UOA: 2006 Pontiac Vibe – 14,000-kms

Posted the second UOA for my wife’s 2006 Pontiac Vibe on bobistheoilguy.com for review.

Everything remained fairly constant between the two samples. The AMSOIL XL line of oils is a pretty stout product. We ended up pushing it out to 14,000-km/7-months which is a month overdue on time and 2,000-km under in mileage for the product service life.

Fueling Up

I filled up the tanks with fresh fuel today. Just need to put the blade back on the Ariens mower and everything is ready to go for the spring season.

A dose of Quickshot SE goes into both tanks to stabilize the fuel and keep ethanol in suspension.

The 44ml pillow packet of AMSOIL Saber™ Synthetic 100:1 Pre-Mix 2-Cycle Oil is the perfect size for my string trimmer. I use it with 4L of fuel which is roughly a 90:1 ratio which lasts me all summer in that tiny engine.

Spring Has Sprung

I’m not a meteorologist but all of a sudden we seemed to skip spring as temperatures soared over 25°C last week. My poor winter tires must have been sweating with the summer like temperatures on Thursday – I swapped them out this morning.

When the weather starts to warm up people start getting out their equipment. Boats are being uncovered as fishermen tighten their lines on some catfish in Dunville and rainbows in Grimsby. Everything seems to be early this year with our lack of snow and ice in Southern Ontario the water surface temperatures are already at spring levels.

I’ve had lots of calls about Motorcycle oil last week.
20W-50 MCV and 10W-40 MCF are in stock and ready to be picked up in Mississauga so you can install it in your bike this weekend. Don’t forget a bottle of Quickshot to stabilize and clean your fuel system. EA Motorcycle filters are available but I don’t stock them and will pick up filters Thursdays on my weekly trip to the warehouse.

If you need some AMSOIL products to get your equipment ready this spring give me a call – I’d be happy to give product recommendations for your specific equipment.

Video: Snow Blower Maintenance

This is a new video from the AMSOIL Information series about snow thrower maintenance – including storage over the summer.

Since the temperature hit 17°C today it seems like the right time to start thinking about putting the snow blowers away and looking at preparing the mowers for fresh spring grass. The snow blower didn’t even get used this winter at our house in Mississauga so it should be a very easy job this year.

If you’ve used quickshot all winter you should now add a proper fuel stabilizer to your last tank or run/drain your tank dry before putting the machine into storage this summer.

UOA: 2006 Pontiac Vibe – 9,000-kms

I received the used oil analysis report from the Oil Analyzers lab in Edmonton and posted my results on BITOG to get some feedback.

I’m not happy with the fuel dilution in the report but the lab technician seems to think the oil is fit for use for another 5,000-km. I’m interested to see how the fuel dilution number changes as the oil approaches its end of life.

Other than that everything looks good to go for 15,000-km/6-month OCI’s in Laurens Vibe.

4-Stroke® PowerSports Synthetic Motor Oil

AMSOIL riders know few products compare to the AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke® PowerSports (AFF) Synthetic Motor Oil.

Its 0W viscosity rating and ultra-low -60°F pour point offer maximum cold-weather protection, ensuring easy cranking, excellent cold starts on frigid winter mornings and quick post-startup protection. It also provides superior wear protection due to high levels of anti-wear additives that protect pistons and bearings, while its SAE 40 viscosity delivers a strong lubricating film for excellent protection in hard-working engines.

An issue affecting many hard-charging sleds is oil foaming. When engines reach high RPMs, churning engine parts can cause the oil to foam, inhibiting the oil’s lubricating ability, increasing heat and wear. AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke Power Sports Synthetic Motor Oil inhibits foam for maximum performance and protection.

Ideal for your four-stroke sled, this product also provides superior protection for ATV’s, UTV’s and other powersports applications.

To learn about the different options you have to purchase this product click here.

Which AMSOIL Tier Is For Me?

Which AMSOIL tier is best for my vehicle?

This can be a tricky question that can depend on quite a few variables including: cost, value, oil quality and extended drain interval expectations. The best way to start the discussion is to introduce the 3 tiers of AMSOIL synthetic oils available:

  1. Signature Series = The top tier product that has a drain interval of up to 24,000-km/1 year
  2. Extended Life (XL) Series = API certified middle tier product for those that prefer to change their oil twice a year with a drain interval of 16,000-km/6-months
  3. Original Equipment (OE) Series = API certified introductory tier with the lowest cost synthetic in the AMSOIL line for those interested in trying AMSOIL products and maintaining manufacturer warranties by using the drain interval specified by the equipment manufacturer

Continue reading Which AMSOIL Tier Is For Me?

AMSOIL Snowmobile Outfitters Deal

Looking to get outfitted with AMSOIL products for this snowmobile season?
We haven’t seen much snow flying here in Southern Ontario but do expect it to come soon enough – hopefully early in 2012.

I’m offering a outfitting deal where you purchase these two items together in the same cart on amsoil.com and I’ll throw in a 8oz bottle of QuickShot for you to try in your first tank of fuel but you have to pay the shipping costs.

  1. Sign up as a Preferred Customer for a 6-month trial membership
  2. Purchase a case of snowmobile oil

By signing up as a Preferred Customer – even without the bottle of QuickShot to sweeten the deal – you’ll save on your first order. At the current AMSOIL pricing if you were to purchase a case of AIT Interceptor with the $15 membership fee – you still save $21.60 over the suggested retail price in Canada. You’ll save even more on your next case or by purchasing other AMSOIL products for your other equipment as you won’t have the PC membership overhead.

Contact me for details and to work out any shipping costs for your bottle of QuickShot.
Continue reading AMSOIL Snowmobile Outfitters Deal

Snow Blower Oils

I’ve updated these suggestions – please click here to see my new snow blower recommendations.

AMSOIL has a variety of oils that will protect your snow blower this winter. The first step when deciding what oil to run in your snow blower is to read the users manual. Usually it suggests a 5W-30 or synthetic 0W-30 oil since you’ll be running the equipment in sub-zero temperatures.

Every time someone asks me what oil they should use in their snow blower it usually leads to a much longer conversation as I end up asking these questions.

  • Do you have a 2-stroke or 4-stroke engine on your snow thrower?
  • What oil are you currently using in your vehicles or other OPE?
  • How cold do you expect winter to be in your area and where do you store your snow blower?
  • Do you purchase fuel that doesn’t contain ethanol?

Continue reading Snow Blower Oils

Can I change my oil and forget about it for a year?

AMSOIL’s Signature Series line of products has a service life of:

  • Normal Service – Up to 40,000 kilometres or one year, whichever comes first.
  • Severe Service – Up to 24,000 kilometres or one year, whichever comes first.

Here in Canada everyone is limited to the Severe Service schedule so that simplifies things even more. But knowing the service life of the product doesn’t mean you can simply forget about your oil or your vehicle until the mileage or the time expires. That is the same service interval as 4 “normal” oil changes!

Below are some situations when you should check your oil level:
Continue reading Can I change my oil and forget about it for a year?