THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

OCT , 90 s • • •Sohio Supreme Out Ahead with Advances in Engine Design-

"Just wait until the war is over and then we'll getsuper octane!"

There's a phrase that sounds familiar, doesn't it? Itwas said by many people-motorists, mechanics, servicestation men-a putting of words to a \vartime dream.

A cross sectional view of one of today's high compressionengines-the Oldsmobile "Rocket"-ratio 7.25 to 1. Note5 bearing crankshaft-one of the high compression addi­tions.

And it was illogical-as most dreams are. Obviously,to gain the advantage of more power and greatereconomy from a high octane gasoline, engine design,particularly compression ratio, must advance to keepin-:;t<: . ----

But, that dream has become a reality. Now you cantell your customers that the octane rating of SohioSupreme is "over 90." This is particularly importantto owners of new cars with higher compression ratiosand to owners of older cars which have been tunedto take full advantage of high octane gasoline.

The greatest single improvement ever made in SohioSupreme has already proved, by actual road test, itssuperior performance in a special GM high compressiontest engine. This engine was purchased from GeneralMotors Research Laboratories in Detroit and installedin a 1949 Oldsmobile-one of our fleet of companytest cars.

WHY HIGH COMPRESSION?Automotive engineers have long known that to

obtain higher thermal efficiencies, which means moreusable power with less fuel, the compression ratiomust be increased. In past years attempts to apply thisprinciple to conventional spark ignition engines have

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encountered difficulties due to fuel knock. Other ob­jectionable factors encountered were a rough runningengine, especially at idle, ignition trouble, and over­heating.

Experiments have been going on constantly for m'anyyears in the matching of fuels to engines. These have

- beeR-,maee by both ·th-e .cngiI'le. buiLders-and petroleumrefiners. Compression ratios have risen during the past2)' years from about 4 or )' to 1 until today 1949 pas­senger cars average 7 or more to 1. At the same timegasoline octane number has risen from a low of about50 constantly upward into the eighties, with today'sSupreme topping all previous Sohio octane highs.

This industry trend of increased octane nwnber hasnot only kept pace with automobile engine design andhigher compression ratio, but has given customers aneconomy "plus." It has been estimated that the octaneimprovement alone saves the nation's motorists morethan a billion dollars a year.

HIGH COMPRESSION TEST ENGINE-

The GM high compression test engine is based ondata obtained from extensive road and laboratory testsof a 12.5 to 1 experimental engine. These tests wererun by GM Research Laboratories under the directionof Engineer Charles F. Kettering.

The 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket engine-compressionratio 7.25 to I-and the 1949 Cadillac-compressionratio 7.50 to I-are essentially the same engine as thehigh compression test engine except that compressionratio is somewhat lower.

Compression ratio of the test engine can be varied.by_chang.iug heads. Three...sets of he?ds are· furnished

(}ft, (}wz. ~-------,

The cover photo was shot in our engine test­ing laboratory at No. 2 Refinery, Cleveland, asa new high compression test engine was beinginstalled in a 1949 Oldsmobile Futuramic "98."This engine was purchased from the GM Re­search Laboratories in Detroit at a cost of $5,000,and will be used for actual road testing of Sohiofuels. It is this cooperation between the enginebuilder and petroleum refiner that has made pos­sible the steady im!,rovement in engines andfuels over the past 25 or 30 years. The netresult of these tests to your customers is, nowand in the future, not only vastly improved per­formance, but also a saving of many thousandsof dollars annually on their gasoline bills.

THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

so that anyone of three ratios: 8 to 1, 10 to 1, or 12to 1, may be used. Many engineering features builtinto these engines may indicate a trend in future auto­motive power plant design.

They are valve-in-head 90° engines, that is, the twobanks of cylinders are at a 90° angle. The valve-in-headpermits a more efficient way of converting heat intopower and permits a fuller use of the high compres­sion feature.

The crankshaft is shorter and more rigid than thecrankshaft of conventional "in-line" engmes. Thedynamic forces that are developed by high speedcrankshaft rotation have less effect on this shorter,more ruggedly constructed crankshaft, and it is betterable to withstand the stress and strain of the explosiveforces created in the high compression cylinders.

There are five main bearings instead of three asusually used in V-S engines. Vibration is minimizedby the placing of six counterweights, and as an addedprecaution the crankshaft and flywheel assembly arebalanced both statically and dynamically.

