I decided to drain the factory fill early around 3,000 kms to help clear out any manufacturing contaminates and put in a high quality Signature Series ASM 0W-20 oil. I was also excited to have a look under the vehicle and see how difficult it will be to service in the future.
Update: AMSOIL has released a new oil specifically for hybrid engine applications which is API certified!
Continue reading Ford Maverick – First Oil ChangeIt was time to upgrade vehicles and I had been shopping around. The Ford Maverick with the hybrid engine checks most of the boxes for my use of a vehicle. I was very interested in the fuel economy numbers without going to a fully electric vehicle just yet. They are popular in Canada but I’m not ready to have to think about charging my vehicle – I can barely remember to plug in my phone at night.
Using the waste energy from braking and putting that into a battery system seems like a normal evolution for vehicle power plants. Why waste energy as heat if you can capture some of it to be used again – getting that last bit of energy out of the fuel. I much prefer a naturally aspirated engine over a turbo for my use – the electric generators act like the turbo when you stomp on the accelerator. I also love the mechanical simplification of everything being electric – water pump, AC compressor, fan, etc. No serpentine belts to change on this engine. The downside being a lot more computers and wires to run everything.
There are indeed disadvantages for towing, convenience/luxury – I miss my proximity unlock feature, unibody construction, FWD and the fact that this new-ish platform seems to have a few wrinkles to be worked out. I believe it is based on the Escape Hybrid platform – and isn’t completely new. I also appreciate that the transmission is very similar to the Toyota planetary gear CVT – not belt driven.
So far, so good. I personally prefer the more truck like appearance of the Maverick over the Hyundai Santa Cruz. It’s amazing to be able to reach over the side of the bed of a truck again to access contents. I think it was worth the wait for my order to be built.
Last month I went to my favorite gas station here in southern Ontario and found all 3 grades of gasoline had been labeled with “May Contain up to 10% Ethanol”. I used to be able to get pure gasoline in the Premium grade at this station. That made me a bit sad as I pumped fuel into my vehicle. I later read that at the start of the year the government had mandated ethanol in all grades of fuel.
Try Amsoil Upper Cylinder Lubricant today for free with an online order using Promo Code CC0323UC at checkout until March 14th, 2023.
Most modern vehicles can handle that ethanol content and the fuel gets used up fast enough – I always seem to be filling my tank these days – that it doesn’t go stale or deteriorate too quickly. That may change for me though in the near future – stay tuned to more info about that!
Where ethanol really causes problems is in classic cars that don’t get daily driven and small engines which were never designed for alcohol content. Both categories often see more time in storage than use and suffer from stale fuel and incompatible materials.
Continue reading Fuel Additives
The chaincase is an integral part of a snowmobile’s drive system. Housing a chain and two sprockets that transfer power from the transmission to the track. Its secondary function is as a gear reduction system allowing the track to spin at a lower speed than the engine. The snowmobile’s transmission connects to a smaller gear in the chaincase connected by chain to a larger gear within the case that turns the track and propels the sled.
Continue reading AMSOIL Synthetic Chaincase & Gear OilWe just got a few inches here in the GTA Toronto area. Perfect timing for Amsoil to release an interesting video going over the differences between stock and race sleds.
Continue reading Have you got any snow?I’ve noticed that my little 17 gallon/3 hp under the bench hotdog air compressor has been running for longer periods of time to fill the tank. I also noticed a nice sawdust/oil slurry forming on the tank where the pump sits.
It had been 5 years since I bought this second hand and completed the first service. I don’t have a way to track hours on the unit but with longer running fill times and an oil leak somewhere it seemed like time for a bit of maintenanceses . The oil change used AMSOIL Synthetic Compressor Oil (PCI) – in my case SAE 20 weight. as specified on the maintenance sticker.
Continue reading Air Compressor MaintenanceThe weather is starting to warm up and even with the cold and sand covered roads we are hearing motorcycles being brought out of storage by some brave souls.
AMSOIL has expanded it’s offerings for Motorcycles again this year with more products aimed at specific uses. Primary and transmission fluids are available plus new viscosities expand the applications available.
The AMSOIL.ca motorcycle application guide can help you find the products recommended for your motocycle today!
For help ordering or more information about the wholesale Preferred Customer programs contact me today.
This year at the 2014 SEMA Show the Mustang took centre stage as it celebrated its 50th birthday. In conjunction with this AMSOIL has added a new viscosity to its Signature Series line specifically formulated for high-horsepower Ford Mustang engines requiring the Ford WSS-M2C931-C performance specification.
AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-50 Synthetic Motor Oil is fortified with a robust additive package, including top-quality detergents and dispersants to help prevent sludge deposits and keep engines clean. It withstands the stress of high horsepower and heat, resisting viscosity loss due to mechanical shear and maintaining protection in metal-to-metal contact regions for maximum engine life.
Like its Signature Series siblings, AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-50 excels in extreme temperatures. It resists thermal breakdown to maintain protection in high heat and it contains no wax, allowing it to remain fluid in the low temperatures for improved oil flow and protection at startup. Signature Series 5W-50 is designed for maximum efficiency. It exhibits an extremely low volatility rate to control oil consumption and emissions.
For more information on this new oil viscosity visit the details page on AMSOIL.com
AMSOIL has just released a Synthetic CVT Fluid for continuously variable transmissions. This product will be a replacement fluid for most all major automakers using CVT’s. CVT transmissions have been prevalent in Nissan vehicles for several years now and other brands such as Honda, Toyota, Dodge, Subaru and Suzuki have been integrating this technology. AMSOIL has used their synthetic oil expertise to create a CVT Fluid that is an upgrade over OEM fluids at a very reasonable price. The new fluid will be available in US quart bottles or 9.45 litre jugs.
The basic concept of the CVT has been prevalent in snowmobile and some industrial applications for generations. Automakers have moved to this technology for the smooth operation and fuel economy benefits. This video produced by Suzuki Motors gives a brief overview of the concept.
A CVT fluid’s main task is to prevent wear in drive belts (or chains), pulleys, clutches and bearings. Another chore is to provide cooling for transmission components. It is vital that the CVT fluid is able to conduct these tasks without interfering with the torque transfer duties of the transmission.
Continue reading AMSOIL Introduces Synthetic CVT Fluid
The CBC posted their top eight ways to save on fuel as prices continue to climb at the pump.
I don’t agree with all of them.
I would move the behaviour items further up the list too. Stops and starts as well as speeding can really increase your fuel consumption.
Continue reading Save on Fuel
