Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2007 10:43:07 -0500
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: DOn't use SM rated oils Re: Flickering Oil Light 84 auto
In-Reply-To: <B5C459C3DC73C34C895DC659C59AE52935F5@ganja.trainwire.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Really interesting discussion here about oil viscosity.
Years ago in my flying days, we used straight 50W oils in aircraft
engines - which of course were air cooled. At operating temps the oil
thinned right out and provided for good lubrication. With engines cold,
as in sitting round not running, that oil was much like bunker oil -
very viscous, but would flow. But at 30 below zero - total lockup. As a
trick demonstration, I used to do pull-ups on the propellers. Then
engine would not budge. In spite of that lockup due to cold oil, when
the engine was at operating temperature the oil performed fine, even in
the dead of winter. So how to get from a solid lump of oil and metal,
seemingly fused together into an immovable knot to an engine running at
normal temps? Well, there were numerous tricks.
One airplane I flew a lot had a special little trick built in. One
referred to a chart, noted the chart temperature, and then took a look
at the OAT (outside air temperature gage).With engine running, just
before shutdown, the pilot then pushed a button, which pumped raw fuel
directly into the oil sump to thin it down according to the temperature
on the charts. Each temp had a specific time in seconds that the fuel
button was depressed. The oil was then sufficiently thinned that it
would start in extreme cold the next day. Once the engine was started,
it was run on the ground at idle long enough to allow the gasoline to
evaporate.
Often, the oil sump would be fitted with a quick-drain, and the pilot
would at the end of the day, or a flight, jump out grab a bucket and
drain the oil. He would take it into the house for the night, warm it by
the stove, then next day take the heated oil out to the airplane and
refill it with the hot oil, both heating the metal, and making it easy
to start.
Out in the bush country, small catalytic heaters would be placed within
the cowling to keep an engine warm. When power would be available, small
electric heaters would be added to the inside of the cowling, and custom
fitted insulated cowling blankets would be used to hold the heat.
What ever oil is used in the 1.9L and the 2.1L engines, a slow warm up
is always a good idea. Allow the engine and the oil to reach normal
operating temperatures before placing the system under a load. To do
otherwise results in less that adequate lubrication for a period of
time, which in turn results in high wear.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Robyn Lundstrom wrote:
> Do you have a URL for that article?
>
> Robyn
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> Of *****************
> Sent: Wednesday, September 12, 2007 6:48 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: DOn't use SM rated oils Re: Flickering Oil Light 84 auto
>
> I just read a good article in OCW about motor oil... Basically we're
> screwed.
> Long story short, the newest oils on the market carry a SM rating, that
> has
> reduced the zinc and phosphorous in the oil. This is used for
> anti-wear
> properties. In older engine, its been seen to cause all kinds of
> problems including
> low oil pressure, cam and lifter wears, and general shorting of engine
> life.
> It also stated that there are additives you can use, but I just checked
> the oil
> bottles I have and it is not SM type.
>
>
>
> Ed wrote:
>
>
>> I have an 84 vanagon, automatic, after it gets good and warm and has
>>
> been driven vfor a while I notice at idle I get a flickering oil light.
> Oil level is good, rasing the RPM's ever so slightly makes it go away,
> as does putting it in park and letting it idle.
>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Ed Maikranz
>> Abilene, TX
>> 1984 Vanagon
>> 1972 Riviera
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------
>> Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
>> Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo!
>>
> Games.
>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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