While my Web Site is still behind the times on some information (and I want to redo it once again), and the growing popularity of social networking and connecting with more people this way lately, I have been focusing my attention on getting the various social sites up to par.  But while not really a social site and a convenient tool for my customers and followers, I have also been doing some revamping of the Technilube.com Toolbar.

When I first made the toolbar, I wanted it to be a quick access for information on my Web Site.  As I use the toolbar all the time myself, mostly for my Google searches, I realized it could be better, and also more simple for when you are ready to get information, vehicle applications, and order.

With that thought, I have changed many of the links away from my site, and directly to the various information locations at Amsoil Corporate, so that you have the latest product information when you need it, as well as a quick and easy way to see pricing (something not accessible before) and order information.  You can also sign up for the Preferred Customer Wholesale Buying Membership or request information on the other wholesale buying options by using the links on it.

Some other conveniences allow you to see the feeds to my blog entries, and the Amsoil Corporate ones, including their Racing activities.  It has easy access to my Facebook Page and Twitter feeds, plus a quick link to open a small window to get into your own profiles, and some other chat options and links.

Hopefully, besides being a convenient way to get the latest Amsoil Synthetics information you might be looking for right away, it also has a few features that make it a more versatile toolbar for everyday use.  I will continue to make better changes as I think of them and based on your feedback.

If you don’t have the toolbar yet, take a look, try it out, and let me know what you think.

A few years ago I made a Facebook Page for my business, but never did much more with it as I wasn’t sure what to do, and my MySpace page was my main social networking business site.  Recently I read some interesting statistics about Facebook, and as I’ve been drifting away from MySpace, like so many other users, to having fun with Facebook and connect with more friends, I decided to take another look at the Amsoil Page I made there.  It seems based on users, Facebook is the fourth largest country in the world!  With that being said, and finding out more what I can so with a page there, in the past week I completely revamped it.  I’m adding new videos (on MySpace and YouTube as well), pictures, a feed to show what I’m writing here, and in general trying to make it a fun place to visit, informative, and where too look for events/shows I may be at and status updates.  If you haven’t been to the page (www.facebook.com/TechnilubeCom), take a look, let me know what you think, “Like” it there and pass on the word.  Thanks.

I still do work with my MySpace page, for those who know me from there, but will probably be focusing for a bit on Facebook to get it rolling more.  You can also follow my status updates on Twitter, and numerous other social sites, but these are all linked, so chances are if you are following one now, you will see the same status updates on all the others.

Last week one of the e-newsletters I get, the Lube Report, printed a report on some testing done by the Petroleum Quality Institute of America (PQIA) that found several oils claiming to meet certain new specs, really didn’t.  The viscosity tested was a 5W-30, and some were out of this range when tested.  Also they didn’t meet the current SM specification guidelines that is now required for new oils and vehicles by the API.  Only a small sample of oils were done in this testing and there was some question as to whether some of those even were certified to meet the API specs claimed on the bottle because they didn’t appear on the APIs Web Site.  This was clarified this week with the following statement:

Early editions of "Motor Oil Buyers, Beware" last week said that Pilot- and Sheetz-branded 5W-30 oils claimed to be API-licensed but were not, because they did not appear in API’s directory of licensed products. After the story was published, API’s Kevin Ferrick said, "API inadvertently left the Sheetz product off the Pinnacle Oil license, and the Pilot license expired because of some delays related to the renewal process. I expect both licensing issues to be rectified soon." Both products are now correctly listed at API’s website.

Here is the article link:  Motor Oil Buyers, Beware.

But now a week later, yet another report was released in the Lube Report, of testing done by Institute of Materials and finding 16% of the oils in their testing didn’t meet the SM Rating.  They did point out some of the specs were just outside the range, but to me, the fact remains, they didn’t pass and why make oil so close to the edge of the spec range that it can fail the test at one point, yet pass another?  Wouldn’t you want your oil to remain stable enough to pass every time?  This test took 250 oils and put them through their paces, and found 40 of them failed.

