuel-efficient yet powerful engines has driven the development of several key technologies. Gasoline direct injection (GDI) and turbochargers are now common features of passenger cars and light trucks. By 2020, industry experts predict that nearly every new vehicle will feature GDI technology, and the vast majority will be turbocharged. While these advanced technologies enhance performance, they also present serious challenges to motor oil.

The Turbocharger Trade-Off

Turbochargers push more air into the engine’s combustion chamber, providing better fuel-economy and performance but also creating intense engine temperatures. They often operate above 150,000 rpm on exhaust gases exceeding 1000°F. These extreme conditions cause some motor oils to break down and solidify into harmful deposits.

Vehicle manufacturers have long recommended different service intervals based on “normal” or “severe” driving conditions. Turbocharged vehicles are automatically included in the severe service category due to the extreme heat they generate. Motor oil with unique properties is required to combat the effects of intense temperatures.

Proof of Protection

AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil was tested against two competing brands to determine its level of protection against deposit formation in high-heat applications.

Test ResultsThe TEOST 33C test (ASTM D6335) is an industry-standard bench test that simulates turbocharger operating conditions. According to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), it is “designed to predict the high temperature deposit forming tendencies of an engine oil.” To meet the API SN Resource Conserving and ILSAC GF-5 motor oil specifications that are often recommended by vehicle manufacturers, a 5W-30 motor oil must limit total deposit formation to 30 mg or less.

AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil held the total weight of deposits to 7 mg, well under the 30 mg limit required by the API and ILSAC, while Royal Purple® API 5W-30 and Mobil1® Extended Performance 5W-30 came in just under the limit at 25.4 mg and 28.2 mg respectively. Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil protects against harmful deposits on turbochargers 4X better than Mobil1® Extended Performance and 3.6X better than Royal Purple® in industry-standard testing*.

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Engine Detuning Kills Performance: How to Protect Your Motorcycle

Engine Detuning Kills Performance: How to Protect Your Motorcycle

Some modern motorcycles are equipped with a knock sensor that adjusts timing to compensate for low-octane gasoline and eliminate engine knock. Unfortunately, when timing is adjusted, you may experience...

Rough idle

Lack of throttle response

Many bikers don’t even know this is occurring. Understanding engine knock, also known as detonation or pre-ignition, requires an understanding of octane, which is a standard measure of gasoline performance.

The three most common octane ratings include:

Anti-Knock Index (AKI)

Research Octane Number (RON)

Motor Octane Number (MON)

AKI is the rating most bikers are familiar with. It’s typically displayed on gas pumps as the average of the fuel’s RON and MON. RON, however, is the most common industry rating.

Engine knock can cause piston damage

Gasoline’s RON is generally a few numbers higher than the AKI posted on the gas pump (e.g. 87 octane fuel, or regular pump gas, has a RON of about 91-92). The higher the octane, the more compression the fuel can withstand before igniting. Low-octane gas is susceptible to uncontrolled and early ignition in the combustion chamber. It causes a knocking or pinging sound, robs the engine of power and, left unchecked, can cause catastrophic piston damage.

Engine knock may be eliminated by using a higher-octane fuel. Alternatively, you can use a fuel additive designed to raise the fuel’s octane number.

Boost Octane and maximize power and efficiency

AMSOIL Motorcycle Octane Boost increases octane up to three numbers, which eliminates knock or ping and maximizes power and efficiency.

Octane Boost

An easy solution for engine detuning

Motorcycle Octane Boost offers a low-cost solution to engine detuning and helps maximize bike power and performance. It offers the

added benefits of maintaining engine and fuel-system cleanliness, with active detergents that help prevent deposits for improved efficiency.

Octane BoostAMSOIL Octane Boost

Maximizes power and efficiency

Improves startup performance

Eliminates engine ping or knock

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New Synthetic DCT Fluid Rounds Out AMSOIL Transmission Fluid Family.

New Synthetic DCT Fluid Rounds Out AMSOIL Transmission Fluid Family.

The concept of two transmissions working in tandem within one vehicle dates back to the 1930s. The dual-clutch transmission (DCT) made its first practical appearance decades later in several 1980s-era race cars. In 2003, Volkswagen’s Golf* Mk4 R32 was the first production vehicle to feature the technology. Today the spectrum of vehicles with DCTs has widened, from the Hyundai Sonata* to the Nissan GT-R*.   

Automatic and Dual-Clutch Transmissions

Traditional automatic transmissions have a defined set of planetary gears that engage based on vehicle speed. The correct gear is selected as the vehicle accelerates and decelerates. DCTs are automatic transmissions based on the architecture of manual transmissions. They consist of two manual transmissions in the same housing.  Most rely on computer-controlled, wet multi-plate clutches and do not require torque converters. DCTs provide more efficient shifts than traditional automatics because as one clutch is engaged the other readies the next gear. Properly maintained and lubricated the system delivers smooth, split-second shifts, the perfect complement to a powerful, high-performance engine. 

