RUNNING-IN NEW ENGINES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 78, 14 March 1933, Page 3

RUNNING-IN NEW ENGINES

REMARKABLE CLAIMS. Remarkable claims as to the efficiency of a so-called “pre-conditioning’’ fluid for use in new ear and aeroplane engines have been made by the scientist ■in charge of the chemical s.-’acu! of a prominent American university. One of the problems cf ensuring that a new engine will continue to wear well and to give trouble-free service is the prevention of fast driving during the time that the frictional parts are doing their running in process. Eveliy manufacturer and distributor lays great stress or. the neecssily for observing slow speeds until a new car has covered at least J'J'IO miles, anti for the most part motorists < oiue to realise that tiiis is very sound advice, and that to neglect it may lead to damaging of the cylinder walls and bearing surfaces. But if the qualities of this new fluid are all that they are said to be, it should be possible for purchasers of new models to neglect such precautions. Although the details at present available do not indicate the exact compositions of this fluid it is interesting to learu that it is a colloical substance which includes specially prepared praphitc which has been subjected to most intensive heat treatment. It is said that the “pre-condition-ing’’ fluid is of so fine and penetrating a nature that it will percolate the closest of filters and that a few drops of it will coat an amazingly wide area of metal with a line, tenacious film of lubricant. Like the ordinary colloidal graphite, the new preparation is stated to be so penetrating that it actually finds its way into the pores of the metal, so that as the running-in process goes on the abrasive action between the scientifically speaking, rough frictional surfaces is softened and mace more gradual, with the result that a new and tight engine may be revolved at high speed without the risk of injuring it. Amongst the extraordinary tests which, according to report, have been conducted with the fluid was one made with a new car engine which was first of all treated with the substance, after which all the oil was drained off from the sump and the car was then driven for more than 700 miles in that state. It is also said that an aeroplane engine was similarly tested, and was flown for more than half an hour after all the lubricant had been removed.