Here is the article link:  Research Finds 16% of SM Oils are Flawed.

One test mentioned above is the NOACK Volatility test, and the top end of the range is 15% before it fails.  This test measures how much oil evaporates under certain conditions.  15% is a lot and the main concern of the API, and has caused the requirement for such low zinc and phosphate levels, for fear of damaging the catalytic converter.  Amsoil oils come no where near this loss.  You can see by the graphic below how one of Amsoil’s most common oils, their 5W-30, rated in this tested to other popular brands.  This test is also a concern for Amsoil, since this oil is rated for 25,000 miles or a one year drain interval.  You don’t want your oil disappearing under heat conditions and falling out of spec during these type of extended drains.

Saw this one at a show a few years back.

At some point those of us who have been interested in our vehicles and watched late night infomercials about oil additives have seen the unbelievable claims some companies have tried to promote.  In some cases they show an engine running forever with no oil in it.  It runs and runs, never showing any sign of letting up, which I have seen at several car shows I’ve been too.  How is this possible?  Well, as it was explained to me, the particular engine being used (I’d have to check which one exactly) can do this forever as long as there is no load on it.  If it were in a real vehicle and not free standing as soon as any sort of real world load were applied, it would strain and seize.

Another example I remember years ago seeing late one night was for another additive (Prolong, I believe) that showed a Viper racing around the track supposedly not modified in any way other than adding the oil treatment, letting it “bond,” and then draining the oil and off to the circle track it went with no problems.  Question…how is this possible with hydraulic lifters that engine has?

Yet another test that always seems to pop up, and early on before I knew any better I was suckered by, is using the Falex test method, nicknamed the “One Arm Bandit,” to show how oils seize up at different applied pressures, but then adding the additive being promoted and suddenly shows how much more pressure can be applied before the unit freezes, if it does at all.  Well, for this last case, Amsoil went to their lab and made a video showing exactly how this test works and why the results from it are misleading.  Unless you believe shampoo can outperform your oil:

It has been a while since making a post here and writing my newsletter, for those of you receiving that.  The last quarter of the year saw several new changes for me that pulled my attention away from here and my other writings.  As the new year rolled around I promised myself I would get more active again with my posts, and passing on new info.  Okay, it’s February, and while I have been making a few posts in some of the forums I visit, including the local HHO Meetup Group I started, my own personal venues have still been left behind.  So here I am!

First, I hope every had a good holiday season and the New Year is racing forward the way you had planned.  A lot has happened with the various products, shows, meetings, etc. I work with.  I will be attempting to recap much of that here, then sending out my newsletter doing the same as one big summary.

Amsoil has seen a few new products and some new recommendations have occurred due to findings of how well their products have been performing under certain conditions and applications.  Primarily this involves the newer diesel trucks and I’ll have a recap of the Toyota situation with the Amsoil Ea Oil Filter based on some new information that has come my way.  Yes, Toyota is in the Amsoil news as well (for those following all their recalls taking place at this time), and hopefully I can help shed a little more light on this.  For now you can look at the older blog post that basically explains the change in the Amsoil Ea Oil Filter interval for certain Toyota engines that are forming sludge and prematurely clogging the filter when used with the extended drain intervals.

Aggrand Organic Fertilizer Products, a division of Amsoil, continue to grow in popularity.  I started to redo my AltruHealth.com Web Site last September, but that got pushed to the back burner.  The URL works, but there is no information there as I was playing with some different templates to see which I liked best at the time.  This site will cover both Aggrand and Altrum products.  You can go there for more information in the future, but for the moment, other than having me email listed, it is linking to the Corporate Sites for both products.  To save time, you can visit the Altrum Web Site and Aggrand Web Site from the links in this message.

RMI-25 is still available.  In an older post, I mentioned the company is up for sale, and as far as I know, it still is with very limited supply left.  But my supplier was able to get his hands on a large amount while it was still available and because of that, I still can as well.  At least until that is gone or someone takes over the company and begins production again.  This is a really great product and will be a loss if they disappear.  I am always getting calls about it, perhaps more so now, as it is getting hard to find.  Currently I have access to the 8 oz. bottles, but only ship within the US.

