The Original Synthetic Motor Oil

Latest News and Information in the World of Lubrication

Reprinted from The Direct Line & The Action News

August-December 2006

Past issues of Auto Technology & Lubrication News

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Briefly

Hybrid Oil Change Tips

The procedure for changing the oil and filter on a hybrid vehicle is similar to performing the task on a conventional vehicle, but it is important to make sure the vehicle is truly switched off before beginning. To make sure the internal combustion engine stays off on Saturn, Ford, Honda and early Toyota hybrid models, remove the key from the ignition. For Toyotas with the Smart Key System, click the main power button until the entire dash goes dark. Honda and Toyota recommend replacing the drain plug gasket with every oil change in order to maximize oil pan thread life. Once an oil change is completed, start the internal combustion engine to fill the filter and check for leaks. Toyota and Ford hybrid internal combustion engines require selecting MAX A/C before restarting.

Strong Filter Market

According to The Freedonia Group, filter sales are expected to increase 3.2 percent a year through 2011 to $10.9 billion. Factors contributing to increased sales include greater aftermarket demand, increased market penetration of newer products such as cabin air filters and pending changes in environmental regulations, especially those seeking to improve air quality and reduce diesel engine emissions. Air filters are expected to enjoy the strongest growth, while the motor vehicle market will continue to account for the largest portion of filter demand. Due to pending regulatory changes, demand for filters in the diesel off-road market will also experience a strong increase.

Motorcycles and Fuel Economy

Motorcycles and scooters provide significant fuel economy benefits, but is that what drives customers to purchase them?

In this time of high gasoline prices, motorcycles present people with a fuel efficient alternative to the automobile, but are customers thinking about fuel efficiency when shopping for a new motorcycle? The recent J.D. Power and Associates Motorcycle Competitive Information Study offers mixed results, with one-third of survey respondents indicating that the fuel efficiency of a new motorcycle is not important, one-half saying it is somewhat important and about one-fifth indicating it is very important.

According to motorcycle manufacturers, customers ask about fuel economy more often these days, but it is still not their main focus. "When they ask us about our motorcycles, fuel economy is not their first question," said Gary Gray, product manager of Victory Motorcycles in Medina, Minn. "Usually it's 'what does it weigh, what's the engine displacement, what does it cost?' — then maybe they ask about the mileage."

Glenn Hansen, communications manager for American Suzuki Motor Corp. in Brea, Calif., agrees. "We certainly get asked about fuel economy at consumer shows and events, but it's not the first or only question they ask," says Hansen. "They talk about other features first. They ask about seat height and displacement and price and power, and then, 'Oh, how is the gas mileage?' Fuel economy is helping sales a little bit, but it doesn't seem to bring in new buyers. It inspires people to ride more and dust off that old bike in the garage."

Jerry Lenz, general manager of Beaverton Honda-Yamaha-Suzuki in Tigard, Ore., uses the fuel efficiency of motorcycles as a selling point. "When fuel prices go up, we push the issue so the customer can justify what he wants to do," he says. "The ones really concerned about fuel mileage are the mid-range scooter buyers, as they usually buy them for commuting. We also carry cars, and when gas prices cool off, interest in them also drops."

While a recent J.D. Power and Associates automobile survey indicates fuel efficiency is a very important issue for new car buyers, Gray believes the lack of a standardized test to determine motorcycle fuel efficiency has prevented it from becoming a priority for new motorcycle buyers.

"Americans don't typically need a motorcycle, they want a motorcycle," says Gray. "However, they might use the fuel mileage as the justification to their wife or husband. Our customer is more concerned about fuel range: how far can I go before I have to fill it again?

"Generation Y is more earth conscious than the Boomers or the Gen-Xers, but how do we communicate that since there is no standardized test? If the consumer wanted it, we as manufacturers would get together and come up with a standard."

"Fuel economy is not necessarily an easy item to use in print as a feature, as motorcycles have good fuel economy anyway," says Hansen. "There are factory tests for it, but you know how much fuel economy varies depending on throttle use and terrain. Getting usable numbers is not easy, or getting a test that's saleable and marketable. The same fuel economy testing and reporting as used in the automotive industry is not in place for the motorcycle industry."

According to David Hamer, owner of Palm Beach Motorcycles in Palm Beach, Fla., "one of the odd things is that most consumers have no idea of fuel economy when they purchase a bike. It's not like a car, where it's posted on the window.

"For the average consumer looking for a bike in the 600-750cc category, fuel economy never comes up during the conversation. When they want to buy watercraft, they want to know how many hours they can run it on a tank of gas, and for ATVs they want to know the fuel capacity. Where we see the most concern about fuel economy is with college students and the elderly who are buying scooters."

