VISCOSITY OF MOTOR OIL AND SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL
Copyright © Donovan Baldwin
Lube2005.com
Modern turbo diesel trucks, pickup trucks included, V-10 gasoline
pickups and sport utility vehicles (SUVs), as well as other high
horsepower vehicles have much more payload and towing capacity than in
previous years. There has been an increase, on the average,
of 34% in engine horsepower in the last decade alone! To look
at it another way, light trucks have had a 93% increase in horsepower
since 1981, with some "light" vehicles having towing capacities nearing
10 tons!
In vehicles handling such payloads and stresses, extremely high
temperatures are generated in various areas.
This is not confined to trucks and SUV's, either, as limousines,
conversion vans, and cars with modified high performance engines are
also subject to higher heat levels than ever before.
These high temperatures, extreme loads, and pressures produced by these
circumstances are proving to be a challenge to all the lubricants
required, but especially the gear lubricants. As temperatures
and stresses increase, it becomes harder for the lubricants which
protect and prolong the life of the various systems to maintain the
proper viscosity.
In fact, such extremes can produce what is sometimes referred to as
thermal runaway.
Thermal Runaway
In a thermal runaway situation in the differential, for example, as
temperatures climb, causing loss of viscosity. In essence,
the gear lubricants lose the ability to lubricate, allowing actual
metal to metal contact. This, in turn, produces more heat and
friction, which contributes to a further breakdown of the gear
lubricant, generating more heat. It's a viscious cycle which
can only be held in check by using the appropriate lubricant with the
appropriate viscosity.
Amsoil Severe Gear Synthetic Extreme Pressure
(EP) gear lubes make use of an exclusive blend of high viscosity,
shear-stable synthtic base oils combined with an extra treatment of
high performance additives. This provides an extremely
protective iron sulfide barrier coating on the gear surfaces.
By maintaining a higher and longer lasting viscosity protection, Amsoil
Severe Gear Synthetic Lubricants effectively protect equipment from
thermal runaway.
So what the heck is
viscosity, and why does it matter?
Most simply defined, vicosity is the measure of a lubricant's ability
to lubricate. It is this basic act of lubricating
moving parts that is the main defense against friction and wear of any
piece of mechanical equipment, including modern cars, trucks, boats,
motorcyles, chain saws, lawn mowers, and so on. Viscosity is
an overall statement of a lubricant's film strength. It is
this film, and the factor of its strength, which keeps moving parts
from contact with one another, thus protection against friction, heat,
wear, and breakdown.
The Viscosity Index (VI)
As temperatures within an engine and around other moving parts
increase, the viscosity and load bearing abiities of the lubricants
decrease. The ability of a lubricant to maintain its
viscosity protection during high temperature service is indicated by
its Viscosity Index (VI). The higher the VI of a lubricant,
the better its ability to maintain its viscosity in extreme
temperatures.
About Shear Stability and
Multi-Grade Viscosity Protection
Many situations require a lubricant to be effective over a range of
temperatures and stresses. Often a lubricant will have to be
effective in cold AND hot temperature situations, for
example. In order to insure multi-grade viscosity, many gear
lubes are blended with what are referred to as "viscosity index
improvers". These additives keep the lubricant from becoming
too thick in colder temperatures while also preventing it from becoming
too thin to provide protection at higher temperatures.
One problem which still exists is that "shearing forces" within the
equipment can cause the additives to break down and lose their
viscosity. It is the proper blending of the correct additives
with the appropriate sytnthetic lubricant base, such as is found in
Amsoil's gear lubes, which allow the lubricants to remain effective
across the range of operating temperatures.
Severe Gear Synthetic lubricants from Amsoil
provide the proper viscosity for maximum fuel efficiency, cold weather
performance for applications as diverse as tractor pulling, off-road
truck racing, dragster racing, and just plain heavy duty truck
operation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.
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