Now's the Time to Protect Your Stored Equipment

Rust, Corrosion and Degraded Fuel can Attack Equipment not Properly Prepared for Storage

When it comes to our cars, we don't have to worry much about storage unless you have a "sunny day" classic that you don't drive during the winter or when it's raining.  But when it comes to our powersports and lawn and garden equipment that we only use sporadically, proper storage is essential to ensure that our "toys" provide us with many years of service.  With winter approaching, many of us will be putting motorcycles, ATVs, boats, personal watercraft, lawnmowers and other power equipment into storage.  Though it may be tempting to park equipment out of sight after the final use and hope it starts again next season, such action (or inaction) can have serious consequences.  Engines left unprepared for storage can suffer from fuel degradation, condensation and corrosion.  The results can lead to poor performance or costly repairs or replacement, so it makes sense (and cents!) to prepare equipment for the off-season so it’s protected and ready for springtime use.  Even if you live in a moderate winter climate, extended periods of non-use warrant following these winterizing strategies.  AMSOIL provides a host of products that will protect your equipment during these periods of inactivity.

There is no "one-size-fits-all" when it comes to how to prepare equipment for storage.  Different equipment requires different care but there are some common storage procedures. 

Motorcycles

While storing your bike in your house might be the best thing for your bike, it may not be the best thing for your house or your marriage.  If storing your bike the normal way, either in the garage or outside, here are the things that you want to keep in mind:

1. Wash and dry – Road contaminants can permanently stain and corrode paint and chrome and you'll never get it off.
2. Change oil – Combustion and its by-products cause oxidation, which can be detrimental to internal engine components. Fresh oil protects engines against such unseen damage. 

3. Stabilize fuel – Gasoline can begin to degrade in as little as 30 days, forming gums and deposits on engine components.  Modern-day fuel is not the greatest to say the least.  Treating fuel with AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer can prevent degradation and carburetor and injector problems when the bike comes out of storage.

4. Remove battery – If storing for an extended period like over the winter, remove the battery or connect a float charger to keep it at full capacity without risk of damage from overcharging (a float charger is a very small charger that keeps the battery charged over long periods - it's not designed to charge a dead battery). 
5. Lift off ground – Use a speedy stand or ramp to prevent flat spots - this is ideal but not crucial.
6. Cover – Cover the bike to protect it from light and dirt, especially if you store it outside.  If it is outside make sure you allow some air circulation in order to help prevent rust. 

Outboard Engines (Two- and Four-Stroke)

Unless you are a professional fisherman, most outboard motors are used sporadically during the season: they're put in the water in the spring, used on weekends, they sit during the week, taken out of the lake in the fall and put in the garage for the winter.  While that may work for a year or two, some caretaking is necessary to provide trouble-free operation.  

1. Stabilize the fuel – If storing four months or longer, the most important thing is to stabilize fuel in both two and four stroke engines with AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer after the final use.  AMSOIL Quickshot® provides fuel stabilization for periods less than four months.  Pour the Gasoline Stabilizer or Quickshot in the last tank of gas, run it through the motor and you should be good to go.  Note that no Gasoline Stabilizer is required if you’ve routinely been using Quickshot and the engine will be stored fewer than four months.

2. Change the lower unit oil – this is a must!  If any water has invaded the lower unit over the summer and it’s left there during storage, rust can form on bearings, the lower unit gears can degrade, bearings can rust out and seals can degrade - you're looking at a very expensive fix if any of these things happen.

3. Change the oil and filter (in four-stroke engines) – Most four-stroke engines use a separate spin-on filter.  Change the oil and filter for protection against oxidation and rust and corrosive acids left over from combustion.  Changing the oil in the fall protects the engine during storage plus you've got fresh oil for use in the spring. 

 

4. Fog engine (if applicable) – AMSOIL Engine Fogging Oil gives engine components an extra protective barrier against condensation and dry starts.  This is a good idea for all two-stroke engines and four-stroke engines if applicable.  Some four-stroke engines require it, some don't.  But it's a good idea if the engine has been operated in a wet environment or if the engine has been sitting a lot - fogging will certainly not hurt it. 

