Re: Everything you wanted to know about new engines but were too stupid to ask

From: Kevin Meek (kevnmeek(at)netcom.com)
Date: Thu Apr 08 1999 - 11:26:24 CDT


On Thu, 8 Apr 1999, Christopher Albers wrote:

> Now I don't know why, because I'm not a machinist or chemical engineer,
> but...I have heard (from my machinist and others) that it's not a good
> idea to use 20w50 in an engine except in the hottest of conditions. I
> believe that Castrol GT has detergent in it. It's also not a good idea
> to use oil with detergent in it during break-in of a recent rebuild.
> Again, I don't know why, this is just what I've been told.

They told us in high school shop class to use non-detergent
oil for break-in 'cause detergent oil was too slippery to
give the rings enough bite to seat against the cylinders
properly. I've also been told that a closer range oil is
preferable to a wider range viscosity (i.e. 10-30 better
than 10-40) because the extra amount of plasticizers needed
for the wider range reduces the actual amount of oil in
the can...I don't know if that's true or not!
............................................................
Kevin Meek (kevnmeek(at)netcom.com) Sunbeam Tiger Mk 1A
Santa Cruz, California Sunbeam Alpine S3 GT



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