johnzena, Author at Amsoil Synthetic Motor Oils, Lubes and Filters

Neglected Equipment: Air Compressors

Many people and businesses own small air compressors that are used for tasks such as inflating tires and balls and spraying paints and varnishes and running air tools like nailers, impact wrenches and air ratchets.

Oil-lubricated home compressors are typically powered by an electric motor that is connected to the pump unit either directly or by a belt. When the electric motor turns the pump unit a piston creates a vacuum as it travels down the cylinder and pulls air through the inlet port. As the inlet valve closes and the piston travels up the cylinder, air is compressed and pushed through the discharge port and into the tank.

The tank is filled with compressor air until it reaches a preset pressure, at which time the motor and pump shut off until the pressure in the tank drops to a predetermined point and needs to be filled again.

Although driven by an electric motor, oil-lubricated piston-type small air compressor pump units contain a crankshaft, valves, pistons, piston rings and bearings that require lubrication. Like the engines found on push mowers, compressors of this type often rely on a splash lubrication method to protect parts against wear.

Compressor maintenance is not a high priority for many people. Compressor units tend to be used only on an intermittent basis, and the oil is rarely, if ever, checked or changed. However, like any other engine, it is important to check the oil level occasionally and top it off if necessary to ensure optimum equipment protection and performance.

Compressor Oil Challenges

The challenges faced by compressor oils include the following:

Reduce friction and dissipate heat. The more the pump unit runs, the hotter it becomes.
Reisist sludge and varnish to keep valves from sticking or leaking.
Minimize foaming. Foaming is a common byproduct of splash lubrication systems, leading to overheating and oxidation problems.
Corrosion and Rust control. Water is a natural byproduct of compressed air, often working its way into the compressor oil and leading to rust and corrosion problems in the pump.
Good cold temperature performance for units used in cold climates.

PC Series Synthetic Compressor Oil

Engineered to meet the tough demands of industrial compressor applications, AMSOIL PC Series Synthetic Compressor Oil provides outstanding protection and performance for small compressor applications. PC Series Compressor Oil incorporates the highest quality, thermally stable synthetic base stocks and premium non-detergent, ashless additives for maximum protection at high temperatures and pressures, lasting up to eight times longer than petroleum oils.

Helps improve operating efficiency
Resists viscosity increase from oxidation
Contains anti-foam additives to resist foam and reduce heat, oxidation and wear.
Anti-rust fortified to help prevent rust and corrosion
Reists carbon, varnish and acid formation

Lube Specialist Praises AMSOIL Motorcyle Oil

Hello,

Click Image to Enlarge

You’ll notice by my signature below that I am an employee of Chevron Global Lubricants. I am a training specialist and field engineer for our North American lubricants division. I originally worked for Amoco at the R&D facility before moving into marketing, and while in that role, Chevron bought our lubricants business right after I moved to Florida.

All in all, I have more than 34 years of experience in fuels and lubricants testing, development and tech service support.

I own three motorcycles that I either drive on the street or race. What I wanted to share with you today is my experience with my drag bike.

It is a Yamaha Roadstar Warrior. Originally built as a power cruiser, but now it is stretched, slammed and built to run on E-85 fuel and nitrous oxide. I have taken this bike from a fun street cruiser to a beast that wants to jump out from under me every time I snap the throttle.

The engine is putting out more than three times the horsepower it was originally built with, and with the highly oxygenated fuel, nitrous and severe use, I have been battling cylinder and piston ring distress for a couple of years. Essentially, whenever I did a teardown, there was evidence of streaking of the Nikasil-lined alunimum cylinder, essentially a scuffing situation that is aggravated by the high cylinder pressures and fuel dilution.

POWER UNDER PRESSURE – AMSOIL
customer Sam Vallas trusts AMSOIL
Synthetic Motorcycle Oil to deliver the
power he needs.

Since Chevron does not make motorcycle oils, I have had to try many of the “other” different motor oils, all synthetic. To make a long story short, I should have read your white paper on motorcycle oil testing. It would have saved me at least three premature teardowns. Bottom line – the AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil has completely solved my problems. I have been running it for over a year now, and compression and leakdown have stayed at the exact level as when the engine was freshly rebuilt. This weekend, I tore down the top end to try a new piston ring combination, and the cylinders had absolutely NO sign of streaking or other wear-related distress.

