Mechanical systems need lubrication.
Wherever there are moving parts there’s a need to reduce and manage friction. The tighter the tolerances and the higher the stress around those moving parts, the more use-specific the lubrication needs to be.
Carbon and brass bushes in motor vehicles are distant memories. Modern automotive systems demand lubricants of the very highest calibre manufactured with the utmost precision. Gone are the days of swapping to a heavier grade of oil to prolong the usefulness of an engine with worn rings or a diff with just a whisker too much backlash. The mechanical systems and metallurgy of the modern motor vehicle demand specific lubricants – and specifically designed lubricants – to maintain the very high levels of performance taken for granted by most owners.
And of course those owners have an expectation their vehicle will maintain its high level of performance throughout its lifetime, something which would’ve made our fathers and grandfathers grimace and shake their heads in denial.
As in all facets of automotive technology, the development and specialisation of lubricants, especially engine oils, is rocketing ahead at a frightening pace. A technician trying to ensure the best possible service to customers needs to be constantly assessing and adopting new ideas and products, and that means giving up time to find what those new products and ideas are.
Australian Car Mechanic is here to help. The next few pages will give an insight into some of the very latest, leading-edge lubricants and their intended use. Diesel or petrol, personal or commercial, we’ve gathered together some of the very best.