Good Swepco Tech articles on lubrication!

[autobonrun]

I was surprised that additives are the primary basis for extending the change intervals of oils, therefore, the statement that synthetic oils (assuming the same additive package) can be changed less frequently than regular dino oil is false. Attached is an article from the Swepco website.

Since there have also been many other lubrication issues posted on this site, I attached some other interesting articles from the Swepco site as well. One describes the importance of oil viscosity and another what silicon in an oil analysis means.

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt899.htm

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt1001.htm

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt0701.htm

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt999.htm

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt599.htm

http://www.swepcousa.com/lubesite/tt499.htm

[Doug Zielke]

Swepco makes good products, there's no doubt about it.
I was actually thinking about trying their premium motor oil, but around here, it's more expensive than Mobil 1. Besides that, it's *purple*, and that might clash with the Blue Bomber's paint job!
Swepco does not make a synthetic motor oil, so in their literature they grind the axe in favor of dino-lube.

[pwd72s]

I'm with Doug on this one. Interesting reading, but it was advertising for SWEPCO. I'll still use Mobil one...changed at dino oil frequency.

[autobonrun]

It's always difficult separating marketing from actual technical facts. Some of the articles on the Swepco are clearly advertising and others are strictly technical. I did find out why synthetics will last longer (differs with the Swepco article).

I also found out something you all probably already knew about the weights of gear oil, and explains the high numbers. Here's an exerpt from a (Hummer site) web based article:

Gear Oil

Gear oil viscosity is measured at 150 F vs. 210 F for motor oil. Therefore, 40 W motor oil is the same as 95 W gear oil. Gear oil is acidic, motor oil is alkaline. Gear oil needs very high wear protection Extreme Pressure (marked as EP). Therefore, it has a very high sulfur and phosphor content. Sulfur and Phosphate reactions start at a lower temperature, and Gear Oil has much more additive than motor oil. This additive is corrosive to copper bearings and bronze synchro rings. Gear oils decompose at lower temperature, usually 250 F. Gear mesh in Gears literally chops up and cuts apart the long polymer chains of Viscosity Index improvers. Hypoid type gear sets have a sliding rather than rolling action, and therefore require much greater wear protection. Gear lubrication ratings go from GL1 through GL6. GL4 is suitable for light duty hypoid sets. GL5 (HUMMER) has lots of sulfur, for heavy duty hypoids and used for heavy trucks and Tow Vehicles. GL6 is a heavier weight

Here's the entire article.

http://www.amghummer.com/Maintenance/SyntheticOil/Synthetic_Oil.htm

And if you think you have lubrication problems, check out this guy!

http://www.monterey.k12.ca.us/~snlornzo/quests/THICKOIL14.html