While DCTs are capable of seamless shifts, they can suffer from shudder at low-speeds and during sustained acceleration. A transmission fluid that allows too much or too little friction can result in shudder, slipping or clashing. DCT fluid must also maintain the proper viscosity to provide protection during the high-heat operation native to high-performance sports sedans and super cars. 

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic DCT Fluid

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic DCT Fluid is specifically engineered for sophisticated dual-clutch transmissions. Its perfectly balanced frictional properties protect against shudder and clashing to consistently produce fast, smooth shifts. Synthetic DCT Fluid’s exceptional durability provides stability in stop-and-go traffic and excels under intense, high-heat conditions. It promotes stable synchronizer engagements, extending the life of the transmission.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic DCT Fluid (DCT)

Outstanding wear protection

Excellent performance in extreme heat and cold

Designed to prevent shudder

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Can I Use Diesel Oil in My Gas Engine?

Can I Use Diesel Oil in My Gas Engine?

Motorists may favor diesel motor oils over their gasoline counterparts for a few different reasons.

Diesel oil is perceived as more “heavy-duty” than gasoline oils

Some motorists desire a higher viscosity, and it may be easier to find a 5W-40 or 15W-40 diesel oil than gasoline oil

Diesel oil typically contains more robust detergency additives than gasoline oils

It is safe to use a diesel oil in your gasoline engine, provided the diesel oil meets the appropriate specifications and viscosity requirements of your engine. For example, if your gas engine calls for a motor oil that meets the API SN specification, you can safely use a diesel oil of the correct viscosity that meets the API SN spec. For the typical gasoline application, however, a diesel oil isn’t required and the more appropriate choice is a quality gasoline motor oil for both performance and value.

Pay attention to oil specifications

The American Petroleum Institute (API) publishes its “C” category of specification for diesel oil (currently CJ-4) and its “S” category for gasoline motor oil (currently SN). It’s common for today’s diesel engine oils to carry both the API CJ-4 and API SN specifications. Though they’re truly designed for diesel applications, they can be used in gasoline applications for motorists who want to use one oil in all applications. If the diesel oil carries both specs, the oil is safe to use in diesel and gasoline applications. If the diesel oil does not carry the “S” category, AMSOIL strongly recommends against using it in gasoline applications.

The correct oil formlation for the application

In the past, motorists may have been told diesel oils were tougher than passenger car oils for a number of reasons, including higher viscosity, improved corrosion protection, higher Total Base Number and more. Diesel oils are often thought to be formulated with special components not available in gasoline motor oils, such as more robust detergency additives to handle the soot inherent to diesel engines. In some motorists’ minds, diesel oils are still analogous to better protection.

While that may have been true in the past, modern oils are formulated for their intended applications. While both diesel and gasoline oils contain many of the same additives to guard against wear, corrosion, foaming and more, they also contain additives designed to manage the byproducts of combustion. Some of those byproducts change, depending on whether the engine runs on gasoline or diesel fuel. If your vehicle uses a gasoline engine, it’s best to use an oil that contains the correct additives to handle the byproducts of gasoline combustion. The same holds if you’re operating a diesel engine.

When to favor diesel oil over gasoline motor oil

If your gasoline engine is heavily modified to put out more horsepower, using a diesel oil can be beneficial. It’s likely modified engines will need a higher viscosity to withstand the increased stress. You can turn to diesel engine oils for those needs or you might want to consider a racing oil, depending on your engine modifications and lubrication requirements.

Many times the engine builder will help provide insight as to what success they have found. Outside of that, if you have a bone-stock gasoline-powered application it’s best to stick with a gasoline motor oil. They are designed for that type of application and have the components required to manage that engine.

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Can Your Motorcycle Survive Heat this Extreme?

Can Your Motorcycle Survive Heat this Extreme?

V-Twins Get Hot

Harley-Davidsons* and other bikes with big V-twin engines generate significant heat, especially in low-speed parades, in rally traffic or on long climbs on hot days. Motor oil plays a critical role in cooling these big air-cooled engines, and even more so in low-speed operation with limited wind generated to cool the bike. If the oil can’t withstand the heat, its ability to protect your bike is compromised.

Is your motorcycle protected against extreme heat?

Watch what happens when we push a 2012 Harley Davidson FXDB to 500ºF in our mechanical lab to see how AMSOIL synthetic lubricants protect against extreme heat.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil Protects in Extreme Heat

To demonstrate its extreme-heat protection qualities, AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil was subjected to a dynamometer test designed to simulate conditions even more extreme than the demanding stop-and-go driving conditions of a motorcycle rally or parade route.

