When did multi viscosity oils come out?

[Chris142]

I found an owners manual for my tractor. Its either a 1956 or or 1957 year model. I'm not 100% sure but 56 was the first model year and in 58 the head lights were in a different place.

Anyway it calls for 10w30 oil in the engine and hydraulics. I would have guessed a straight 30 in 56-57.

Guess I goofed with sae30 in the hydraulics and 15w40 in the engine?

 

[addyguy]

AFAIK, 1954 was the first year for a 10W-30 multi-viscosity oil. I think Kendall lays claim to producing the first one then.

Another early one was Royal Triton 10W-30, the purple-dyed oil.

 

[TTK]

Originally Posted by addyguy
AFAIK, 1954 was the first year for a 10W-30 multi-viscosity oil. I think Kendall lays claim to producing the first one then.

Another early one was Royal Triton 10W-30, the purple-dyed oil.

And that was one of the best in its day.

 

[skyactiv]

I know 20W40 was the first widely used multi viscosity diesel oil before my time.

 

[53' Stude]

Found it right here on BITOG

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/2792107/Re:_Oil_history:_When_was_10W4

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

I used 10w-40 in my 69 Chevelle SS.

 

[SonofJoe]

I'm not totally sure of my facts but here in the UK, I believe the first multigrade to launch was Duckhams Q 20W50. This was the original oil for the Mini, where the same oil was shared by both the engine & gearbox. I'm happy to be corrected if someone knows better.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

TropArtic

 

[CR94]

Anyone else have a 1950s owner's manual? Mine for 1962 Chevrolet recommends SAE 20 or 10W-30, which was already old news by then.

 

[CT8]

The 15w- 40 will be fine . the tractor will tell you if the 30 oil is too thick. 30 is good to freezing.

 

[Eddie]

1950s Ford had a 20w20 recommendation.

 

[oil_film_movies]

Originally Posted by Chris142
Guess I goofed with sae30 in the hydraulics and 15w40 in the engine?
You didn't goof at all. It'll work very well on that grade, as the 15w part is OK in CA, and the "40" part just means slightly thicker oil films where hydrodynamic, and it will use probably 1% more fuel due to the thicker oil. That is it, no other issues.

You asked "When did 10w30 come out?" 1953, and both Kendall and Amalie oil companies claim to be the first to have it that year.

 

[zrxkawboy]

I was surprised to see 5W20 shown on the viscosity chart in the FSM for my '57 Plymouth.

 

[BrocLuno]

You did not goof. Given the age and some accumulated wear, you did exactly what most of us would have done. It'll be fine

 

[OilUzer]

Originally Posted by Chris142
I found an owners manual for my tractor. Its either a 1956 or or 1957 year model. I'm not 100% sure but 56 was the first model year and in 58 the head lights were in a different place.

Anyway it calls for 10w30 oil in the engine and hydraulics. I would have guessed a straight 30 in 56-57.

Guess I goofed with sae30 in the hydraulics and 15w40 in the engine?


This just proves that:
a) OM's are overrated and no one reads them ... like IKEA instructions

b) Thicker oil is better.

My most recent OM is 2 years old and it's on my list of things to read! Meanwhile I am violating it already by not using 0W-20

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by zrxkawboy
I was surprised to see 5W20 shown on the viscosity chart in the FSM for my '57 Plymouth.


That is surprising, so the "thick vs thin" debates probably also started back then too.

 

[FCD]

I can still get 20W-40 gas and Diesel oils locally.

 

[SonofJoe]

Here's the story of Duckhams Q 20W50 in some detail. Q was the first multi grade launched in the UK in 1956.

https://www.classicnation.com/how-o...ing-europes-first-multigrade-engine-oil/

I don't know what VII polymer was used in Q but 1956 was around the time that Ziegler-Natta catalysts started to be used for olefin polymerisation so I'm guessing Q used a very embryonic OCP.

 

[Shannow]

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3860328/1961_5W20_patent...

Here's a patent that I found ages ago...it's 1961, but has a lot of "prior art" mentioned.

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted by Shannow
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3860328/1961_5W20_patent...

Here's a patent that I found ages ago...it's 1961, but has a lot of "prior art" mentioned.


Thank you Shannow.

I REALLY enjoyed that read!