The Ford Barn - View Single Post

rotorwrench · 07-14-2016, 01:05 PM

Heat expanding polymers allowed multi-viscosity oils to come about. The term "Weight" was one added by consumers to describe viscosity but Society of Automotive Engineers are the ones that came up with the rating system. Engine lubricants and gear lubricants are both rated differently under the SAE. SAE 50 motor oil is roughly the same viscosity as SAE 90 gear lubricant. It gets even more confusing when you add in actual methods of finding viscosity of a fluid. ISO is the new rating system and that confuses things even more.

Synthetics will gain more popularity when they become the same price as natural fossil oil based products. Ester based stocks do find their way out of components much easier. Seals have to be very good design and quality to hold synthetics in. Hopefully they get better rather than worse. Things don't seem to keep going that direction very well.

07-14-2016, 01:05 PM	#16
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,490	Re: Synthetic Oil Controversy Heat expanding polymers allowed multi-viscosity oils to come about. The term "Weight" was one added by consumers to describe viscosity but Society of Automotive Engineers are the ones that came up with the rating system. Engine lubricants and gear lubricants are both rated differently under the SAE. SAE 50 motor oil is roughly the same viscosity as SAE 90 gear lubricant. It gets even more confusing when you add in actual methods of finding viscosity of a fluid. ISO is the new rating system and that confuses things even more. Synthetics will gain more popularity when they become the same price as natural fossil oil based products. Ester based stocks do find their way out of components much easier. Seals have to be very good design and quality to hold synthetics in. Hopefully they get better rather than worse. Things don't seem to keep going that direction very well.