10/19 TPW Check in station!!!

[baclarsen]

Originally Posted by AK Mike

Brad: I actually worked for a dealership; started out right after tech school (degree in Automotive Technology) in a little Buick/Opel/Subaru dealership in the midwest, then moved back to Alaska in '78. Started as a Journeyman Technician, then Shop Foreman, Service Manager, Training Foreman, Sales, Fleet Sales, Fleet Sales Manager and then back to Sales again. Quit the car business in 2002 and now work for Uncle Sam (DHS). I taught the stuff for years and even though I'm waaay behind the technology powercurve, I can still overhaul a Quadrajet in my sleep and set points/timing by ear within a few degrees. Comes in handy when I'm tinkering with my '51 pickup, but not much that I know applies to my 2010 Camaro....so, I picked up the Camaro5 forum 'habit' and have been soaking up what I can; just to keep my car going if nothing else. My Snap-On tools are abit dusty from lack of use, but I'll never sell them. I've got some catching up to do from the looks of things, but at least I'm not starting from scratch!

You have a better grasp on the internal combustion engine than most of the mechanics I work with on a daily basis... But that to be expected from an old school Hotrodder..

I think I may be switching to Royal Purple next go around..
take a look at this...

http://www.animegame.com/cars/Oil%20Tests.pdf

[AK Mike]

I've read quite a few tests over the years, but never seen that before! I'm guessing this came from Australia; never heard of some of those brands. I am quite curious about their tests, it appears they used tapered roller bearings (which actually turn on the long axis), yet the 'scars' indicate just the opposite, given the striation direction....or am I missing something? Every failed roller bearing I ever saw had damage that didn't look anything like their photos... Also, roller bearings are usually designed for heavier lube than oil...grease to be exact....although there are some really effective wheel bearings that use oil bath, such as on big trucks and some trailers. I guess I'm a little suspicious about their testing procedures...at least I've never seen that done before. Makes me wonder who pays their bills...if you know what I mean. Jury's still out for me as far as oil goes for the Camaro....

[baclarsen]

Originally Posted by AK Mike

I've read quite a few tests over the years, but never seen that before! I'm guessing this came from Australia; never heard of some of those brands. I am quite curious about their tests, it appears they used tapered roller bearings (which actually turn on the long axis), yet the 'scars' indicate just the opposite, given the striation direction....or am I missing something? Every failed roller bearing I ever saw had damage that didn't look anything like their photos... Also, roller bearings are usually designed for heavier lube than oil...grease to be exact....although there are some really effective wheel bearings that use oil bath, such as on big trucks and some trailers. I guess I'm a little suspicious about their testing procedures...at least I've never seen that done before. Makes me wonder who pays their bills...if you know what I mean. Jury's still out for me as far as oil goes for the Camaro....

I believe it was simply a friction test much like the one in this video...

[AK Mike]

Now I understand why the wear patterns were so strange; they simply 'forced a stationary bearing against a rotating race....not exactly what happens inside an engine, but I get the point. I'd be interested in reading the engineering specs on the recommended oils for this engine...wonder if anyone has access to them? They used to say that oil doesn't wear out, just the additives in it...plus, it gets contaminated with moisture, hydrocarbons, dust, etc. I used to change my oil every 2000 miles and every 50 hours in my boat motors....oil got expensive and you had to pay to get rid of the old oil (remember when we dumped it in the back yard or on the driveway to keep the dust down? In rough seas, the Navy used to dump oil on the ocean to help calm it down, can you believe that??) No doubt a good lube oil will help an engine live longer, but without supercharging/turbocharging, the bearing pressures are comparatively low, so most any quality oil that meets mfg. specs should be fine. I'm in agreement with the high level of engine wear on startup; pre-lubers make a huge difference in the long run, so if you do lots of miles, it's a good way to go....for the average joe, frequent oil changes usually will always do the trick. Good topic!

[baclarsen]

Originally Posted by AK Mike

Now I understand why the wear patterns were so strange; they simply 'forced a stationary bearing against a rotating race....not exactly what happens inside an engine, but I get the point. I'd be interested in reading the engineering specs on the recommended oils for this engine...wonder if anyone has access to them? They used to say that oil doesn't wear out, just the additives in it...plus, it gets contaminated with moisture, hydrocarbons, dust, etc. I used to change my oil every 2000 miles and every 50 hours in my boat motors....oil got expensive and you had to pay to get rid of the old oil (remember when we dumped it in the back yard or on the driveway to keep the dust down? In rough seas, the Navy used to dump oil on the ocean to help calm it down, can you believe that??) No doubt a good lube oil will help an engine live longer, but without supercharging/turbocharging, the bearing pressures are comparatively low, so most any quality oil that meets mfg. specs should be fine. I'm in agreement with the high level of engine wear on startup; pre-lubers make a huge difference in the long run, so if you do lots of miles, it's a good way to go....for the average joe, frequent oil changes usually will always do the trick. Good topic!

