Hi Richard, Sold as Molyslip in the UK - since I was a lad... - I have a tube (50 years old), and as CV joint grease... (I have a tin). But Walmart will have it at your end of the world, or 3&@y.. or double duck, or whatever you use. But the Molybdenum is the anti-scuffing part that makes if seriously black - and makes it work.
The Molyslip was always smeared - very thinly - ont pistons, cams, and othe sliding surfaces (plain bearings), etc. during engine builds and washed off into the oil (to make it black) and resist scuffing on initial start-up. Actually, the Moly particles are supposed to embed themselves into the surface cavities (at sub-microscopic level) to give a more durable surface ... Modern diesel pistons and high performance petrol pistons have it on the skirts - applied in a post machining process - as anti-scuffing compound, that only lasts (visibly) for hundreds of miles, yet the effect doubles the life of piston skirts etc. for wear...
Funny, but I was taught by mechanics who learned of the efficacy of Molybdenum during WW2 (possibly those Yanks brought it over us us Brits?), but us "young uns" generally don't know about it. (I feel like the exception when I explain it to everyone!). I recall discussing it with a Doctor of tribology (from Japan) who was discussing skirt scuffing and piston skirt design for reduced friction with the Hepworth and Grandage piston manufacturing Design Engineers. I asked why the pistons could not be factory coated with Moly grease to prevent scuffing at initial start-up - 2 years later it was happening - as a few microns of Moly pre-coat on the skirts of higher performance pistons! - Expensive, so only on the higher performance jobs (that need it) where the customer is paying that bit extra anyway! - Now it is a cheaper process and more widely applied...
Cheers!
K2
The Molyslip was always smeared - very thinly - ont pistons, cams, and othe sliding surfaces (plain bearings), etc. during engine builds and washed off into the oil (to make it black) and resist scuffing on initial start-up. Actually, the Moly particles are supposed to embed themselves into the surface cavities (at sub-microscopic level) to give a more durable surface ... Modern diesel pistons and high performance petrol pistons have it on the skirts - applied in a post machining process - as anti-scuffing compound, that only lasts (visibly) for hundreds of miles, yet the effect doubles the life of piston skirts etc. for wear...
Funny, but I was taught by mechanics who learned of the efficacy of Molybdenum during WW2 (possibly those Yanks brought it over us us Brits?), but us "young uns" generally don't know about it. (I feel like the exception when I explain it to everyone!). I recall discussing it with a Doctor of tribology (from Japan) who was discussing skirt scuffing and piston skirt design for reduced friction with the Hepworth and Grandage piston manufacturing Design Engineers. I asked why the pistons could not be factory coated with Moly grease to prevent scuffing at initial start-up - 2 years later it was happening - as a few microns of Moly pre-coat on the skirts of higher performance pistons! - Expensive, so only on the higher performance jobs (that need it) where the customer is paying that bit extra anyway! - Now it is a cheaper process and more widely applied...
Cheers!
K2