Recent content by Old Gweilo

"Motorcycles (or any engine) with integrated gear box or using the same oil in gearbox as crankcase should, in general , not use friction (zinc?) modified oils." This can be a complex issue as some modifiers reduce friction (Moly), and others increase it. In a seeming paradox, ZDDP both reduces...

Good catch on the "Gweilo" term. During my 25 years working in SEA I picked up on the term, and its implications. I'm obviously not insulted by it. On the contrary, it reminds me of the wonderful times and cherished friendships I enjoyed while working in the region, China in particular.

Excellent post !! 👍 May I add that automotive multi-grade oils are formulated to spec within a 40 deg C to 100 deg C temp range, ( yep, I'm Canadian). All oil viscosities change with changes in temp, as you know. That "Air cooled" engines often suffer operation temps both above and below...

"Zinc seems to be a relatively recent innovation",,,,, Actually, Zinc was a common package component in most motor oils back in the days of flat tappet car engines with no catalytic converters. Zinc is death on converters so has been all but eliminated from automotive oils but remains a common...