Modern Fluids for Early 20's Buick's??

[RatFink255]

Trying to get a list together for modern fluids to can be used in our old Buick's specifically the 4 cylinder. (Mine is the 1922 Model 35 Touring with a 4 cyl). 

 

        1) Engine oil type and weight (synthetic or not).

 

        2) radiator (use of anti freeze or not, if so mix 50/50??).

 

        3) Will antifreeze hurt the Moto-Meters? (shouldn't seeing how it is sealed, but just asking). 

 

       4) Rear differential Gear Lube type and weight.

 

       5) Bearing grease for wheel bearings, axial, etc.

 

       6) Transmission gearbox fluid.

 

       7) Any others I might have left out.

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by RatFink255 (see edit history)

[Mark Shaw]

 

        1) Engine oil type and weight (synthetic or not).  Today's oils are better than anything in 1922.  Synthetics will work fine.  There is much discussion on oils designed to suspend solids for use in cars with no oil filters.  I use ordinary 20w40 for my cars.

 

        2) radiator (use of anti freeze or not, if so mix 50/50??).  Yes, 50% green antifreeze works fine.

 

        3) Will antifreeze hurt the Moto-Meters? (shouldn't seeing how it is sealed, but just asking).   No.

 

       4) Rear differential Gear Lube type and weight.  I use SAE 250 for tranny & rear end.

 

       5) Bearing grease for wheel bearings, axial, etc.  General purpose for chassis & high temp for wheel bearings.

 

       6) Transmission gearbox fluid.  SAE 250.

[Guest]

As usual Mark Shaw is succinct and concise. I don't believe anyone could go wrong following his advice.  There have been tens of thousands of words on car forums about antifreeze and lubricants.  Some was statistical, some accurate, some totally inaccurate and some just like "old wives tales".

Follow Mark's advice and enjoy your 1922 Model 35 Touring for many years and miles.

[Spinneyhill]

8 ). Steering box: semi fluid grease, NLGI 00. NOT chassis grease.

 

A 5W--30 or 40 would be better than a 20W40  because it circulates sooner when cold.

[Terry Wiegand]

Spinneyhill,

 

These old cars are not driven like a modern vehicle.  So, 5W-30 is totally unnecessary.  I can honestly say that my Buicks are not driven in the dead of Winter.  Mark is right on about the original formula Zerex 50/50 Pre-Mix Green Anti-Freeze.

 

Terry Wiegand

South Hutchinson, Kansas

[Morgan Wright]

7.) Blinker fluid  Not used until 1939. None needed in 1922 models.

 

 

[Morgan Wright]

22 minutes ago, Spinneyhill said:

8 ). Steering box: semi fluid grease, NLGI 00. NOT chassis grease.

 

This is right on. Steering gears would use grease, but it relies on gravity to keep it from moving up the steering column and getting lost up there, it has to slowly come down.

[Spinneyhill]

1 hour ago, Terry Wiegand said:

Spinneyhill,

 

These old cars are not driven like a modern vehicle.  So, 5W-30 is totally unnecessary.  I can honestly say that my Buicks are not driven in the dead of Winter.  Mark is right on about the original formula Zerex 50/50 Pre-Mix Green Anti-Freeze.

 

 

At 20 ^oC, a 15W-40 might have dynamic viscosity of 327 mm²/s. A 5W-40 of the same brand might be 242 mm²/s. https://wiki.anton-paar.com/en/engine-oil/

 

At 90^oC the former is 18- and the latter is 18+ mm²/s.

 

So they are the same at running temperature but at startup (20^oC) the 5W- has a viscosity of 3/4 that of the 15W-, so it will start full lubrication sooner because it is easier to get moving around, including splashing.

 

The whole point of the low number before the W is that at startup, the oil has lower viscosity. In a pumped system the pressure will be lower and the flow will be greater than a heavier oil. There will be less wear in the engine. In splash systems, a lighter oil will splash more than a heavy oil and more will scoop into the bearings if that is how it is done.

 

P.S. I have changed from a 20W-50 to a 5W-40 in my 1930 Dodge Brothers 8. The oil pressure is much more stable and the engine quietens down much sooner after startup.

Edited October 13, 2018 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[RatFink255]

Thank you everyone that helps a lot as to what to use. I tried searching on forms last few days but most of the threds were for 1930’s to early 40’s vehicles running much faster and parts probably having tighter tolerances. 

Brice

[Mark Shaw]

21 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

8 ). Steering box: semi fluid grease, NLGI 00. NOT chassis grease.

Although the original post did not ask about steering box lubricants, I agree that semi-fluid  "Corn Head Grease" available in stock at most John Deere stores  is a good lubricant for old steering boxes that typically leak even the heaviest gear lubricants.   

 

And, many thanks to Tinindian for his previous vote of confidence.  I find his advice on this forum to be factual & to the point as well. 

Edited October 14, 2018 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[Brian_Heil]

7 hours ago, Mark Shaw said:

Although the original post did not ask about steering box lubricants, I agree that semi-fluid  "Corn Head Grease" available in stock at most John Deere stores  is a good lubricant for old steering boxes that typically leak even the heaviest gear lubricants.   

 

And, many thanks to Tinindian for his previous vote of confidence.  I find his advice on this forum to be factual & to the point as well. 

 

Been Touring my 1923 for 22 years with the same logic as Mark Shaw.  No issues.  Brother Shaw tells no lies.  Well, at least not on important stuff. 

 

I only run in the Summer and I run 20w50 engine oil and I go through my pre-flight as my car warms up (lubing overhead by hand with valve cover off lubing each valve and the three rockers) for 10 minutes with no load.  No issue with start up oil starvation since these cars have full (and rather large) dipper troughs. Full at shutdown and still full at start up.  I get oil to my rods on the first pass through the trough.

[RatFink255]

Have another question for anyone. Reading in the reference manual for cleaning out the differential and I would assume the gear box as well it says to use kerosene. Would diesel fuel work as well? Would there be an advantage to kerosene over diesel or visa versa? My thinking is that diesel has some oil in it so would act as a lucubrate as well as cleaner and flushing. I am splitting the differential enough to spray inside housing and gears to get the sludge out then close back up and fill with new SAE 250.