For all the British vehicle experts/nuts

[jdmcm]

Thanks Rob!

[maple_leaf_eh]

The biggest operator of Merlins in Canada is arguably Vintage Wings in Gatineau. If you contact Nick at the Cold War Collection he will introduce you to their maintainers. Kindred spirits like to help, but being presented as a friend will be better received. The Collection's principle and Vintage's principle share similar excitements from old equipment.

[jdmcm]

Thanks Terry, great idea


John

[Mike Cecil]

John,

Malcolm Towrie in Ontario has just worked his way through the same lubrication dilemma/problem before firing up the ORM's reconditioned Meteor Mk4B. He was assisted by communications with John Blackwell, ex-RAEME tech working on 169005's engine re-installation at Puckapunyal.

Maybe communicate with Malcolm in the first instance?

Best regards

Mike

[jdmcm]

Thanks Mike, I will contact Malcolm as well

Regards
John

[Malcolm Towrie]

John, after I responded to your PM, I found this post. I agree 100% with Rob Love. I think modern diesel multigrades are the way to go. We use Shell Rotella 15W40 because it is loaded with ZDDP which is an important anti-scuff additive that got taken out of modern automotive oils because it contaminated the cat. ZDDP protects the rubbing contact areas between flat tappet cams and lifters or overhead cams and rockers like the Meteor. When roller lifters became the norm in gas engines, ZDDP was quietly removed from the oil. It drove the engine rebuilders crazy because older engines with flat tappet cams would mysteriously wipe cam lobes after a few hundred miles. The oil manufacturers eventually admitted they had taken out the ZDDP. That's why there are so many ZDDP additives on the market now.

So an oil like Shell Rotella 15w40 suits the Meteor engine because the ZDDP protects the cam lobe to rocker contact surfaces, and the low viscosity of the oil when cold ensures oil gets pumped up quickly to the cams.

One concern i have with this oil is if you have been running a non-detergent oil for a long period, the strong detergents in Shell Rotella will start to dissolve the inevitable sludge built up throughout the engine, especially the oil pan. If the engine only has a bypass filter system, this is not good for the bearings.

Malcolm

[Grant Bowker]

Let me start by saying I have no specific knowledge of the Meteor or Merlin engines.
Have you considered talking with a tech rep at one of the oil companies about what their aviation divisions suggest for such an engine? (After all, that's what the Merlin was designed for.) Many of the horizontally opposed aero engines were designed in that era and are not much changed.