Enthusiasts depend on their ATVs and UTVs to be workhorses, simplifying demanding chores and navigating challenging terrain. Whether it’s hauling firewood through dense forests, plowing snow or powering through rocky trails, these vehicles are subjected to extreme stress. Pushing an ATV or UTV to its limits can lead to a phenomenon called mechanical shearing. This is when the oil’s molecular structure breaks down under pressure, leaving critical engine and transmission components vulnerable to increased friction and premature wear and tear.

The Importance of Viscosity and Shear Stability

The primary function of engine oil is to reduce friction by preventing metal-to-metal contact between moving parts within the engine. Viscosity, a measure of an oil’s resistance to flow, helps prevent gear pitting, oil burn-off and oil consumption. Oil that is too thin will not provide adequate lubrication, while overly thick oil can impede power delivery. To protect the engine, oil must maintain a stable viscosity across a wide range of operating temperatures, ensuring optimal lubrication during cold starts, hot idle and high-performance operation.

Shear Happens: Understanding Shearing and its Impact

When oil is subjected to intense pressure within the engine, its molecules experience shearing forces.

Shear: When the oil’s molecular structure permanently breaks down under extreme pressure, it loses its ability to maintain a stable viscosity, compromising its lubricating properties.

Automotive oils lack the additives necessary to adequately protect ATVs and UTVs. If used in an ATV or UTV, they’re susceptible to shear, leading to a dangerous loss of film strength. This exposes engine components to increased friction, accelerated wear and potentially catastrophic failure.

Proper viscosity for the intended application is critical to ensure oil circulates property and provides adequate fil strength under pressure.

Superior ATV/UTV Motor Oil: Engineered to Resist Shearing

Several key technical properties differentiate superior ATV/UTV oils from inferior counterparts:

Thermal Stability: ATVs and UTVs often operate in stop-and-go situations or at high engine loads, leading to heat build-up. Superior oils boast high thermal stability, meaning they resist thinning at elevated temperatures and maintain a thick lubricating film.

Amsoil 100% Synthetic ATV/UTV Motor Oil excels at resisting shear with premium additives that bolster the oil’s molecular structure.

Thanks to its premium base oils and unique, specialized formulation, Amsoil 100% Synthetic ATV/UTV Motor Oil is inherently better at maintaining viscosity over a wide temperature range for longer durations than conventional oils, protecting gears against wear and optimizing performance.

Specialized Oils Protect During Storage

Motor oils don’t naturally protect against rust or corrosion. Rust and corrosion inhibitors must be added to the formulation to provide the required protection, and some oils simply don’t contain the correct additives in the correct concentration.

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic ATV/UTV Motor Oil    is formulated with anti-rust and anti-corrosion additives that form a resilient protective layer that clings to engine parts for maximum protection during storage.

Identifying the Right ATV/UTV Motor Oil