Tech Tip - Synthetic Oil

JET TURBINE SYNTHETIC OIL - FOR YOUR 'BIRD
Subject: Classicbirds - ENGINE LUBES
Date: 12/19/04

I note a lot of action on the subject of Iubing an engine for starts after sitting a bit. Here is what I have learned after 45 years with racing and high performance engines.

Years ago - we had oils with way too much paraffin in them. After sitting, these oils had a tendency to solidify and clog up oil channels and stop the flow of oil to journals in the engine. Which of course, led to premature wear on bearings and moving parts. Later on - paraffin was replaced with other additives that prevented oil from clogging passages in the motors ... Then - still later - oils were produced "without" oil in them!!

Synthetic oils are great - but expensive. I have some very healthy vehicles - and over the years have had awesome high-performance engines to feed. I built them myself - and NEVER had one fail on me. That says something -- I know what I am saying. I have found - that when a vehicle sits with the oils we have today, that even after a year or 2 - there is still some oil on the moving parts. Maybe not enough to chance a fast start - but it is there. BUT - after a week or two - there is no problem at all. The molecules of oil in the metal are enough to start the engine.

An extra oil pump set up for priming is a waste. If you feel you have the bucks to do this, fine. But, there is a magic trick available to us all. Something I have been doing for years now - and the Military does all the time with its big Tank engines ... not to mention Jet Aircraft engines. Simply - they use SYNTHETIC oils - as an additive.

What is used is "jet turbine oil-synthetic." I use two (2) quarts with each oil change in my diesel vehicles - and one (1) quart for my regular V-8's - including my 312 Ford motors.

This oil is fantastic - and has saved several engines for me over the years. When I blew a TURBO on a Hercules 6 cylinder diesel, in a 34,000 pound truck ... and lost ALL OIL in the engine ... I still made it home over 16 miles without any oil pressure - and NOT OVERHEATING. After replacing the turbo and 7.5 GALLONS of oil - the vehicle still ran perfect and oil pressure came back to 50# where it belonged!

I swear by the synthetic additives - and no pre-priming is needed. Your engine will have a permanent coating after one hour of running this oil mix that will last forever ... just my 2 cents ......... I have tons of this stuff. You can buy it at airfields.

-- Gene

Editor's note: submitted by Bill Werth