2014 AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge Press Conference Scheduled for Friday at PRI

Engine builders and followers of the AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge will want to be on hand for the Official Rules Press Conference this Friday at the Indiana Convention Center. Over the past several years the competition has become continuously stiffer as the stakes get higher. Imagination and innovation combine with hands-on experience with the laws of physics to produce one of the most dramatic events in racing... in a pair of dyno cells at the University of Northwestern Ohio. Jon Kaase took home this year's trophy and crown. Who will take the next?

European Car Trivia

A list of the top ten European cars being sold in America included four models of Volkswagen, two BMW models, the Audi A4, Mini Cooper and two Mercedes-Benz models. Depending on where you live you may be noticing more and more of these cars.

Now here's the trivia question: How many of these top selling European cars are also in the top ten of cars being purchased in Europe?

Here's are some other questions. What kind of oil do you put in European cars? Do European cars require a different kind of oil than U.S. cars?

First, let's answer the trivia question.

The word trivia has its origins in the Latin word meaning trivial or inconsequential, unimportant. Unless you're an auto dealer for one of these brands this kind of information is nothing more than trivial fodder for light dinner party conversations. Those oil selection questions, if you drive a European car, are anything but trivial.

Since two of the top selling cars in Europe are American-made (Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta) we know the answer is eight or less. In fact, it's quite revealing to discover how very different these two lists are. It actually shows how different these two markets are.

Unless you're a car guy, there are some makes and models listed here that you may never have even heard of. Here's the list for June of 2013.*

1. VW Golf, top selling car in Europe
2. Vauxhall Corsa 
3. VW Polo
4. Ford Fiesta 
5. Renault Megane
6. Vauxhall/Opel Astra 
7. Renault Clio 
8. Ford Focus 
9. VW Passat
10. Peugeot 207 hatchback 

The two cars that made both lists were both manufactured by Volkswagen, the Golf and the Passat.

As for what oil to put in your European car, it's important to know that viscosity is not the only thing to pay attention to. A lot of us still remember when the only thing you needed to know about motor oil was when you last changed it and whether it was 10W-40 or not. It’s a whole new world. The primary differentiator among various makes and models of European car oils has to do with acceptable levels of sulfated ash, phosphorus and sulfur, which for our convenience is called SAPS.

SAPS makes up a significant part of an engine oil’s additive content. Different SAPS levels are necessary because some emissions systems and after treatment devices, such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and catalysts, are sensitive to the SAPS content of oil. These engines require lower SAPS formulations. Many vehicles, however, are not equipped with emissions systems that are sensitive to higher SAPS levels; they are best protected by full-SAPS oils.

The bottom line is that there’s been an evolution in engine designs and in European lube recommendations so that we have low, medium and high SAPs formulations now. Even though 5W-40 engine oils are in widespread use in Europe, not all 5W-40s are created equal. Depending on the application they have different SAPS levels.

If you own a European vehicle, here's a starting point to help you select the correct engine oil.

* Source: The Telegraph, Motoring Picture Galleries

AMSOIL Is For Lovers.... Horse Lovers, That Is

A lot of folks don’t realize how large the horse industry is in this country. In addition to close to 900,000 race horses there are 2.7 million show horses, 3.9 million recreational horses and 1.7 million other horses for a total of 9.2 million horses. It has a 39 billion dollar annual economic impact according to a 2005 report by the American Horse Council Foundation. In addition to our country’s two million horse owners there are 2.6 million people involved in feeding, breeding, competing, and other activities related to horses.

As most horse owners know there are many additional unnoticed expenses. Horse trailers and the trucks that tow them are all part of the business. This is where AMSOIL comes in to lend assistance. Towing puts strain on any vehicle, but especially in those parts of the country with hills and mountains where a lot of horse owners live. For example, the relatively short drive from Sedona to Flagstaff in Arizona climbs 2,000 feet in elevation and it’s uphill all the way. This puts great strain on a drivetrain. The increased heat generated can result in thinning transmission fluid, which makes it less effective as a lubricant resulting in more heat, more thinning, and ultimately thermal runaway.

It’s bad enough to break down in any vehicle in a hot day, but especially so when you’ve got Ginger and Cricket in the back and it's 110 degrees on an open road.

For people who tow, whether its horse, boats or travel trailers, taking care of that tow vehicle can be the difference between a great vacation or the dismal alternative. Here's a tip: Check out Infohorse for more information on how AMSOIL helps horse owners and the vehicles they own.

AMSOIL can help take care of your truck so your mind can be on your dreams.

AMSOIL Shines at Houston Autorama

John Pena's 1966 International 1000A is so cool it's hot!

John Pena has been a regular on the show scene for some time, parking his custom vehicle builds at high-profile car shows around the nation and landing magazine coverage both online and in print. He has nine custom builds under his belt, and visions of future projects constantly flowing for his next undertaking.

Most recently Pena attended the Houston Autorama show with his 1966 International 1000A and sent us photos of his masterpiece that speak volumes to his talent. The International 1000A was not an easy project to rebuild, and many dollars and months were spent turning it into the head-turner it is today. After so much time and effort was put into the project, Pena wanted to ensure it was ready for the road and sought out AMSOIL to keep his engine and components running peak. We agreed, and this impressive truck now has AMSOIL installed throughout. Here is a look at his latest photo update from Houston.

Gorgeous from any angle.

Park Your Vehicle Info at MyAMSOILGarage

Where do you park your vehicle information? Do you have a special place where you keep your maintenance records? Wouldn't it be great to bring a little organization to your vehicle maintenance info?

Even though AMSOIL is a synthetic oil company that offers products for all your vehicle lubrication needs, we also have some great online tools to help you as well. Being that this is Cyber-Monday, it seems like a great time to share our online parking garage... MyAMSOILGarage.

Currently vehicle information for more than 135,000 vehicles is stored here with reminders so you know when to schedule your next change your oil, along with records of every other kind. Whatever your make and model, we have a safe place for you to keep it... or rather, to keep your records. We've got Jaguars, Minis, Cadillacs, Alfa Romeos and even a Yugo.

You can also store info on your powersports toys as well. And here are two bonuses: (1) it's free, and (2) you don't have to be an AMSOIL customer.

Here's an interesting stat. One quare foot of real estate in Manhattan is now $3,000. We're offering you as much real estate as you can possibly use for parking ALL your vehicles, and your friends' vehicles, too.

Visit MyAMSOILGarage and open an account today.

Whatever you drive, you can park it at MyAMSOILGarage.