Personal Watercraft (PWC)

PWCs present some unique challenges and storage procedures depending upon the climate where it's been used and the type of environment it's been exposed to.  

1. Stabilize fuel during last use with AMSOIL Quickshot or AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer by running it the last tank of gas.
2. Wash and dry equipment - this is very important if your PWC was used in salt water.  Get the salt water off the hull, especially on the inside of the hull in the bilge where corrosion can start. 
3. Flush with storage antifreeze if the PWC is going to be stored in subfreezing temperatures.  With PWCs, there will always be water in portions of the system.  What you need to do is replace that water with an antifreeze because if that water freezes and the engine block or cylinders crack, you could be looking at very expensive repairs.  Review your owner's manual - if you don't feel that you are qualified to perform this task, take it to your mechanic. 
4. Flush with freshwater if the PWC is used in saltwater.  Saltwater degrades aluminum parts very quickly. 
5. Fog engine with AMSOIL Engine Fogging Oil (if applicable) whether a two or four-stroke engine.  Anytime you're dealing with operating an engine in a wet environment, fogging the engine is a good insurance policy to prevent rust and corrosion from forming.  To use, with the engine running (use the throttle to keep the engine running), spray the fogging oil into the carburetor.  When a decent amount of blue smoke appears out of the tailpipe, the engine is sufficiently fogged and you're done. 
6. Remove the battery and store it in a warm, dry place off the ground if possible.  You never want to leave the battery on a cold concrete floor. 
7. Leave the seat open slightly to allow for airflow to the engine bay, cover the PWC and store indoors (preferably).  Allowing for airflow is important in order to minimize rust and corrosion in the engine compartment.  If storing outside and you don't want to leave the seat open, cover the PWC loosely in order to allow some airflow. 

Lawn, Garden and Handheld

Lawn and garden and handheld equipment is some of the most neglected equipment on the planet in terms of storage.  You use it to cut the grass or till the garden, you get done, kick it into the garage and bring it out once the lawn gets too long or the garden
needs tilling again.  It gets neglected, it doesn't get taken care of and that's why people have problems with it. This is work equipment, not the fun equipment, so we're talking lawn mowers, chain saws, tillers, pressure washers, weed whackers, etc.  Because it is used for work, we really don't want to spend any extra time taking care of it so a little time spent before storage will save a lot of time (and money) later. 

1. Stabilize the fuel with AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer or AMSOIL Quickshot.  Rust and corrosion is a constant problem with this type of equipment and what you get is reduced life span if you don't take care of fuel degradation issues. 
2. Change oil and filter (on four-stroke engines) at least once a year regardless of use (note that the owner's manual will supersede this).  You really need to get out that old, acidified, corrosive, oxidized oil out and put new oil in. 

3. Fog engine with AMSOIL Engine Fogging Oil (if applicable) – This is a good idea for four-stroke engines but fogging is a must for two-stroke engines if they are being stored for 30 days or more.
4. Wash off grass clipping, dirt, wood chips, etc. and apply AMSOIL MP Metal Protector to exposed metal parts to prevent rust (especially the blades).

5. Equipment is best stored indoors.  If left outside, protect it with a cover.


Following these simple steps can keep your equipment in peak operating condition, even when it’s not in use for several months. An hour or two of preventive maintenance now means next spring you’ll be spending more time on the road, on the water or in the yard instead of in the shed tearing
apart dirty carburetors.

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Questions and Comments are Always Welcome!

Motorcycle Oil: What Difference Does it Make?

Few debates among bikers can match the intensity of that over what motor oil is the best.  Criticizing someone's choice of oil usually sparks a chain reaction of spirited defenses of particular brands and types of oil, specifically conventional versus synthetic.  Just look at some of the threads on motorcycle forums and you'll see the passion on full display. 

