LubeTrak Newsletter

What's In Engine Oil Additive Packages?
By BRETT WINBERG

In addition to the base stock oil, oil manufacturers add what's called an additive package. Additive packages are typically not made up by the oil companies, but rather by a few companies that then sell them. Additive packages contain several different chemicals with several different purposes. Here's what the additive package is supposed to do for you:

One component is detergents and dispersants. These chemicals are designed to hold onto foreign particles and chemicals in your engine, and sometimes break them into smaller pieces. These foreign chemicals may be combustion by products, or other foreign materials that slipped past your air filter. If the particles are large enough, then they will eventually be grabbed by the oil filter and taken out of circulation.
Another component is buffers. This is typically calcium, magnesium, or boron. These chemicals are present to neutralize any acids which form in your engine. Acids are bad for engine bearings and can cause pitting, varnish and destroy major engine components.
Your additive package will include solvents to break up deposits of tar and wax. In premium oil, some of the base stock will be Group V diesters to help the solvent package. Where did the tar and wax come from? Remember, when you opened up your $1.09 quart of oil (I saved money on my oil), you received oil, additives, tar, paraffin, wax, asphalt, ash, aromatics, and the occasional stray bit of unrefined earth that may not be a savings at all. Be sure of the oil you are using, it is the blood of your equipment, and you need to assure your blood is pure and clean.
Another component is emergency lubricants. This is typically zinc, phosphorous, and molybdenum. These chemicals are present in case your oil film completely breaks down, due to extreme temperatures or pressures. These chemicals are supposed to be a last resort defense against metal to metal contact in your engine. Oil companies are cutting back on zinc and phosphorous, as these metals are hard on catalytic converters. They're substituting molybdenum disulfide, which lowers friction and improves gas mileage. It also causes problems for people with wet clutches, (mostly in motorcycle applications).
The Viscosity Index Improvers are part of the additive package. As we learned above, these chemicals are present to make your oil stay thick at high temperatures.
Finally, corrosion inhibitors. These chemicals are supposed to keep your oil from oxidizing or otherwise breaking down due to time and contamination. Yes, it's true, now even your oil has to have antioxidants to stay healthy. Speaking of antioxidants, did you take your vitamins today?

Why do we change our oil?

We're now in a position to discuss this. Your oil is a combination of one or more base oils and a complicated additive package.

The base oils will actually last as long as your vehicle - many hundreds of thousands of miles, several years. The reason we change our oil is the additive package depletes and the oil loses its ability to do the job. The buffers get used up by neutralizing acids. The detergents and dispersants get used up clinging to contaminants that's too small for your full flow oil filter to pick out.

Could you imagine a device that pulled out your oil, gave it a very thorough cleaning, replaced the buffers, detergents, and VII molecules, and put it back into your engine, sort of a motor oil dialysis machine? (Some By-Pass Filters work in a similar fashion) This is why it does make sense to recycle oil: “if you can process the oil hundreds of gallons at a time, you can separate out the base stocks economically”. I am not saying recycled oil is the way to go, but in today’s market prices of oil, we need to work together and individually to help save this natural resource and reduce fuel costs.

Keep your equipment running clean and healthy; always perform oil analysis to check the state of your equipment.

Manage your subscription to LubeTalk, using the SUBSCRIPTIONS area of this newsletter. You can also signup by visiting lubetrak.com. For more information, call toll-free 1.866.LUBETRAK (1.866.582.3872)