What Does the W Stand For in 5W-30 Motor Oil?

The viscosity of a fluid is the measure of its internal molecular friction resisting flow. The “W” in 5W-30 motor oil stands for “winter” and indicates the oil meets or exceeds certain criteria for good low-temperature performance. Motor oil with SAE viscosity grade 5W-30 behaves like an SAE 30 oil at high temperatures and SAE 5W oil at low temperatures, providing the necessary fluidity for rapid starts and efficient engine operation at low temperatures.

Without the introduction of additives, as the temperature rises oil viscosity thins. As the temperature drops the oil viscosity thickens. With the introduction of additives, oil can be rated for one viscosity when it’s cold and another when it’s hot. A thicker oil viscosity at higher temperatures usually continues to provide lubrication protection to moving parts. A thinner oil viscosity at lower temperatures flows easier and requires less energy at start up.

For 5W-30, the “5” tells you how the oil will perform at colder temperatures. A “5W” protects and performs better at lower temperatures than a “10W”. The “30” tells you how the oil viscosity will be at higher temperatures. The second number “30” will stay thicker and protect better at higher temperatures than a “20”.

Interested in learning more? Visit this page of our website to make sure you're putting the right oil in your car. It makes a difference what oil you choose.

Update on the Buell Bike Giveaway

The year is half spent, but there's still plenty of time to enter our Building Legends Sweepstakes. In December some lucky winner will take home an EBR 1190RX. In addition to the Grand Prize EBR 1190RX, AMSOIL is giving away an Erik Buell-autographed motorcycle helmet (First Prize, $500 retail value) and three AMSOIL leather motorcycle jackets ($250 retail).

Here's a link to the contest rules... and to the Entry Form. Do take a minute to review the rules as eligibility is limited.

Meantime... what do you think of this bike?

Ride on!

Ron Shaver's Contribution to the 2014 AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour

It was exciting to see legendary engine builder Ron Shaver competing in last year's AMSOIL Engine Masters Challenge. His late model GM LS engine featured RHS block and heads, displacing 427 cubic inches. Holley carburetor on a single plane intake manifold. Shaver’s engine. decked out with a Holley carburetor on a single plane intake manifold, was clearly a well-developed piece that ran flawlessly in qualifying.

The power output was outstanding, with peak output recorded at 738 horsepower and 653 lb-ft of peak torque. The engine’s score was hurt by a dip in the torque curve right at the bottom of the rpm range, but the final tally of 2720.4 was enough to put Shaver among the leaders. By week's end another engine builder walked away with the trophy, but no one takes anything for granted when a Ron Shaver engine is in the room.

Well, this year Shaver's name came up in conjunction with another AMSOIL-sponsored relationship, the AMSOIL Street Rodder Road Tour. The Road Tour's '59 Chev Impala is a big car, and it needed a big engine. Road Tour director Jerry Dixey says it has been tremendously fun to drive. Furthermore, it has enough trunk space to accommodate "a small college  marching band" (if they leave out the tubas.) Dixey has driven a few road tours with almost no trunk space, so the extra room is welcome. It's not easy packing a week's worth of attire into a glove compartment.

The power behind this year's car came from a Ron Shaver-built 427 big-block LS with EFI. He said the engine would fulfill all the prerequisites of big power, be very streetable, and still be enticing to the eye. "We're here to tell you this big dog hunts on all counts," says Dixey, "The old standard for a street performance engine used to be 1.1 horsepower per cubic inch (hp/ci). This RHS block–based 427 blows that out of the water with an impressive 1.45 hp/ci with its 622 hp peak."

Have fun, Jerry.

Photo courtesy Street Rodder magazine.

Power, Performance and AMSOIL Keep This Supra in the Spotlight

No ordinary street car.

Duane Stephens first found AMSOIL back in 2006 when his ’89 MA70 Supra landed a feature spot in Compact Car Magazine and he needed a good lubricant to complete his vision. Most recently, his Supra caught the eyes of the editors at D-Sport Magazine after turning out a remarkable 1,000+ RWHP on the dyno. Getting to such impressive numbers is a great accomplishment, but finding the perfect formula to hit that level was no easy feat. Duane is constantly adding modifications to get him the max power and performance, which is why he pursued AMSOIL to get the most out of his engine’s capabilities.

