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By Robert Janis A History of
Running On Klotz Lubricants
 Face it! If you race ATVs you are probably
obsessed with the desire to avoid heat and
friction from ruining the engine. Many companies
offer lubricants to prevent the ordeal. Klotz
Synthetic Lubricants, based in Fort Wayne,
Indiana, is one company that sets a racer’s mind
at ease. It offers 36 products including
gasoline's that help make the engine run smooth
and cool.
The company was founded in 1959 by John C.
Klotz Jr. He was a racer and he was concerned
about the proper lubrication of the engine of
his racing machine.
The company employs 15 people and has been
offering products for ATV enthusiasts almost as
long as there’s been ATVs. “Our synthetic
lubricants have always been popular with
two-stroke motorcycles and ATV racers,”
explained Straughton Wade, communications
director for Klotz. “Since the dramatic increase
in four-stroke machines in racing we have
developed several synthetic lubricants that meet
these demands as well.” He added that Klotz
synthetic lubricants also are ideal for utility
quads.
Klotz offers synthetic lubricants rather than
conventional oils. In a paper available on the
company’s website (http://www.klotzlube.com)
titled Synthetic Lubricants Explained,
advantages to synthetic lubricants over
conventional oils is discussed.
Synthetic Lubricants Explained notes that
synthetic lubricants were developed because
conventional oils are unable to withstand the
demands a jet turbine engine offers them
including temperatures of more than 900 degrees
Fahrenheit. Synthetic based lubricants can
protect under these harsh conditions. Moreover,
there are several types of lubricants. The paper
explained that since synthetic lubricants are
made from molecules with an organic or mineral
origin, engineers can formulate a lubricant for
a very specific application. There are Gasoline
Fuel Synthetics and Alcohol Fuel Synthetics. The
Gasoline Fuel Synthetics are designed for use in
vehicles in which the engine fuel is gasoline.
Alcohol Fuel Synthetics are developed for use
in vehicles in which the main fuel used by the
engine is methanol alcohol or nitromethane.
Klotz claims that they are unique in the
industry in offering an alcohol fuel synthetic.
Klotz synthetic lubricants are static
lubricants. They need no motion to create a film
of lubrication protection. “Klotz synthetic
lubricants have such a high degree of film
strength that they actually roll with the engine
parts and resist shearing or flattening. The
film of protection is always there, even when
the engine is in storage and during start up.
Conventional oils are dynamic.... they need
motion to create a film of protection. This
means that during start up, for a brief period
of time there is no protection until there is
sufficient motion to create a film of
lubrication.”
50:1 2-Stroke TechniPlate TC-W3 |
Advantage of synthetic lubrications over
conventional lubrications are partly based on
the mixture of the lubricant. Synthetic
lubricants are naturally multi grade while
conventional oils are naturally monograde.
Polymers are added to conventional oils to make
them multi grade. During the normal operation of
an engine the polymers break down and
conventional oils loses their multi grade
ability and return to being mono grade.
Synthetics have excellent low and high
temperature viscosity retention and thermal
stability. They will remain fluid at much colder
temperatures than conventional oils. For
example, Klotz synthetics will remain fluid at
much colder temperatures than conventional oils
and withstand engine temperatures of up to 450
degrees Fahrenheit. Conventional oils break down
at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, said the paper.
Moreover, synthetic lubricants have a much
lower pour point than conventional oils. The
pour point helps determine at what temperature
the lubricant will still flow freely. Oxidation
causes an oil to loose its lubrication
properties with the varying temperatures. Acid
is a byproduct of the combustion process and
synthetics have a much higher degree of
resistance to contamination than conventional
oils.
Synthetics have a much higher viscosity index
numbers than conventional oils. The higher the
number the better a lubricant will hold a
constant flow rate as the temperature changes.
Synthetic lubricants have a superior lubricating
capacity. Friction is reduced to the proper
balance. A crankshaft must spin freely in its
journals and a piston must slide up and down in
the bore with little resistance, but the piston
rings still must seal. A complete lack of
friction is not desirable. There must be a
balance.
Conventional oils will evaporate at a higher
rate than synthetics. During high RPM and
temperature operation, oil is sometimes broken
down into a fine mist, and evaporation takes
place. Synthetics have greater resistance to
this breakdown than conventional oils.
Chain Lube - Aerosol |
Foam Filter Oil - Aerosol |
The company’s products list includes racing
castor oil, 12 varieties of techniplates,
transmission lube, gear lube, aerosol foam
filter oil, aerosol filter oil, aerosol filter
cleaner, aerosol plug and contact cleaner,
aerosol chain lube, nitro power additive,
octane, booster, COXOC power additive, 100
percent pure nitromethane, Hitrate racing
gasoline concentrate, and seven gasoline's from
100 octane to 118 octane. The products are sold
at ATV dealerships and can also be purchased at
the Klotz website (http://www.klotzlube.com).