Towards the end of the year, I picked up another new product called FilterMag.  I was interested in this earlier last year, but didn’t start carrying it until the end of the year, and getting my demo bottle to display has really been a show stopper for those that have seen it in action.  More in a future blog post, but in a nutshell, it is a magnet that attaches to your oil filter and helps to capture the very fine metal particles that even the filter cannot catch.  But wait!  You use an Amsoil Ea Oil Filter now, aren’t those the best?  Yes they are, but these ultra fine metal particles can still get through them and cause wear inside the engine.  The Amsoil Ea Oil Filters are better than any other oil filter on the market, but adding the FilterMag adds another level of protection.  But what if you are using the Amsoil Bypass Filter?  In that case, you really don’t need the FilterMag, it already is able to capture those fine particles.  So look at the list like this:

• Other Filters = Crap, or just above (insert laugh track here)

In the elite filtration class:

• Amsoil Ea Oil Filter = Good
• Amsoil Ea Oil Filter with FilterMag = Better
• Amsoil Bypass System = Best!

The FilterMag will catch those fine metal particles, but not other non-metallic particles or soot like the Amsoil Bypass System is able.  So if you want the best (especially if you have a newer diesel truck where these should be standard), this is the best route to go.

I’m sure I’m missing a few other things to add here, but I’ll get to them as I make my individual posts.

I do have a few events I will be at coming up.  Next weekend, February 20, 2010, I’ll be at the Mustang show I usually attend and setup at (download the show PDF flyer here), and later this Spring the Central Florida Earth Day Festival is coming up again, which I also intend to be at once more promoting the Amsoil extended drains, increased MPG with HHO Systems, and the Aggrand Organic Fertilizer products.

Watch here for more.

Okay, if any of you are on Twitter getting automotive feeds, there has been a lot of hype and chatter going around since GM announced that their Volt will get an estimated 360 MPG.  Not to be outdone, Nissan jumped on the bandwagon soon after announcing that their Leaf will get 367 MPG and will actually be more affordable to the average consumer!  But how are they getting these numbers?  Remember, MPG is “Miles Per Gallon.”  The Leaf is all electric, so a gallon of what?

Not that these advances aren’t great and we’re moving in the right direction to try and become more fuel efficient but there still are many factors to take into account, and the testing to come up with real world results hasn’t really been designed yet.  Feedback concerns I hear within my circles are the costs of the electric batteries to replace.  I’m sure Mom feeling she made the wise investment, that she is getting great mileage, and protecting the environment, won’t be happy when she one day takes in her electric hybrid or pure electric car to her local Dealer when it just isn’t “holding a charge” anymore and gets told she needs to buy new batteries for $6000 or whatever the going rate will be.  And let’s not forget the the battery disposal fee added to that.  I don’t think anything is really setup to handle this yet, but it will need to be.

But back to the MPG estimates.  There is some revamping of the tests to come out with actual miles being done, but many are still relying on the current tests for gasoline or diesel powered engines.  And even this isn’t really accurate, since it isn’t necessarily measuring how far you drive, but rather reads what your emissions are and giving an estimate based on that output.  Here is the testing taken from the EPA’s Website:

How are Vehicles Tested?

Vehicles are driven over identical driving patterns by professional drivers in controlled laboratory conditions on a dynamometer, which is like a treadmill for cars. The conditions that occur during driving, such as wind drag and inertia are accounted for on the dynamometer. There are two types of tests that are conducted: city and highway tests.

The city test is approximately 11 miles long and simulates a stop and go trip with an average speed of about 20 miles per hour (mph). The trip lasts 31 minutes and has 23 stops. About 18 percent of the time is spent idling (as in waiting for traffic lights). A short freeway driving segment is included in the test. The engine is initially started after being parked overnight.

The highway simulates a 10 mile trip with an average speed of 48 mph. The vehicle is started “hot” and there is very little idling and no stops.

