May 2011 - Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubes and Filters

Traxxass and Hot Wheels® Join Forces

TRAXXAS AND HOT WHEELS® EXTEND AMSOIL MARKETING BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL RACE TRACK

AMSOIL R/C Off-Road Trucks
The successes of AMSOIL Super Team TORC Series drivers Scott Douglas and Mike Oberg provide invaluable exposure for AMSOIL on the track, but their popularity has also translated into valuable exposure off the traditional off-road track. Traxxas offers fans of all ages the chance to drive their own Scott Douglas/ Mike Oberg Edition radio-controlled (R/C) off-road racing trucks. The trucks are available in five different models, all complete with officially licensed AMSOIL Scott Douglas and Mike Oberg bodywork: the 1:10 scale electronicpowered 2WD Slash, 2WD Slash VXL and 4×4 Slash VXL; the 1:16 scale electronic-powered 4×4 Slash VXL and the fuel-burning two-stroke Slayer Pro 4×4.

Outfitted with technology straight from the world of off-road competition, all five trucks provide authentic handling dynamics that allow them to behave just like their full-size counterparts. The Slash VXL models are powered by state-of-the-art Velineon brushless electric motors, while the Slayer Pro 4×4 model features the high-revving twostroke TRX 3.3 racing engine. Outfitted with 2.4 GHz radio systems, top speeds range from 30 to 50+ mph.

The trucks can be seen in R/C competitions throughout the TORC season as Traxxas provides a full R/C racing program at every stop of the TORC Series, complete with professional announcing, electronic lap counting and national-caliber racetracks. AMSOIL Scott Douglas/Mike Oberg R/C trucks are available at hobby stores across the nation (a store locator is available at traxxas.com), or they may be purchased directly from Traxxas at buytraxxas.com. Traxxas customer support is available at 888-TRAXXAS.

AMSOIL Shock Therapy R/C and Hot Wheels® Monster Trucks
The AMSOIL Shock Therapy monster truck and driver Jon Zimmer provide valuable brand exposure at monster truck shows across the nation, and now fans can pick up both R/C and Hot Wheels replicas of their favorite truck.

The 1:10 scale solid-axle Shock Therapy R/C monster truck was developed by Crawford Performance Engineering and is built to almost exactly replicate the actual Shock Therapy truck, featuring front and rear steering, four link bars and aluminum chassis and parts. Also available in a smaller Sumo version, AMSOIL Shock Therapy R/C monster trucks are available at RedCat Racing R/C dealers, redcatracing.com, suddenimpact. com and several other online stores. AMSOIL Shock Therapy R/C truck wraps are also available through Sudden Impact, allowing fans to convert any R/C vehicle into an AMSOIL Shock Therapy monster truck.

AMSOIL Shock Therapy Hot Wheels vehicles are currently available at many stores that carry Mattel Hot Wheels products, including Target, K-Mart and Wal-Mart. The trucks are available in the standard 1:64 scale and several other sizes.

Amsoil Unviels New Racing Website

AMSOIL Racing has a new home on the World Wide Web. Debuting in March, www.amsoilracing.com is a sleek website dedicated to everything related to AMSOIL racing and promotional events. The new website layout provides easy navigation and features up-to-the-minute racing news, while allowing the company to provide a vast selection of exciting videos.

Each corporately sponsored AMSOIL racer, including supercross/motocross, off-road, powerboat and snocross, is provided a place in the spotlight. Simply click the “Racers” link on the top of the page to reveal pictures and links for each AMSOIL racer. Select a link to see a bio and highlight video featuring the racer.

AMSOIL-sponsored series and events are categorized in a similar fashion. Click the “Series” link for access to pages dedicated to AMSOIL-sponsored series such as the AMSOIL Championship Snocross Series, Traxxas Off-Road Championship presented by AMSOIL and Monster Energy Supercross. Click “Events” for access to AMSOILsponsored events such as the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge and AMSOIL Great American Circle Track Tour.

The AMSOIL Racing and Events blogs have a new home at www.amsoilracing.com. Simply click the “Blogs” link on the top of the page to keep up with the latest AMSOIL racing news and promotional events. Click the “Media” link for access to a full library of exciting AMSOIL racing and promotional videos.