What are the differences between conventional and synthetic motorcycle oil (or any motor oil for that matter)?  In short, it's the quality of the ingredients.  Both oils contain two basic components: base oils and additives.  Base oil quality determines a number of key performance properties, including the ability to resist chemical breakdown, heat resistance, viscosity retention (the ability to resist thinning) and pour point (how fluid the oil is at low temperatures). The goal in manufacturing base oils is a molecularly uniform, pure substance since inconsistencies and impurities limit performance.  Additives in the final formulation offer specific performance features not provided by base oils, like the ability to resist corrosion that may form when bikes are in storage.

The base oils used in conventional oils are anything but uniform and pure.  They are refined from crude oil pumped from within the earth.  Crude oil itself is a poor lubricant; it’s a thick, messy, foul-smelling raw material teeming with molecules of different weights.  Sulfur, paraffin (wax), nitrogen, oxygen and nickel are just some of the molecules in crude harmful to the lubricating process.  Paraffin, for example, thickens as the temperature drops, inhibiting the oil’s ability to quickly flow to critical engine parts at start-up.  Impurities cause the oil to breakdown (oxidize) requiring it to be changed.

Although the refining process used to manufacture conventional base oils removes some of the molecular inconsistencies and impurities, it can’t get them all, resulting in reduced performance.  For example, their ability to resist heat suffers.  The oil can volatilize, or literally boil off, especially in high-displacement, air-cooled bikes operating at the height of summer.  The elevated heat results in evaporation, causing the oil level to drop.  Some of the oil exits the exhaust pipe as emissions; some vaporizes into harmful deposits that form on critical engine parts, like the spark plugs, piston crowns and exhaust valves.  In a matter of time, poor performance can set in, resulting in reduced efficiency and difficult starts.

Just as problematic, conventional oils are more prone to losing viscosity due to mechanical shear. Viscosity is one of the most important features of oil, and the engine is designed to run on oil with a specific viscosity.  The churning action of high-rpm engine parts and transmission gears, coupled with elevated heat, can literally tear apart, or shear, the molecular structure of the oil, particularly the unstable molecules in conventional oils.  As a result, the oil loses viscosity and becomes thinner, compromising wear protection.

In contrast, the chemical reaction process used to manufacture synthetic base oils produces molecularly uniform, pure base oils.  Synthetics demonstrate increased resistance to heat and mechanical shear compared to their conventional counterparts.  By engineering lubricants with synthetic base oils that contain uniform molecules and no impurities, manufacturers can tailor their formulations to address the problems posed by powerful, hot-running bikes, like high heat and mechanical shear.  The end product simply performs better.

As bike manufacturers continue squeezing the greatest amount of power and efficiency out of smaller engines, the challenges of elevated heat and shearing conditions will only worsen.  Not only that, but what biker doesn’t want more power and maximum fuel efficiency?  Synthetics’ uniformity reduces friction compared to conventional oils, often resulting in a slight bump in horsepower and fuel economy.

Conventional oils are limited in the level of performance they can provide.  For that matter, so are synthetic blend oils, which combine an undisclosed percentage of synthetic base oils with conventional base oils.  AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils represent one of the least expensive long-term investments bikers can make in the performance and longevity of their motorcycles.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils outperform other conventional and synthetic motorcycle oils.  Engineered to prevent damaging sludge and carbon deposits, AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils promote superior engine cleanliness, while delivering excellent wet - clutch performance and transmission protection.  They resists acid formation and provide superior rust protection, especially important during storage.

AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oils provide maximum wear protection in the most demanding operating conditions.  Long rides in hot weather can cause inferior oils to lose viscosity.  The thinner oil fails to protect bearings and other critical components from wear.  As indicated by the test results below, each viscosity of AMSOIL Synthetic Motorcycle Oil exceeds either the standards of their viscosities for high-temperature film strength or that of the competition to deliver exceptional wear protection.  Higher values reflect better film strength.

AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil is recommended for Harley-Davidson®, Buell®,
KTM®, Ducati®, BMW®, Aprilia® and Triumph® motorcycle engines, transmissions and primary chaincases.

AMSOIL 10W-40 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil is recommended for Honda®, Kawasaki®, Yamaha®, Suzuki®, Victory®, BMW® and Husqvarna® motorcycle engines and transmissions.

