Detergent or nondetergent engine oil in vintage military vehicles???
Thank's
Rick Vanallen
QC,AZ
'43 M3A1
Hi Rick,
We've been here before, however:
All oils are detergent to some degree weather its a straight or
multi-grade type.
Multi-grades weren't around until the late 60's or so therefore your
vehicle was doubtless designed for the ubiquitous straight SAE 30.
The current versions of this are quite highly detergent but meet the
often referred spec of MIL-O-2104 suffix B as of 1958 but now suffix D
which is mainly a detergent increase but nowhere near as scouring as the
multi-grades.
A design feature of all the old engines is the intentionally high
consumption of oil compared with todays motors, the multi-grades burn to
a very abrasive fine ash that rapidly wears the ring lands and rings.
Remember the current multi-grades can be too thick when hot for a design
that was based on a thin, hot SAE 30, you can get very encouraging oil
pressure readings on the gauge, usually tapped near the pump outlet,
with multi-grades but whats happening say at the farthest main bearing
perhaps a foot or more away at the end of a fine oilway?
Personally I use Silkolene Ashford 30 which is officially qualified to
2104D, cheap and probably available world-wide, but in the end its your
motor and you can use what you prefer.
Richard
(Southampton UK)
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