Bijur Lubrication Systems

[Guest]

As a spin-off from the general board discussion board started recently by member Packard53, what type of oil (brand and viscosity) has everone found to be most sucessful in their Bijur lubrication systems ? Also, has anyone set up an index to Bijur articles that have run in the Bulletins ?

[Guest BillP]

The shop manual for my Packard refers to changing an orifice size in either the tank or the cap-I don't remember which. This was a service bulletin to address the same problem to which you refer. I'll look it up and get back here.

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

The owners manual for my '39 Rolls and also the one for my '36 Bentley advise the owner to "have your man" use the same oil in the Bijur as he uses in the engine. In the case of my cars, that is simply SAE 30. It seems to work OK. I've had no problems that I am aware of. Actually, I've found most of the suggestions in the owner's manual to be right on target, including things like tire pressure, balancing tires, lubricants and many other routine service items.<P>Contrary to a prior recomendation elsewhere on this forum, inflating tires to the maximum pressure indicated on the tire resulted in awful handling characteristics on my cars. When I reduced the pressure to the recomendations made by the people who made the car, it turns out that the car(s) behave rather nicely. Your experiance may vary.<P>This suggests to me that the people who made your car had a reasonably good idea what they were doing. <P>An original (or at least a photocopy) of the owner's manual as well as your own copy of a service manual is one of the best investments you can make for your car.

[Guest]

Chuck, is your Rolls a PIII or a Wraith?<BR>If so, are you a member of the PIII Rolls technical society. This is an organization dedicated to keeping the PIII & Wraith Rolls on the road. Assuming you're in the RROC, they have the info of who to contact.

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

My '39 R-R is a Wraith (WRB-57). I'm a member of the RROC, so if I can ever find the time, I suppose I ought to joint the Technical Society.<P>What I really ought to do is find someone who would like to own this car and give it a new home. I?ve enjoyed it for over 10 years now. <P>Don't get me wrong it's a great car, very presentable and runs well, but I just have too many projects. If I ever get them all done, my Life Insurance Company will be very surprised.

[Guest]

Gawd....a Wraith...talk about an English Chevy with lock washers......<P>(just couldn't resist that..Chuck....!)<P>Now...listen you guys....there is a better solution than using motor oil in your Bijur. First...stop and THINK..what is the APPLICATION of the lubricant. CHASSIS parts...which have VERY high "loadings"...and practically NO movement. Motor oil isnt designed for this.<P>I used to use ordinary rear axle oil (otherwise known variously as "gear lube", or "high pressure gear oil"...also..."hypoid gear oil" in my Bijur-equipped cars. Why..? Because, first of all...it is MUCH easier on the surfaces to be lubricated. Secondly, it is thick enough to work well with the Bijur's pump, and not immediately get pumped out all over the floor.<P>Looking back...damn...am I ever glad I have a "modern" classic ( my '38 Packard Twelve is from an era when modern-style "zerk" fittings were already in vogue...NO oil leaks from them....!)<P>Pete Hartmann

[Guest Chuck Conrad]

I dunno Peter,<P>The Wraith does leave its "mark" from the drip of the Bijur system. I've always been under the impression that is how you know it is working!<P>All RR & Bentleys I know of use motor oil like the manual says. You aren't looking for long-term lubrication. You squirt a little oil every time you start the car. It doesn't really need to stick around. In fact as long as you keep using it, it keeps dirt flushed out of the very delicate bearings. <P>These days I know it isn't very environmentally friendly to dump oil on the ground, but I'd hesitate to put gear lube in the Bijur on my cars. It may work great on a Packard. Does a Packard use needle bearings, or are they conventional ball or roller type?<P>On a Rolls or Bentley, I'm not sure that you'd get enough oil to pass through the orifices to properly lubricate the needle bearings. It seems to work fine with motor oil. At least that's my experience with the four British Bijur equipped cars I have.<P>By the way, I do have a Chevy. I really like the car. It's a '32 Roadster, fun to drive, but it is certainly in a different league than the Wraith or any other Classic.<P>You mean it's supposed to have <I>lockwashers</I>? <p>[ 07-21-2002: Message edited by: Chuck Conrad ]

[Guest Silverghost]

Henry Royce liked oil !!! A sign that the system is working are the drips on the ground!!! Use 30W oil your car will last forever!!! These systems are great!!!...Are a bit of a pain to restore after being gummed-up for 50-80 years Drip plugs should be taken apart + cleaned...cotton wadding should be replaced in plugs + pipes cleaned... This job took the most time on my Rolls~Royce Springfield Phantom I...but worth the effort!!!