[Healeys] Oil Specifications - The way I choose............

WILLIAM B LAWRENCE ynotink at msn.com
Wed Sep 15 16:10:30 MDT 2010


I have been using Castrol 4T 20W-50 in my 100. It is formulated for four cycle
motorcycle engines and is rated SG-SH. It works just fine and requires no
additives. I get it at Pep Boys and it costs about the same as regular
Castrol.

Bill Lawrence

> Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:38:35 +0100
> From: bluehealey at gmail.com
> To: Healeys at autox.team.net
> Subject: [Healeys] Oil Specifications - The way I choose............
>
> Team.
> <Flame suit on>
> Longer term contributors to this list will possibly be a little jaded
> by the cyclic reworking of the oil debate over the last few years.
> The basic query appears to arise from the concern that 'modern' oil
> may only be suitable for modern engines, and therefore not suitable
> for our older technologies.
>
> The discussions and debates often became deeply technical and wandered
> off into discussions about various additional additives that could
> supplement the modern cocktail available from the big names out there.
>  I learned, from the feedback on this list, that the levels of ZDDP
> additive in motor oil has been reducing over the years as it is
> detrimental to catalytic converters.  Unfortunately this reduction is
> in turn detrimental to the life of camshafts that use flat face
> followers (tappets) - that's us!!
>
> <Wikipedia quote>
> The latest API Service Standard designation is SM for gasoline
> automobile and light-truck engines. The SM standard refers to a group
> of laboratory and engine tests, including the latest series for
> control of high-temperature deposits. Current API service categories
> include SM, SL and SJ for gasoline engines. All previous service
> designations are obsolete, although motorcycle oils commonly still use
> the SF/SG standard.
> <end quote>
>
> The API Service Standard is an alphabetic progression, starting at SA
> and currently at SM. In the SG standard, ZDDP at 1200-1300ppm was
> incorporated. From SG and beyond this density has been steadily
> reduced until today where SM has just 600ppm.
>
> My simple rule of thumb therefore is to use whatever motor oil is
> available that has an API no later than SG and change it every year.
> No matter what the marketing guys might say if the container says API
> SM don't use it.
>
> That should spark up some input - %^)
> --
>   _________________________________________
> (______________ Alan Bromfield_______________)
>         (_______\____1957-BN4____/________)
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