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Dynolite - Specialist oils and lubricants

 

  Ian Cushway profile Image

By Ian Cushway, 25th June 2019

 

Dynolite - Specialist oils and lubricants...

 

Why choosing the best oils, greases and additives is crucial for your classic...

 

It’s easy to play down the importance of engine oil, greases and lubricants. Religiously keeping everything topped up and sticking to the right regimes is one thing, but picking the right ‘brew’ for your engine and the correct greases in the first place is just as crucial. Get it wrong and choose the wrong grades or an inferior product and you’ll run the risk of doing damage, and we don’t want that, do we!

 

Embrace the changes
Oil technology has moved on apace and while it’s easy to be a slave to tradition, it pays to embrace the changes. Take the use of multigrade instead of traditional monograde oils. These contain a mix of two different ‘viscosities’ or working thicknesses which is great because it means the oil’s ‘thin’ enough to get around the engine at low temperatures like when starting. But at the same time being ‘thick’ enough to offer protection at high temperatures without evaporating or carbonising and maintaining oil pressure. For reference, with an SAE 10w-50 multigrade oil, the number prior to the ‘w’ refers to its constituency when cold (or its winter reference), while the number after the 'w' refers to its thickness (or its resistance to flow) when the oil is hot. Oil is measured in centistokes (cst) at 100°C.

 

Dynolite library image

Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

Get the right oil
But us classic enthusiasts have to be careful; the newest, most technically complex lubricants are less appropriate for historic vehicles. It sounds daft, but they are simply not ‘oily’ enough and can cause damage to classic machinery. By using a too ‘thin’ modern oil you’ll run the risk of oil starvation, you’ll lose the sealing function of thicker oils thus reducing oil pressure, and you will also be leaving yourself open to oil leaks and greater oil consumption. It was in recognition of this, and the lack of availability of specialist products, that resulted in Dynolite creating a specific range of oils and lubricants. These specifically designed oils are made from high quality ingredients and additives specifically selected for their compatibility with metals and other components used in the past.

 

Dynolite library image

Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

Dynolite – born out of necessity
Dynolite was started by French brothers Pierre and Laurent Dutoya, who both built and raced classic cars throughout Europe in the 1970s and in their quest for technical excellence, investigated every aspect of engine performance and durability – and that included engine oil. They found that as the big motor oil manufacturers adapted their formulas to cope with ever more stringent emission control requirements, they were ignoring the importance of durability for classic motors on the track. The result was a collaboration with engineers and blenders to develop not only a proprietary formula for racing motor oil, but also a range of lubricants focussed solely on pre-emission control cars. Dynolite cleverly developed an oil specifically for the metallurgy and technology of each automotive era.

 

Dynolite library image

Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

 

Dynolite Prewar Engine Oils

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Dynolite Prewar Engine oil
Formulated for cars made prior to 1950, Dynolite’s Prewar range of multigrade oils do not contain detergents, making them suitable for engines that don’t have a micro-particle oil filter. Instead the purification of the oil relies on the process of sedimentation. For this reason, it’s also perfect for engines that have been run on non-detergent oils in the past or where the quality of the oil used in the past is something of a grey area because any historic deposits won’t be let loose and allowed to clog up oil passages.

 

  • Prewar 20w-60 is a light grade engine oil replacing SAE30 grade.
  • Prewar 25w-70 is a medium grade engine oil replacing SAE40 grade.
  • Prewar 40W-70 is a heavy grade engine oil replacing SAE50 grade.

(Prewar 40w-70 is ideal for engines where the manufacturer originally specified the use of a monograde SAE60 or castor oil, as well as engines using roller or ball bearing rods and crankshafts as seen in motorbikes and other exotic vehicles).

 

Dynolite Running In oil

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Dynolite Running in oil
This Running in oil is to be used in the first 300-500 miles (500-800km) and is a specific mix that triggers the beginning of running-in for engine components following a fresh rebuild. Modern oils with their accompanying additives will cause ‘glazing’ and excessive oil consumption and another rebuild as a consequence.

 

Dynolite library image

Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

 

Dynolite Classic Engine oils

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Dynolite Classic Engine oil
Dynolite Classic Engine oils are Dynolite’s range of multigrade oil for cars made between 1950 to 1985. Importantly, they include specially selected detergents and dispersants suitable for classics which can help to substantially prolong the life of engine. The detergent additive keeps the engine’s internals clean and is particularly useful in combating acid contamination created during the combustion process. While dispersants allow any molecular impurities to remain in suspension, until they are trapped by the car’s paper or felt oil filter. This helps prevent the build up of sludge which can block oil passages and subsequently starve vital components of lubrication.

