HDT Turning Heads with AMSOIL

In 2001 Hayes Diversified Technologies (HDT), located in Hesperia, California, began to produce diesel powered tactical military motorcycles for the U.S. armed services as well as the UK and EU NATO countries. Founded in 1961, the company originally manufactured electro-mechanical switches and relays to the military & aerospace industries.

The new HDT motorcycles are diesel machines combining both power and environmentally friendly performance efficiency. We’re talking about a bike that gets 100 miles to the gallon AND can do 100 mph.

The HDT team was out on the Bonneville Salt Flats earlier this month striving to establish new national and world records. Displaying the AMSOIL colors while going through the paces at Bonneville, they offered up quite a number of very strong endorsements with virtually no prompting. “We noticed an increase in horsepower right away when compared to Delvac 1,” said Fred Hayes, founder/CEO of HDT. “What was quite surprising was the condition of the engine after a 50-mile run-in and over 120 full-throttle dyno runs. The camshaft bearings, the small and large end rod bearings, didn’t even look like they had been run. During that series of dyno runs, we registered the highest horse-power and torque readings ever.”

Dave Anderson, AMSOIL Technical Product Manager, had flown to Bonneville to witness and participate in the pursuit of new land speed records. (See 4 and Sept. 6 Updates) Hayes said to Anderson, “Our testing proved that AMSOIL Series 3000 5W-30 Heavy Duty Diesel Oil provided better cam bearing lubrication, better transmission operation and less blow-by than our previous oil. We picked up just over one horse power at the rear well.” This is a 3.7% increase and worth a 1 tooth higher gear ratio. “In addition, it appears that overall coolant temperature was down about five degrees.” That is roughly a 2.5% decrease in operating temperatures.

Very few bikers would be opposed to increased horsepower with lower operating temps, simply by switching over the lubricants.

“With over a year of testing, we have found that AMSOIL products continually outperform all other lubricants. AMSOIL provides improved performance, increased fuel economy, lower oil consumption, and significantly reduced engine wear in all operating conditions.”

Look for more on this unfolding story.

AHR to Feature AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville Run Thursday

This week on American Hot Rod, the AMSOIL/Coddington Model T will be completed. This third episode of the Bonneville build will air Thursday evening. With Jo Coddington at the wheel, the AMSOIL/Coddington car made a serious stab at a record run on the Flats. Jo Coddington took the wheel once the build was complete. Though challenging conditions interfered with setting a record, the car proved it had the mustard to accomplish the task.



Catch the action this week on The Learning Channel.
7:00 p.m. CST
(Check your local listings)

AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Challenge: It's a Wrap

The final day has past, and the roaring of engines has ceased. The 2007 Amsoil/Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge is in the books. All-in-all, the event went well. Only one engine failed qualify, and they even got done a little ahead of schedule.

First up on Thursday was MRL Performance. He was on a qwest for a big number, but fell considerably short. Mike did have the misfortune of a couple of rocker arm studs coming loose at different times, but was able to fix them and move on.

Next up was Indy Cylinder Head. Russ Flagle and Kenny Lezzarri brought in an engine that required very little in the way of tuning. The engine posted some serious numbers, and during the teardown inspection showed some really cool rules interpretation within the heads.

Now that it's over, it's time to tally the results. Stay tuned for more details.

Mike Liston was on a qwest for a 550 horsepower 318. Unfortunately, he fell substantially short. Mike had to deal with several rocker arm studs that misteryiously came loose at different times.

The Indy Cylinder Head team was the last team to dyno their engine. Russ, Ken, and the Legendary Herb McCandless were on hand for the testing.

Top of Page: One of the Indy Tuning tricks was placing washers on the spark plugs to vary the depth of the tip into the cylinder. If you're not sure why they would do that, stay tuned for the full story in Mopar Muscle magazine.

Mopar Mayhem in Memphis

Wednesday's dyno action went pretty well. The day started with Schurbon Racing flogging the dyno all morning. The Schurbon gang came prepared to make a good showing, and they did just that. The team was ready, and so was their engine. They had a good day, posting some serious numbers.

Next up was the Muscle Motors entry. This engine, although only 395-cubic inches, made a serious attempt at some high numbers. Mike had to deal with a strangely appearing lean condition, but still made a great showing.

Scott Schurbon and Bob Siegwarth experimented with a couple different carb spacers. all told, they ended up with 4-1/4-inches of spacer on the engine at one time.

The valve adjustment process definitely worked in the Schurbon team's favor.

Tuesday's Results from Memphis

By day's end Tuesday two more competitors had run on the dyno, David Bruns of Mid America Racing Engines and Tucker Caven from Speed-O-motive. Neither had the misfortune of having any problems. The power numbers were good, and so far, the big number is over 560 horsepower. Check in tomorrow for Wednesday's results in the AMSOIL Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge.

David and Diane Bruns of Mid America Racing Engines are the defending champions, and made it look easy again this year. So far, they have posted the big number.

David Bruns made several timing changes during his dyno time.

