Recent content by SteveS

You're quite right, this anti-SAE 10W-40thing goes way back See, there's different kinds of VIIs. Basically a high molecular weight VII will have a greater viscosity index affect but will be less shear stable. So while you'd use less of a high molecular weight VII (more economical) it would...

I've always been a fan of Texaco Havoline, available down here in New Zealand as Caltex (a joint company between Chevron and Texaco. I know some time ago that the Texaco CART cars used nothing but the dino Havoline Formula. It had an extremely robust additive package. So the same additive...

For years Caltex (division of ChevronTexaco in Africa/Asia/Australasia) had red dyed premium motor oils called CX and CXT. This was sold dyed in most countries where they operated, but somehow it was sold undyed in the Middle East - suposedly a local dislike of the colour). This was solely for...

I used the Eitzen Visgage a lot over about 15 years. The one I had came in a great wooden carry case with good closing clips. These are delicate, they do make a mess if the tube which is filled with oil breaks. They are pretty good, I usually got well within 5% of the eventual UOA viscosity. I...

Chevron Techron additive concentrate doesn't have lead or aggressive solvent in it. I think the solvent they use in the concentrate is similar to low aromatic solvent. It has an organic detergent/dispersant which is slightly different from the additive used by other additive suppliers. This...

Problem with friction modifiers is they have a very short service life, they are destroyed by the first 500 kms of service. Therefore they're there only to get a vehicle manufacturer passed the CAFE tests and to get whatever API or ILSAC energy conserving label applies. I think that if a...

Sulfurised whale oil was used in metal working lubricants. And there's been no better substitute found for the oiliness that sulfurised whale oil gave to the lubricants used in worm gears where the worm is steel and the pinion is bronze. But, no! Penguins aren't used to produce synthetic...

I seem to remember something which related to water in engine oil, but I can't remember if this was PCMO or HDEO. Japanese manufacturers don't like engine oils made from magnesium based detergents. Apparently they found that magnesium based detergents hydrolise with water and this causes...

I remember BP Corse 50 (?) from years ago, maybe 12 or 15 years ago, and it was a spectacularly good racing engine oil. The heavy viscosity component was a high molecular polymer which was very effective. I recall someone at BP New Zealand saying, and this may not be applicable everywhere, that...

About 12 years ago I did a small fleet comparison of new and old cars on oil consumption between SAE 15W-40 and SAE 5W-30 grades of the same mineral oil based PCMOs. All cars showed no increase or a lower oil consumption on the SAE 5W-30. One car in particular (a 1500 cc Ford Laser, a model...

Wayne, there's probaly no reason why you shouldn't use an HDEO like the Mobil Delvac 1300 15w-40 you used in your gasoline engine. Most HDEOs have an API gasoline engine qualification as well as their diesel engine qualifications. This is so the same oil can be used in mixed fleets. There may...

These road trains run only in the north and west of Australia. They do present some problems though, if you're passed by one going the opposite direction you're almost blown off the road in even a large car. And the dust, I'd imagine that the biggest problem with getting a long engine life...

Doug, remember that fuel sulfur in Australia is higher than in the USA, justifying DD-MTUs conservatism. (Or it was higher when I left Oz less than 2 years ago) I remember once working out the ideal OCI for Mercedes Benz truck engines just on fuel sulfur consumed, and while it was recommended...

If its mineral oil based then its unlikely to contain esters. I don't think there's likely to be any esters in a mineral based Havoline. Esters are usually included in a synthetic PCMO to help dissolve additive and aid seal swell aren't they, as well as provide Castrol with a basis for their...