Several scooter manufacturers use fuel economy figures in their promotional materials. "We currently use the LA-4 EPA emissions fuel economy data in our 2007 model scooter marketing materials," said Kevin Foley, Yamaha Motor Corp. media relations manager for street motorcycles. "With our C3 scooter getting up to 116 mpg and our Vino 125 getting more than 89 mpg, we feel the data is an effective marketing tool."

On its website, Piaggio compares the fuel efficiency of its scooters to other vehicles. A Vespa scooter receives 72 miles per gallon, equating to a fuel cost of $390 per 12,000 miles traveled. A Toyota Prius, on the other hand, receives 55 mpg, equating to $511 in fuel costs for the same travel distance, while it costs $2,808 to drive the 10mpg Hummer 12,000 miles.

According to John Paolo Canton, public relations coordinator for Ducati North America, the importance of fuel economy to new motorcycle buyers often depends on what type of bike they are buying. "You have to break it down into types of bikes," he says. "With recreational sport bikes, the typical consumer only cares about what's got that extra bit of horsepower and handling. But someone in the market for a commuter bike will care much more about fuel mileage. Still, it's never a bad selling point."

AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil and 20W-50 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil and Formula 4-Stroke® Synthetic Scooter Oil provide motorcycles and scooters with maximum fuel economy, as well as superior protection and performance that keeps equipment operating at peak efficiency throughout the riding season.

Grant Earns Win in Mt. Morris

Team AMSOIL motocross Lites racer Josh Grant opened the 2007 AMA motocross season with a strong fourth place finish in Sacramento. Determined to finish on the podium the following weekend in Mt. Morris, he quickly grabbed the lead in the first moto and breezed his way to victory. In the second moto, Grant grabbed the holeshot and held the lead for two laps before giving way to Ben Townley. Grant battled hard for a third place finish that secured the overall victory. Teammates Jake Weimer and Billy Laninovich finished seventh and 17th respectively, while Kevin Windham finished sixth overall in the motocross class.

Briefly

Lubricant Value Growing Quicker than Volume

According to the Freedonia Group's World Lubricants study, world demand for lubricants will increase 2.3 percent per year to 41.8 million metric tons in 2010. However, the study also predicts lubricant value will increase quicker than volume. "Sometimes declining volume means that quality is increasing, meaning opportunities for suppliers of higher-value lubes," said Freedonia industry analyst Ken Furst. Environmental and cost-effectiveness reasons are contributing to a global trend of reducing lubricant consumption. "In North America and Western Europe, manufacturers looking to reduce costs are turning to longer-lasting or better-performing lubricants, which reduces the quantity consumed," said Furst. "Regulations – both environmental and performance related – are also driving down consumption."

Keep Oil Containers Clean

Kenny Blackwell, lube tech supervisor at Fluor Operational Maintenance, recommends flushing portable oil containers. "Even though we use only new oil in these containers, over time we have found debris in each of them," says Blackwell. "We filter our new oil straight out of the barrel but somehow these debris particles still show up in our top-up containers. So we implemented a top-up container flushing schedule to keep our contamination control at an optimum level. Once every 4 months, we clean and flush all our portable containers to ensure the debris does not reach the equipment in the plant. This drastically improves the cleanliness of the oils we put in our equipment."

AMSOIL Sponsors American Hot Rod Tulsarama Program

Legendary hot rod builder Boyd Coddington will use AMSOIL lubricants and filters exclusively in his mission to revive a buried 1957 Plymouth Belvedere.

On June 15, 1957, the city of Tulsa, Okla. buried a new gold and white 1957 Plymouth Belvedere Sport Coupe in a time capsule in downtown Tulsa as part of Golden Jubilee Week, a celebration of Oklahoma's 50th year of statehood. Before the car was buried, citizens were asked to guess the population of Tulsa in the year 2007 with the promise that whoever turned out to be closest would be awarded the car at Oklahoma's Centennial celebration in 2007. The entries were sealed and buried with the car inside the vault.

On June 15, 2007, the car will be unearthed and transferred to the Tulsa Convention Center as part of Oklahoma's Centennial celebration. On hand will be legendary hot rod builder Boyd Coddington, host of the hit TLC TV series American Hot Rod. Coddington and his crew will be responsible for getting the Belvedere running after spending 50 years buried in the underground vault. The process will be filmed for an episode of American Hot Rod, which will air numerous times on TLC.

