OMG - My dad was using ARCO Graphite!

[josephp732]

I stopped by my dad's house and he was winterizing his +50 year old Ariens snow blower with a 8hp Tecumseh Chief engine. I was in total shock to find out he has been using Arco Graphite Motor! He bought a cases of this stuff back in the late 70's and its been what he has been using in this snow blower for over 35 years!!!

I can't image what the inside of the engine looks like....

 

[Padawan]

Considering it's a 50-year-old engine and he's been using that oil in it since the 70s, I'd say it's doing just fine.

 

[CincyDavid]

The Ohio State Patrol used to put 1 qt of Arco Graphite in with whatever other oil they were using, back in the late 80s, early 90s in their box Crown Vic interceptors. Saw it with my own eyes.

The whole idea of making your oil instantly black seemed a little "off" to me.

Hey, if it works, don't knock it.

 

[JHZR2]

My father still uses early 1980s 10w-40 valvoline in cardboard cans in some low value OPE, just because he still has it.

 

[RISUPERCREWMAN]

That stuff makes my skin itch! Ewwww

 

[AirgunSavant]

It was the only oil I used in a "71" Wheel Horse tractor until it was discontinued. Still runs on the same engine today with no internal repair work.
Old ball bearing Kohler.......

 

[Astro14]

Wait...wait...I want to understand...

Your dad's snowblower engine is FIFTY YEARS OLD. Runs fine.

And you're criticizing his oil choice?

 

[Donald]

I used in in my 1980 VW diesel Rabbit./

 

[josephp732]

I was just in shock - almost everything I read about this oil hasn't been very positive - including the graphite separating out of the oil.

 

[5170]

If it's worked for the man this long, your shock may be unwarranted.

 

[andyd]

An early form of MOS2 (sic) I knew a guy who used powdered graphite in bug crank cases.

 

[sprite1741]

Originally Posted By: josephp732
I was just in shock - almost everything I read about this oil hasn't been very positive - including the graphite separating out of the oil.


Most of the bad comments on the net are from people that have never used or never owned whatever it is they are bad mouthing.

 

[goodtimes]

It made black oil and people didn't like that. Graphite is used as a lubricant and has high temp stability.

 

[A_Harman]

I ran it for a couple of years in the early 80's. Had no problems with it.

 

[Jetronic]

After he runs out of Arcographite, he can use Liquimoly 10w-40 or Elf Molygraphite...

I would use it in any engine that didn't consume large amounts of oil. graphite on the spark plugs wouldn't be very helpful.

 

[NHGUY]

Wow that Ariens would be a 1966 or older? They started with the Sno Thro for 1960.They have the open edged auger housings (the rakes stick out from the housing). As for the Arco Graphite,did I hear that the graphite was plugging up oil filters? On a small air cooled Tecumseh there is no oil filter (obviously) so that would not be a concern.Most of the graphite probably just stays on the bottom and drains out with a change... BTW the 8hp engine didn't come into being until the 1970s....that would be 40+ years old.

 

[demarpaint]

If the machine lasted 50+ years and is still running he's doing something right. The inside might look better than you think, and you'd be hard pressed to find another to compare it to.

 

[walterjay]

I used the graphite oil exclusively in my VW Superbeetle back in the late 70's. At 90 thousand miles, it dropped a valve, which was common for those engines. When the engine was disassembled, it was sterling and showed no wear to speak of. The VW mechanic who did the rebuild remarked on the great condition of the engine.

 

[4wheeldog]

Originally Posted By: josephp732
I was just in shock - almost everything I read about this oil hasn't been very positive - including the graphite separating out of the oil.


I seem to remember Arco having a glass column, maybe 30' tall, filled with the stuff, as proof it didn't settle out. I never used it, but I believe it got a bad rap, just because it was black, and looked used, right out of the can.

 

[josephp732]

NHGUY - My dad has the original manual and you are correct it is a 1963 SNO-THRO with the open edged auger housing. The engine is a Tecumseh "Snow King" horizontal Crankshaft 6hp. Looks like model number 10M-L60D.

The unit has serial number: 3274

The recommended engine oil is: MS 5W-20

If anybody is interested in a copy I can scan the owners manuals for the SNO-THRO and the engine.