Other engine features are: water jacket which ex­tends over the entire length and all around the cyl­inders to provide maximum cooling; aluminum alloypistons reinforced with two steel struts; larger diameterfull floating piston pins, and hydraulic valve lifterswhich maintain zero clearance eliminating the pOSSI­bility of incorrect tappet adjustment.

Add new Sohio high octane gasoline to all theseengineering features and the result is sensational high­way performance.

You can confidently recommend the new Supremeto your customers for new cars and for older carswhose gasoline octane requirements have become higherwith correct tune-up of the ignition and carburetionsystems. For new pulling power on hills-new pick-upon quick starts-new performance and smoothness inall driving-new Sohio Supreme is indeed SUPREME.

1, Out of the ",ate comes the new test eng;ne~ $ohiomechanics view it with all the anticipation of a boy witha new toy.

2. Ted Scott and Bob Witter take a close up peek atsome fine print.

3. Into the Fururamic Chassis goes the test engine­destined for a starring role in petroleum pioneering.

4. Servicenter Manager Harry Weyrick of Solon Servi·center asks Ted Scott a lot of questions about the newengine.

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THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

First published June 18, 1934, as The Sahia Sales En"ineerin"Bulletin; Changed January 29, 1935. to The Sahia SalesEngineer, and in January. 1946, to The Sohio Service Digest.

Copyright 1949 - The Standard Oil Company of Ohio

THE 50HI0

Se'Wtee Z'UJe4t~

Volume 16 JUNE, 1949 No.5

Edited and distributed in the interest of better Sohio Servicebeneath every Sohio oval-be it servicenter or dealer. If youwant a copy of SERVICE DIGEST delivered to your home,PRINT your name and address on a penny postal card andsend it to the editor. We invite ideas for feature material,and urge you to submit technical or semi-technical puzzlersfor processing in our question and answer department.

Address all correspondence: Editor of Publications1530-1 Midland Building, Oeveland 15, Ohio

706--------,

The man who lifts the hood and pulls the dipstick on today's automobile probably has moreto do with engine life expectancy than any otherone individual.

Perhaps you have never thought of yourselfas an insurance salesman, but certainly in therole of the engine's protector you are just that.You have it within your power to bring long lifeand carefree operation to the customer's car­or you can shrug the responsibility and let themetal chips fall where they may.

Say what we will, the impressions the averagecar owner has about the importance of changingoil regularly are generally reflected from hiscontacts with us. The average customer is areasonable fellow who is motivated by all theselfish interests which make us tick. If we sellhim on the precautionary measures so essentialto-.good car maintenance then he. consider.s thema good investment. If we ourselves do not fullyunderstand the advantages of systematic carcare then it is no wonder that the average carowner leaves our station with a feeling that mile­age doesn't matter.

An incident recently brought this problemsharply into focus. We pulled to the pump islandand requested 10 gallons of Supreme. The tankfilled, we then suggested that the salesman mighttake a peek at the oil. The Sohio Secretary re­vealed our company connection, but the salesmanonly noted this fact-failed to see that the oilhad been driven a little over 1,000 miles.

We chatted in friendly fashion as he pro-

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nounced the oil "okay." Wondering about hisreasoning we continued with, "There's more than1,000 miles on the oil, guess I'd better have itdrained when I stop tonight."

The man holding the dip stick looked up witha semi-puzzled expression on his face. "You'rewith the company and still drain your oil every1,000 miles?" "That's right," we replied, "andI consider it mighty fine engine insurance."

After we pulled out of that station we ponderedat length this man's mental attitude. He was anice appearing fellow. The average customerwould like and respect his opinion. But some­where along the line someone had failed to getacross to him the oil change facts of life.

Unless those of us who man the pumps andcontrol the lubritorium lifts are fundamentalistswhere the 1,000 mile oil drain is concerned thereis no hope that we will be able to sell our custom­ers adequate engine protection. We must firstunderstand what happens to motor oil in 1,000miles of heat, dust, and dilution torture. Wemust realize that while the oil may be in appar­ently usable condition, wear inducing changeshave taken place which make it more economicalin the long run for the customer to replace it.

Men who have driven test cars and who havemade a careful study of oil change practice knowthat in the average car the safe drain period is1,000 miles. Somehow, or so it appears from here,this same sense of values must be transmittedto all of us who contact customers if we are tobe effective INSURANCE SALESMEN.

THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

AUTOMOBILES NEED HEALTHY "ARTERIES:· TOO!

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The wIrIng system of a typical automobile as picturedabove represents a complex network that might easily becompared to human arteries. Through these many linesmust flow the power to fire the ignition, carry the load ofall accessories and lights.

