Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Needed a quart of 5w30 for the blower  and while at the guy's house got into a discussion concerning gear lube. I have been using Castrol 80-90 Hypoid Gear Oil in my machines gear box . The manual calls for SAE 90 but nobody manufactures a straight weight Hypoid that I could find so I came as close as I could. The thing is the castrol is really viscous in cold weather and being that the gearbox is always coated in snow and turns at so slow a speed I wonder if it ever really thins out.

This Amsoil guy works out of his house and keeps his stock in an unheated shed in his back yard. He brings back a quart of Amsoil stock # AGL80-90  Gear Lube. The container is clear plastic and  was ice cold from being stored in the shed .I turned it upside down and the flow was unbelieveable. Not thick or viscous at all! The guy said it won't thicken more than 90wt. and won't ever be thinner than 80wt at some rediculous below zero degree figure. Needless to say I bought it.

 They make several different kinds of gear lube but the AGL is the replacement for the SAE types. If you consider looking at this product make sure your machine calls for gear oil and not grease.

Good stuff,

Marc  

Excellent analogy, Robmints!  The KY Warm manufacturer obviously has utilized numerous additives to raise the VI of their product...to the extent that it's already warm before you put it in, but maintains enough lubricity to prevent wear of the moving parts.  I'll bet if you throw a 5 oz bottle of that stuff in your blower, you won't have to worry about having a hard time starting on the coldest of days..or nights!

the Hun

"The KY Warm manufacturer obviously has utilized numerous additives to raise the VI of their product"

The question is, when you're done using it do you need an IV?   

I think I learned more about lubrication than I wanted to know.