Also, all other clearances, including valve lash and valve guide and bearing, have stayed the same. This is truly remarkable.

In my training endeavors, I run into a lot of end users who are high performance junkies just like me. I have no problem sharing my experience with the AMSOIL products. In fact, just last month, I gave some lubricant training to 187 instructors at the UTI technical school in Orlando. I made it very clear that I was a big fan of yours.

Thank you so much for the great product.

Best Regards,
Sam Vallas
STLE CLS
Training Specialist
Chevron Global Lubricants

Len Groom PowerSports September 2011

Len Groom
TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER
PowerSports

Engine building is a big subject in the performance industry. Hot rods, racecars, motorcycles and any other performance machine you can think of have engines that are designed and built for specific purposes. In fact, there are countless articles and even entire magazines devoted to aftermarket parts that make engines bigger, faster and stronger. What about the engines that start up every morning and bring us to work and never complain? How is the tireless D16 in my Honda Civic that struggles to get up a hill when the air conditioner is on any different than the 900-horsepower monster in Scott Douglas’ race truck? As far as the basic building process is concerned, there is no difference. Whether made for a race, car or a passenger car, an engine needs to be assembled and broken-in before it can do its job. While your daily commuter comes broken-in, many racers and performance enthusiasts build and break-in their own engines on a regular basis. AMSOIL recently launched two new products designed for the assembly and break-in of new or rebuilt engines, giving customers the ability to build and run an engine using AMSOIL products exclusively.

Engine assembly is a meticulous process. Parts must be clean, and bolts must be torqued to specifications or catastrophic failure could result. Engine builders generally develop their own process for engine assembly with the details in mind and seldom deviate from it. The same goes for the lubricants they use. If an engine builder finds a product that works he becomes dedicated to that product. I know this because I built engines in a previous life.

The process starts with assembly lube. Assembly lube is applied to the main bearings before the crankshaft is laid in the block and torqued in place. This ensures the crankshaft is lubricated as it is moved during assembly and during the first few seconds when the engine is started. Piston installation is next. Assembly lube is applied to the rod bearings, the piston is slid into the cylinder and the rod is bolted in place on the crankshaft. Here again the assembly lube is critical to protect the rod bearings during assembly and initial startup. Camshaft installation usually follows. Many camshafts come with their own dedicated lube. If not, AMSOIL Assembly Lube can be used liberally on all areas of the cam before it is installed. This completes the rotating assembly, which will sit as the rest of the engine is assembled, so it is imperative the lube stays in place. AMSOIL Assembly Lube uses very high viscosity oil and a tackifier agent to ensure it clings to engine parts. The heads can be installed next and the valvetrain can be adjusted. Assembly lube is used on the lifters, rocker arms and push rods. At startup, oil reaches this area of the engine last, but pressures can be very high. Assembly lube must have strong anti-wear properties to keep the parts from wearing without much help from the engine oil for the first few seconds an engine is run.

Engine Break-In is as delicate a process as it is a subject of conversation; ask 10 different engine builders about their Break-In procedures and you will likely get 10 different answers. You will, however, find some basic similarities. Engine Break-In can be defined as the seating of the piston rings to the cylinder walls. A honed cylinder and a new set of rings have microscopic peaks and valleys on their surfaces. The goal of the Break-In process is to file the peaks and valleys down to allow the ring to seal to the cylinder wall. Without a good seal the fuel/air charge can slip past the rings during the compression and power strokes of the combustion cyclefi leading to lost power and poor efficiency. In the racing and performance industry rings must seat quickly. AMSOIL Break-In Oil is designed to allow “controlled wear” in the cylinder to speed the seating process. This is accomplished through base oil technology.