A 2012 Harley-Davidson FXDB Dyna Street Bob* motorcycle equipped with AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil was subjected to a strenuous low-speed test cycle, with significant idle time broken by short bursts of engine revving and little to no air moving across the cylinders. Like most Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Dyna Street Bob features an air-cooled V-twin engine, which relies on cooling

fins arrayed along the cylinder walls to conduct heat away. To create the most-severe operating conditions possible, the electronic temperature controls, which safeguard the motorcycle when temperatures reach dangerous levels, were deactivated. The combination of low airflow and inoperative temperature controls allowed the test lab to subject the oil and engine components to intense heat not normally experienced in the real world. Cylinder temperatures reached more than 500°F, and oil temperatures exceeded 300°F – temperatures well into the range where oils begin to break down and often lead to catastrophic failure.

500°F is No Problem

The extreme temperatures were no match for AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil. After nearly 70 minutes of torturous testing and heat exposure, oil analysis revealed no change in oil viscosity and only minor levels of oxidation, TBN depletion and wear.

Dyno Test Results

Not only did AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil prevent the engine from overheating and seizing

during the extreme dyno test, it did so without losing chemical integrity or ability to protect vulnerable engine components. See full results here. Synthetic V-Twin Motorcycle Oil provides outstanding protection in even the most compromising and severe high-temperature riding and idling conditions, providing peace of mind that your air-cooled V-twin is protected even in low speeds on hot days.

AMSOIL formulates a full line of products for V-twins, including AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Transmission Fluid and AMSOIL Synthetic V-Twin Primary Fluid.

Your bike should never get this hot. If it does, AMSOIL has you covered.

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Ask AMSOIL: How Often Should Synthetic Motor Oil be Changed?

Ask AMSOIL: How Often Should Synthetic Motor Oil be Changed?

Most motorists now understand that synthetic motor oil performs better than conventional oil. It delivers improved wear protection, offers better engine cleanliness and lasts longer. Not as well understood, though, is how often you should change synthetic motor oil.

Not long ago, it was common to change conventional oil every 3,000 miles/3 months. The practice originated in the 1960s as a way to time oil changes with the seasons. The quick lube market picked up the idea as a way to keep traffic flowing, touting it as an “insurance policy” for your engine.

Improvements in motor oil performance and engine technology have since rendered that guideline outdated. The advent of electronic oil life monitors struck a first blow. GM introduced its system in 1988, and it’s now on tens of millions of vehicles. The state of California has aggressively campaigned against changing oil every 3,000 miles, calling it wasteful. The final stake in the heart of the 3,000-mile oil change came in 2011 when Jiffy Lube, the face of the quick lube industry, abandoned the practice, advising motorists to follow the guidelines in their vehicle’s owner’s manual.

If synthetic oil performs better, it should last even longer, correct?

The fact is, most oil manufacturers don’t recommend a service interval for their products. They generally advise you to follow the oil-change recommendation in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, likely due to most motorists’ unwillingness to go longer between oil changes than what’s recommended in their owner’s manual. 

Why spend more money on synthetic oil if it doesn’t last longer?

It’s a good idea for the following reasons:

Improved wear protection – Synthetic oils are more durable than conventional oils. They form a stronger protective film between metal components to shield against wear. AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil, for example, 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.

Better ProtectionBetter engine cleanliness – Synthetics’ improved resistance to heat and chemical breakdown helps guard against harmful engine deposits, so your engine remains cleaner, runs more efficiently and lasts longer. AMSOIL Signature Series scored 93 percent better for piston deposits than required to meet the latest API standard.*

Maximum extreme-temp protection – The average operating temperature of a passenger car/light truck engine has risen to 235ºF, and higher under heavy loads. Synthetic motor oils do a better job of withstanding extreme heat, while their improved fluidity in cold weather helps the oil reach components faster at startup for reliable wear protection.

Many vehicle manufacturers now require synthetic oil – Automakers understand synthetic oils help their vehicles deliver improved performance and last longer. That’s why newer Toyota, GM and European vehicles, among others, use synthetic motor oil.

Not only that, but some synthetic oils, such as AMSOIL extended-drain synthetic motor oils, protect so well you can go longer between oil changes if you choose. Many motorists want to follow the guidelines in their vehicle’s owner’s manual. But lots of them still choose AMSOIL products that are capable of extending drains because they simply want maximum protection for their vehicles or the comfort of reserve protection should maintenance be delayed. Others desire the convenience of a once-a-year or twice-a-year oil change.

For these motorists, AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil is guaranteed for 25,000 miles/12 months (15,000 miles/12 months in severe service). AMSOIL XL Synthetic Motor Oil is guaranteed for 10,000 miles/6 months, or longer where recommended by electronic oil life monitoring systems. They offer an outstanding combination of performance and value.

And, practicing extended drain intervals won’t void new vehicle warranties. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects you in these situations. Plus, the AMSOIL Limited Warranty provides an extra measure of confidence.

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