Of course, we here at Duckhams support the idea that the best classic car is one in regular use. Duckhams Oil has all you need from a classic lubricant to ensure that you have the ultimate protection for your engine throughout the winter months.
How does Duckhams Oils help your classic car during cold weather then? Well to answer that question it’s interesting to recap some our heritage.
In 1951, the world of lubricants changed forever when Duckhams launched Europe’s first ever multi-grade oil, Q5500, followed later by the famous Q20w-50 in 1956, that we still supply today albeit with a hugely improved formula. The innovation was the result of Duckham’s chemist Dr Cecil Pepper, realising that what was needed, was oil that had a flat viscosity curve and extreme fluidity across all temperature ranges from normal to arctic. These properties would enable motorists to start their cars more quickly, enjoy a faster getaway on cold mornings, whilst also completely removing the need to use thinner oil in winter and change to thicker oil in summer.
The 20W in Duckhams multi-grade oil’s specification refers to ‘Winter’ and in basic terms the lower the number, the thinner the oil at zero degrees Celsius. The thinner the oil, the faster it will circulate on cold start up, therefore offering the engine more protection and more resistance to long term wear.
The second number, such as 50, refers to a viscosity that the oil must attain at one hundred degrees Celsius and again the lower the number; the thinner the oil is at that higher end of the temperature scale.
Handy Hint: If choosing an oil grade to best suit specific temperature conditions you can go lower on the ‘W’ number to get things flowing more quickly in the extreme cold, but since the engine’s internal temperatures are unchanged once up to operating temperature, the end viscosity can remain unchanged.
30% of engine wear occurs during start up and in cold weather this is magnified many fold. Especially for older engines, ZDDP levels, which represent the proportion of Zinc in the formula, are invaluable in assisting the reduction of wear. In Duckhams’ oil ranges, the ZDDP level is optimally tuned to create a ‘plating effect’ that works to bond the oil to the metal surfaces, at a thickness of around 2 microns. This creates a sacrificial wear barrier that receives the start up friction.
Handy Hint: Even with modern oil formulations and additives like Duckhams, it is still wise on those very cold mornings to allow the engine to warm up to operating temperature at idle speed before driving off. Although don’t leave a vehicle unattended whilst warming up!
For more tips and advice from Duckhams oil visit our FAQ pages at www.duckhams-oils.com/faq or feel free to drop us a line via the contact page with any questions you may have.