“AMSOIL Technical Service Bulletins”
Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) are publications designed to provide a wide range of technical information on a variety of topics. Topics may include information associated with AMSOIL Synthetic products, filters, applications, oil additives, equipment concerns, position statements or market trends to mention a few. They are provided in an effort to keep you informed and hence assist you in providing proper service to your accounts.
We are revamping this page currently – This page is divided into four sections. #1 Technical Service Bulletins, #2 AMSOIL Tech Tips, #3 AMSOIL Product Brochures and #4 Field Studies.
Technical Service Bulletins:
Tech Tips & Articles
Product Brochures
Field Studies
Diesel Fleet Fuel Economy in Stop-and-Go City Driving Conditions
AMSOIL P.i.: A study in Performance (Fuel Injector Additive)
Consumer Fear Factors:
API Licensing and Certification – Why AMSOIL chooses to not go through the process on all gasoline engine oils. Because once you are certified you can’t improve your formulation as technology becomes available outside of their window.. AND it is costly to make changes which benefit customers.
Bonus Section: Fuel Dilution Causes and Effect
Fuel dilution of motor oil can be very detrimental to an engine and its components. Under normal operation, the motor oil film is keeping metal surfaces and their asperities separated to prevent wear. All of the following can occur if fuel enters the crankcase and contaminates the motor oil:
- Reduced oil viscosity
- Disrupts the oil film strength causing metal asperities to contact each other promoting engine wear, particularly in the cylinder/ring area.
- Increases volatility (in very extreme cases it can lead to a crankcase explosion)
- Weakened lubricant detergency
- Accelerated lubricant oxidation
- Varnish formation
- Acid formation/corrosion
- Low oil pressure
The causes of fuel dilution can be the result of many things:
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- Leaking injectors Excessive idle time
- Incomplete combustion
- Cool engine operating conditions
- Frequent short trip driving
- Performance chips/engine modification
- Restricted air filter/bad air to fuel ratio
- Worn piston rings/excessive blow-by
- Incorrect choke settings
- Towing/lugging engine Fuel pump/over fueling Seals and gaskets
- Improper injector timing
Depending of the application and operating conditions, a cautionary limit of up to 2% fuel dilution may be allowed provided viscosity has not changed. However, it may be recommended to examine the engine and analyze operating conditions. Dilution ranging between 2.5% to 5.0% is considered excessive and requires immediate maintenance action. If fuel dilution problems occur, it is necessary to correct the root causes of the contamination. Oil analysis can provide an immediate answer to determine whether there is fuel dilution occurring in the engine. Contact your dealer for oil analysis service from AMSOIL.
Break-In of New and Rebuilt Engines
DESCRIPTION:
Regarding the use of AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils in brand new or rebuilt four stroke gasoline or diesel engines, it is recommended to operate the engine up to its first normal drain interval with a petroleum motor oil. There are a couple primary reasons for this recommendation: 1. New engines or engine components generate high wear metals to begin with and generally contain debris from machining and assembly. It is more beneficial to allow these wear metals to collect in an inexpensive motor oil than to circulate throughout the crankcase for extended periods in a synthetic motor oil. By operating the vehicle to its first drain interval with a petroleum oil, these wear metals and manufacturing debris collect in the oil and are then flushed out of the crankcase when drained. This allows for a much cleaner operating environment for the synthetic lubricant. 2. Within the first miles of operation, if there are any defects in the assembly or workmanship of the engine components, then they may be corrected before installing the more expensive synthetic motor oil. Occasionally, rebuilt engines may have re-machined components or materials which can sometimes be mismatched. These problems will develop in a fairly short period of time. If excessive oil consumption or any other problem is noted, this should be corrected prior to changing to AMSOIL Synthetic Oil.
RACING APPLICATIONS: For racing applications, a synthetic motor oil can be installed right away. These engines are frequently disassembled and rebuilt under more exacting conditions and require the improved wear protection of a synthetic motor oil. Extended drains are rare due to contaminants such as fuel dilution and dirt entry are common, therefore we would recommend oil analysis to determine serviceability of the lubricant.
TWO-CYCLE APPLICATIONS:
Breaking in of a new two-cycle engine, it should be noted that break-in is the wearing of the mating surfaces. AMSOIL recommends the use of our two-cycle oils during the break-in period, however, because our oils do a good job at preventing wear, the break-in process may take longer. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for mix ratios and equipment operation during break-in.
