sorry for the oil thread!

[CharlieB]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

Some time ago I did a bit of reading on the subject of NOT using the 10 - 40 oils.

In a nut shell, most all the agreement is that the larger the spread, the less it would uphold either characteristic.

If you insist on using any multi-viscosity oil, select one with the least amount of viscosity spread.

Straight weight oils are still available, 30, 40, 50, 60. Select your oil by your oil OPERATING temperature and the manufacturers recommendations.

 

[dakine]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

Here is some real world data on the advantages of synthetic gearbox oil.

I used to rally turbo SAABS.
The pinion bearing in the gearbox of these things was simply too small.
Using the SAAB recommended dino gear oil they would fail with regularity at about 80k on the road. (After a bit of boost controller adjustment :-}
I tried every HP additive I could find to improve this including one highly recommended for heavy truck transmissions.
Smelled like sulfur, looked like bull semen and worked like crap.

Then I switched to Red Line synthetic gear oil and NEVER had another failure.

When I put the Red Line in a tranny that was growling...it got better.

Jet engines and helicopters would never fly without synthetic oil.

Now that most synthetic is cheap (you can still pay several hundred dollars a gallon for some specialized ones) it just makes sense to use it.

Go ahead, save $20 yearly on oil.
It is your boat~

 

[Lou C]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

I recall reading that the problem with 10w-40 was that it had a lot of VI improvers in it and when they break down they could cause piston ring sticking, that's why GM forbid using them. BUT, I used it in all the years prior to that (this recommendation happened around 1980 or so) I never had a problem in any of the engines I used it in.
The problem with these discussions is that none of us really has good access to accurate test data. All we know is what the manufacturer tells us, the specs you can get on the oil company website (you can look up these on Chevron, Mobil, Valvoline, etc) but not Merc interesting enough. And then some of the companies made conflicting recommendations, OMC said only 30, Merc said 30 below 50* and 40* above, Volvo said 20w-50 or straight 30..etc ALL FOR THE SAME ENGINES.....very confusing. But like Rick said above, you don't need the low viscosity cold start ability of a multi vs in a marine engine, just like you don't need it in a lawnmower. So there the straight weight is superior. Why experiment. BTW, I have straight 40 in my old OMC, when I winterized it at 50* out it starts right up, normal cranking speed. I see no need for a multi vis under these conditions and the high rpm use a marine engine gets makes a single weight a better choice......

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

40 isn't hard to find in my neck of the woods. Local WalMart has straight 40, straight 30 and just about any other viscosity you could ever want.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

I have full syn oil in everything, cars, truck, boats, Harley, and all the lawn-mowers, ESPECIALLY our riding lawn-mowers, they work almost as hard as marine motors but run much higher oil temps (air cooled).

Syn gear oil in everything also. The Harley shifts MUCH better with it.

Even Syn in the grease gun.

About the only thing I haven't switched (yet) is auto trans fluid.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

I have full syn oil in everything, cars, truck, boats, Harley, and all the lawn-mowers, ESPECIALLY our riding lawn-mowers, they work almost as hard as marine motors but run much higher oil temps (air cooled).

Syn gear oil in everything also. The Harley shifts MUCH better with it.

Even Syn in the grease gun.

About the only thing I haven't switched (yet) is auto trans fluid.

You might want to read your book. Lots of stuff comes from the factory with
synthetic in the tranny.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

ALRIGHTY THEN!!

Shall we retire this weekly oil thread?

That way we can be all ready for next weeks (NEW) oil thread..... asking the same tired questions asked in last weeks oil thread.......

Maybe we need a special OIL THREAD section in an UN-moderated area all by itself?

Put a couple of "Sticky's" at the top that address the same things that are argued in each of the weekly oil threads we have here? (and everywhere else too)

 

[nola mike]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

ALRIGHTY THEN!!

Shall we retire this weekly oil thread?

hell no, still don't have my answer
too wavy to go out last week, so i never changed the oil. hopefully one last hurrah this week before winterizing. FWIW, i'm leaning towards the multi-visc.

 

[Aloysius]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

Boat engines run alot cooler than street engines..160 degrees or so. 220 degree for oil temperature is normal, and shouldn't cause a problem. I'm not a fan of 10-40 myself, and use 15-40 "truck" oil in my marine engines.

ford uses 5-20 in street applications.

Gear oil..hypoid gears, with their tremendous shear, can require a lubricant with extra sulfur/molydisulfide. Straight cut gears don't have as much shear.

The "any oil" statement certainly applies to engines.

BTW, my BMW recommends 10-60 synthetic engine oil for performance use. Now THAT's scarey.

 

[Bondo]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

hell no, still don't have my answer

Ayuh,... Then you must have a reading comprehension problem...

 

[Don S]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

If you are expecting a simple, awe inspiring answer to your question, forget it, there isn't one. Pick an oil and go for it.
No matter what oil it is, someone, somewhere, sometime, has used it and would recommend it to everyone because it worked for them.
Since you need more information, why don't you just read some of the previous oil threads (links below) to go along with all the info you already have in this one.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=426361

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=357663

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=445976

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=423766

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=319916

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=436377

 

[Lou C]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

hell no, still don't have my answer
too wavy to go out last week, so i never changed the oil. hopefully one last hurrah this week before winterizing. FWIW, i'm leaning towards the multi-visc.

if you use the Merc 25/40.....you can stop thinking about this......it's either that, or straight 30 if 50* and under, or straight 40 if over 50*....simple....right......

 

[fossill]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

hell no, still don't have my answer

Well here you go. Everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask about motor oil. Happy Reading. This should lay the oil subject to rest.....at least till the next week.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/cms/

 

[Don S]

Re: sorry for the oil thread!

Always someone to keep a worn out oil thread alive.

This one is now closed.