It's mighty important that the wire arteries are in goodcondition at all times if a car is to remain healthy. Here's apre-vacation and spring check-up service that should beconsidered by all tune-up technicians as an aid to preventivemaintenance.

---t~t...:._-----------u.r...h.O" .....

A vital safety consideration is the more than a dozenlamp bulbs that make up the car's lighting system. Witheach Sohio Lubri·Check step 4 calls for bulb inspection. Allcar lights should be checked. Headlight dimmer switchshould be depressed to be sure both beams are workingokay. Then a final courtesy "extra" is thoroughly cleaningboth head and tail light lenses.

Vacation time calls for safety check-up and every Carbeing readied for the road should be given a thorough in­spection. Let's keep 'em safe and keep 'em as customers.

Kaiser and Frazer

Battery

Hold Down

Before removing the battery on these cars, mark thehold down with a piece of chalk to insure re-installll1git in the original position.

Reason for this is the bolt holes are slightly ofTcenter. If installed in reverse the battery will be loosein the carrier and may shift toward the engine andcome in contact with the adjusting arm on the genera­tor. Vibration of the loose battery against the arm maywear a hole in the case.

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THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

• Lubrication of 1941-42 Nash King Pins

• New Buick Special Due In August

• Automatic Transmissions In News

• "EI Rancho" Cadillac Attracts Attention

TVelcome news to Sohio lubemen is the infonna­tion that 1949 Chrysler, De Soto, Dodge, and Ply­moutl, no longer need the body raised on the liftjach to expose the four upper control ann fittings.These can now be J·eached frum below, etiminatingthe necessity of lowering the tift half-way while thetift jack is set and then raising it again to release thejack.

•

On 1941 and 1942 Nash 600 models, watch for twoextra fittings on the king pins, installed on some carsafter production had started. They are located, oneon each sIde, Just below the wh~el susp·ension ,riT--­cleaner and may be reached from under the hood.Lubricate with Sohio Chassis Lubricant every 1,000miles.

• • •Buick has planned for introduction in July the

Riviera, a hard top model with lines of a convertible.11 will be offered in the Roadmaster and Superseries. A completely restyled Special will be intro­duced in A ugust with Dynaflow as optional equip­ment .

NEW MO ILE POST OFFICE UILT IN OHIO . ....

£1

llki/ltl/WPiJJT ~fKIV.S,/lJAll

Newest and largest addition to Uncle Sam's growingfleet of highway post offices is an Ohio product, designedand built by Twin Coach Company of Kent.

Large enough to require a crew of three mail clerks anda driver, it measures 45 feet from bumper to bumper andcarries more mail than an apartment type rail post office.

Aside from size, the vehicle is unusual in design. Carriedon three axles, the power is su pplied to the center set ofwheels by two engines with a total of 360 horse-power.

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The engines are beneath the floor, amidship, and areequipped with automatic transmissions that eliminate gearshifts. Front and rear axles are inter-connected for steering,allowing the bus to turn within a 35 foot radius. The bodyis vertically hinged just behind the center axle, allowingthe mobile post office to breathe as it goes up and downhills. The Torsilastic rubber hinge allows vertical movementpnly and prevents any "jackknifing" on slippery roads.

THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

Here's Manager Bob \Villiams, Court and State,Athens, servicing the King Midget of an attractiveowner. The King Midget is a small single passengerautomobile powered by a six hp air cooled engineequipped with a rope starter.

The cars are a strictly Ohio product being built byMidget Motors Mfg. Co. of Athens. They are shippedin knock down units which are bolted together by thepurchaser. The price range varies between $200 and$300 depending on engine and drive. The car has atotal length of 7Y2 feet and weighs 330 lbs. completelyequipped.

An average of from 70 to 80 miles per gallon ofgasoline is claimed with top speed average 45 to 50miles per hour. Acceleration is approximately 35 m.p.h.in eleven seconds from standing start. Tires are 400x8heavy duty and an extra accessory is a ski adapter forthe front axle for use on Ice or snow.

• • •Automatic transmissions continue to be the hottest

item of news in the industry. Packard is out with itsnew torque converter on the highest price models inthe 1950 line. Nash will have an automatic drive on itsAmbassador line either late this year or early in 1950.Studebaker has announced that it has arranged withBorg,Warner for tooling and production of a fullyautomatic transmission of an improved torque-convertertype.

Kaiser-Fraz;er, Hudson and Ford are also supposed tobe working on the same problem, while Lincoln is tointroduce a new automatic drive in the immediatefuture. Chevrolet has a torque converter unit underdevelopment and it is thought that it will be availablenext year.