AMSOIL is an official sponsor of this historic event. AMSOIL lubricants and filters will be used by Coddington and his crew as they work to get the Belvedere running, with AMSOIL product placement and banners visible throughout the program. Watch the Action News, Direct Line and www.amsoil.com for air dates of this exciting and historic program.

The hit TLC TV series American Hot Rod draws over one million viewers each week, where they watch Coddington and his crew design and build cuttingedge hot rods. Host Boyd Coddington has won the prestigious "America's Most Beautiful Roadster" Award a record seven times and the Daimler-Chrysler Design Excellence Award twice. He's enshrined in the SEMA Hall of Fame, the Grand National Roadster Show Hall of Fame, the National Rod & Custom Museum Hall of Fame, the Route 66 Wall of Fame, the Street Rod Marketing Alliance Hall of Fame, and he was voted "Man of the Year" in 1988 by Hot Rod Magazine.

Rinker Begins ChampBoat Title Defense

Team AMSOIL powerboat racer Terry Rinker swept the 2006 ChampBoat Series schedule, breaking the world record for consecutive victories and winning his third ChampBoat Series championship in four years. The 2007 ChampBoat season kicked off May 19-20 in Augusta, Ga., with Rinker earning a third place podium finish and teammate Randy Rinker finishing seventh.

Briefly

Prevent Seal Failure

While most oil delivery systems use pumps that work between 50 psi (2.3 bar) and 250 psi (17.2 bar), grease pumps must deliver pressure above 1500 psi (103 bar). According to “Lubrication for Industry,” an ordinary grease gun can deliver pressure up to 15,000 psi (1030 bar), while a bearing seal will usually not rate higher than 500 psi (35 bar). “Once the seal on the bearing is compromised, the bearing is well on its way to early failure. A compromised bearing seal encourages dirt ingestion and overlubrication due to its lack of ‘back pressure’ (this is especially true when greasing a bearing ‘blind’ from a remote zerk fitting). The secondary negative effects produced are extra consumption of grease and extra time required for cleanup of equipment with the overflowed grease, inviting dirt and contaminants to stick to it. Respect the power of a lowly manual grease gun. Maintenance Tip: Always ensure that the dispensing nozzle of the grease or oil gun is cleaned before use, and that the fitting it is attached to is also clean. This will safeguard against unnecessary introduction of dirt into the bearing.”

Buell to Introduce Off-Road Motorcycles

Within the next two years, Buell Motorcycle Co. plans to introduce offroad motorcycles designed for closedcourse competition. “Harley-Davidson and Buell are highly committed to broadening the range of products we offer and reaching out to new groups of customers,” said Buell President and Chief Operating Officer Jon Flickinger. “We’re always looking at new market opportunities, but this one is particularly exciting.”

Scooter Popularity on the Rise

A wide variety of consumers are drawn to the performance, efficiency and affordability of modern scooters.

Offering a combination of performance, efficiency and affordability, motorized scooters have quickly become one of the fastest growing segments in the transportation industry. Suzuki saw scooter sales increase 30 percent in 2006, despite spending the bulk of its national advertising budget on sports bikes, ATVs and other products.

While the stereotypical image of a scooter rider features a young college student cruising to class, today’s scooter market offers enough variety to catch the attention of a wide range of customers. In fact, two of the largest groups of scooter owners are commuters and leisure riders.

“An emerging group is those who use scooters as a way of commuting,” says Paolo Timoni, president and CEO of Piaggio Group Americas. “That group is about 50 percent of the market in our case and growing.”

The Suzuki Burgman line, featuring scooter models ranging from 400 to 650cc, offers a high performance option in the scooter market. According to Glenn Hansen, communications manager at American Suzuki Motor Corp., Suzuki’s typical scooter customers are older, experienced motorcycle riders who still enjoy riding, but have tired of moving their big, heavy motorcycles around.

Schwinn Motor Sports groups its scooter customers into three categories: college students, urban professionals and retirees. “The marketing focus comes down to scooter demographics, which are all over the place,” says Mo Moorman, Schwinn director of corporate communications and new business marketing.

Because many potential scooter buyers have questions about licensing, maintenance, parking and other scooter-related issues, Piaggio encourages its dealers to host education sessions with small groups of potential buyers. According to Piaggio research, these sessions double the chances a potential customer will purchase a scooter.

“People tend to associate scooters with motorcycles, and most people are a little afraid,” says Timoni. “Education classes and demo rides are very effective initiatives.”

