Here’s an interesting comment from the whale oil wiki at Sperm oil - Wikipedia
In the US, whale oil was used in cars as an additive to automatic transmission fluid until it was banned by the Endangered Species Act.[25] Prior to 1972, over 30 million pounds of Sperm Whale oil was used annually in lubricants because of its exceptional lubricity and heat stability.[26] In 1972, the Sperm Whale was listed as an Endangered Species. The following year, the US Congress amended the Endangered Species Act, outlawing the killing of whales and the use of their oil.[26] The loss of whale oil had a profound impact in the automotive industry, where for example, transmission failures rose from under 1 million in 1972 to over 8 million by 1975.[26]