Camshafts need to be broken-in as well. After the engine has run for 15 minutes the cam and lifters will be matched, similar to how the rings are matched to the cylinder walls. The cam will also be heat, cycled and hardened, and oil additives play a key role in this area. Break-in oil must contain high levels of zinc and phosphorus (ZDDP) in order to protect the delicate cam lobes and lifters during the 15-minute break-in process. Without (ZDDP) metal-to-metal contact occurs and the cam lobes can be rubbed off. Roller cams are less sensitive but should still be monitored carefully during the first minutes after the engine comes to life.

Engine break-in can be monitored by measuring cylinder leakage, tracking horsepower numbers or watching the oil blow-by residue in the exhaust port shrink as the engine is run. This unique process requires unique oil, and AMSOIL break-in Oil is right for the job. It contains very high amounts of ZDDP for cam and lifter protection, yet uses a conventional base stock to promote quick ring seal. With the engine built and broken-in all that is left is to select an AMSOIL product for use. For the track, we recommend Dominator® Synthetic Racing Oil; for the street, we recommend Z-ROD™ Synthetic Motor Oil.

Amsoil Super Team Collects Podiums

Charlotte, N.C.

The 2011 Traxxas TORC Series presented by AMSOIL landed at Charlotte Motor Speedway for two rounds of hard-fought off-road racing action. Ricky Johnson set the tone early in the Pro 4×4 class as he dominated Friday’s race for a comfortable win. Behind Johnson, AMSOIL Super Team driver Scott Douglas engaged in tough battles with Johnny Greaves and Mark Jenkins before cruising to the second-place podium. Jenkins took third. On Saturday, Greaves and Johnson squared off in what has been called the best Pro 4×4 finish in the history of the TORC Series. Johnson landed on Greaves’ roof as he was trying to pass, but could not find his way around the defending champion and settled for second. Meanwhile, Douglas and Jenkins found themselves in a fenderto- fender rematch, with Douglas gaining the upper hand en route to the third-place podium.

In Friday’s Pro 2wd final, Bryce Menzies grabbed the holeshot and the early lead ahead of Rob MacCachren and Scott Taylor. As the laps wound down, Menzies and MacCachren separated from the pack and found themselves in a serious battle for the win. MacCachren finally cruised to victory when Menzies’ engine stalled, and with only four trucks remaining by the final lap, Taylor took second and Jeff Kincaid third. Back with a new motor, Menzies dominated Saturday’s race, leading wire-towire for the win. MacCachren took second and AMSOIL Super Team driver Chad Hord finished third.

The Pro Light class saw defending champion Casey Currie hold off a hard-charging Samuel Hubinette to take his first win of the season; Andrew Caddell held off RJ Anderson to take the third and final podium position. Currie earned a second straight win on Saturday, while Caddell charged through the pack from last place to take an impressive second-place podium. AMSOIL Super Team driver Brad Lovell rounded out the podium in third.

Bark River, Mich.

The intensity from Charlotte carried into the next two rounds of TORC action at Bark River Raceway in Bark River, Mich., where Johnson and Greaves raced bumper-to-bumper before the two trucks touched in mid-air, knocking Johnson out.

Amsoil Super Team Racer Chad Hord

Douglas and Mike Jenkins, meanwhile, jostled for second, with Jenkins finishing on top after Douglas missed a shift. Douglas finished third. On Sunday, Douglas and Greaves quickly jumped out from the pack before contact led to a flat rear tire and broken front differential on Douglas’ truck. Entering the hot pits during the mandatory caution put Douglas at the back of the field. Upon the restart, Greaves and Johnson found themselves in yet another close battle. Missing several chances to pass Greaves over the final three laps, Johnson made a final, aggressive charge on the second-to-last turn. The contact pushed Greaves to the wall just 100 yards from the finish line, and Johnson went on for the win. Mark Jenkins, Mike Jenkins and Douglas finished second, third and fourth respectively.

Menzies earned his second Pro 2wd victory in a row on Saturday. Kincaid finished second; Hord picked up the pace after a mediocre start to catch and pass Taylor and Marty Hart for the third-place podium. On Sunday, Hord jumped out front early before losing his steering and striking the backstretch wall. Hart and Menzies also wiped out, and after a red flag delay, Kincaid took the win, followed by Keith Steele and AMSOIL Super Team driver Mike Oberg.