Engine Oil Consumption
Description: REASONS FOR MOTOR OIL CONSUMPTION provides explanations for using “too much” oil. It serves as a handy reference when the question of “abnormal” oil usage arises. It is interesting to note that the only two oil related problems contained are explained by “dirty oil” and by overfilling the crankcase. The balance of the problems are all mechanical in nature.
Before we review the reasons why oil consumption occurs, it should be noted that a degree of consumption should be anticipated in all engines. What is considered normal or acceptable, however, will vary from one engine or application to the next. For example, Ford Motor Company considers consumption as high as one quart of oil per 1,000 miles to be acceptable in a gasoline engine. For large diesel engines used in over the road trucking applications, many manufacturers are not concerned until consumption reaches one gallon of oil per 10,000 miles of operation.
Reasons:
This Service bulletin is to large for including here. There are 40 separate items listed with illustrations. Please open this PDF Version for your reading.Tech Talk
Synthetic lubricants excel in temperature extremes. Perhaps better known for their cold-temperature benefits, synthetics are equally beneficial in extreme heat.
Dan Peterson – Vice President, Technical Development
Summer is on its way, and thank goodness; this winter has really been hard on everything! Wildlife, water mains, heating budgets, people – and our vehicles – have all suffered through this winter. As of Feb. 11, 2014, Duluth, Minn. marked 23 consecutive days with a low temperature below zero. The last day a low temperature was zero or above was Jan. 19, with a low of 13°F.
We often think about synthetics’ low temperature properties – maintaining flow in sub-zero conditions to lubricate vital components and ensure startups on the coldest mornings – but with a hint of spring on the horizon it’s time to get ready for summer. One of the many benefits of synthetic motor oils is their excellent all-weather performance. What happens to lubricants during the dog days of summer in the desert Southwest where daytime temperatures routinely climb above 100°F? Driving a vehicle under these conditions stresses lubricants also, but in different ways than driving in subzero temperatures.
Hot operating conditions subject oils to stress that can result in sludge and varnish formation in your engine and transmission, resulting in major damage. There are a bunch of tests that can be run on used oil to help predict sludge and varnish formation, including oxidation, nitro-oxidation, viscosity increase and total base number (TBN) depletion. If you are not interested in becoming a usedoil analysis expert, make sure to pick lubricants proven to withstand the heat. One of the main differentiators of lubricants is how long they can effectively fight sludge and varnish formation. In the southern half of the United States, the chemical reactions that create sludge and varnish are accelerated with high temperatures. As a general rule, chemical reaction rates, including sludge and varnish formation, double with every 10°C (18°F) rise in temperature. So if you live in Phoenix, your vehicle lubricants better be designed to hold up to these accelerated reaction rates. It takes detailed knowledge of lubricant chemistry and field experience to get it right.
Keeping surfaces effectively separated to reduce friction is another concern down in Phoenix during the summer. Reducing friction will reduce the amount of heat that is generated, which will lower the operating temperature of the component. Anti-wear components help maintain this separation of surfaces, but lubricant thickness is the main mechanism.
When oil gets too thin, friction and heat are generated. Since lubricants generally thin as temperatures go up, they need to be designed to provide effective separation at the highest expected operating temperature. An oil’s base stock and formulation influence this property, called viscosity index (VI), which indicates the change in oil viscosity in relation to temperature. Oils with high viscosity indices have smaller changes in viscosity due to temperature changes than do oils with low viscosity indices; therefore, it is desirable for oils to have higher viscosity indices. As you might expect, synthetic motor oils have higher viscosity indices than conventional mineral-based oils do.
We also rely on engine oil to absorb heat from the contact surface area and transport it to a location where it can be safely dissipated (an oil cooler or sump). As oils age, they cannot carry away as much heat, so temperatures increase, accelerating the chemical reactions which result in sludge and varnish.