He’ll soon be featured in an upcoming issue of the magazine and is still proudly running AMSOIL, so we caught up with him to learn more about his passion for power.

Check out these wheels.

AMSOIL: How and when did you get started in the tuner scene?

Duane S: I have always been into imports but didn't start modifying them until I got the Supra back in '99.

AMSOIL: Was the Supra your first project car?

DS: No, I had a 4-door '79 Cutlass before this with a GM crate engine and a bottle added. It was an 11-second car and was fun to drive…a true sleeper.

AMSOIL: Why AMSOIL? 

Let's pop the hood. Oh my!

DS: I wanted something that I can rely on. I have done my homework and AMSOIL is the best. Also, being ‘The First in Synthetics’ says something about a company. They will always be innovative and on the cutting edge.

AMSOIL: Favorite AMSOIL product?

DS: I have a few: gear oil, grease and I particularly like the Signature Series Oil which I run in both my vehicles. Oil is the life blood of the engine. It carries away the waste, lubricates and keeps everything running smoothly.

AMSOIL: If you could modify any car in the world to your specifications, what would your dream vehicle be?

DS: Generally, I wouldn't say an exotic because I think they are underpowered for what you pay. But, Under Ground Racing has packages for a Lamborghini. It is a twin turbo kit that can put out 1500 hp on pump gas. I would have one of those and add my own touch to what they already do. There is always room to improve or make it your own. All in all though, I love the Supra and the uniqueness I’ve created.

AMSOIL: We love it, too. What kind of media coverage has your Supra received?

DS: The car has received many awards. It has been featured in a total of 6 magazines and is slated for another one coming up. Over 50 trophies over the time I have owned it. The main trophy is my wife, because she is the one that supports me with what I like to do. Mind you, she loves it too. It was her idea recently to modify it more!

AMSOIL: Most memorable moment on the tuner scene:

DS: We have had many. Awards are great, and so is magazine coverage. But I would have to say hitting the 1000 horsepower number (1035.92) on the dyno is a milestone for us. It is a great feeling and a testament to the tuning, parts and oil to make this powerful an engine and keep it going.

AMSOIL: Thanks for sharing. Best of luck to you in the years ahead.

Zounds!

Turtle Expedition Rolls Into Georgia

Like the Energizer Bunny, the Turtle Expedition just keeps going, now for nearly forty years. They've criss-crossed continents and are currently making their way across Asia once again. The title here says they're in Georgia, and by that we don't mean the state that borders Florida, South Carolina and Alabama. They're in the former Soviet Union.

Currently Gary and Monika Wescott are on their fifth vehicle -- the Turtle V -- on this perpetual trek. It helps that Gary and Monica are writers, sending home stories to magazines as diverse as Off Road, Four Wheeler, Camping Life, Power Stroke Registry and other U.S. magazines. Sometimes the stories are technical and sometimes entertaining. Certainly their Turtle Expedition blog provides an ongoing documentary of their adventures, of which AMSOIL has been a part these past several years.

They even attended a Georgia wedding.

This week Turtle Expedition blog post opened with this description:

Certainly one of the more pleasant things about driving into Georgia was that it is a Christian nation. We were no longer woken up before sunrise by amplified loudspeakers throughout town calling us to prayer. In fact, driving by villages there were often one or more church steeples, and as we noted before, the dress of mostly young women was as modern as any non-Muslim country.

You never know where they will appear next. Here's a Popular Mechanics story that features the Turtle V. Or in this YouTube video featuring the self-same vehicle.

One thing you don't need if you're driving across the middle of nowhere, you don't want to worry about breakdowns. To help Gary and Monika as they travel long distances across vast terrain, we've provided an AMSOIL By-Pass Filter system to extend oil service life. Fewer oil changes make for easier travelling. It also helps reduce the amount of supplies they need to carry. Having AMSOIL in the sump makes for one less thing to worry about while getting directions for the next leg of their journey.

From the other side of the world, we wish you the best. Ride on!

Photos courtesy the Turtle Expedition, used with permission.