Lube recomendations

[Rocketeer1]

hey hey

To those who are unaware of this free service, the larger oil companies have listed recommendations for almost all vehicles, including bikes, tractors, heavy machinery etc. These documents are easy to use (some more than others) and form an invaluable source of information when selecting lubricants, from engines to diffs and everything in between.

When using this data, its taken as a bit of a 'baseline'. Considering manufacturers often specify generic lubricants in an easy to use, dumbed down format for 'all' areas, for all customers, particularly for those customers who have no real interest past handing their car to a mechanic. As such, a lot of factors are taken into account when selecting lubricants- intended driving style and use of the vehicle, ambient temperatures, mechanical condition, service periods, etc etc. This is particularly evident in the extremely thin motor oils selected by manufacturers- both for colder climate starting, and for reduced fluid friction (thinner fluid is easier to push around than thicker fluid). However, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that the baseline recommendation of a very thin oil may not be the best selection for an individual's circumstances.

Whenever looking at lubricants for any situation, these are the first tables I, and others consult. They are almost complete, accurate, and form a good basis. I usually look at Shell first, then Penrite, sometimes back to Mobil. Penrite in particular like to specify heavier weight oils for the same application as the Shell and Mobil.

The 3 links that follow are 3 very good sources. There are many others. The easiest to use are Shell and Mobil, Penrite is ok, but I find a little more involved to actually find the recommended viscosity, as you have to look up the recommended product for that information.

Penrite oil selecter

Mobil Netlube

Shell Lubematch

Dont forget there is so very much info available for most brands, although sometimes you have to be prepared to really search for it and spend a bit of time for more specific information, such as the basestock used, etc.

Cheers

Edited February 25, 2010 by Rocketeer1