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Title: US Marine 3rd Tank Battalion lubrication evaluation under hot ambient temperatures at Twenty-Nine Palms, California. Interim report, April-September 1988

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5498654

Military Specification MIL-L-2104D, Lubricating Oil, Internal Combustion Engines, Tactical Service, was released 1 April 1983. This specification included a multiviscosity OE/HDO-15/40 oil and eliminated a previously authorized OE/HDO-50 oil. The manufacturer of the AVDS-1790 series engines used in M60 battle tanks and M88 tank retrievers raised raised concerns about warranty coverage. The U.S. Marine Corps indicated that the use of the authorized 15W-40 grade oil did not offer sufficient lubrication for the engines and also resulted in M60 final drive leaks. As a result of these concerns, the U.S. Army Belvoir Research, Development and Engineering Center (Belvoir RDE Center) authorized an oil comparison test that, by agreement with the U.S. Marine Corps, would be conducted at the U.S. Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center (USMCAGCC) at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA using the U.S. Marine 3rd Tank Battalion (3DTKBn). The test vehicles of A Company, 3DTKBn were charged with regular issue 50-grade oil in the engine, 10-grade oil in the transmission, and 50-grade oil in the M60 final drives. B Company's test vehicles were charged with 15W-40 grade oil in the engines, transmissions, and M60 final drives. C Company's test vehicles were charged with 40-grade oil in the engines, 10-grade oil in the transmissions, and 50-grade oil in the final drives. Results from this 4-month test indicated no discernible differences in engine or transmission operating temperatures, engine oil pressures, or M60 final drive leaks.

Research Organization:
Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA). Belvoir Fuels and Lubricants Research Facility
OSTI ID:
5498654
Report Number(s):
AD-A-211055/9/XAB; BFLRF-251
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English