Likewise, the carb received a lot of attention.

AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville Race Car Build Continues

Thursday night will be episode two of the AMSOIL/Coddington Bonneville race car build. During the shooting for the show, AMSOIL staff were on hand to inspect the progress of the build. This week's show will air Thursday evening 7:00 CST on The Learning Channel. Check your local listings for air times in other parts of the country.

Here's the spec sheet on this car.
Builder & Designer: Boyd Coddington Garage
Major Sponsor: AMSOIL
Minor Sponsors: SOBE, O’Reilly’s, MagnaFlow, Simpson, & DuPont
Body: 1927 Ford Model T - Original Modified Steel Body
Build Date: August 2007
Engine: 2.1 Liter GM Ecotec / D-Stroked 22
Oil: AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil
Oil Filter: WIX Racing Filter
Engine Tuner: HMS Performance
Engine Management: Fast Electronics
Horsepower: 1100 +
Torque: 750 +
Top Speed 230 + MPH
Spark Plugs: NGK Racing Plugs
Suspension: Custom Rocker Style Horizontal Inboard Shocks
Frame: Custom full tube frame
Tires Front: 600 x 16 – Blockley Racing
Tires Rear: 250 x 15 – Goodyear Front Runner “Land Speed” Tires
Wheels: Custom Steel Wheels w/Moon Disks
Weight: 3410 lbs
Air Filter: AMSOIL Custom EaAU Filter w/ Nano Technology
Exhaust: MagnaFlow
Intercoolers: Custom Design - Boyd Coddington Garage
Turbo: Precision Turbo – GT 105 mm
Coolant: AMSOIL Antifreeze and Engine Coolant
Transmission: Liberty Gears w/5 Speed Air Shifter
Transmission Fluid: AMSOIL Synthetic Transmission Fluid
Rear End: Winters Quick Change Rear End
Gear Lube: AMSOIL SEVERE GEAR® Lubricant 75W-90
Rear Brakes: Wilwood Racing
Safety Gear: Simpson Racing Products
Fuel: ERC Bonneville Spec Racing Fuel
Of Special Interest: First Race Car Built by Boyd Coddington Garage

AMSOIL/Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge Underway

Here's the latest report from Comp Cams in Memphis.

The 2007 Amsoil/Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge started off a little interesting. The first competitor, Diamondback Racing Engines, had an issue during their first qualifying run when a couple of rocker arm adjusters broke. As a result six of the rocker arms galled on the shaft. Unfortunately, repairs could not be made in the time allotted, and they were unable to continue.

Next up to the plate was RM Competition with his tunnel-rammed 408. After three easy qualifying pulls that consisted of a tuning practice of running the engine with and without an air cleaner, he was able to continue on to the scored portion of the competition. Again, all three pulls were made, and slightly over 500 horsepower was achieved.

When Monday finally ended, Mid America's engine was bolted to the dyno. Today we'll see what last year's winner can do.

Damon of Diamondback prepares to make first pull.

Randy Malik of RM Competition changed his spark plugs between the qualifying round and the scored portion of the competition. His big tuning trick for more horsepower, though, was putting the air cleaner assembly back on. It upped his power number each time he replaced it.

Randy was running quite a bit of compression, so the timing couldn't be set for more than 30-degrees or a substantial rattle was heard.

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

This is it. The eight builders are arriving at Comp Cams in Memphis this weekend to get it all underway in year three of the Mopar Muscle Challenge. The engines have all been limited to 410 ci displacement and will run on the same Rockett Brand fuel. The goal is high power on a low budget. AMSOIL synthetic lubricants will help achieve that goal.

Here is a list of the finalists in the 2007 Mopar Muscle Engine Challenge.

Diamondback Engines
Richmond, TX

MRL Performance
Jackson, MI

Mid America Racing Engines
Washington, IA 52353

R.M. Competition
Roseville, MI 48066

Muscle Motors
Lansing, MI 48906

Speed-O-Motive
West Covina, CA 91790

Schurbon Engine and Machine
Maquoketa, IA

Indy Cylinder Head
Indianapolis, IN 46239

Good luck to all!

This Week on Amercian Hot Rod

The Bonneville racer build was an entirely new chapter for Boyd Coddington and his crew. Thursday night, see part one of three episodes as a 1926 Model T is modified into the AMSOIL/Coddington racer that will feature Jo behind the wheel. A new hire has been added to the team in order to meet the pressing deadlines associated with this build.

Check local listings for air times on The Learning Channel.

Vintage Cars to Flood Kalamazoo This Weekend

Over 3,000 street rods will be on hand at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds in Kalamazoo, Mich., as the National Street Rod Association presents its 28th Annual Street Rod Nationals North. The dates for the city’s largest vintage car show are September 14, 15, 16 2007.

This will be the 21st time the NSTA Street Rod Nationals North have been held in Kalamazoo and an all time high number of participants and spectators are expected this year. Almost all of the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds will be utilized for the event as well as dealer displays and other attractions.

