Synth v. Dino odd observations

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 9, 2006
Messages
6,902
Location
Louisiana
Sorry if this is a bizarre topic, but...

I've taken off my valve cover monthly to check on the possibility of any cleaning going on in my engine. Well, I noticed that when I had a dino HDEO in, the various lubed surfaces felt "sticky."

Now, with Pennzoil Platinum in, not so much. Really, I guess you can tell this out of the bottle. Why is there such a difference.

Another odd thing I have noticed is differences in pouring them in. Not so much with Pennzoil, but when I was using M1. As you got to the bottom of an M1 quart, the oil would sort of bounce and roll in in tight litle globules while ever time I pour in dino, it just sort of drips or pours in in a more "normal" fashion.

Just some odd observations. Is this just a difference in the molecular structures or what? Why would it be noticeable if each oil needs to have the same characteristics in the engine? Why am I asking such bizarre questions at 11:30 on a Saturday night?
dunno.gif
grin.gif
 
quote:

Originally posted by BrianWC:
Why am I asking such bizarre questions at 11:30 on a Saturday night?
dunno.gif
grin.gif


^^^^
lol.gif
lol.gif
lol.gif

Why am I sitting here reading your bizarre questions at 11:50 on a Saturday night?
dunno.gif
grin.gif
 
BrianWC,
Your rolling drops at pour are likely due to surface tension. My guess is that this property hints most at the oil's antifoaming ability.

As for your stickiness, that is due to an interaction of adhesion (sticks to stuff), cohesion (sticks to itself), and viscosity (resistance to flow).

I am a little surprised that PP is less "sticky" than M1 given the characteristics of POA. But M1 has other "stuff" too and I don't know anything about the characteristics of the PP base (EOP) and am completely ignorant to the PP additive system. So, I really don't know enough to be surprized.
 
Sorry if this is a bizarre topic, but...
I've taken off my valve cover monthly to check on the possibility of any cleaning going on in my engine

This would be hard to top for even the most careful Bitoger.
 
quote:

Originally posted by m2200b:
Sorry if this is a bizarre topic, but...
I've taken off my valve cover monthly to check on the possibility of any cleaning going on in my engine

This would be hard to top for even the most careful Bitoger.


I could work for the CIA. I take pics of the wall of the engine adjacent to the timing chain to study any changes in the amount of baked on gunk.
freak2.gif


It helps that the valve cover gasket on the saab engine is remarkably resiliant.

GMorg, I know, PP should act almost identically to M1 given what I've read. It must be the SuperSyn.
grin.gif
 
Be nice if one of the auto parts suppliers came out with a line of valve covers with built in viewing ports for BITOGers.

Obviously a simple look through the oil fill cap opening cannot expose every nook or cranny that a cancerous glob of sludge might start to form.
 
quote:

Be nice if one of the auto parts suppliers came out with a line of valve covers with built in viewing ports for BITOGers.

Funny, but I could swear my valve cover in this new Hyundai I just bought is plastic. Is that even fathomable to you guys? I haven't pulled it to see, but it's not a piece of cold aluminum that's for sure. Perhaps they coated it with a powered finish, but it sure seems plastic. A viewing port seems plausible if that's the case.

My HiJack aside, I've noticed the "bubble effect on Mobil 1 forever. I don't know the ramifications for foaming, but I've never had any of that. As to the sticky/not sticky consistency of dino v. syn, surface tension, and whatnot, I've noticed that the oil "rides" cam lobes much better with the VSOT in it. Whether that's a beneficial characteristic, or it simply adds flow unneccesary resistence, I suppose Mr. Gary & Co. could elaborate.

Are you an "adder" of VSOT, Brian? I imagine, if you added an entire bottle, that could sticky-up the widget a bit.
 
No, no VSOT for me. But I've used a 40 weight diesel oil or two. But even taking frsh oil out the bottle, if you sorta tap your finger and thumb together when coated w/ dino, there's a much more sticky feeling than w/ M1.
 
My '00 GM 3800 V6 has plastic valve covers, too. I don't see any problem with them, personally. As long as they don't crack or warp, does it really matter? Besides, the valve covers aren't going to see a lot of heat or stress, relatively speaking.
 
I couldn't find a link, but someone use to make clear valve covers and clear differential covers too. You could see through them after the car had been sitting a while. Once the car was started again, you couldn't see anything.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top