Forum

[Alan R]

------------ I say PETE, you're looking rather fit these days !!

[Alan R]

----------- and for those that can remember this next item, it was a case of more oil than we knew what to do with !!------ I was in my second year as a Marine Engineering Apprentice with the Royal Navy based at TORPOINT, Plymouth.. We were due to go on a weeks Initiative Training on dartmoor but were sent instead to the North Coast to help with the cleaning ops....That pungent smell of salt water and crude oil mixed is still with me today..................................... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV-EhBesVjg ---------------------------

[Phil Ashbrook]

I had a rebore for my 535 piston and put thicker 25/60 oil and nearly seized after only 5 mins because the bore relies on the fling factor from the big end , thick oil does not fling as well and it was under lubricated so I thinned the oil down to 20/50 and it was fine after that , until then I had not thought about the problems of having too thick an oil .

[apparently lucky eddie]

I'd hate to see you disappointed Presto, so I'd like to point out that my very old (indian) workshop manual recommends Castrol straight 50. If you prefer a straight 40 grade though what could be better than Castrol R40 which smells wonderful, very evocative of 1950/60's big singles, although regular de-cokes are required.

[Alan R]

--------- or resort to the old trick of a "splash" of R per gallon of petrol mix.....great smell plus a UCL as well !!

[Presto]

You're not wrong 'a.l.e.'
But in those way back days there were no multigrades to recommend.
As for using an 'R' oil in a road going Bullet?... Strange the things people put in their engines!
All the best Presto

[Presto]

A word to the wise! (And a little outing on my hobby-horse!)
Morris’s oils give this advice on Castor oils in road going engines – ignore it at your peril!

Castor oils are not suited to modern engines. Using them is not only unnecessary but can be harmful, especially if the oil is used in an engine that has been run on mineral or semi-synthetic oils.

Castor oils MUST NOT be mixed with mineral or synthetic oils.

Before using castor oil the engine must be thoroughly flushed with flushing oil or even rebuilt.

Castor oils cannot be mixed with additives, for that reason they have less good wear inhibiting characteristics. They produce high levels of sludgy deposit and must be changed very frequently together with frequent engine dismantling.