The host organization, NSRA, defines a street rod as a modernized vintage vehicle that must be of pre-1949 manufacture. These vehicles are equipped with the latest options available on the newest model vehicles, including but not limited to disc brakes, air conditioning, cruise control, and tilt steering wheel. Most of those attending have updated the engine and drive train to enable the owner to cruise down the highway in comfort and safely maintain the speeds traveled by more modern vehicles. This enables owners to drive their vehicles from all over the United States. All vehicles must be driven on to the grounds.

Rising Temps Put Stress On Engine Oils

When you think about it, we demand a lot from our motor oil. For example, we all want better fuel economy, so we’re using lighter oils. However, we also want engines to produce more power per cubic inch. To add power, we’re putting in turbochargers which raise the engine temperatures and put higher stress on our oil.

That’s not the only stress. We value cleaner air, so new devices that reduce exhaust emissions place more contamination in the oil and increase engine temperatures. We’ve also cut aerodynamic drag, a plus for vehicle owners, but brutal on oil. By minimizing the air flow over the engine and drivetrain, temperatures also rise.

In fact, the average under-the-hood temperature has increased from 175 degrees Fahrenheit in 1975 to 225 degrees in 2000. Our vehicles are increasingly complex and powerful machines. To keep them running smoothly, we’re demanding that our lubricants do more and last longer.

That is why synthetic motor oils and drivetrain fluids have been increasing in market receptivity over the past two decades. For more information about AMSOIL synthetic motor oils, visit the AMSOIL website at http://www.amsoil.com

If you like racing and have an interest in following our corporate racing activities, be sure to visit and bookmark http://www.amsoil.com/blog/index.aspx

Off-road racing, record chasing on the Bonneville Salt Flats and events like the Diesel Power Challenge can teach a lot about the performance limits of lubricants.

The Latest from Bonneville

Evidently the weather gods have not been smiling the past two days out on the Flats. Intermittent rain and high winds have forced the course to be closed more often than open. Here is a brief rundown on the the Hayes Team.

Class
MPS-D 750 (modified partial streamlining - diesel powered - 750 cc maximum displacement)
Obtained adequate speed for class record but course delays did not permit required second run. Have to start from scratch but the potential is there.

MPS-DB 750 (modified partial streamlining - diesel powered - 750 cc maximum displacement turbo charged)
Obtained adequate speed for class AMA National 1 mile record and FIM 1 Kilometer International record significant to yesterday.

P-D 750 (production - diesel powered - 750 cc maximum displacement)
Obtained adequate speed for AMA National and FIM International class records but it was felt that the speed did not reflect the potential of the bike. If time allows, the bike will be rerun.

M-D 750 (modified - diesel powered - 750 cc maximum displacement)
Still to be run.

M-DB 750 (modified - diesel powered - 750 cc maximum displacement turbo charged)
Still to be run.

Here are a few additional photos...

Tulsarama Highlights to Air on American Hot Rod

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 was unearthed and transferred to the Tulsa Convention Center as part of Oklahoma’s Centennial celebration. Boyd Coddington, host of the The Learning Channel's American Hot Rod, was on hand with his crew to attempt to get the Belvedere running after spending 50 years buried in the underground vault. Coddington was to install AMSOIL lubricants and filters for the big dance.

Journalists from around the globe were on hand for this truly grand opening. Unfortunately, as Robert Burns once observed, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. In this case, the theoretically watertight vault failed in its mission. Two days before Sleeping Beauty was to be excavated, workers unearthing the Belvedere were shocked at what they found when they removed the cover of the 12 x 22 foot vault. Several feet of mucky water had seeped in. Though shrouded in protective plastic, the evidence of potential disaster presented itself to an array of onlookers who stood aghast at the sight. Some even wept.

To paraphrase Alexander Pope, "To err is human," ...but to be on the air, is still fine.

This Thursday on The Learning Channel at 7:00 PM CST, American Hot Rod will divert its attention temporarily from the finishing of a '59 Corvette in order to be part of the unearthing of Tulsa's '57 Plymouth Belvedere that had been buried in a time capsule for 50 years.

The following week at 7:00 PM Central Coddington's team will begin Part 1 of their Bonneville Racer build, the AMSOIL/Coddington 1926 Model T.

Four Records and Going for More

For those who don’t know, there is not just one week of racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Various “speed weeks” are assembled and managed by various sanctioning bodies. This week the AMA is on hand to oversee record breaking attempts by more than two hundred motorcycle race teams.

Due to rain and other interferences, the conditions are less the stellar. Nevertheless Fred Hayes, founder/CEO of Hayes Diversified Technologies, has already qualified for two national and two international records out on the Flat. Coming into the week Hayes already owned eight world and four national land speed records, all on diesel powered bikes. His company, Hayes Diversified Technologies (HDT USA), is the largest supplier of military motorcycles to the U.S. Defense Department.

High winds are a problem at this moment, but it is hoped this will clear and our man on the scene will have more good news to pass along.