Formula 4-Stroke® Synthetic Scooter Oil

AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke Synthetic Scooter Oil (ASO) is formulated specifically to meet the special needs of today’s hightech air- and water-cooled four-stroke motorized scooters, offering unsurpassed wear protection and friction reduction for longer equipment life and cooler operating temperatures. Its 10W-40 viscosity ensures consistent viscosity protection and provides additional protection for transmissions and gear boxes, while its friction modifier-free formulation ensures wet clutch compatibility and smooth clutch operation. A special anti-corrosion additive package provides long-term protection during periods of inactivity and storage.

Be Ready for the Summer Cruising Season

With winter in the books, it is time to uncover performance cars and get them ready for another summer cruising season. According to Modified Mustangs, a few basic maintenance tasks can help ensure cars stay on the road and out of the repair shop.

Tires

Use a tire pressure gauge to check the inflation pressure of the tires. Check the owner’s manual or the factory information decal on the driver’s side door for the proper tire pressure. The pressure listed on the side of the tire is the maximum allowed pressure for that tire. Remember to check the spare tire for proper pressure as well. According to Bridgestone Firestone North America, three out of four drivers wash their cars on a monthly basis, but only one out of seven checks tire pressure.

Visually inspect tires around the tread and sidewalls. If tread wear is uneven, an alignment is in order. Ensure at least one sixteenth of an inch of tread can be measured on the tires. Tire manufacturers include wear bars across the tread. If the top of the wear bar is even with the tread, it’s time for new tires. According to a Car Care Council study, improperly inflated tires were found on 20 percent of the vehicles it inspected, while 11 percent had tread worn to the point that the tires required immediate replacement.

Fluids

Top off windshield wiper fluid and check motor oil, automatic transmission fluid, brake fluid, clutch fluid, power steering fluid and coolant levels. Check coolant for quality, and change lubricants if necessary.

Battery

If the battery is old and not maintenance free, open the cell caps and check the water level. Use distilled water to top off. Clean the battery, especially if sulfate buildup is evident around the positive terminal. Finally, make sure the battery cables are tight.

Air Filter

The beginning of the summer cruising season is a good time to replace or clean the air filter.

Belts and Hoses

Inspect the serpentine belt with a flashlight or run a hand all the way around its path. Evidence of gouges, notches or fraying indicate it’s time to replace it. Check all coolant hoses for flakes or crust accumulation around the hose clamps. Make sure clamps are tight.

Windshield Wipers

Inspect the wiper blades. If a wiper delete kit is installed, keep the wiper blades and arms in the trunk and don’t forget the hex key.

Weatherstrips

Clean the weatherstrips around the doors. Dirt and grime grinds the rubber and increases wind noise.

Lights

Start the car and check the lights, including the license plate light. Ensure turn signals and brake lights work properly and go through the rest of the exterior lights to ensure they are functioning.

AMSOIL offers a full line of premium quality synthetic lubricants that provide vehicles of all makes and models superior protection and performance. AMSOIL also offers top-of-the-line aftermarket products, including TRICO wiper blades and NGK spark plugs and wires, allowing AMSOIL Dealers to offer a convenient, one-stop shopping experience to their customers.

Briefly

Ford Increases Recommended Oil Change Intervals

Ford Motor Company recently extended its recommended motor oil change interval from 5,000 to 7,500 miles under normal service conditions. The change applies to select 2007 models and all 2008 models. According to Ford fuels and lubricants engineering supervisor Pete Misangyi, Ford based its decision on the improved quality of engine oils and engines. “Severe duty was also upped to 5,000,” said Misangyi. “So that one went up from 3,000 as part of the same change.” Last year, Ford increased its recommended oil change interval for diesel engines operating under normal service from 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

Grease Gun Tip

According to Michael LoFald, predictive maintenance manager at Sappi Fine Paper, even top-of-the-line grease guns will stop working when air becomes entrapped at the head chamber. “There are several ways to remove this air,” says LoFald. “Some guns have a small button valve that allows the air to escape. Others have a small hole that becomes exposed when the head is loosened from the barrel about 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Work the lever of the gun when performing these procedures. You will be able to tell when the air has escaped because the resistance in the lever will change when grease enters the pumping chamber. Another method that sometimes works is by striking the plunger handle of the gun on a hard surface several times while holding the gun vertically with the head upward.”

Vehicles Lasting Longer

R.L. Polk & Co. reports the median age of passenger cars reached a record high in 2006.

Passenger vehicles have been lasting longer in recent years. In fact, according to a report from R.L. Polk & Co., the median age of passenger cars on the road was a record 9.2 years in 2006. The median age of trucks reached its highest level since 2000, with the median age of light trucks (GVW 1-3) reaching 6.8 years and the median age of all trucks (GVW 1-8) reaching 6.9 years.

