20-09-2019, 09:50 AM
I just can't resist a thread drift...
Agree with Ian, I can't imagine what Austin were thinking when they made the Nippy oil holes so small. Perhaps they were afraid the oil drillings weakened the crank? Which may explain the equally unfathomable Ulster-type screw-on external crank oil passages. My possibly completely erroneous perception is that by the time Nippy and Speedy came along Austin were eyeing up endurance events (hence the deep Nippy sump), which made oil supply for sustained high speed running all the more important.
I'm sure it's no accident Bob that engine wear dramatically increased as multigrade oils began to find favour (though there are without doubt other factors). The vast majority of engine wear occurs at start-up with cold oil; a condition which multigrades were specifically designed to address. Imagine a splash fed engine trying to pump around a straight 40 (or, God forbid, a 60 grade...) on a winter's morning. And those teeny little jets trying to squirt treacle at the crank...
There have been numerous discussions about oil grades on here and everyone subscribes to their own 'camp', so I won't labour it. Personally I've used a detergent 20W50 since time began and have no issues with it, though I suspect it's a little on the heavy side.
Agree with Ian, I can't imagine what Austin were thinking when they made the Nippy oil holes so small. Perhaps they were afraid the oil drillings weakened the crank? Which may explain the equally unfathomable Ulster-type screw-on external crank oil passages. My possibly completely erroneous perception is that by the time Nippy and Speedy came along Austin were eyeing up endurance events (hence the deep Nippy sump), which made oil supply for sustained high speed running all the more important.
I'm sure it's no accident Bob that engine wear dramatically increased as multigrade oils began to find favour (though there are without doubt other factors). The vast majority of engine wear occurs at start-up with cold oil; a condition which multigrades were specifically designed to address. Imagine a splash fed engine trying to pump around a straight 40 (or, God forbid, a 60 grade...) on a winter's morning. And those teeny little jets trying to squirt treacle at the crank...
There have been numerous discussions about oil grades on here and everyone subscribes to their own 'camp', so I won't labour it. Personally I've used a detergent 20W50 since time began and have no issues with it, though I suspect it's a little on the heavy side.