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They even started mixing small amounts of fuel in the engine oil
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To keep the oil from freezing and there is nothing wrong with that practice. If the oil is too thick, it will not lubricate the engine causing damage on starting. The fuel lowers the viscosity and prevents freezing. As the engine warms up, the fuel vaporizes and escapes out the breather.
Airplane oil was single viscosity and not the multi-viscosity popular today. That being said, there is a trend to return to single viscosity oils. I use good AeroShell 100W single viscosity in my airplanes.
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Oil is important. It must lubricate, cool, seal, and clean the engine. For that you will want a multi-viscosity rather than straight-weight oil. Phillips Petroleum and Shell multi-viscosity oils are approved by the FAA and they meet the requirements of Avco Lycoming Specification No. 301F and Teledyne Continental Motors specification MHS-24B.
The viscosity of the oil is important in cold weather operations. If the oil is too thick, it will not lubricate the engine when cold. If too thin, it will break down at high temperatures. Multi-viscosity oil is good for the engine.
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