Located under the “More News” section, a new feature is the addition of six weekly columns. The “Inside Line” column provides an insider’s view to AMSOIL racing by digging beneath the surface to reveal storylines not covered in the main press releases; the “Off Track” column takes a look at AMSOIL racing activities away from the track; the “Products the Pros Use” column spotlights the premium AMSOIL products AMSOIL racers use for a winning edge; the “Race Prep” column highlights an upcoming AMSOIL event; the “Pro Pro?? le” column takes a closer look at the lives and careers of AMSOIL racers and the “As Seen On” column discusses AMSOIL coverage in the media.

The new racing website provides easy access to the latest AMSOIL racing schedules. Check out the “Upcoming Events” section for the latest live racing and television schedules for AMSOIL-sponsored racers, series and events.

As with the previous AMSOIL racing pages on www.amsoil.com, the new website at www.amsoilracing.com allows AMSOIL Dealers to provide racing links on their own websites that are embedded with their Z.O. numbers, allowing them to receive credit for sales once visitors check into the AMSOIL Online Store.

To link a Dealer website to the new racing website, simply use the same basic linking syntax used to send visitors to the AMSOIL website: www.amsoilracing.com?zo=xxxxxx (replace xxxxxx with ZO#). The racing website will track visitors for a set number of days, and if they choose to follow a product link back to www.amsoil.com, the referring Dealer will receive credit for any sales.

MARIANNE’S JETTA: AMSOIL KEPT IT GOING

AMSOIL-POWERED JETTA — Marianne
Aitchison stands beside her 1985 Jetta
that kept going for nearly 20 years
on AMSOIL products.

Dealer Geoffrey Aitchison of New Tecumseth, Ontario, Canada passed his 1985 Jetta Turbo Diesel to his daughter, Marianne, when she graduated from high school. Aitchison became a Dealer in 1982, so he installed AMSOIL products in the Jetta when he first bought it.

When Marianne took over the vehicle, it had 565,000 kilometers (more than 350,000 miles) on it. “She drove it to school, on trips and to her job,” he said. She married, had four children and made several trips to Florida in the Jetta. The odometer finally quit at 921,000 kilometers (about 572,000 miles). The car was driven for another two years, and Aitchison believes it surpassed 1,000,000 kilometers. In 2004, the car was sold for parts because the sunroof “had become a sieve and the electrical system went to shambles,” Aitchison said. “However, the engine still started and ran perfectly.”

Aitchison updated AMSOIL products in the vehicle as they became available. Initially, he installed AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel & Marine Oil (AME) in the engine and 75W-90 gear lube in the transmission. He changed to AMSOIL 75W-90 Long Life Synthetic Gear Lube (FGR) when it became available. The oil filter was an ASF-15, changed twice a year, along with an old-style canister by-pass system. An AMSOIL wet-type air filter was fitted. Diesel Modifier was used continuously, along with Cetane Boost (ACB) when it became available. The old by-pass system was changed to a BF-90 when it became available. Throughout its lifetime, the car had approximately 20 oil changes.

“AMSOIL is incredible, and even after being a Dealer for almost 29 years, the products still amaze me,” Aitchison said.

2000 EXPLORER TOPS 570,000 MILES WITH AMSOIL PRODUCTS

GOING STRONG — Dealer Russell Sanderlin Sr. at home with his high-mileage
2000 Ford Explorer that uses AMSOIL products bumper-to-bumper.

Dealer Russell Sanderlin Sr. of Orlando, Fla. attributes the high mileage on his 2000 Ford Explorer to the performance qualities of AMSOIL products. In fact, the truck turned over to 570,000 miles in March 2011. He typically travels about 65,000 miles a year.

Sanderlin has had nothing but success with AMSOIL products. “I got my Explorer new and have used AMSOIL from day one,” he said. In 2000, he started with AMSOIL Synthetic 10W-30 in the crankcase, then switched to Signature Series 0W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil (SSO).

