Was reading some stuff the other day on another forum where folks were advocating adding some gear lube to motor oil to supposedly make up for more limited add packs due to emissions stuff, and as a way to "thicken" oil for their motor and still have additives unlike the Lucas snot. Frankly, I wouldn't consider doing it. Just wondering from more informed folks here what they think of this idea. I am not sure of the ratio of gear lube to oil they are using.
Gear oil added to motor oil in engine
- Thread starter TiredTrucker
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We just had a thread a minute ago about this.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...Die#Post4138398
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...Die#Post4138398
It's a bad idea, gear oil uses sulfur as an additive, sounds like a recipe for sulfuric acid when exposed to combustion gases.
I added a gallon or two of gear 80w-90 or 85w-140 to a Series 60 12.7 Detroit that was burning 2 gallons per shift. It made it stink inside the cab and, if I remember right, it burned more than usual that shift.
I added a gallon or two of gear 80w-90 or 85w-140 to a Series 60 12.7 Detroit that was burning 2 gallons per shift. It made it stink inside the cab and, if I remember right, it burned more than usual that shift.
Which forum?
People cannot resist temptation to add stuff to the oil. Companies have spent a lot of time, energy and money on getting the additive packs right and we want to mess with it.
rawze.com is the forum I happened upon that was discussing it.
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
We just had a thread a minute ago about this.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...Die#Post4138398
Thanks for that. Just seems goofy to me to want to add gear lube to a good motor oil. As I posted on the thread you linked, I wonder what it is in the American psyche that causes so many folks to feel the oil companies have no clue what they are doing and need help to get it right. We have 320 million people in this country and it seems half of them are trying to be tribologists.
We just had a thread a minute ago about this.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...Die#Post4138398
Thanks for that. Just seems goofy to me to want to add gear lube to a good motor oil. As I posted on the thread you linked, I wonder what it is in the American psyche that causes so many folks to feel the oil companies have no clue what they are doing and need help to get it right. We have 320 million people in this country and it seems half of them are trying to be tribologists.
MolaKule
Staff member
Yep, as I mentioned in another thread, gear lubes contain Extreme Pressure (EP) additives with high levels of sulfur and lower levels of phosphorus. In engines we use Anti-Wear additives, not Extreme Pressure additives.
At engine temperatures, these EP lubes produce sulfuric and phosphoric acids, which result in corrosion pitting of most metals.
TiredTrucker stated it well. People without an intimate knowledge of the chemical effects of various compounds needs to keep their fingers out of engine oil.
At engine temperatures, these EP lubes produce sulfuric and phosphoric acids, which result in corrosion pitting of most metals.
TiredTrucker stated it well. People without an intimate knowledge of the chemical effects of various compounds needs to keep their fingers out of engine oil.
Back in the 80s, I was part of a car pooling group of 3. We all worked at the same place so it was easy. We bought an old ragged out base model '70 Camaro with a 6 cylinder and 3 speed trannie to drive to work. Miles unknown when we bought it. As the years and the miles piled on, oil consumption picked up considerably. Working as diesel Thermo King mechanics, Rotella was easily available and we used it.
Liberally.
When the car started going through the Rotella too quickly, we switched it over to 75w-140 and drove it for two more years that way, before basically throwing the car away. Needless to say smoke was ever present and I'm sure we didn't meet any applicable state or federal regulations of any kind. But if fulfilled it's function until we moved on to '73 Bonneville with only 120k on it.
So an engine can run reliably on straight hypoid gear oil, if you're not too concerned about your ppm fe or exhaust emissions. That was the most carefree driving of my life; just add gas and about a gallon of oil every 100 miles or so.
Liberally.
When the car started going through the Rotella too quickly, we switched it over to 75w-140 and drove it for two more years that way, before basically throwing the car away. Needless to say smoke was ever present and I'm sure we didn't meet any applicable state or federal regulations of any kind. But if fulfilled it's function until we moved on to '73 Bonneville with only 120k on it.
So an engine can run reliably on straight hypoid gear oil, if you're not too concerned about your ppm fe or exhaust emissions. That was the most carefree driving of my life; just add gas and about a gallon of oil every 100 miles or so.
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
rawze.com is the forum I happened upon that was discussing it.
Rawze's engine rebuild video is the one I posted haha.
He does have some interesting videos. Like the valve and injector adjustments. And the brake job.
rawze.com is the forum I happened upon that was discussing it.
Rawze's engine rebuild video is the one I posted haha.
He does have some interesting videos. Like the valve and injector adjustments. And the brake job.
MolaKule
Staff member
Originally Posted By: double vanos
...When the car started going through the Rotella too quickly, we switched it over to 75w-140 and drove it for two more years that way, before basically throwing the car away. Needless to say smoke was ever present and I'm sure we didn't meet any applicable state or federal regulations of any kind. But if fulfilled it's function until we moved on to '73 Bonneville with only 120k on it.
So an engine can run reliably on straight hypoid gear oil, if you're not too concerned about your ppm fe or exhaust emissions...
It will run on any lube for a short period of time, but not reliably for the long term.
...When the car started going through the Rotella too quickly, we switched it over to 75w-140 and drove it for two more years that way, before basically throwing the car away. Needless to say smoke was ever present and I'm sure we didn't meet any applicable state or federal regulations of any kind. But if fulfilled it's function until we moved on to '73 Bonneville with only 120k on it.
So an engine can run reliably on straight hypoid gear oil, if you're not too concerned about your ppm fe or exhaust emissions...
It will run on any lube for a short period of time, but not reliably for the long term.
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