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May 2000
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Castrol's New Motorcycle Lubricant Range Aims to Simplify Selection In a bid to reduce confusion when choosing motorcycle engine oil, Castrol's new range has different two and four stroke oils aimed at three different types of motorcyclist. For the motorcycle
enthusiast, Castrol has identified the 'adrenaline and performance'
category. The range also targets the 'recreational rider' who demands continuous protection over a wide range of conditions. Suitable oils include the Castrol Act>evo 4T, which contains "Active Protection Molecules", designed to work at low temperatures. Castrol state that this will cling to the engine and transmission parts even when the engine is turned off, protecting them during the crucial start and warm up phase. Commuters who use a motorbike or scooter for convenience and economy can choose from Castrol GP 10W-40 and Castrol GP 20W-50. Both are formulated to offer long term engine protection by maintaining lubricating performance over the entire drain period. By keeping the combustion chamber and pistons clean they aim to control oil consumption and boost clutch performance. (5/00) Magneti Marelli Produces Customised Air Conditioning For Lancia Lybra Magneti Marelli have designed a new kind of air conditioning system for the new Lancia Lybra. The company claims to have made a product that is both ergonomic and noiseless with easy to use features. The system has a high flow rate (430 cubic metres of air per hour) and enables users to set different temperatures for the front passenger's and driver's seats. It also has a split solar sensor designed to determine the level of sunlight. When the required temperature is reached, the control unit will inject cool air towards the side exposed to the rays. The sun sensor will alter the temperature again if the weather changes. The system's Air Quality Sensor reads the degree of pollution in the external air and automatically enables or disables the re-circulation function accordingly. There are other special functions, for instance the system is able to accelerate the defrosting of the windscreen and rear window, or to disable the compressor in order to reduce consumption. The control unit for Magneti Marelli's new system is pictured. (5/00) Specially Designed Monroe Shock Absorbers for New Almera In a move which will further strengthen its ties with the car manufacturer, Tenneco Automotive Europe has announced that it is the supplier of rear shock absorbers and front struts, sold under the Monroe brand name, for the all-new Nissan Almera medium-sized family car.
The front axle has low pressure struts of 27mm bore, also designed for the Almera. Its features include a new one-piece bracket designed with the support of a software computer model to find the best combination of strength performance and weight reduction. Furthermore, a banded piston with sealing lip has been produced to achieve a higher control of damping performance. Pictured are the rear shock absorbers being fitted to the Almera at Nissan's Sunderland plant. (5/00) |
Oils
developed for this group of customers include the Castrol R4 Superbike,
this synthetic four stroke engine oil is designed to offer increased
acceleration through fast gear changes and a crisp throttle response.
The makers claim that its anti-friction, low viscosity formulation
reduces drag for faster gear changing.
The
Monroe rear shock absorber features a new low-pressure twin tube of
25.4mm bore, produced specifically for the Almera platform, with a
new piston design to improve the hydraulic noise effect, banded with
a sealing lip to increase the damping performance.