Injector oil

[pisces]

I was talking to this dude at the snowmobile show and he said that I should buy the AMSOIL AIT oil instead of Polaris oil, that it is the same thing only cheaper. Anyone want to tell me Yes or No? What is the price difference? Where is it sold? (St. Paul area). Sled is the venerable Polaris 550 air-cooled.

[ChuckN]

All I run is Amsoil in the toys, but for sleds I run the "Interceptor (AIT)". Awesome stuff.

[pisces]

Who carries it?

[theoilman]

Definitely, AMSOIL Interceptor (prod. code AIT) for the 2-cycle power valve engines in many snowmobiles.

A few stores sell, but you can easily order on-line and get 1 or 2 business day delivery to your door via UPS and support your FM sponsors. AMSOIL Interceptor Oil

[hanson]

Chuck-

Can't remember what sleds you are running now, but Cat EFI?

Sleds are my only motors left to make the Amsoil switch. My outboard and ice auger are on Amsoil, just have to use up my Arctic Cat oil first and then it'll be synthetic Amsoil.

[ChuckN]

I have Firecats. The Interceptor oil is the choice because of the exhaust valves. It's a much cleaner burning oil without gumming up the valves.

[mudweiser]

I ran Klotz in my sled for years, a tad spendy and can be harder to find. I stopped running it cause riders behind me didn't like the smell. Then i switched to Amsoil and ran that for a few years in the same engines. It worked well but i noticed it didn't burn as clean. I go through my engines every year and never noticed any wera. 2 seasons ago we went in on a group buy and bought a drum of Amsoil. All my friends switched over. 4 of them had the same type of engine failure (crank rod bearings). Synthetic oil flows better then conventional oil, and the increase in consumption showed this to be true. I told them oil was cheap motors were not so just leave the oil pumps alone. There is only a few things that will knock out rod bearings, heat, lack of oil and cheap oil or water injestion. All machines went down in very good snow conditions and all symptions showed they were hot from poor lubrication. Engines were rebuilt, oil switched to other brands, most run factory oil now and they are running strong. I have since switched to BRP semi-synthetic oil in my 440/800 mod and the 600 GSX SDI. Valves are much cleaner now and the BRP oil is only about $8 more a gallon and i can buy it pretty much anywhere. I'll never run Amsoil again in a 2 stroke. Many engine builders will say the same about Amsoil. I'm not knocking the product, i still run it in my vehicles which have over 200K on each. There is nothing wrong with Polaris oil, fan cooled angines have a tad looser tolerances so there is no need for synthetic. Just run Polaris blue or gold and you should be trouoble free. My .02$ anyways.

[MNRookie78]

Mudweiser hit it on the head. Factories test all other brands and develop their oil to their specific needs. I ran an 02 700 Polaris with exhaust valves and ran Polaris oil (synthetic) and my buddy I rode with 90% of the time ran brand X. 1000 miles into the season his top end performance started going downhill...pulled his valves and they were completly carboned up. Curiousity got the best of me so I took mine out and wiped them clean with a rag. He continued to run his oil because he bought a full case prior to the season and continued to have valve sticking issues. I have had this conversation with many other sledders of other brands and heard similar results. The 550 obviously doesn't have valves, but how much stress do you think your engine goes through trying to burn the cheaper oils of it gums up valves on engines that have them? Personally, I wouldn't take the chance with non OEM oils. Oil is cheap insurance...if you aren't fouling plugs or fogging for misquitos in the winter I feel more is better as it protects the engine and it's been proven to produce more horsepower on a dyno as long as usage doesn't cross over to TOO much. I worked at a dealer that had a dyno and did a week long experiment on oil useage and results were a little shocking to say the least. The richer the oil mixture the more horsepower was made because of less fricton. Once too much oil was injected then performance dropped because it started to puddle oil in the case and couldn't burn it all out. Everyone is welcome to their own opinion and I can respect that, so take mine for what you will. Oh, and PRAY FOR SNOW!!!! We diserve a good snow year for a change!

[knoppers]

I have run amsoil in my cat f6, no problems. I have a new 08 f8 in the garage that I will also be using amsoil. I can get amsoil for less than 20 bucks per gallon compared to at least 24 bucks minimum for arctic cat oil, and its the same thing.

