LUBRICANTS for Ordnance Combat and Motor-Transport Vehicles

WHEN the Ordnance lubrication standardization program was started about two and one-half years ago, there were no standard lubricants for military vehicles; consequently, a wide variety of types and grades found their way into Army vehicles, complicating the supply problem and sometimes even resulting in the application of the wrong lubricant.

There were seven types and 22 grades of lubricants for automotive equipment, not including those for special purposes. The first step was to describe, wherever possible, each type and grade of lubricant in terms of some Federal specification already in existence. The problem then resolved itself into:

1. 1.
   Establishing and maintaining an efficient system of lubrication instructions for issuance to troops.
2. 2.
   Reducing the number of types and grades to the minimum consistent with satisfactory performance.
3. 3.
   Developing these types and grades to fit most satisfactorily the military applications involved.
4. 4.
   Developing satisfactory U. S. Army specifications to cover adequately the necessary materials.

Major Jeffrey discusses the latter three considerations.

In connection with the work on engine oil and gear lubricants, it was necessary to consider low-temperature applications, particularly pumpability, to facilitate cold-weather starting and warm-up.

Greases and engine preservative oils were also studied, resulting in improvements in both. The developments in greases were made particularly to give better cold-weather operation. One of the main problems in respect to preservative oils was that of reducing the number of critical materials. The new specification covers a preservative oil that gives adequate lubrication without being wasteful of critical materials.