 

  • 20w-50is a popular multigrade used in cars from the 1950s up to ‘1980s – a high viscosity oil offering great internal protection.
  • 20w-60 is a great multigrade replacement for the traditional monograde SAE30 and multigrade 20w-50. It’s ideal for high-performance engines and is recommended for cars running 6v because there’s less oil resistance from the engine during starting.
  • 25w-70 is a special multigrade replacement for the old monograde SAE40. It’s been specially formulated for post-war large cylinder engines with low gauge oil pumps, namely most post-war motorbikes. It contains additives which improve hot pressure as well as reduce oil consumption.

 

Dynolite Synthetic Racing oil

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Dynolite Synthetic Racing oil
10w-60 is a synthetic multigrade for multi-valve, twin cam, turbocharged and high-performance engines. It's a thin oil which contains a high proportion of detergent, so isn’t suitable for cars made prior to 1985.

 

Dynolite Gear oils

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Dynolite Gear oils
Dynolite also produce a range of Gear oils, which whilst being compatible with the old SAE30, EP80 and EP90 oils, making them suitable for straight-cut gears, synchronic and hypocycloid gearboxes (such as those with overdrive), they don’t contain any of the additives that would destroy the bronze, copper or brass components in classic car gearboxes. More importantly, they don’t contain the same anti-friction additives which can cause slipping of overdrives and pre-selected gearboxes from the likes of Cotal and Wilson.

 

  • Gear Oil 30 is a 20w-60 multigrade which replaces EP80, SAE30 and 20w-50 transmission oils.
  • Gear Oil 40 is a 25w-70 multigrade which replaces EP90 and SAE40.

 

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Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

 

Dynolite Axle & Gearbox oils

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Axle and gearbox oils
Devoid of any unhelpful additives, Dynolite’s Transoil range of axle and gearbox oils has been developed for conical torque ‘non hypoid’ gear axles, whether they’re straight bevel, spiral bevel or worm gears. Which viscosity to use varies according to manufacturer specification.

 

  • Transoil 90 is for axles and gearboxes for light and medium vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s.
  • Transoil 140 is a replacement for 120w, 140w and 160w oils and is suitable for medium and heavy vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s.
  • Transoil 250 is the thickest transmission oil offered by Dynolite (600w) and is meant specifically for Veteran and Edwardian vehicles.
  • Transoil Semi Fluid is a semi-liquid grease for vintage cars and motorbikes.

 

 

Dynolite Gear Oils

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Hypoid oils
Dynolite’s range of Hypoid oils are for axles and gearboxes which feature teeth that rotate simultaneously, sliding one against the other, where an Extreme Pressure (EP) additive is required, but specially formulated for older vehicles.

Mild EP is an SAE140 oil for Hypoid gears used on cars made before 1960 and screw type gears and conforms to GL4 specifications. Crucially though unlike GL5 oils, it won’t corrode bronze, copper or brass components. It’s ideal too for the lubrication of steering racks, although in theory they are sealed and shouldn’t need greasing.

Hypoid EP gear oil is available as a 80w-90 multigrade which replaces EP80 and a 85w-140 which replaces EP90 and exceeds GL5 specifications. It’s ideal for cars made after 1960 with Hypoid gears and has been specifically developed for self-locking or limited slip ZF or Salisbury type differentials found on Jaguars, for example.

No-Noise is an EP 85w-140 oil for noisy gearboxes and gears. It won’t cure the problem, or make a component last longer – but at least you won’t hear it!

 

Dynolite General Products

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Other Dynolite products
Dynolite don’t just make oils, there’s a whole host of other useful products in their range.

Lead substitute As the name suggests, this is an additive to lubricate valve guides and injection pumps meant for leaded fuel. It also contains a handy stabilisation agent which prolongs fuel life (great for vehicles in storage) and can be used as a cleaner.

Supercool coolant Use this to improve the heat transfer properties of your coolant, thereby lowering the engine coolant temperature by up to 30°F. Just as importantly, it serves to stabilise the acidity of glycol ethylene-based anti-freezes to prevent the risk of internal corrosion. It’s worth adding this if you intend laying your car up for any period of time.

SiliDOT 5 silicone brake fluid Unlike conventional brake/clutch fluid this one is non-corrosive and non-hygroscopic, which means it doesn’t absorb water. It is ideal for older cars because it means there will be no internal corrosion, however it can’t be mixed with conventional fluid.

Shock oil Is a lubricant for double action shock absorbers such as the lever arm shock absorbers as found on classic cars.

Valve guard Is Dynolite’s fuel treatment and cleverly features a three-in-one formula which includes an octane booster, a lead substitute and an ethanol corrosion inhibitor to protect your engine against the harmful effects of ethanol rich E10 fuels.

 

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Credit: Image source - Moss Europe Ltd

 

Official Dynolite Stockist
Moss Europe are proud to be an official stockist of Dynolite Oils and stock the full Dynolite range.

 

 

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