[Whoaru99]

Quote:

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Mudweiser hit it on the head. Factories test all other brands and develop their oil to their specific needs. I ran an 02 700 Polaris with exhaust valves and ran Polaris oil (synthetic) and my buddy I rode with 90% of the time ran brand X. 1000 miles into the season his top end performance started going downhill...pulled his valves and they were completly carboned up. Curiousity got the best of me so I took mine out and wiped them clean with a rag. He continued to run his oil because he bought a full case prior to the season and continued to have valve sticking issues. I have had this conversation with many other sledders of other brands and heard similar results. The 550 obviously doesn't have valves, but how much stress do you think your engine goes through trying to burn the cheaper oils of it gums up valves on engines that have them? Personally, I wouldn't take the chance with non OEM oils. Oil is cheap insurance...if you aren't fouling plugs or fogging for misquitos in the winter I feel more is better as it protects the engine and it's been proven to produce more horsepower on a dyno as long as usage doesn't cross over to TOO much. I worked at a dealer that had a dyno and did a week long experiment on oil useage and results were a little shocking to say the least. The richer the oil mixture the more horsepower was made because of less fricton. Once too much oil was injected then performance dropped because it started to puddle oil in the case and couldn't burn it all out. Everyone is welcome to their own opinion and I can respect that, so take mine for what you will. Oh, and PRAY FOR SNOW!!!! We diserve a good snow year for a change!

---

So what was "Brand X"?

I'm driving an 03 Polaris 700 with exhaust valves and the previous owner swears it had nothing but Polaris VES oil ever run in it (and I believe him). Those valves were so gunked and crusty it took me two evenings of cleaning to see metal again.

I'm hoping the Amsoil Interceptor I started running last year will keep them cleaner - but I haven't checked yet.

[Whoaru99]

Quote:

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I ran Klotz in my sled for years, a tad spendy and can be harder to find. I stopped running it cause riders behind me didn't like the smell. Then i switched to Amsoil and ran that for a few years in the same engines. It worked well but i noticed it didn't burn as clean. I go through my engines every year and never noticed any wera. 2 seasons ago we went in on a group buy and bought a drum of Amsoil. All my friends switched over. 4 of them had the same type of engine failure (crank rod bearings). Synthetic oil flows better then conventional oil, and the increase in consumption showed this to be true. I told them oil was cheap motors were not so just leave the oil pumps alone. There is only a few things that will knock out rod bearings, heat, lack of oil and cheap oil or water injestion. All machines went down in very good snow conditions and all symptions showed they were hot from poor lubrication. Engines were rebuilt, oil switched to other brands, most run factory oil now and they are running strong. I have since switched to BRP semi-synthetic oil in my 440/800 mod and the 600 GSX SDI. Valves are much cleaner now and the BRP oil is only about $8 more a gallon and i can buy it pretty much anywhere. I'll never run Amsoil again in a 2 stroke. Many engine builders will say the same about Amsoil. I'm not knocking the product, i still run it in my vehicles which have over 200K on each. There is nothing wrong with Polaris oil, fan cooled angines have a tad looser tolerances so there is no need for synthetic. Just run Polaris blue or gold and you should be trouoble free. My .02$ anyways.

---

So did Amsoil pay for the repairs?

Also, what was the bit about the oil pumps? Are you implying they cut the oil injection ratio but yet blame the oil for the failure?

I thought Amsoil's policy says they'll pay if their oil caused the failure?

Sorry, but something sounds odd about the situation...

[DitchPickle13]

Pisces,

To answer your question, Fleet Farm carries it(at least the last time I purchased it towards the end of last season).

[pisces]

Thanks everyone for all the info. CONCLUSION: for me, anyway - I'll stick with Polaris oil only, especially since my original motivation was to save a few bucks, and I've found the following: Fleet Farm has Amsoil Interceptor in todays add for $27.88 on sale. I bought Polaris Blue at KlineMotorSports for $26.49. I now agree that there would need to be a significant price motivation to risk using anything other than OEM oil.

It all just seem like a lot, especially when combined with gasoline prices, but I guess it's always been known that snowmobiling is an expensive hobby/sport. If you can't pay...don't play.

[theoilman]

I agree with Whoaru99, there seems to be something odd.

I think we have very incomplete information about what happened. Higher oil flow because the AMSOIL synthetic holds its viscosity better over a wider temperature range and provides the engine designed oil flow is going to reduce or eliminate this problem. Reduced/restricted oil flow from a poorer performing lubricant is going to make the problem worse.

The AMSOIL Interceptor was designed for power-valve engines and (as I understand) tested very extensively in several large 'fleets' of rental snowmobiles in the Rockies.

[Whoaru99]

Oils and brand loyalty are a funny thing.

I ran the cheapest 2-cycle stuff I could find in my old Arctic Cat and it's still running fine after 33 years. And, yes, the same pistons, rings, and jugs. The compression is still such that you drag the sled using the starter rope if you just pull it rather than yank it hard.

Oh well, every one needs to be comfortable with their decision.

[Macgyver55]

I also ran the cheapest 2-cycle stuff I could find in my old Skidoo (after warranty expired) and it had over 14000 miles on it when I sold it. I did have to service the R.A.V.E valves every year because they would get kind of gooey, but it ran fine. I now run Skidoo synthetic in my new sled and the exhaust valves are much cleaner. Unfortunately, a blown drive belt took out a crank seal last year which I didnt notice and it resulted in a burned piston. I guess I won't ever know how far it would have gone to compare. She is starting this season freshened up with a new piston and rings ready to go.