Re: Engine oil

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

you might want to go with 15W-40 or 20W-50 for the older engine.  10W-40
would be great for a new engine.  Get the idea?  Personally in my 345, I
use 10W-40 during most of the year until it gets really consistently cold,
then I start using 10W-30.  Boring but effective.  On the contrary, I have
a turbocharged Subaru that *cooks* the oil, so I use synthetics in it.

There's no substitute though for an accurate oil pressure gauge.  The IH
gauges are (in most cases) worse than worthless.  They outright tell you
lies causing you possibly to select the wrong oil weight!  They make you
think you have zero oil pressure at idle and other such wicked things.  A
good oil pressure gauge will tell you exactly how much pressure you have
under the different engine operating conditions.  This allows you to
evaluate the effect of switching different oil viscosities.  I prefer
mechanical gauges from the likes of Autometer (www.autometer.com) or
Stewart-Warner... not those crappy gauges found at most chain auto-parts
stores (NAPA included).

So there's my opinion... hope it helps.

Take care,

John
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jlandry@domain.elided             |
Conservative Libertarian        |  Scout(R) the America others pass by
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Commercial Helicopter - Inst.   | 1976 Scout Traveler, V345A, 727, 3.54
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