RE:Aviation Oil

["Joe Kiefer" <kiejo@xxxxxxxxxx>]

This is always a fun question.  The base stock for oil whether mineral (dino
juice) or synthetic is the same for aviation and automotive.  The additive
packages are what make them difference.  Bearing loads, engine RPM, percent
of time at full power, etc. are some of the factors.  Although there's much
more demand on an aircraft engine that doesn't mean that the kind of
additive package is has is better for automotive applications.  For example,
a much higher engine RPM can require a high shear strength from the oil
molecules.  The materials used in bearings, valve guides and other engine
component may not be compatible with certain additives.  The chemists that
formulate oil additives attempt to optimize these oils for the intended
application.  Having said that a study was done that can be seen here
(http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm) on the differences between
automotive and motorcycle oil.  For me the bottom line is to use a synthetic
automotive oil.

JK
Houston, TX

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End of oilheads-digest V2 #121
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