Caddell pulled the holeshot and picked up the victory in the Pro Light class. Hubinette finished second, followed by Luke Johnson in third. Sunday’s action saw Hubinette win a close bumper-tobumper battle with Caddell, who finished second. CJ Greaves finished third.

From the AMSOIL Dealer Sales Department

AMSOIL is the Official Oil of the Sturgis, Daytona and Laconia motorcycle rallies. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally took place just last month, and a few corporate employees received the opportunity to promote AMSOIL products in the corporate booth on Main Street. A concentrated effort was made to ask customers who stated they were already using AMSOIL in their motorcycles if they also used AMSOIL in their cars, trucks or other types of equipment. Approximately 95 percent of these customers said “No.” Do you know what that means? Opportunity!

Go to your current customers and find out more about their lubrication needs. If you’re selling someone motorcycle oil, odds are he or she has a car, or two or three. Those vehicles need AMSOIL. A customer who only uses AMSOIL in his or her snowmobile or four-wheeler often has a truck and trailer that would also benefit from the use of AMSOIL products.

Your current customers are easier to sell to compared to those who haven’t yet experienced the benefits of AMSOIL products. Let your current customers know the same quality and performance they receive with their current product is consistent throughout the entire AMSOIL product line. If they like the performance they realize with AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil, they will love the performance they receive from AMSOIL synthetic motor oils. And don’t forget to ask them for a referral, perhaps a family member or friend they ride with who could also benefit from using AMSOIL products.

Good Selling!

BOGLE WINS HARDWARE AT AMA AMATEUR NATIONAL MOTOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

After taking two championships last year at the Red Bull AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships presented by AMSOIL at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, Team AMSOIL amateur motocross rider Justin Bogle entered this year’s event looking to add to his collection.

And he did. Bogle dominated the 450 A class, sweeping all three motos for the championship.

With one title under his belt, Bogle set his sights on another in the 250 A class. After finishing second to Kyle Peters in the first moto, Bogle edged Peters in the second moto to set up the winner-take-all third moto. Peters took the early lead and led the entire race as Bogle concentrated on chasing him down. Entering the final laps, Bogle laid the pressure on Peters, who started getting caught in lapped traffic. Both riders were forced to make alternate line choices in the most crucial point of the race. Although Bogle closed in, he couldn’t complete the pass in time and took second.

Bogle capped off his amateur career by earning some prestigious hardware at the AMA Amateur Nationals closing ceremonies. Following in the footsteps of former Team AMSOIL rider Trey Canard, Bogle was presented with the AMA Horizon Award, awarded annually to an amateur racer poised to succeed at the pro level. Bogle also earned the Vurb Cup, presented to the rider with the best average moto finish at Loretta Lynn’s. Bogle finished first or second in all six of his motos; he joins new pro teammate Eli Tomac as a winner of the Vurb Cup.

Bogle made his professional motocross debut with Team Geico/AMSOIL/Honda at the Unadilla National in New Berlin, N.Y. on August 13. he’ll compete in the final four events of the 2011 AMA Motocross season.

Thousands of metrics can be called upon to see how valuable a sponsorship is to a company. I don’t want to get into all of them here, but paying attention to how other companies advertise is one way to gauge how much exposure AMSOIL is receiving.

I was recently at the AMA Amateur Nationals presented by AMSOIL in Tennessee. It was easy to see how well the company’s relationship with the Factory Connection team was paying off in the form of “piggyback” advertising.

Thor, a major sponsor of the event, used images of several AMSOIL riders, including top amateur Justin Bogle, in its on-site signage. Moto Playground is a leading amateur motocross magazine and brings thousands of August issues to Loretta’s. Just inside the cover were not one, but two, full-page ads featuring AMSOIL pro riders Justin Barcia and Eli Tomac. Companies like Fox, Geico and Dunlop place ads year-round that feature highly visible AMSOIL logos.

The great thing about this advertising is that there is no direct cost to AMSOIL. It’s simply an added bonus to sponsorships that already produce great results.