A rear main seal went bad and leaks some oil. “So, I now use the AMSOIL SAE 60 Racing Oil (AHR) with the AMSOIL Absolute Efficiency Oil Filter (EAO15), and they work great,” Sanderlin said. “I am still maintaining the same efficiency, exceeding the 21 MPG highway as shown on the new sales sticker. I had the oil pan gasket replaced at 500,000 miles. My mechanic was amazed the engine was so clean and sludge-free. He says he has customers who use petroleum oil that they change every 3,000 miles that still show sludge deposits.”

Sanderlin uses AMSOIL Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) in the transmission and power steering. “They both operate like new and are repair-free,” he said.

In the differential, he uses AMSOIL Synthetic 75W-90 Long Life Gear Oil (FGR). “I just had the fluid replaced in the differential after 500,000 miles, and my mechanic could not believe there was zero play, as if the differential had been assembled by the manufacturer the day before,” Sanderlin said.

Sanderlin also uses AMSOIL Synthetic DOT-3 Brake Fluid.

DEALERS BENEFIT AS AMSOIL ENHANCES MEDIA VISIBILITY

Street Rodder Editorial Director Brian Brennan (left) examines a
bottle of Dominator® Coolant Boost at MPMC 2011. The annual
conference helps AMSOIL increase media exposure through a
series of face-to-face meetings with leading media members.

The Internet, newsstands and airwaves contain a virtually endless supply of content devoted to auto enthusiasts of all stripes. It’s here where everyone from average daily commuters to tech-savvy gearheads encounter AMSOIL products and messaging, often for the first time. Unlike most multi-level marketing companies, AMSOIL INC. helps Dealers by strategically placing advertisements in popular magazines, including Mopar Muscle, American Motorcyclist, Diesel Power and more. AMSOIL also cultivates lasting relationships with editors that can result in articles mentioning AMSOIL products. This investment, now growing to include websites and television shows, initiates a rapport with enthusiasts that often culminates in them becoming loyal AMSOIL customers.

MPMC 2011
Participating in the annual Motorsports Parts Manufacturing Council (MPMC) Media Trade Conference in Los Angeles, Calif. has gone a long way toward increasing the visibility of AMSOIL in the media. The MPMC is an arm of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA), which has grown to more than 6,000 member companies worldwide. The annual SEMA convention and trade show during the first week of November is one of the largest in Las Vegas, as well as a Mecca for performance auto enthusiasts.

Interest in AMSOIL Strong
Held every January, the MPMC conference provides a venue for 100 of the top SEMA manufacturers to meet with national media away from the glitz and glamour of the SEMA show. This year, AMSOIL INC. was represented by Director of Advertising Ed Newman and Technical Powersports Product Manager Len Groom. Over the course of three days, Newman and Groom participated in 41 different 30-minute meetings with publishers and editors representing magazines that cover Corvettes, Mustangs, Mopar and GM muscle cars, diesel trucks, off-road racing, street rods, import tuners, classic trucks and more. A large contingent of editors from websites, including fordmuscle.com and streetperformance. com, also attended.

The meetings allowed Newman and Groom to introduce new AMSOIL products, including Dominator ® Coolant Boost, OE Synthetic Motor Oil and European Car Formula 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil, which receive coverage in the “New Product” sections of many of these enthusiast magazines.

Media Relationships Important
Just as important as showcasing products, the meetings often help provide editors with the knowledge they need to write future articles. For example, the tiered-surfactant technology behind Dominator Coolant Boost can confuse those unfamiliar with how it works. Talking with Groom, one of the people responsible for its formulation and testing, allows editors to clearly understand the market demand for the product, how it works and why it outperforms competing products. Editors can then craft an article from the information, often including references to AMSOIL. In this way, readers develop an understanding of the challenges posed to automotive cooling systems and the technology available to improve performance. It’s meetings like these that make the annual MPMC conference valuable to AMSOIL and its Dealers. Collaborating with automotive magazines and websites prepares their legions of dedicated readers to respond positively to AMSOIL products when meeting a Dealer for the first time.

In addition to deepening existent media relationships, Newman and Groom also had multiple opportunities to present those not as familiar with the company the story of how Lt. Col. Albert J. Amatuzio introduced synthetic lubrication technology to the auto industry.

