Popular Mechanics April 1934 Article, 10-W and 20-W "Winter" Oils

[ZeeOSix]

Came across this article in the April 1934 Popular Mechanics talking about oils for winter use. This was before there were any multi-viscosity oils. People would change oil for winter use to a 10-W or 20-W "Winter" oil, but then they talk about just running that thinner oil all year long. Kind of an interesting viewpoint when thinner oils designed for winter use were started to also be used for hot climate back then ... perhaps the start of the "thick vs thin" debates started earlier than we think, lol. They even talk about better fuel economy and engine power with thinner oils back then, so some guys were breaking the ground for CAFE many decades later.

I wonder what the actual KV100 viscosity was of those oils. There's a photo of a guy timing oil flow in a test apparatus, so probably determining the SAE viscosity that was defined back in those days.

The last page is continued on page 134A near the bottom of the magazine.

This is posted for historical education purposes, and not infringing on any copyright laws.

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[Kernel Potter]

Twenty weight looks pretty common 80+ years ago. Even in hot weather. I'll take their knowledge and wisdom and have easier cold starting, "free" horsepower and extra mpg to boot. "20 weight, the grade that wins races and pays for itself to boot"

I'm still running Annual Protection 5w-20 with VII on the low side. I just used my last jug though. Next time it'll be ESP 0w-20

 

[ZeeOSix]

I see they also knew that more viscosity gives better engine protection in hard use conditions. That statement is basically like what Toyota uses in their owner's manuals today.

Here the blurb in a current Toyota owner's manual.

 

[Kernel Potter]

I see they also knew that more viscosity gives better engine protection in hard use conditions. That statement is basically like what Toyota uses in their owner's manuals today.

View attachment 232555

Which covers pretty much everybody these days

 

[Jetronic]

I'd expect a viscosity index of around 80-90 those days, so if you know one viscosity, you can work out the others to some degree. They would all be newtonian fluids, so no surprises.

But they would also thicken during use, due to oxidation, it wouldn't be a 20W very long.

 

[Kernel Potter]

I'd expect a viscosity index of around 80-90 those days, so if you know one viscosity, you can work out the others to some degree. They would all be newtonian fluids, so no surprises.

But they would also thicken during use, due to oxidation, it wouldn't be a 20W very long.

Good thinking. The 20 grade really isn't 20 grade.

 

[vwmaniaman]

I can still remember my Dad using 20W in our cars year round and we lived in Phoenix. Havoline 20W was all he used.

 

[Jetronic]

I can still remember my Dad using 20W in our cars year round and we lived in Phoenix. Havoline 20W was all he used.

how long between engine rebuilds replacements? Just asking as back then cars got replaced a lot quicker, or engines rebuilt....

 

[ka9mnx]

how long between engine rebuilds replacements? Just asking as back then cars got replaced a lot quicker, or engines rebuilt....

I took apart many old engines in the '60's. Sludge city. Lack of modern additives killed engines, not oil grade.

GM was notorious for recommending 20 grade when I was using 40. As has been mentioned about the original Mobil1 being 5w-20, I bet the HTHS was much different than the specs called for today.

 

[Boomer]

I have noted on here several times that when I lived in Illinois in the early 1970's, most guys I knew with pickups ran straight 20 weight all year long. And those trucks lasted just fine.

 

[zrxkawboy]

This is from the FSM for my '57 Plymouth...

 

[vwmaniaman]

My Dad and I worked together to rebuild many motors. My Mom would hear some little nothing noise and swear it would leave her beside the road. We would dutifully rebuild the motor. Of course we never replaced very many parts. I would clean and re-ring the pistons and we would take the heads to a repair machine shop.
WE

 

[Chris142]

My uncle worked for Gulf oil. He said to run the thinnest oil oil you could and go up to thicker oil as oil consumption increased.

 

[BusyLittleShop]

Kind of an interesting viewpoint when thinner oils designed for winter use were started to also be used for hot climate back then ... perhaps the start of the "thick vs thin" debates started earlier than we think, lol. They even talk about better fuel economy and engine power with thinner oils back then, so some guys were breaking the ground for CAFE many decades later.

That is interesting thanks for posting Zee... We know now oils are only graded on flow in cSt (centi stokes) and
they are not graded on thickness in inches nor weight in ounces...

1 cSt is the flow of water

2000 cSt is the flow of honey

Given the same temp different grades flow at different rates powered by gravity...

 

[BusyLittleShop]

View attachment 232554

A 1942 auto must be rare given all manufacturers ended their production of automobiles on February 22, 1942 by order of the War Dept...

 

[oil pan 4]

Twenty weight looks pretty common 80+ years ago. Even in hot weather. I'll take their knowledge and wisdom and have easier cold starting, "free" horsepower and extra mpg to boot. "20 weight, the grade that wins races and pays for itself to boot"

I'm still running Annual Protection 5w-20 with VII on the low side. I just used my last jug though. Next time it'll be ESP 0w-20

View attachment 232554

Unless you're buying Toyota OEM motor oil any "20 weight oil" you're buying from an auto parts store or Walmart nearly always has a viscosity over 9 cSt at 100c so your pretty much buying a thinner "30 weight oil".
The difference in fuel economy between a store bought 20 weight oil and a 30 weight won't even be detectable.
Most 20 weight oils I've looked at VOA tests for are usually 9 to 9.7 cSt and 30 weight oil VOA shows a viscosity of usually 10.5 cSt or less at 100c. Real world testing shows about a 1% difference in power and fuel economy.
Old timer wisdom and experience, indeed.

 

[oil pan 4]

I see they also knew that more viscosity gives better engine protection in hard use conditions. That statement is basically like what Toyota uses in their owner's manuals today.

View attachment 232555

Here the blurb in a current Toyota owner's manual.

View attachment 232559

That deserves a repost.

 

[Jetronic]

A 1942 auto must be rare given all manufacturers ended their production of automobiles on February 22, 1942 by order of the War Dept...

Model years start around august though

 

[burbguy82]

A 1942 auto must be rare given all manufacturers ended their production of automobiles on February 22, 1942 by order of the War Dept...

This is a true little known fact. less than 200 personal vehicles were made in that short era until after the war. Interesting discussion there.

 

[eljefino]

I like Kendall's letter grading system.

One style of viscometer is a calibrated cup with a calibrated hole in the bottom. The British use this to delineate kerosene from diesel, one being "28 second oil" with the other, 35. This is of course how long the cups take to drain.