“The median age of trucks continues to be lower than cars, due in part to the increased variety of light trucks and SUV’s available in the market over the last five years,” said Mike Gingell, vice president of Polk’s Aftermarket team. “However, the increase in median age for light trucks in 2006 suggests light truck owners are driving their vehicles longer before considering or switching to a car. We anticipate light trucks to continue making up a larger percentage of the vehicle population.”

Only five percent of all vehicles were scrapped in 2006, nearing the all-time low of 4.3 percent established the previous year. The scrappage rate was 4.9 percent for passenger cars, 5.2 percent for light trucks and 5.1 percent for all trucks.

“Despite the increase in the scrappage rate for 2006, the percentage of light vehicles in use that were 11 years of age and older increased one percentage point over last year to a new all-time high, representing 35.8 percent of the light vehicle population,” said Polk Aftermarket Solutions consultant Dave Goebel. “This is more evidence that vehicle engineering and durability continues to improve with each new model year.”

More Polk Reports

Another recent Polk report indicates that the top five vehicle makes accounted for over 55 percent of new vehicle registrations in 2006. Ford had the highest number of registrations with 2.5 million, followed by Chevrolet at 2.4 million, Toyota at 2.2 million, Honda at 1.3 million and Dodge at 1.1 million.

Hybrid vehicle models comprised 1.5 percent of new vehicle registrations in 2006. The 254,545 new hybrid registrations in 2006 represent a 28 percent increase over 2005.

The Differences Between Formula 4-Stroke® 10W-40 Synthetic Scooter Oil and 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil

With the introduction of new AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke® Synthetic Scooter Oil (ASO), many have asked if this product is the same as AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil (MCF). The answer is no, the two products are not the same. That answer, however, leads to other questions. For example, what is different between the two? Can they be interchanged? Why are two different oils needed anyway?

Though there are a great deal of similarities between scooter and motorcycle applications, there are also many differences. Some of those differences lie in the area of performance, while others are more market driven, such as cost and general consumer perception. In order to provide AMSOIL customers with the best possible product for any given application, all such factors must be considered. In this case, the end result is a separate product for scooter applications with another directed toward their motorcycle brethren.

From the standpoint of performance, the demands and requirements scooters place on engine oil are similar to those found in motorcycle applications, but differences do exist between the two in the level or degree of stress each application places on the oil. For example, the operating speeds of scooters tend to max out around 5-7,000 rpms. Café style motorcycles, on the other hand, can easily redline in the 12-14,000 rpm range. Also, though the state-of-tune of scooters is significantly higher than in the past, it pales in comparison to the horsepower per cc of displacement realized by today’s high powered motorcycles. Needless to say, in order to meet these differences most effectively, some differences in product formulation are required. That is not to say something has been left out of AMSOIL ASO. The formulation of this product, however, has been optimized to more closely match not only the performance levels demanded by scooters, but all other factors important to the application and market as well.

Another difference is in the area of longevity. Both ASO and MCF last longer in service than their competitive counterparts, but to what extent do the two vary? As mentioned, both products are built on a robust platform, a platform capable of providing exceptional durability by itself. MCF Motorcycle Oil is then fortified, however, to offer even greater life expectancy. That is the reason for the difference in the service intervals recommended for the two products. ASO is recommended to be changed at OEM maintenance intervals, and MCF is recommended for change intervals up to twice OEM maintenance intervals.

With these differences in performance requirements comes differences in manufacturing costs. This is important. While everyone wants maximum performance from the oil they use, scooter owners tend to be more concerned about price than their motorcycle counterparts. These differences in manufacturing costs allow AMSOIL to offer ASO at a lower price, making it extremely competitive in a cost conscious market.

Can the two products be interchanged? Yes, to some degree they can. MCF is more than suitable for use in scooter applications, but for the most part it may be considered overkill. It is unlikely that a scooter application will ever present the level of severity for which MCF was designed to handle. Hence, the issue of cost efficiency enters in. Keep in mind, however, that there is a contingent of owners with tricked out scooters looking for maximum performance regardless of cost. For that group, MCF is well worth consideration. On the other hand, ASO will perform satisfactorily in motorcycle applications. In fact, the level of performance and protection offered by ASO exceeds that found in conventional motorcycle oils. ASO, however, was not designed to offer the higher degree of safety margin AMSOIL believes is required by many high performance motorcycle applications. Also, from the standpoint of consumer perception, it is unlikely that an owner of a $20,000 crotch rocket would be inclined to use an oil that is directed toward scooter applications.

ASO may be the little brother of MCF, but don’t sell it short. This little brother is a real scrapper and more than capable of meeting even the most severe needs found in scooter applications. It is the perfect combination of performance and cost effectiveness.