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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekchips!teklabs!donch
From: donch@teklabs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re:  Synthetic Oils
Message-ID: <2457@teklabs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 16-Sep-83 21:21:53 EDT
Article-I.D.: teklabs.2457
Posted: Fri Sep 16 21:21:53 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 17-Sep-83 14:19:29 EDT
References: <404@hou5a.UUCP>
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 60

I have a tale regarding a particular brand of synthetic oil that might
be of interest.

About six years ago, my newly acquired 912 Porsche needed a major
engine rebuild.  After doing the job, one of my prime concerns was
to never have to do the job again; hence, the choice of oil seemed
very important.  

A bit of research on my part and salesmanship of a local synthetic oil
distributor convinced me to try ALL PROOF, a brand that the local
Formula Ford crowd was using with noticeable success on the racetrack.
After breaking in my engine on Kendall 30 wt., I ran ALL PROOF for
almost 20,000 miles in the Porsche.  

What I liked:
--cold starting in a car with no chokes was vastly improved, including
  near zero temperatures;
--oil consumption was very low (new, tight engine, most likely)
--visible exhaust smoke was almost eliminated (very important since the
  local motor vehicles department inspected for same among other things);

What I hated:  (one entry here)
--a second expensive engine rebuild at about 20,000 miles as evidenced
  by non-existent main and big-end rod bearing material, and rust and 
  corrosion on the cylinder walls.
The local engine guru who reground the crank (its last grind) and observed
the rusty cylinders voiced the opinion that poor lubrication clearly
was the problem.  When told of the oil, he just shook his head and said
he'd seen similar results with other engines using "synthetics".    
Particularly, he said that rust protection with synthetics was very
poor and that exposed internal surfaces such as cylinder walls were
prime candidates for rapid rusting if the oil didn't protect properly.

One mitigating fact here was the discovery that the oil cooler on
that Porsche wasn't changed at the first rebuild, and that it apparently
was restricting oil flow to the bearings.

So I can't damn that particular oil out of hand.

At the same time, I ran the same oil in my motorcycle, an Italian 
Moto Guzzi.  After 10,000 and the Porsche experience, it too went
back to Kendall.  However, it did suffer a failure directly related
to the synthetic.  Its cam is chain driven and has a thick rubber
chain tensioner.  I discovered that the rubber had swollen to almost
50% original size and had become very mushy.  This is a common
complaint with some synthetics.  Indeed, it is sometimes tauted as
a virtue in the sense that rubber seals that have hardened and begun
leaking can become soft and compliant again.  I suggest that this
effect can go to an extreme.

All in all, I liked the everyday benefits of having a synthetic oil
in my vehicles, particularly the cold starting ease.  Getting
me to trust one again will be an uphill battle.  I still have all
the Porsche engine parts receipts to document my caution.

Don Chitwood
Teklabs, Tektronix, Inc.
Beaverton, OR