Amsoil Dealers get in the Game with Quick Lube Centers

GROWING QUICK LUBE MARKET PRESENTS OUTSTANDING SALES OPPORTUNITIES

The National Oil & Lube News (NOLN) 2011 “Tops in the Industry Ranking” indicates the U.S. quick lube market is growing at a healthy rate. In fact, the report shows the first growth in the market in over three years, climbing by 185 stores to a total of 16,716 over the past year.

With the number of new-vehicle dealerships declining over the past few years, quick lubes have picked up the extra oil change market share. NOLN estimates U.S. quick lube sales will increase by $100 million in 2011, reaching more than $9 billion. With 60 to 70 percent of motorists choosing to pay someone else to change their oil, and that number expected to reach 80 percent by 2018, the quick lube market is expected to continue growing for the foreseeable future.

Increased private investments have allowed quick lubes to expand at an aggressive pace. “I don’t think they would have had that much private equity money growing into it if investors didn’t believe in it and in the future of it,” said NOLN Editor Garrett McKinnon.

Now is the time to capitalize on the growing installer market. Both AMSOIL OE and XL synthetic motor oils are geared for independent installer accounts, allowing them to increase profits by offering OEM recommended drain intervals with OE, extended drain intervals with XL or both.

AMSOIL Installer Kit

The AMSOIL Installer Kit provides everything Dealers need to make five sales presentations and register two accounts:

How to use the Installer Kit (G3376)
AMSOIL Installer Program – Dealers Only (G3413)
Strategies for Entering the Installer Market (G3400)
(5) AMSOIL Programs for Today’s Installers Brochures (G3401)
(5) XL Synthetic Motor Oil Data Bulletins (G1404)
(5) OE Synthetic Motor Oil Data Bulletins (G3404)
(5) OE Countertop Handouts (G3407)
(5) XL Countertop Handouts (G3406)
(5) Installer Price Lists (G3402)
(2) Retail-on-the-Shelf Kits (G1001)

AMSOIL Holds the Line on Price Increase

While the price of crude oil has dropped recently, the costs of lubricant base stocks, additives and other raw materials continue to rise. Most lubricant manufacturers are set to implement their fourth or fifth price increase since early February, with these increases expected to slowly work their way into the retail marketplace over the next several months. While AMSOIL has also been affected with increasing costs of raw materials, the company is holding the line on implementing another price increase. AMSOIL has limited its price increases to just three since February, while also limiting the percentage increases to approximately half of the percentage increases implemented by competing manufacturers.

AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are the best and most cost-effective choice on the market, saving customers money through extended drain intervals, reduced wear and maintenance and increased fuel efficiency. Customers save even more by registering as Preferred Customers, while the OE Synthetic Motor Oil line provides customers with the enhanced protection and performance properties of a synthetic at a competitive, lower initial price.

NEW CUSTOMER ‘DELIGHTED’ WITH AMSOIL MOTORCYCLE OIL

Kevin Harrington of Stratham, N.H. began using AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil this year and was eager to tell others of his experience.

“I am a new customer to AMSOIL,” Harrington said. “After several years of riding motorcycles, this season I decided to try AMSOIL.”

Harrington purchased AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil for his 2002 Honda CBR954RR. “I have used Hondabranded GN4 and HP4 non-synthetic and synthetic oils for the history of owning this motorcycle from new,” he said. “The routine change intervals have been every 2,000 miles.”

After he installed AMSOIL motorcycle oil, Harrington was surprised at the differences he experienced in his bike. “I have noticed three key improvements with the use of AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil,” he said. “The CBR954RR has always had some noticeable valve clatter at idle. Using AMSOIL motorcycle oil, the valve clatter at idle has disappeared. There is no more clatter at idle.”

Advanced multi-functional formula for domestic and foreign motorcycles.
For high-performance liquid or air-cooled fourstroke engines and transmissions and four-and two-stroke motorcycles.
Wet-clutch compatible.
Not recommended where an API GL-4 or GL-5 Gear Oil is required

A technician told Harrington when he bought the bike nearly 10 years ago that shifting would be “clunky as a normal condition.” According to Harrington, the wet-clutch lubricity has improved shifting smoothness significantly.

“AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil for wet-clutch applications has eliminated the shifting clunkiness and the accompanying noise when shifting,” Harrington said. The motorcycle also ran cooler.

“The motorcycle cooling system temperature ran consistently at 187 to 194 degrees when cruising at 65 MPH for extended periods during 75-degree weather while running GN4 or HP4 oils,” Harrington said. “I have noticed a repeatable temperature reading of six to nine degrees lower under the same degree [temperature] day and speed conditions. It now runs at about 183 to 189 degrees consistently.”

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil has made noticeable improvements in the Honda’s operation.

“I am convinced that AMSOIL motorcycle oil is clearly the renewal required for my high-performance motorcycle and superior to other commercially available products,” Harrington said. “No other oil will be used in my CBR954RR unless AMSOIL introduces an even better product that exceeds the practical application and test results of the AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil. “I’m delighted.”

Kevin Harrington of Stratham, N.H. is a satisfied
new user of AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil.

Sept 2011-It is all about Attitude

Rob Stenberg
Director Dealer Sales

This month’s column has been a little tougher to write than usual. It focuses on one often-unpopular word: Attitude. There, I said it. It is unpopular simply because most people don’t want to inspect this trait in themselves to see how their attitude appears to others. Many people become defensive and feel that their attitude is great, even though others would disagree. But, if you want your attitude to remain positive, you need to inspect and work on it every day. It will affect your ability to grow your business; that is evident in the many emails and phone calls the Dealer Sale Department receives from Dealers across North America. As you know, the lubricants market has been very volatile as of late and product prices have increased for all lubricant companies (some more than others) over the last four to eight months. This is where attitude kicks in. We have had Dealers call to inform us that they are having record sales years, that the price of AMSOIL is extremely competitive, they are happy our prices have increased fewer times than the competitions’ and that greater acceptance of our products’ extended drain capabilities has their business going gang-busters. Sales are great; keep up the super job of supporting the Dealers. Of course, we love getting phone calls like those.

On the flip-side, we have also received emails and phone calls from Dealers informing us that their business is down, that prices are too high, shipping is too costly and should be free and that selling AMSOIL is too tough. One Dealer even went as far as to say he could sell a pound of dirt to an earthworm, but he couldn’t sell AMSOIL. What is the difference between these calls and the calls received from those whose AMSOIL business is growing? Yep, that one dirty little word: Attitude. This is not something new. Henry Ford said it best: “If you think you can, or if you think you can’t, you are probably right.” Look at maintaining a positive attitude as you would maintaining personal hygiene. If you want to keep clean, a daily shower is recommended (and your family and friends will appreciate it). If you want to have a positive attitude, it is recommended that you work on it on a daily basis. Read all you can about having a positive attitude. If you enter the words “positive attitude” into the amazon. com search function, it returns a list of 580 books on the topic. I happen to like Jeffery Gitomer’s book, “The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude: How to Find, Build and Keep a YES! Attitude for a Lifetime of SUCCESS.” This book will cost you about $11 plus shipping (Hint: did you notice shipping is not included in the price of the book?). I would say that is a pretty small investment to start your personal library of books on attitude. That’s right – you can’t read just one book on the subject. Another book I really like that addresses a positive attitude is “The Greatest Salesman in the World” by Og Mandino. This book has been out for years and is a classic that should be in every AMSOIL Dealer’s book collection.

I found this quote on attitude and really thought it hit the nail on the head.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think, say, or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.”-Rev. Charles Swindoll

Remember, your attitude is probably going to be one of the biggest determining factors for your future success in building your AMSOIL business. The Dealers we talk to who have positive attitudes and believe they can, and will, grow and sell more AMSOIL products are doing just that. Those who believe the marketplace is down, things are tough, prices are too high and their business won’t grow are seeing those results. So, of these two Dealer segments, who is right? They both are. Sure, skills, support and values will also play a part in growing your AMSOIL business, but attitude is what you will be known for by your customers. Attitude will determine your altitude in the growth of your AMSOIL business.

Good Selling!