AMSOIL 10W-30 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil is recommended for Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki motorcycle and scooter engines and transmissions.

AMSOIL SAE 60 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil is recommended for early-model air-cooled V-Twin engines where a 60-weight motor oil is specified.  SAE 60 motor oils are commonly used in Harley-Davidson Knucklehead, Panhead, Shovelhead and big-bore motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson/AMSOIL Oil Chart:  http://www.amsoil.com/products/streetbikes/oil_chart.aspx. 

NorthStar Tow-Behind Sprayer (26 Gallon) and AGGRAND Fertilizer

For the past few years I paid TruGreen to periodically fertilize and spray my lawn for weeds.  They did a fine job and the grass was nice and green and thick except during crab-grass season.  TruGreen didn't spray for crabgrass and the preemergent they put on in the spring helped, but didn't kill all of the crabgrass seeds that were lurking in the lawn.  But as I watched them apply the various treatments (and as I watched my wallet getting lighter with each application), I thought that I could do the same thing if I had the right equipment and did a little research so I knew what to apply and when and I could become my own TruGreen guy.

Although I hesitated based on the size of the yard (about 2+ acres of grass), I ultimately found the right tool for the job and that was the NorthStar 26-gallon Tow-Behind Sprayer from Northern Tool + Equipment.  Being a John Deere guy, I really wanted the John Deere Tow-Behind Sprayer which, based on my internet research, was a good piece of equipment.  However, since I lean to the cheap side, the price ($520) was more than I wanted to pay.  So I did some more research and found good reviews on the NorthStar sprayer.  Since there was a Northern Tools store that recently opened nearby, I decided to check it out.  I liked what I saw and ended up buying one mid-season for $279 (on sale with a $20 coupon).  I then cancelled my TruGreen service and started using my sprayer.

Be aware that you will have to assemble the sprayer.  Despite what you may read in some on-line reviews about how difficult assembly is, my 20-something son and daughter put it together (correctly) within about 2 hours.  It's really not that hard if you just read and follow the directions.    

 

 

Weed and Crabgrass Killer Application

When we got back from vacation, crabgrass and other weeds had basically taken over our lawn (like I said, despite TruGreen's pre-emergent application).  The sight almost brought me to tears but once I dried my eyes the first thing I did was try to find a reasonably priced weed killer that would also kill the crabgrass.  However, all I could find at the big box stores was the 32 oz bottles of Bayer, Ortho and other common brands that only cover 5,000 square feet.  Given the size of my lawn I would have needed at least 10+ bottles.  So thinking like a farmer, I visited my local Tractor Supply store and picked up three one-gallon bottles of Gordon's Trimec Crabgrass Plus Lawn Weed Killer Concentrate for $29.95 each.  A gallon covers 20,000 square feet.  The Trimec kills over 200 different types of weeds plus it kills crabgrass.  And, the best part is, it actually works! 

Trimec Crabgrass Plus Lawn Weed Killer

The hardest part about using the tow-behind sprayer is making sure that the application rate is correct, especially when using weed killers.  You really don't want to kill or maim your grass by applying too much but you want to apply enough to kill the weeds/crabgrass.  The application rate is a combination of the amount mixed per gallon of water, the rate at which the sprayer applies the mixture and the speed at which you drive.  I mixed the Trimec in my sprayer in accordance with the directions on the bottle (2.5 oz per gallon covering 400 square feet).  Now you can get really technical about this which I initially tried to do.  If you look at the very last page of the sprayer Owner's Manual, you will find tables which show application rates.  Using the gallons/1000 square feet table you can try and figure out the speed at which you need to drive.  This is a pretty inaccurate science since there is no speedometer on the John Deere LA175 lawn tractor.  So I enlisted the help of my son and we roughly figured speed based upon the amount of time it took to travel 100 feet.  I don't really know what exactly the speed was but believe me, it was very sloooooooow!  Once I knew approximately what speed that I needed to travel, I mentally sectioned off my lawn into thirds and used a tank per section using the 2.5 oz/gallon mix rate.  Having gone through all of that, if you mix it at the recommended rate and drive slow, you should be ok.  I must have done something right because my lawn was fine and the crabgrass and weeds were dead. 