Hot summer temperatures were part of the challenge facing AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil and Signature Series Multi-Vehicle Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid during the 2011-12 Las Vegas Taxi Cab Field Study. Over the course of 18 months, test vehicles operated in the fleet’s service area of Las Vegas up to 24 consecutive hours daily, accumulating more than 7,000 hours of service. Like most taxi cabs, the vehicles operated in stop-and-go conditions where excessive idling is the norm, but they also faced the grueling summer temps of Vegas where daytime highs often exceed 100°F. Hour after hour, day after day, under such punishing conditions, AMSOIL lubricants proved up to the task. Engine and transmission components from the test vehicles were later examined and found to have minimal or no notable wear, even after practicing extended drain intervals.
Few of us operate our vehicles under such severe settings, but it is reassuring to know that AMSOIL synthetic motor oils provide outstanding wear protection and superior high-temperature performance in the harshest conditions. The next time you’re driving during one of those summer scorchers or battling stop and- go traffic, be assured that AMSOIL synthetic motor oil is working hard under the hood to keep your engine running cool.
Founder Al Amatuzio’s Comments on AMSOIL product comparisons MAY 1st 2005
The other day I was reviewing the April Action News and the new G-100 product catalog included in it. The products featured in this issue were our two new motorcycle oils. Anyone reading about these outstanding new oils couldn’t help be impressed by how they totally blew the competition away in head-to-head performance tests. Once again, AMSOIL outperforms the competition and puts test results that prove it right there for everyone to see.
It’s also interesting that the very bike manufacturer that said not to use synthetic motor oils in their engines now sells and recommends a synthetic motor oil with their label on it. They don’t make it, but they profit from it so now it’s OK to use. That’s very similar to how the other oil companies and automakers badmouthed synthetic motor oils until they began marketing their own synthetic oils. Are their oils as good as AMSOIL? Not when you look at the tests!
AMSOIL has a long history of making lubricants that are the very best. And the way we have shown they are the best is by testing them against the competition and publishing the results in our sales literature or right on the product labels. I don’t know of any other oil company that does this like we do. But then, I don’t know of any other oil company that makes products as good as we do, so they don’t really have as much to toot their horn about as we do.
A couple of the many tests we believe are important when comparing motor oils are the Four-Ball Wear Test and the NOACK Volatility Test. The Four-Ball measures wear protection and the NOACK measures the volatility of an oil.
Reducing engine wear is a major function of motor oil. The better the oil protects against friction and wear, the longer the engine will perform as it was designed to, delivering maximum power and economy much better and longer than an engine with excessive wear.
Look at the Four-Ball comparison graphs in the G-100 and on many other pieces of AMSOIL literature. There are no oils that protect better than AMSOIL. None. For all the advertising glitz and eyewash these other oil companies do to sell their oils, they really have nothing to brag about. Even a big name like Mobil 1 can’t compete with AMSOIL. Our Series 2000 0W-30 beats Mobil’s 5W-30 and every other oil we tested against, including some 10W30s (designed for turbochargers). When it comes to wear protection, Mobil SuperSyn 0W-30 isn’t even in the same league as AMSOIL 0W-30!
Why is the volatility of an oil so important? Because a highly volatile oil will evaporate, changing its viscosity and performance characteristics. What starts out as a 5W-30 can turn into a 10W-40 or heavier when the lighter ends of the oil cook off. This creates the potential for creating sludge in an engine and definitely increases emissions. An oil with low volatility performs better and longer than highly volatile oils, keeping an engine cleaner and operating at peak efficiency.
When you talk to your customers and prospects, show them these comparisons. While the major oil companies use gimmicks and glitzy TV commercial, AMSOIL spends its money producing superior lubricants. They come up with special “start up” oils, or oils that have “heat activated” wear protection additives. Sounds like a deodorant commercial I saw recently.
When it comes to start up protection, no oil protects better than AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils. And when the operating temperatures start climbing, you want an oil with the lowest volatility, period. That will be the oil that will continue to protect when the others start cooking.
I can’t imagine anyone who, given the facts, would choose any other motor oil than an AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oil. Giving people the facts is your job. That’s why we develop these superior oils. That’s why we test them against all others, and that’s why we publish the results. Because we want you to have the tools to help your customers decide.
It doesn’t do any good for us to provide all this information unless you use it to sell your products and build your business. You don’t have to exaggerate. You don’t have to embellish the facts. All the tests we publish are genuine. Like I’ve always said, “We couldn’t put it on the label if it wasn’t true!” That’s not marketing gibberish. It’s a fact.