Convection is the most efficient agent of heat transfer between hot engine or transmission surfaces and their liquid lubricants. Convection occurs as currents move in the fluid. The more a fluid's chemistry aids the mechanisms of convection, the more heat that fluid can transfer.
Heat transfer is the measure of the rate at which the temperature of a fluid changes. In an engine or transmission, good heat transfer agents reduce the temperature faster than inferior heat transfer agents. Synthetic lubricants reduce heat faster than petroleum lubricants because of their superior flow patterns.
All lubricants exhibit two types of flow patterns. Laminar flow has straight, layered currents. The layers near the metal surfaces move slower than the layers in the center of the fluid, due to differences in the frictional characteristics between fluid and metal compared to those of internal layers of fluid. Heat concentrates close to the metal surfaces in laminar flow. The concentration of heat sometimes oxidizes this layer, turning it to sludge. The sludge insulates the metal, so even less heat transfer occurs.
Turbulent flow has circular, un-layered currents. Imagine each circular current as a person scooping a, "bucketful, of heat from the metal surface, swinging it overhead and dumping it into the middle of the lubricant stream. Heat is thus more evenly distributed throughout the stream, not concentrated near the surface. Heat transfers faster as more heat is evenly spread throughout the lubricant stream and lubricants are less likely to oxidize. AMSOIL synthetic lubricants exhibit more turbulent flow than petroleum lubricants, making AMSOIL synthetic lubricants better heat transfer agents.
![[bar]](images/bar.gif){kind=small}
Balcones European Motors
Mercedes*BMW*Porsche*Ferrari*Jaguar*Volvo*Saab
Sales, Service, Restoration, and Performance Models
12108-D Roxie Drive, Austin, Texas 78729 (512) 335-6911
May 1, 1992
Dear David:
As you know our business is dedicated to servicing, repairing and performance modifications of most European automobiles. But most of all, we pay special attention to Porsche 911's.
Texas is very hard on the 911, (oil/air cooled), engine because of the extreme summer temperatures reached here. Many of these cars must have system modifications to bring temperatures down from damaging temperatures with normal petroleum oils.
I began using AMSOIL 3 years ago in my own 911 while working with racing Ferrari's. I was having problems keeping the oil temperatures down when competing in S.C.C.A. events even with two extra remote oil coolers, and was told to try AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic Racing Oil. Immediate improvements were discovered. Overall oil temperature dropped around twenty degrees with AMSOIL 20W-50 Synthetic Racing Oil, even over Mobil 1 synthetic.
Recently one of our 911 customers encountered the most dramatic temperature reductions we have seen to date. He was experiencing temperatures over 280 degrees during spirited runs on the street. While race prepping his '73 last month for a Porsche Club event held at Texas World Speedway, we converted his engine oil to AMSOIL to help keep the oil temp down. We were expecting a 20 degree drop in temperature, but were amazed when the oil temp never rose above 245 degrees after 75 laps on the 1.9 mile road course! Needless to say 35 degrees made a believer out of our customer.
We know what cooler operating temperatures do for the life of expensive high revving, high performance engines and AMSOIL works better than anything we have seen to date. We recommend AMSOIL products to all of our performance customers.
We really like what AMSOIL does for us and our customers. After all, keeping our customers satisfied is what it's all about.
Sincerely,
David B. Moore
General Partner
Balcones European Motors
![[bullet]](images/safbul1d.gif){kind=small}