Modern cottager can have a pretty decent Park garden machinery. And a significant part of it — small units running on gasoline engines. Chainsaws and trimmers, mowers, lawn mowers, snowplows, cultivators and tillers. And then there are appliances, to gardening, have no relationship, but in the country actively used, for example, generators, ATVs and snowmobiles.
Country life has a pronounced seasonal character. These fluctuations — “winter-summer” – subordinated to all classes in the suburban area, including the use of technology. And if the trimmer and the lawn mower have a rest in a shed in the winter, for snow-removing equipment with snow emergence there comes the most “hot” time.
Reliable operation of garden equipment depends on the operating conditions. Therefore, properly selected and timely filled oil-a prerequisite for a long and reliable service. This is especially important in the climate, which in winter can be very severe, because one engine start in severe frosts can be equated to several hours of operation.
Why do you need engine oil?
Engine oil forms a film on the moving parts of the engine, reducing friction and reducing wear. In addition, it protects parts from corrosion and oxidation, reduces the negative impact of ingress of vapors, combustion products, dust, promotes thermal balance.
Decide what you have in the “stable”
Garden motor vehicles, although equipped with internal combustion engines, different from the car. For it, two-stroke and four-stroke engines with air cooling are used. Therefore, the requirements for engine oil for small equipment differ. Two-stroke engines can be found in chainsaws and trimmers. Such engines do not have a separate tank for oil, it is mixed with fuel.
Four-stroke engines with air cooling are installed, for example, on tillers, snowmobiles. They operate at a higher temperature than their water-cooled counterparts. So, with a heavier load. In addition, the temperature in the engine during air cooling is unstable and depends on the ambient temperature and the load on the equipment. Therefore, the engine oil has very high requirements.
From oil to additives
The first engine oil appeared in 1866. Found that crude oil is good for lubrication of moving parts of the steam engine, doctor John Ellis, who studied the properties of the oil for medical purposes. And in 1873, he received a patent for his discovery and registered the world’s first commercial brand of oil for motors.
John Ellis oil had a very high viscosity, so the internal combustion engine was unsuitable. For the first internal combustion engines as a motor oil used vegetable (castor and castor) – up to 20-ies of the last century. Gradually they were replaced by mineral (derived from oil) oil. And in the flesh to 50 years of motor oil had no additives, only different degrees of purification.
Low thermal oxidation stability (when the temperature increases, the oil begins to oxidize, that is, decompose) of mineral oil led to the formation of contaminants in the engine, reducing its performance and leading to rapid breakdowns. Changing the composition of the base oil by introducing special chemical compounds (additives) increased the efficiency of lubrication and reduced carbon deposits in the engine.
The first addition to the engine oil was in 1935 a washing additive (preventing the formation of deposits). Then there were others. Now additives for motor oils are balanced complexes in which one component does not act as an antagonist for another. In the composition of additives, the main role is played by so — called dispersants-compounds that prevent the adhesion of dirt to large particles. Paradoxically, some additives are necessary to neutralize the negative impact on the engine of other additives.
That is why some manufacturers of two — stroke engines strongly recommend using only “pure” oil as engine oil for their equipment-without additives, because in two-stroke engines oil burns together with fuel.
Since the 60s, in addition to mineral oils, began to appear and synthetic-produced by synthesis. Synthetic oils are most fully burned, leaving virtually no residue on the internal surfaces and while maintaining excellent working viscosity characteristics. In addition, only modern synthetic oils can provide the optimal combination of low-temperature and working viscosity.
Pay attention to the characteristics
So, what are the characteristics of the oil must have to reliably ensure the long operation of snowplows and other garden equipment at low temperatures and the preservation of their factory qualities?
- Good lubricating properties. Engine oil should protect all engine parts and other equipment components from wear and friction.
- Excellent cleaning characteristics. Removal of soot and sludge significantly prolongs the service life of garden and power equipment, as well as protects the unit from corrosion.
- Low evaporation rate. This minimizes oil consumption.
- Universality. Modern engine oils should be as effective as possible, both in gasoline and diesel technology.
Viscosity is a serious criterion
The main parameter that affects the characteristics of the oil is viscosity. That is, the ability to remain on the surfaces of parts without draining when the engine temperature rises. And at the same time — do not lose the flow properties when the engine is started, especially in cold weather.
Oil viscosity-variable, it varies depending on the temperature (including the environment), increasing during cooling. The viscosity-temperature dependence of motor oils is reflected in the classification of The American Association of automotive engineers, adopted as an international standard. The first version of the classifier was compiled in 1911 and since then, with the development of new compositions and compositions, is constantly edited.
According to the classification, motor oils are divided into 17 classes: 9 summer and 8 winter. In the marking of winter oils there is a letter ” W ” (Winter). Viscosity class denote numbers— 0; 2,5; 5; 7,5; 10; 15; 20; 25 for winter, and 2; 5; 7,5; 10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60 for summer.
Double marking (hyphenated), for example, 5W-30, means that the oil is all-season. To decipher this marking, you need to subtract 40 from the first digit. The first parameter will be -35-this is the temperature at which the oil pump will be able to pump oil through the system, preventing “dry” stroke. And the second parameter (-30) is the temperature at which the viscosity of the oil will crank the cold engine at startup. Simply put, oil Garten – Wintergeräte-Öl 5W-30 from LIQUI MOLY provides a confident start and reliable operation of garden and power equipment in the thirty-degree cold.
Operating categories of oils-it is important to know
The chemical composition of the oils affects the operating category of the oil. It can be classified into several systems. The most common is API. The API classification system divides oils into two large categories: for petrol engines (designation by the letter “S” — Service) and for diesel engines (“C” — Commercial).
The second letter in the API designation system is the level of performance. The closer it is to the end of the Latin alphabet, the more modern and high-quality oil.
In this example , the label oil Garten – Wintergeräte-Öl 5W-30 from LIQUI MOLY, is marked API CF\SN. This means that this oil is equally well suited for gasoline and diesel engines. SN-oil with high energy-saving qualities, can be used for modern engines with exhaust gas neutralization system, released after 2010. CF-oil with increased protection against corrosion and carbon deposits, suitable for diesel engines with indirect injection.
Also on this label there is a marking of the European system ACEA: letters A\B mean that the product is suitable for diesel and gasoline engines. And the numbers 3 and 4 (A3\B4) indicate that this oil has an increased interval between its replacements. C3 indicates that the product is recommended for use in engines equipped with catalysts and particulate filters.
In General, European synthetic oils, in particular from the German company LIQUI MOLY, are highly environmentally friendly, so the emissions do not pollute the environment.
Care of snow removal and other winter garden and power equipment is as important as the care of the car or motorcycle. Choose a quality oil, and your garden equipment will faithfully serve you in summer and winter.
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