LOL LOL oh my gosh you too LOL

Yea I definitely agree for the most part any oil including dino oil will do as long as the oil is changed regularly and nothing unforeseen happens..

Its for the unforeseen that we use higher grade oils like Mobil1, Royal Purple, Amsoil ........ and the list goes on... I guess the jury is still out for me too. But I do think I will be looking into other brands after seeing those results.

Brad

[Sevn86]

Originally Posted by CloudXTC

omg how is this thread still going?! you crazy people!

LOL...we just love our camaros...and this is our C5 family...we cant just stop talking to each other...

[Sevn86]

Originally Posted by AK Mike

My wife called from work and wanted some stuff she forgot this morning, so I had an excuse to drive the Camaro (still too many rocks on the road!) Man, this car is FUN!! Probably put another 30 miles or so on...

Sevn86:
Just to add to what Brad already said, an internal combustion engine has an ideal fuel/air ratio (14.7:1) called a stochiometric ratio. Fuel doesn't burn without being mixed with air and with carburetors, the ratio would be all over the board sometimes....racers would 'tune' their carbs for WOT (wide open throttle) and most of those cars wouldn't run very well at low/medium RPM's (plus they would use big cams that didn't help the idle quality either.) Anyway, with fuel injection and computers, engineers could control the fuel/air ratio much more precisely and keep the engine running at optimal...providing they still met all the emissions/mileage requirements! Usually, that meant the car would run toward the 'lean' side (more air/less fuel) that helped with mileage...but at the cost of burned valves/pistons and hotter engine temps. Generally speaking, the fuel/air ratio should be pretty consistent, depending on the engine load, etc. Higher altitudes require leaner mixtures (more air/less fuel) because the air density is less; a cold engine requires more fuel/less air to prevent backfires/misfires. Colder air is denser than warmer air so my Camaro will make more horsepower (sea level and cool/damp air) than somebody in the high desert on a warm day....everything else being equal, of course!

So, the engineers would typically run a green (new) engine fatter/richer (higher fuel to air ratio) to keep temps lower and allow the engine some break-in time before leaning out the mixture for best performance. I'm sure there's a 'trigger' so the computer 'knows' when to lean out the mixture; time/mileage or whatever....could be the oil change reset? Only your engineer knows for sure. Anyway, for the average owner, it really doesn't make a huge difference one way or the other, your car will likely run better 'overnight' some day because it's designed to do that! (Most people never notice the difference!)

thanks for that informative explanation...

[AK Mike]

Originally Posted by Sevn86

LOL...we just love our camaros...and this is our C5 family...we cant just stop talking to each other...

All our Camaros were 'born' the same week, so we all get to celebrate our birthdays at the same time! I'm pretty sure I was the last one to arrive...wonder who was first? WHERE ARE PUNKINS?

[Sevn86]

Originally Posted by AK Mike

All our Camaros were 'born' the same week, so we all get to celebrate our birthdays at the same time! I'm pretty sure I was the last one to arrive...wonder who was first? WHERE ARE PUNKINS?

Thats right, hopefully everyone else will join us for our cars 1 year old birthdays. I was looking back at some post made by the Punkins and they said they had four crusies set back to back to help pass the winter months...Im surprised they havent checked in at least once though...

[Sevn86]

Btw what time is it up in Alaska?

[Sevn86]

Its 11:45 here and I should be going to bed now so I will talk to you and everyone else tomorrow, Good Night Mike!

[AK Mike]

We're four hours from you (later), since we're quite aways farther west...in fact, the westernmost and northern most points of the United States are both in Alaska (Attu and Barrow)...Attu is farther west than Hawaii...and 2,000 miles from me! ...I love google earth!

[onlyhonda]

Good morning! I see you boys have been having a "car lesson" while I wasn't looking. I am gonna have to go back and study the posts. I'll admit I am pretty much a typical woman in that I put gas in it and it goes......when it gets to the technical stuff, I know what I want, but someone else is gonna have to get it done for me! :-)

And, as far as our group still going......I just don't see us walking away from each other. We are just family and even though we may not get to visit as often, we all (except for the punkins and I am still holding out hope for them!!) find our way back to check in with each other.

[Sevn86]

Good Morning!