Fertilizer Application

Many people who know about AMSOIL don't know that AMSOIL has a separate division, AGGRAND, which offers a line of natural and organic fertilizers.  I've always used chemical fertilizers on my lawn and TruGreen did the same.  While the chemicals worked fine, the lawn would always look a little greener after the applications, but the green faded over time until the next application.  Plus, there were times that I wondered whether the fertilizer was even working at all since I didn't see any results.  And I always thought in the back of my mind that some of whatever I was applying would eventually end up in a lake or river somewhere.  While I'm not an environmental activist by any stretch, I like to do the right thing when it comes to minimizing environmental impacts if possible.

AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer 4-3-3 (AGGRAND Product Code NOF) is a multipurpose liquid concentrate formulated to promote vigorous growth, increased root development and improved stress and disease tolerance on flowers, vegetables, fruits, lawns, shrubs, trees, field crops and houseplants. AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer uses kelp concentrate which accumulates high levels of potassium which increases plant health by enhancing heat, drought and cold tolerance.  It's made from oceangoing menhaden fish that feed on mineral-rich plankton (Native Americans have used menhaden for centuries as a natural fertilizer).  Menhaden provides nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, 10 essential micronutrients and numerous vitamins and amino acids. 

While menhaden fish emulsions and kelp provide the basis for AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer, additional ingredients help achieve a balanced analysis:

• Sulfate of Potash - Extremely fine-grade natural mineral derived from the Great Salt Lake increases potassium levels.
• Bloodmeal - Boosts availability of nitrogen in slow-release form to provide this vital nutrient as the plant requires it.
• Natural Wintergreen Oil - Improves scent of AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer.

AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer 4-3-3

When chemical fertilizers are used, the grass relies on the chemical to provide the nutrients but the plants require more water for the fertilizer to be effective (which explains why the grass turns greener after an application but then fades after awhile).  In addition, the chemicals toxify the soil, inhibiting biological activity which leads to compacted soil and an unhealthy root environment.  Additional nutrients flow over the compacted soil into surface water or past the root zone into ground water.  Unlike chemical fertilizers, AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer increases the bacterial activity in the  soil, enabling roots to go deeper and develop better, leading to stronger, healthier plants.  In addition, bacteria, fungi and protozoa feed on carbon sources, causing a process known as mineralization.  Mineralization produces plant-available nitrogen and phosphorus that helps plants grow and develop.

Since the season began, I've made two applications of AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer using my NorthStar sprayer.  Based on the size of my lawn, I ordered two 2.5 gallon bottles of fertilizer, which, at a mix rate of 32 oz. per 8 gallons of water per 1000 square feet, is enough for three applications.  The application rate depends upon your speed which you will have to figure based upon the tables in the sprayer owner's manual.  To be honest, I didn't pay as much attention to the tractor speed with the fertilizer as with the weed killer since applying too much is not as much of a concern. 

To mix the fertilizer, I use  a 24-oz mixing cup (available in the paint department of Lowe's).  I mix enough for 20 gallons.  The fertilizer has a thick consistency so I first put some water in the sprayer tank, add the correct amount of fertilizer for 20 gallons (80 oz/20 gal.) and fill the tank to a little over the 20-gallon mark to account for the fertilizer.  This mixes the fertilizer well, important since I don't have an agitator in my tank (the fertilizer will settle if you let it sit too long).  I start fertilizing shortly after mixing since the motion keeps the fertilizer sufficiently mixed to avoid clogging.  Be aware - the fertilizer has an odor.  Well, that may be a little understated - it smells bad (which I figure is good when it comes to fertilizer).  Since I know what it's made of, it doesn't really gross me out (it's just dead fish), but be prepared for the smell.

 

 

 

Hooking up the sprayer is easy.  Just connect the wires from the pump up to the battery on the tractor, making sure the positive and negative wires are connected to the correct battery terminals.  The wire is plenty long enough to reach the battery with the switch running along the side of the tractor.  There's a rocker switch that ends up by your right foot which allows you turn the sprayer on and off while in use - a convenient feature. 

