LUBRICATION SYSTEM

LUBRICATION SYSTEM Six Functions of Motor Oil Reduce friction Reduce wear Seal power Absorb shock Clean Cool

Lubrication System Types Splash Pressure Fed or Force Feed Combination Pressure Fed and Splash Gasoline Oil Premix

Lubricating System Parts Oil pan Oil pump Pick-up screen Pressure regulator Oil filter By-pass valve Oil galleries Dipstick Pressure indicator

Oil Pan Storage reservoir for motor oil. Holds 3 to 6 quarts with 4 as most average. Plug on bottom to drain. Pick-up screen sucks oil up from oil pump.

Oil Pumps Gear types Rotor Gerotor type All oil pumps use a pick-up screen in the pan and a pressure regulator.

Oil Filters Micro-porous paper filters used to screen out particles. Most filters of the cartridge type.

Oil Filter Systems Remove harmful materials

Bypass Systems Part of oil to filter > pan Part to bearings

Shunt Filter Systems Some oil through filter > bearings Some directly to bearings

Full Flow Filter Systems All oil goes through filter

Oil Level and Pressure Indicators Dipstick the most simple Some engines equipped with an electrical level indicator. Oil pressure indicator lamp Oil pressure gauge (electrical or mechanical)

Motor Oil Characteristics Oil Viscosity/SAE Ease which oil flows S.A.E Rating (Society of Automotive Engineers) Service Rating/API Oil Quality A.P.I. (American Petroleum Institute) Other Fluids & Lubricants

Oil Viscosity Chart

A.P.I. Ratings SA Straight mineral oil no additives. SB 1930’s motor oil with some detergent. SC 1950’s oil more additives. SD 1960’s enter multi-viscosity oils. SE 1970’s emission controls make heat is problem. SF 1980’s improves fuel economy. SG Late 1980’s wider viscosity ranges. SH 1990’s great stuff. SJ Late 1990’s SL 200?’s SM Current

Selecting Motor Oil Pick proper viscosity as recommended by manufacturer. Pick proper service rating as recommended by the manufacturer.

Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) Has red color to identify it from motor oil. Several kinds: Dexron/Mercon Type FA

Gear Lube Used in manual transmissions and differentials on rear drive cars. Heavy viscosity 90W. Looks like motor oil but smells real bad!

Chassis Grease Conventional type of petroleum grease. Grease steering and suspension parts.

Other Types of Grease Lithium grease or white lube. Used on mis. parts.

Other Lubricants WD-40 is a light oil with graphite. Liquid wrench is a penetrating oil for dry and rusted bolts.

Non Petroleum Lubricants Silicone spray is for rubber and plastic parts. Doesn’t work well on metal. Brake cleaner is like dry cleaning fluid. Cleans off grease and evaporates in seconds.

Other Useful Fluids Carburetor choke and throttle body cleaner. Contains toluene. Starting fluid. Contains ether.

Oil Changes Oil Change frequency: Every 25 -30 hours.

Oil Contamination Blow-by gases add raw gasoline and water to the oil causing deterioration. Excessive heat can cause thermal breakdown. Excessive cranking can dilute oil with gasoline. Cooling gasket leaks will ruin oil causing sludge.

Things That Make Oil Deteriorate Faster Short distance driving. (which is most trips) Extensive idling. Cold weather operation. Trailer towing. Excessive heavy loads Dirty and dusty conditions.

Proper Oil Disposal Waste motor oil is a controlled waste. Be sure to properly dispose of. Oil filters too!

Changing Oil Find the drain plug and remove it. Catch the waste oil and dispose of it properly. Don’t forget to reinstall the plug.

Drain Plugs Be careful never to strip out drain plugs. Extremely bad form.

Changing the Filter Remove the filter with an oil filter wrench. Dispose of the filter properly. Install the new filter hand tight.

Filter Problems Always match the old to the new oil filter. The gasket and thread must be the same. If you make a mistake you can pump 5 quarts of oil on the floor in seconds!

Chassis Lubrication & Fluid Checks If the the vehicle is equipped with zerk fittings, grease those parts using the power grease gun. Find and clean the fittings first, then inject the grease. One kick from the gun is plenty. Under the car make the following checks: Gear lube in the differential on rear drive cars. Check tire air pressure. Be sure to find the proper inflation pressure. Check manual transmission fluid if the car is a stick shift.

Refilling Motor Oil Find crankcase capacity in one of the following references: Owners manual? Service manual. Repair manual. Computerized specification system.

Under Hood Checks Motor oil level Power steering fluid Coolant level Brake fluid Automatic transmission fluid. (The engine must be running) Good technicians also do these things: Check belt and hose condition. Inspect the battery terminals. Lubricate hood and door hinges. Look for anything unusual under the hood.

Changing Transmission Fluid Remove transmission oil pan. This is tricky so be careful you don’t get an oil bath. Catch oil in motor oil drain pan with the tranny fluid basin. Dispose of properly. Change the filter, clean the pan, and reinstall the pan with a new gasket.

Replacing Filter and Pan Gasket Buy a filter kit which gives you a new filter and gasket. Treat used tranny filters as you would an oil filter.