Dealers Stand to Benefit
This marked the fourth straight year of AMSOIL involvement in the MPMC Media Trade Conference, and the benefits become more apparent as an increasing number of editors and publishers seek to establish relationships with AMSOIL. MPMC is just one more way AMSOIL spreads the word and helps Dealers build their businesses.

A Closer Look at the Powersports Market

Len Groom

AMSOIL INC. continually monitors trends in the powersports market to maintain its position as the industry leader. AMSOIL synthetic two- and four-cycle motor oils, filtration and performance products for powersports applications are the result of years of research and provide Dealers distinct advantages in the marketplace. AMSOIL Magazine spoke with AMSOIL Technical Powersports Product Manager Len Groom to identify trends in the industry and the opportunities they present Dealers.

AMSOIL Magazine: Daytona Bike Week Presented by AMSOIL marked the unofficial start to the spring motorcycle season. As bikers take to the streets this summer, what trends figure to surface?

Len Groom: Fuel maintenance is already a big issue and will only become more prevalent. Currently, most gasoline sold in the U.S. contains up to 10 percent ethanol (E10), and government agencies and lawmakers have been debating increasing ethanol levels to 15 percent (E15). As such, riders need to be aware of their environments. Because ethanol is very susceptible to water intrusion, bikes should not be stored in damp or wet environments. When water is allowed to collect in the gas tank, the bond between ethanol and gasoline can break, causing a phenomenon known as phase separation. The ethanol bonds with the water and sinks to the bottom of the fuel tank, which can create a whole host of problems, including the formation of gums, varnish and other insoluble debris that can plug fuel fiow passages and negatively affect engine performance. When this ethanol/water mixture is pulled into the engine, it creates a lean-burn situation that increases combustion chamber temperatures and can lead to engine damage. Once this happens there is no easy or inexpensive fix. To avoid these problems, contaminated fuel tanks should be emptied and refilled with fresh fuel.

AMSOIL Magazine: What can riders do to protect their bikes against phase separation?

Len Groom: For best performance, fuel should be treated with AMSOIL Quickshot® as a preventative measure. Quickshot is designed to keep water dispersed throughout the fuel tank, moving it out as a normal part of operation and decreasing the chance of phase separation. Not only that, Quickshot helps clean deposits that have formed in fuel systems, injectors and carburetors, while also cleaning piston tops, spark plugs and combustion chambers. Unlike many competing fuel additives, Quickshot is extremely potent and not diluted. It provides some of the most effective cleaning action available today, making it an all-around great product for motorcycles and other powersports equipment and presents Dealers prime sales opportunities.

AMSOIL Magazine: Many enthusiasts and Dealers question why AMSOIL does not manufacture a transmission-specific lube for bikes at present.

Groom: The motorcycle market is very diverse, and one transmission fluid cannot meet the needs of all the different bikes. Engine power, riding style, gear ratios and final drives all play a part in the selection of a transmission fluid. A heavy bike with a modified engine and an aggressive rider can place enormous amounts of stress on a transmission. In this case a heavier, more robust fluid is beneficial. On the other hand, a light bike with a stock engine and average rider could use a lighter fluid since the transmission does not suffer as much stress.

The quality of our synthetic motorcycle oils allows us to effectively promote one fluid for a bike’s engine, transmission and primary chaincase. They are incredibly shear-stable and demonstrate excellent results in the FZG Gear Test (ASTM D-5182). AMSOIL is aware that some riders prefer to use a traditional gear lube in their transmissions. For those riders, we recommend Severe Gear® Synthetic Gear Lube. It works well in heavily modified bikes and has also been very successful in quieting the “whine” from certain straight-cut gears. In the sport bike segment, however, gear lube is not used as much because it is friction-modified and many sport bikes share a common sump with a wet-clutch. Some applications, like the Honda CRF450R, combine the transmission and wet-clutch. In these cases, our synthetic motorcycle oils are the best choice due to their wet-clutch compatibility and excellent performance.

This approach, as opposed to manufacturing and recommending a single transmission-specific lube, allows AMSOIL and its Dealers the fiexibility to be more application-specific and demonstrate to bikers how well we know the market. …continued on next page=>

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