Additives

Choosing the Right AMSOIL Additive

AMSOIL additives are designed to address specific fuel, lubrication and vehicle-maintenance requirements. Depending on the product, an additive may help clean fuel-system deposits, improve fuel stability, increase fuel lubricity, supplement engine or transmission lubrication, modify limited-slip differential friction characteristics or improve cooling-system performance.

The key to choosing an additive is identifying the problem or maintenance objective first. Additives are purpose-specific products and should be selected according to their intended application rather than routinely adding multiple treatments to fluids that do not require them.

Petrol Fuel Additives

Petrol fuel systems can accumulate deposits on injectors, intake valves and combustion-system components, while fuel stored for extended periods can deteriorate through oxidation and loss of volatility. AMSOIL petrol additives include products designed for fuel-system cleaning, injector maintenance, fuel stabilisation and performance applications.

For vehicles in regular service, fuel-system cleaners can form part of preventative maintenance by helping control deposits that develop during normal operation. Motorcycles, boats and equipment using ethanol-blended petrol can also benefit from purpose-designed ethanol fuel treatments, particularly where fuel may remain in the system during periods of infrequent use or storage.

Ethanol Fuel Treatment & Storage

Ethanol-blended petrol can present additional challenges in motorcycles, boats, powersports vehicles and small engines, particularly when fuel remains in the tank during periods of storage or infrequent use. These applications can be especially susceptible to fuel-system deposits, corrosion and problems associated with moisture and ageing fuel.

AMSOIL Quickshot is designed specifically for petrol and ethanol fuel systems, helping clean and maintain fuel-system components while protecting against corrosion associated with ethanol-blended fuels. It is particularly useful for equipment that may sit unused between rides, seasons or periods of operation.

Quickshot can be used as part of ongoing fuel-system maintenance and to help protect fuel systems during storage. This makes it particularly well suited to motorcycles, boats, ATVs and UTVs, lawn and garden equipment and other petrol-powered equipment that may not be operated regularly.

Diesel Fuel Additives

Diesel fuel presents a different set of challenges, including injector cleanliness, fuel lubricity, water management, cold-weather performance and fuel stability. Modern high-pressure common-rail injection systems use extremely precise components, making fuel quality and cleanliness particularly important.

AMSOIL diesel fuel additives are formulated for specific maintenance and operating requirements rather than as a single universal treatment. Select the product according to the issue being addressed and follow the recommended treatment rate for the amount of fuel being treated.

Octane Boost and Performance Additives

Octane requirements are determined by the engine design, calibration and operating conditions. Where an engine requires higher-octane fuel, an appropriate octane-boost product can increase the fuel's resistance to abnormal combustion when used at the recommended treatment rate.

Octane boost should not be viewed as a substitute for correcting mechanical faults, inappropriate engine calibration or a fuel grade below the minimum required by the vehicle manufacturer. It is a specialised product for applications where additional octane performance is genuinely required.

Engine and Lubrication Additives

Some AMSOIL additives are designed for use with lubricating oils rather than fuel. These products perform specific functions and should be distinguished from the broad idea that a quality engine oil routinely needs aftermarket additives added to it.

AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are already formulated with balanced additive systems designed around their intended applications. Additional lubricant additives should therefore be used only where the product serves a specific purpose and is suitable for the application.

Transmission and Differential Additives

Certain driveline systems can require supplementary additives to provide particular friction characteristics. Limited-slip differentials, for example, may require friction modifier where clutch chatter occurs or where specified by the differential manufacturer.

Do not assume that adding more friction modifier will improve differential performance. Use only where required and at the appropriate treatment rate, as the base gear lubricant and differential design determine whether additional modifier is necessary.

Cooling-System Additives

Cooling-system additives can be used for specialised purposes such as improving heat transfer or supplementing particular aspects of cooling-system performance. They should not be confused with coolant itself, which provides the complete mixture of freeze protection, boil protection and corrosion inhibitors required for normal cooling-system service.

Always distinguish between a coolant or antifreeze product and a supplementary cooling-system additive, and follow the product instructions regarding compatibility and treatment rate.

Use the Right Additive for the Right Job

An additive is most useful when it addresses a clearly identified requirement. Using more product than recommended or combining unrelated additives does not necessarily provide additional protection and can interfere with the carefully balanced chemistry of fuels and lubricants.

Check the product application, compatibility and treatment instructions before use. If you are looking for the correct engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant or other primary lubricant for a vehicle, use the AMSOIL Vehicle Product Finder rather than attempting to correct an unsuitable fluid with an additive.