To operate, just turn the switch to "on" when you want to spray and turn it off when you reach an area you don't want to spray (it does take a few seconds for the pressure to relieve so it will continue to spray for a bit after you turn it off).  Make sure that the booms are down, the nozzles pointed down and the valves in the open position.  There's also a sprayer wand attached to the tank.  It's a great tool for getting into corners, spraying bushes and spraying the garden.  Turning off the nozzle valves provides more pressure to the wand. 

 

 

 

I always clean my equipment when I'm done.  I rinse the tank and then run clean water through both the nozzles and the wand.  I also spray off and wipe down the external parts, especially those near the back since those get a fine coating of fertilizer on them when in use.  When all done, the tank is clean with no residual fertilizer (or smell) in the tank.

One last thing involves taking care of the wheels.  Many on-line reviewers indicated that they had problems with the wheels not being secure or coming off in operation.  While I attribute much of that to operator error, it made me take extra precautions with the wheels.  First, make sure that the wheel retainers are securely fastened.  In addition, I use AMSOIL Spray Grease on the wheels.  AMSOIL recently reformulated it spray grease.  The new AMSOIL Spray Grease (AMSOIL Product Code GSP) is a lithium grease that effectively reduces friction and wear, keeping components running clean and trouble-free for outstanding performance and long life.  It applies quickly and evenly and is ideal for greasing hard-to-reach equipment, including hinges, springs and other common applications.  Instead of the Spray Grease, you could also use AMSOIL Metal Protector (MP) (AMSOIL Product Code AMP), a spray-on lubricant that protects metal surfaces, displaces water, silences squeaks and lubricates metal surfaces, leaving a dry wax-like film that's not sticky.  MP dries clean, dirt doesn't stick to it, it doesn't form any gum or sludge and is excellent at preventing rust and corrosion.

AMSOIL Spray Grease

Spraying AMSOIL Spray Grease (old formulation)

AMSOIL (MP) Metal Protector (old packaging)

AMSOIL MP Metal Protector (new packaging - same great formula)

Although the AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer takes some time to work, sometimes even over a season, the following pictures show progress between the two applications, about a month apart.

Lawn Following Application 1

Lawn Following Application 2

Lawn Following Application 1

Lawn Following Application 2

Lawn Following Application 1

Lawn Following Application 2

UPDATE:  Summer has passed and it's now the middle of October.  Since the Spring, I've continued to apply AGGRAND fertilizers.  In late Spring I applied a second treatment of AGGRAND Natural Fertilizer 4-3-3 and a third treatment in early fall.  In addition, in late summer I applied a treatment of AGGRAND Liquid Lime (AGGRAND Product Code NLL), an easy and effective alternative to bagged lime designed for use on permanent ground covers such as lawns, pastures and hay fields.  The Liquid Lime features finely ground limestone in a liquid suspension that can be absorbed by leaves and roots and provides much needed calcium to promote superior plant growth.  I mixed 32 oz per 10 gallons of water and drove slowly over the lawn with the sprayer using one 2.5 gallon jug for 50,000 square feet of lawn. 

AGGRAND Liquid Lime

The results of my efforts over the summer were AMAZING!!  Although the lawn was green before, following the application of the Liquid Lime, the color turned a deep, lush green.  Another thing that I noticed was a lack of weeds throughout the summer (with the exception of an infestation of crabgrass that again took hold while we were on vacation).  Normally, TruGreen would have sprayed at least twice for weeds over the course of the season.  Using the AGGRAND natural products, I had zero weeds although I did spray for crabgrass a couple of times using the Trimec Crabgrass Killer (again using the sprayer).  The crabgrass died and left some bare spots but I've aerated and overseeded so those should fill in nicely.  Here are the results of my efforts over the season; the grass now rivals that of the best lawns in the neighborhood.  Not too shabby for a DIY effort!

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Questions, comments and advice are always welcome!!