Hey Neil. Could you 'post' this on your/the mailing list, in the
multi grade oil topic, for me, please? OK? (I don't have access to post
over there)
Thanks!
I do NOT believe in a multi grade of oil! They DON'T work the way
they say they do!
I have proved it, and seen proof. To me, it's ALL bullshit!
Back in the '60's when 10w-40 first appeared, Dad was on a team, that was
to 'rate' which brand name of oil was superior to all the rest. Popular
Science, Mechanics, or some outfit was spearheading this, all out
test.
(I can't remember which brand name was better, but, what I do
remember, that ALL of the PA blends had better lubrication qualities than
the ash based oils!)
What I DO remember about the test, Dad was working on, was, how the multi
grade of oils, ALL of them, failed miserably, when compared to the same brand,
only in a straight weight!
Early multi grades of oil carboned up severely.
One of the test machines they used, had a pyramid style ,stack of ball
bearings. Only the bottom row of bearings were (half way, or less?) in
oil. The rest of the bearings that were on top, got lubricated by the oil
being carried upward by each stack.
Something came down, and put so much measured pressure on the whole stack
of bearings. (???) It was timed when the top row of bearings
galded.
The straight weight oils failure times, were measured in several minutes
where the multi grades were measured in mere seconds!
I did this test for myself. I took a eye dropper of 20w Wolfs Head,
and another eye dropper of 10w-30 WH, and put them both in the freezer. I
had one of my highly polished pieces of stainless steel. I squeezed out
the entire contends of each eye dropper at the same time on each side of the SS
and quickly stood it up straight. The 20 w ran first.
I then took a eye dropper of WH 30 w, and a eye dropper of WH 10w-40, and
had each in a 200 degree pot of almost boiling water. I squeezed out each
at the same time, as a did on the freezer oil, on the sheet of SS, and before I
could stand the metal up, the 10w-40 ran off the metal onto the floor!
I was up a Carlisle one time, and some high speed snake oil salesman was
touting how superior his multi grade (can't remember which brand, who cares)
was, to other brands of oils. I happen to have (rare occasion) several,
hundred dollar bills. I throwed them ALL down right in front of him, and
said, "here, you pour out that quart of oil you got there in that pan, reach in,
and hand me the thermometer, thermostat, or whatever is in there, to tell that
oil when to be thick and when to be thin" and all that money is yours!
To cut the story short, he knew he couldn't do it, and I knew he couldn't
do it. He stammered and stuttered and tried to ignore me, and change the
subject.
I too, have used straight weight 20 w (winter) and 30 w (summer) Wolfs
Head, from the very early 60's up until the early 90's. Only place here
that sold WH would only get a small shipment, and would run out.
I STILL use WH, 30w, Heavy Duty, (green label) in the lawn mowers.
'82, iron, 16 horse, single, Kohler in a John Deere, (NEVER been
rebuilt! A guy at work has the same motor in a Cub Cadet, a year
older, or, a year newer, and, he had to rebuild his motor TWICE! Used a
10w-40 multi grade) and a, el cheap-o, 17 horse, Briggs in a Murarry! (or
however it's spelled) I still use the Wolf's Head, 30 w, Air Compressor
oil (red label) in my iron, 7 hp, Campell-Hausfield compressor.
Wife's '78 Dodge Ramcharger had nothing but straight weight WH, up until
the body rusted off the frame. (110K mostly short 7, 8, mile trips.) She
got a brand splinter new, '93, full sized Bronco 351. Had NOTHING
but straight wight 20 w (winter) 30w (summer) Valvoline up until in hit
150K. Then, after that, it's had nothing but 30 w year round.
It's got 196K on it now.
When it hits 200K I'll use 40 w in the summer and the 30 w in the
winter. Up until last year, she jerked a 2 horse trailer, sometimes
overloaded, for about a 100K of those miles! Still has the orginal auto
tranny also! Change, filter/fluid ever 10K.
Now here is the kicker! I STILL use (sparingly now, less than 10
mpg) a old '81 HD, one of those 'high-boys', F-350 4x4 SRW, pick-em-up, I bought
used in '85. Old lead crank 400, with a 'granny' 4-speed. I started
out with 30w Valvoline then switched to 40w at a quarter million miles.
Then, ran 40w winter and 50w summer at 300+K. At 400K I used 50w year
round.
Right now that motor/truck has 514K miles, and the heads have NEVER been
off!!!
When the ambient temp got below freezing, I would plug the block heater
in. When that broke, I laid a 100w light bulb against the block.
When the temp got in the single digits, or below, I had a small propane torch, I
would heat up the bottom of the oil pan.
Don't believe me!? Well stop by, and I'll take you a ride in the old
girl! ( gotta bring a 5 gal can of gas though)
The ONLY things multi grade oil is good for, I setting brush piles on
fire, or pouring on the dirt roads to keep the dust down!
Slowly shaking bowed head back and forth with eyes closed.
Back to the Home of the Forward Look Network