I am an XC racer in a local series in east Texas. I've been running Amsoil 10w40 in my '09 Polaris Outlaw ATV since last fall but haven't done a UOA on it to see what was going on. I raced in early June and with practice and the race probably put 4 hours on it that weekend. Well feeling a little lazy I didn't change the oil after the race weekend but went and rode the following weekend for recreation. It was extremely hot and dusty that weekend and my quad actually overheated for the first time. In fact it overheated mutliple times before I could make it back to the truck. Each time I stopped and let it cool down before continuing. I didn't want to damage my KTM 450 RFS engine stupidly but the last time the light came on I was less than a mile from the truck and I pushed it back and the engine was rattling and clattering like a diesel by the time I got it back. This is a UOA of the oil that came out after that ride.
I was expecting much worse, with the oil and the engine. I figured I had about 12 hours on this oil under some of the worst conditions you can put an engine through and the oil and engine look great.
BTW, the overheating is fixed, these KTM RFS engines run hot normally and most people remove the thermostat to aide in cooling when racing...I never did. Turns out the thermostat failed in the closed position. I do have an oil cooler on the engine, I guess it was the Amsoil alone that saved the engine.
I was expecting much worse, with the oil and the engine. I figured I had about 12 hours on this oil under some of the worst conditions you can put an engine through and the oil and engine look great.
BTW, the overheating is fixed, these KTM RFS engines run hot normally and most people remove the thermostat to aide in cooling when racing...I never did. Turns out the thermostat failed in the closed position. I do have an oil cooler on the engine, I guess it was the Amsoil alone that saved the engine.
