The Washington times., 1925-09-02
LUBR|CAT|ON IS
PROBLEM IN
AUTOS
Oakland Engineer Tells How
His Company Tries for
Perfection
by B. H. ANIBAL
CHIEF Engineer. Oakland Motor Car
Company.

Chief Engineer, Oakland Motor Car
Company.
Friction is defined as the "rests-
lance to motion due to the contact
Of surfaces" 1t is one. OF the
many important problems auto
motive engineers have to combat,
and it takes heavy toll in power
that otherwise would be productive,
and in wear and tear
fabrication is our chief weapon
against friction, and proper lubrica-
ton reduces FRACTIONAL loss and wear
to minimum. When fabrication
functions 100 per cent, moving
metal surfaces do not touch. They
are separated by a film OF pure
oil and the only friction Is the
rubbing of one layer OF this oil
film against another layer. -e.-
Absolute perfection. however, Is
difficult to attain, and even when
we approximate it In the fabrication
systems of the better automobiles
there is another factor remaining.
This is the contamination OF the
lubricant by the entrance OF foreign
particles.
An automobile engine resembles a
human in that it tries Ito eat
a peck of dirt" during its lifetime.
Minute particles of dirt and grit are
constantly fiEding their way into
the yitals CT the engine through the
air the carburetor breathes or via
the egasoline line.
Finds Way Into Oil.
Practically all of this dirt finds
its way into the lubricant, either
III. - tY.A.o
carbon in the cylinders, and then
breaks off and mikes with the oil.
Naturally these particles Of grit
break the protective oil film and
set up friction that wears cylinder
walls. pistons, piston pins, connect
ing rods and cEankshaft bearings.
To overcome this condition the
new Oakland six is equipped with
an oil filter. This device has no
moving parts and is entirely auto
matte. 1t consists of metal mesh
and fabric through which the en-
tire supply of engine lubricant
passes several times an hour. The
filtering material removes all dirt
and foreign substances from the
oil, returning 1t to the crankcase
purified.
Test cars driven thousands of
miles showed better performance
and less wear when the filter was
in use. The amount of dirt collect
ed from the oil surprised even en-
gineers who knew a. considerable
quantity would be found.
In addition to this newest method
of lettering fabrication, the Oak
land has an enlarged oil pan with
an~7oil screen built its full length
There is space under the screen
for the accumulation OF wafer,
which gets into the oil through
Condensation OF moisture in the
air, so that in the event of this
water freezing in cold weather the
ice formed is below the level OF
the oil pump. The oil pressure
regulator Is located in the center
OF the crankcase where 1t insnres
full uniform pressure and is ac-
cessihle for adjustment.
Passage Continuous.
The oil duct in the crankshaft is i
continuous passage the length of
the shaft constructed without any
oil tubes. Oil is fed through each
of the three main bearings into this
passage, equalizing the pressure
and flow of OF. ITO all bearings,
both main and connecting rod.
Leads from the oil distributing
system also go direct to all the
camshaft bearings and the timing
chain and sprocket. The use of
pressure feed to the connecting rod
bearings through holes drilled in
the crankshaft provides positive
fabrication