How Are the Label Estimates Calculated?

Fuel economy estimates are calculated from the emissions generated during the tests using a carbon balance equation. We know how much carbon is in the fuel, so by precisely measuring the carbon compounds expelled in the exhaust we can calculate the fuel economy.

After the vehicles have been tested, the results are adjusted downward to account for conditions that occur on the road that can affect fuel economy which don’t occur during laboratory testing, such as cold temperature, aggressive driving, excessive use of power-hungry accessories, among others. The city is adjusted downward by 10 percent, and the highway by 22 percent.
The equation for calculating the city or highway average fuel economy, given in miles per gallon (mpg), is:

FEave = (total sales / [(sales1/FE1)+ (sales2/FE2) + ...+ (salesn/FEn)]

The calculation for combined fuel economy weights the city at 55 percent and the highway at 45 percent using the following equation:

FEcomb = 1 / (( .55 / city FE) + (.45 / hwy FE))

This makes me wonder a little about the HHO Systems I’m working with and know others developing technology for.  Since these systems when tuned correctly can virtually get rid of emissions in a standard combustion engine, rather than simply using a Scangauge or writing down the miles and using a calculator based on each fill up, if we applied the above standard, what sort of MPG results could these systems then claim?

And here’s another company getting into the hybrid market I doubt anyone would have ever considered:  Lamborghini.  Yes, the legendary supercar company is now planning on releasing their own Hybrid Gallardo by 2015 yet still have a V10 or V12 engine onboard.  My thoughts are still in the air about this one, but I suppose if the popularity of Tesla (electric hybrid) and the Scorpion (hydrogen hybrid) grow, it might be a wise choice to stay competitive.

October 1st a new law will become active in North Carolina banning the disposal of used oil filters by individuals and companies in the trash.  They will now need to be disposed of properly in order to keep them from winding up in landfills and causing contamination from the oil still trapped within.  A reminder was sent out in June to managers so that they have time to determine what sort of new actions they need to enact within their business and make arrangements with filter recycling companies. The new ruling is to help reinforce one established in 1989 on the disposal of used motor oil.  Other states with a similar filter ruling include Florida and California.

You can read more in the article in the Lube Report that was released this morning.

On of the transportation e-newsletters I get had this information posted this morning I thought I’d share with everyone:

Obama Signs ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Bill

By Light & Medium Truck

President Barack Obama signed into law a $1 billion program to encourage drivers to buy more fuel-efficient cars and trucks, Bloomberg News reported.

The so-called “cash-for-clunkers” legislation, aimed at helping spur auto sales, offers vouchers worth as much as $4,500 to car buyers who trade-in trucks and cars that meet certain benchmarks for fuel mileage.

The program could take effect as soon as August, Bloomberg said. The government needs a 30-day period to officially set rules.

The program was attached to a separate $106 billion spending bill for U.S. war efforts, Bloomberg said.

Just letting everyone know that all of your orders and shipments are diligently inspected before going out.  Here you can see Sammie making sure that the Post Office is producing quality shipping material to protect your products.  If it doesn’t pass Sammie’s stringent requirements, he won’t let it leave.

Another report out today in the Lube Report by Lubes-n-Greases on a safety recall for some GM owners:

Oil Leak Sparks GM Recall
By Nancy DeMarco

Risk of an engine fire from leaking motor oil this week prompted General Motors to recall a total of nearly 1.5 million model year 1997 to 2003 Buicks, Chevrolets, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs.

Drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking, GM advised the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on April 8. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it could ignite into a small flame and spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

The recall, expected to begin during May 2009, applies to a total of 1,497,516 Buick Regals, Chevrolet Impalas, Luminas and Monte Carlos, Oldsmobile Intrigues and Pontiac Grand Prix. All the affected vehicles are midsize cars with a 3.8 liter V6 engine.

Dealers will remove the spark plug wire retention channel at the front of the engine and install two new spark plug wire retainers free of charge, GM said.