Synthetic Oil drip

[jetmechmarty]

Bonz,

Does the stuff about friction modifiers posted on this forum hold true? Do we look for the blank bottom half of the circle? I've used synthetic without issue, but it was always motorcycle specific.

[Bonz]

As long as there is no friction modifier symbol in the circle on the bottle, it is friction modifier free.

[jetmechmarty]

As long as there is no friction modifier symbol in the circle on the bottle, it is friction modifier free.

OK. I just wanted to be sure all are still in agreement over that. Thanks!

[3Phase]

Bonz, I don't think Arco Graphite is still made. The Arco wasn't bothered as much by heat as the other oils and I got 300K out of my Covair engine. It was still running when I traded it in for a truck.


Marty, I "read on the Internet" that no 50w oil is going to get an API Energy Conserving tag. It could in theory and probably does have roughly the same base oils and additive pack as the rest of the product line that met the spec for a modern oil.

Here's a fun article I found on the Mini Cooper site that was written by Dr. Ali E. Haas:-

minimania.com: Lets Talk Motor Oil – It is So Very Misunderstood - Part 1

minimania.com: Lets Talk Motor Oil – It is So Very Misunderstood - Part 2

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[ViperRon]

I believe a lot of information in the article but differ in opinion on some of his results just personal opinion but you do what works for you. One example is I purchased a GMC from my cousin with about 190K on it and one of his pet peeves was it always leaked in his driveway since about 50K on start up you could here a little tic tic from a lifter on cold mornings. The book recommendation was for 5-30 oil or for higher temp areas 10-30 He had always used mobile 1 oil changed every 3K and took great care of it. He had intake and head gaskets replaces oil pan and main seals replaced but still that darn leak. I ran a can of marvel mystery oil threw before oil change put 10-30 Synthetic Pennzoil in it and with in a week no leak now 6000 and no more leak and in the winter when it was cold no more tic tic oil pressure up a pound or 2 runs smooth but no leaks. I know does not fit anything in the article but works for me. Flow is not the only need for oil in an engine in fact sometimes excessive flow causes cavitation and air bubbles to get into the oil causing sever damage. The guy in the article should switch to work on global warming more money.

As for the myth on synthetic oils causing harm to cork based frictions I had read an article about the chemistry of some modern synthetic oils causing issues with cork however Kevlar and some other products like paper work well with it.

[3Phase]

A lot of his info is good for water-cooled engines and makes sense, some doesn't. I like the oil-pressure testing he did to find the right oil for his normal driving conditions but yeah, he should be the spokesposterfanboy for the Energy Conservatatoring Oil Industry. There's no way I'm recycling that nasty 40w and 50w oil I've been using and refilling with some nice, still-too-thick-when-cold 0w-20w oil unless I want to go racing.

I don't remember where I read it now but modern synthetic oils are lightly doped to help seals and gaskets stay pliable so they don't leak. Mobil 1 is supposed to have them but maybe the Pennzoil synth had more or a different type of additives that helped your buddies Jimmy. I don't see how it could phase a clutch plate unless it there was something else impregnated in the cork like, oh, I don't know, rubber.

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[motoman]

A lot of his info is good for water-cooled engines and makes sense, some doesn't. I like the oil-pressure testing he did to find the right oil for his normal driving conditions but yeah, he should be the spokesposterfanboy for the Energy Conservatatoring Oil Industry. There's no way I'm recycling that nasty 40w and 50w oil I've been using and refilling with some nice, still-too-thick-when-cold 0w-20w oil unless I want to go racing.

I don't remember where I read it now but modern synthetic oils are lightly doped to help seals and gaskets stay pliable so they don't leak. Mobil 1 is supposed to have them but maybe the Pennzoil synth had more or a different type of additives that helped your buddies Jimmy. I don't see how it could phase a clutch plate unless it there was something else impregnated in the cork like, oh, I don't know, rubber.

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......or Pennzoil parafin.

[3Phase]

......or Pennzoil parafin.

Yeah, I suppose synthetic Penzoil would be have to be full synthetic synthetic paraffin.

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[ViperRon]

Synthetic had very little to do with the Pennzoil cure 10-30 heavier weight oil did. Heavier substances support more pressure hence the defined weight of oil is the level of support it can give to keep two surfaces apart. While the thinner oil circulates faster it does not keep the crank and bearings as stable therefor a heavier oil will force more stability removing vibrations that keep the seal from making a tight seal and providing more resistance where gaskets come together. There was the cure. There are variances in all engines and what may work great in one may not in the majority. The trick is when you have an issue to find the cure and not treat the symptoms because of some ones theory.

I can not remember the total article or the chemical compounds that it mentioned in it, but basically it was an article explaining the benefits of the paper packed fiber plates I purchased so cheaply. Basically the study concluded that certain chemicals soak into the cork causing it to swell but making it more porous therefor under heat and pressure the chemicals would come out kind of like a sponge under pressure. Hence a wet sponge slips much easier than a dry one. Also like a dry sponge after being wet it never falls back into shape.

[3Phase]

If you put a dry sponge and a wet sponge on the counter and flick them with your finger, the dry sponge will scoot across the counter and the wet sponge will just sit there, stuck to the counter but I understand the point you're making!

The paper clutches should be okay, they're basically cellulose just like cork. Say, if regular oil is used with regular cork, shouldn't synthetic oil be used with synthetic cork?

.

[motoman]

If you put a dry sponge and a wet sponge on the counter and flick them with your finger, the dry sponge will scoot across the counter and the wet sponge will just sit there, stuck to the counter but I understand the point you're making!

The paper clutches should be okay, they're basically cellulose just like cork. Say, if regular oil is used with regular cork, shouldn't synthetic oil be used with synthetic cork?

.

I'm thinkin' the wet sponge type and all should be 'golden'.