Seventy-seven different makes of caTS were shownat the Geneva International Automobile Salon whichopened in Geneva, Switzerland, j\1arch 17. TheUnited States was well rejJl"esented with 22 differentmakes. Other countries with number of cars shownwere: France, 14; Britain, 23; Italy, 9; Czechoslo­vakia, 3, and Germany 4. lvlany of the foreign caTSare slanted for the export market, particularly theUnited States and South American countries.

• • •About 125,000 Buick Dynaflow Drive transmissions

were installed durmg the fi·rst year of production.Approximately 82% of cur l' en t production isequipped with Dynoflow Drzve. TIllS percentage islimited by manufacturing facilities and wlli be in­creased as production can be stepped up. Dynaflowis standard equipment on the Roadmaster series, andan optional extra on Super. It is not yet availablefor the Special.

• • •Designed to catch the fancy of a cattle king or a

Hollywood cowboy star, the "El Rancho" Cadillac hasattracted attention wherever displayed. First shown atGeneral Motors New York Show, it has since beenexhibited at several conventions and other functions.Built as a show car, it carries the western motif through­out. Hardware is of silver and hand tooled leather isused lavishly. Floor mats are of steer hide tanned withthe hair on and there is even a fancy leather rifle scab,bard included in the furnishings.

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THE SOHIO SERVICE DIGEST

.025

.025

022-.025

.022-.025

.022-.025

.022-.025

020-.024

.01S

.01S

.01S

PlugGap

022-025

.022-.025

.022-.025

J I 2Q-.Q24.U20-.()24.020-.U24

HV Coils .032Other .022

liter

Model

Champion Spark Plugs for EuropeanPassenger Cars

SparkPlug

.L-I0S........................................ 4-10

......L-I0

Renault Juvaguatre L- 10

Rolls Royce1S mm Heads 714 mm Heads...N-S

M. G.26 liter, H4.TC Mid£!;etAll Othe"[s

Prefect ..

Singer9, .10, 12, 14 hpL-I0S HV Coils .032Others 1930 and on L- 10 Other .022

StandardVanguard, Estate.J-- 10 IjV Coils .040Othels 1946 ;md on ........N-S Other .025

Anglia......L-10

AustinIS mm Heads 77, S, 10, 12 hp Models.L-1016 hp Models and A40,A70, A90 ....N-S

BentleyIS mm Heads 714 mm Heads N-S

Fiat500

12 mm H('ads .. _._~_ _ . p-)14 mm Heads , J-8Balilla 50S, Ardita}S

FordPilot 30 hp. ...................7

HillmanIS mm Heads...L-714 mm Heads.

Q. What is meant by shotpeening?

A. This is a pelting of a metal part with fine roundshot either by means of centrifugal force or air pres­sure. It is claimed to increa5e the life of any partwhich is subject to shock, fatigue or impact. Someof these parts on automobiles are: springs, geZlrs,axles, crankshafts and connecting rods.

Q. Is it possible to replace resistor type spark plugswith our regular Atlas Champion plugs?

A. Yes, this is possible, but in event only part of theset is replaced it is very important that the gap set­ting be the same as the resistor plugs. A chart forresistor plug gap settings is not available at this t'jme;however, resistor plug gaps will vary fro!J;l theiroriginal settings very little in service. If tne entireset is replaced, follow the regular gap setting recom­mendation.

Q. Are Sohio Supreme and X-70 gasolines the sameexcept that there is more Ethyl fluid in Supreme?

A. This is definitely not true. The unleadeu base;:tock U:,C8 III the: m~tnktiK[Urc of St,hio Supreme lu,a higher octane rating than the unlcdded basl' stuckin X-7C). Th us, the mere addition of tetraeth yl leadto X-70 would not produce a gasolllle having thequality of Supreme.

This new Kaiser-Fraz.er model, the Virginian, lookslike a convertible but actually has an all-steel safetytop under its paddcd covering of nylon. Top cannotbe lowered. The six-passenger sedan shown is only62\12" high and following the current trend towardbetter visibility the rear window is 73" long and 17"deep.

THE SOHIO SilVlCE DIGEST

1530·' Mldl."d lulhll",

CinoiOlld '5. OhIo

Carleton M. ShipleyR. D. 2Ra.venna. Ohio

Section 562 P. L. & R.U. S. POSTAGE

PAIDCleveland, Ohio

PERMIT NO. 782

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