Klotz recently moved into a state of the art
manufacturing facility which includes a research
and development department. “We have equipment
specifically dedicated to manufacturing small
lab-run quantities and testing them for a
variety of factors,” said Wade. “These
lubricants make their way into the field and
back to the lab for extensive testing.
Oftentimes, a lubricant is never seen by the
public until two or more years after development
begins.”
Klotz sponsors racers and they help the
company by testing products out in the field.
“We frequently give test products to our racers,
using their feedback to make adjustments and
improve them for consumers,” said Wade. “For
example, we gave Bill Ballance an oil to run in
his ATV. When he was finished racing the GNCC he
drained and returned the sample to us. We then
used our digital testing equipment to determine
the properties of the remaining oil so we could
see just how effectively it protected his
engine. We also use more subjective feedback
directly from the racers and their experience in
race conditions.”
Klotz sponsors pro racers including Bill
Ballance, John Natalie, jr., Matt Smiley,
Brandon Ballance, Bryan Baker, Johnny Gallagher,
Mike Penland, Scott Kilby, Traci Cecco, and
Stephanie Parton. The company sponsors a large
number of amateur racers as well.
Events that Klotz sponsors include every GNCC
race, the AWRCS events and other smaller
individual events throughout the year, said
Wade.
To receive a sponsorship from Klotz, Wade
advised that you submit a resume to the company
marked “Attention: Race Support.” “The main
thing people forget about resumes is that you’re
not trying to impress us with your race
credentials, you’re trying to impress us with
your ability to represent the sponsor,” said
Wade. “Tell us who you influence and why
sponsoring you will get us more exposure and
publicity than another racer.”
The Klotz website includes the ability to
purchase products and also gives details about
those products. Moreover, there is a section
called “Technical Information” which allows you
to download tech papers on products and other
information. Information on synthetic
lubricants, choosing the right two-stroke
lubricant, do’s and don'ts concerning gasoline's,
and racing gasoline basics among other topics
are available.
100 Octane Racing Gasoline KL-495
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In do’s and don'ts for gasoline, the Klotz
website suggested that you don’t use more octane
than you need. “Over Octaning can actually
reduce performance because of the slower burn
speed of high-octane gasoline. Match the octane
to the compression of your engine.
“Don’t trust gasoline from an unfamiliar
supplier. How long has it been sitting in that
underground tank, drawing moisture? Gasoline
needs to be stored in a sealed drum to prevent
contamination. Always carry octane booster to
treat suspect gasoline.
“Don’t store gasoline in a regular plastic
gas can for extended periods. The ‘light ends’
of the gasoline will seep out through the
plastic container and evaporate, reducing the
octane of the gasoline. In as little as 24 hours
the gasoline has already begun to lose a
substantial amount of the light ends. Use sealed
metal containers for longer storage. Octane
boosters can rejuvenate gasoline that has
started to deteriorate.
“Don’t assume that all gasoline's with a given
octane rate are the same. There are as many
chemical formulations for 108 octane gasoline as
there are gasoline suppliers. Some gasoline's
will burn cooler than others and some will
produce more horsepower. Find a gasoline that
performs well in your application, then tune to
that gasoline.”
In a tech bulletin titled “Choosing the Right
Two-Stroke Lubricant” which can be accessed on
the Klotz website, the company describes what
lubricant to use in particular applications. The
bulletin notes that Super TechniPlate® contains
80 percent TechniPlate Synthetic Lubricant and
20 percent Benol Racing Caster Oil. Super
TechniPlate has the high film strength of castor
oil with the clean burning characteristics of
Klotz synthetics, the bulletin said. It blends
with gasoline, methanol alcohol and nitromethane.
It is designed for sustained high RPM
applications using any type of fuel. Pre-mix
only. Do not use in injection systems. ATC-W2 or
TC-W3 lubricant is recommended as an after-run
lubricant.
MX4 TechniPlate 10W/40 |
Original TechniPlate® is 100 percent
synthetic and is cleaner burning without Benol
or castor oil. It has the same benefits and used
in the same applications as Super TechniPlate.
R50® TechniPlate R is designed for high RPM
applications with gasoline as the fuel. The film
strength is similar to castor oil but R50 still
retains the clean burning characteristics of
Klotz synthetics. Designed for racing
applications. Pre mix only. Do not use in
injection systems.
Benol® is a degummed racing castor oil
specially blended to be much cleaner burning
than ordinary castor oil. It works especially
well in high RPM and elevated heat applications
where other lubricants might not stand up. Klotz
Benol has the highest level of film strength and
protection. Pre-mix only. Do not use in
injection systems. Blends with gasoline,
methanol, alcohol, and nitromethane. Do not use
in engines equipped with power valves or when
temperatures are below 35 degrees Fahrenheit.
Klotz Lubricants has been making synthetic
lubricants for more than 40 years. During that
time they have walked the walk and talked the
talk concerning synthetic lubricants. They
should know what they’re talking about.
Klotz Synthetic Lubricants
7424 Freedom Way
Fort Wayne, IN 46818
Order Line: 800-242-0489
Tech Line: 260-490-0489
Fax: 260-490-0490
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