Banks Power

The Leader in Diesel Performance

Speed School Ep 4: How do you know if motor oil is doing its job? You abuse an engine and subject it to a brutal 50-hour test.
Banks Insider Banks Videos Speed School 

Abuse an Engine for Science | Speed School Ep 4

How do you know if motor oil is doing its job? You abuse an engine and subject it to a brutal 50-hour test. Before assembly, every component is carefully measured, and tolerances are documented. This establishes a baseline. After the test, every moving component is measured again. The test produces data that the motor oil manufacturer can use to improve their formula. Join Gale Banks as he continues his lubrication education.

YouTube player

00:00 Intro
00:49 Dyno cell specs
03:09 Test cycle explained
05:05 Begin dyno test
09:38 Gale reviews the data
13:43 Engine analysis
16:27 Leaf blowers?

Gale is no stranger to abusing an engine, so he was giddy when they fired up the dyno at AMSOIL. The engineers at AMSOIL take things to the extreme because their oil is meant to take on the most extreme conditions. This allows them to see the breaking points and then fix them. They stress every end of the spectrum during testing.

The engine on the dyno. Watch Gale and the guys at AMSOIL abuse an engine.

If you missed any of the previous episodes of Speed School, take a look at our YouTube Channel. Once you’re all caught up, give our Speed School Podcast a listen. In the inaugural episode, Gale Banks welcomes Csaba Csere, former technical director and editor-in-chief of Car and Driver.