ABOUT

Engine oil serves as lubricant to prevent the metal- particle/ carbon contamination caused by frictions and combustion and cleans up the inside of the engine, keeping the movement smooth.

1. Lubrication – minimize engine wear

2. Cooling – conduct frictional heat

3. Protection – protect parts from corrosion

4. Flushing and cleaning – remove and dissolve impurities and deposits

Lubricant Composition

Engine oil is made up of 60-90% base oil + 10% - 40% additives

Base Oil

• Based on feedstock Crude Oil as a “Natural Product”, this substance is not of uniform quality but consists of several thousands of hydrocarbon compounds.

• Differ in quality and composition caused by their provenance.

• Have to be refined before usage as a lubricant.

• Lubricant base oils are the result of a long and complex distillation and refining processes.

• Additives have to strengthen their good properties and have to balance their disadvantages.

Base Oil - Classification of API and ATIEL

• The Base Oil Groups are defined by API and ATIEL

• Often a combination of different Base Oil Types is used within one formulation

Base Oil Influence on Lubricant Properties

Base oil affects lubricants in different ways, therefore the need for additives

Clarifications on Base Oil Wording

Mineral … Semi-synthetic … Synthetic … Fully Synthetic…

• Definition, perception and use of the above base oil descriptions is widely different in different countries of the world.

• Often base oil description is understood as a quality indicator, but actually it is not. It is always the base oil composition together with the additive technology that defines the performance.

• Only if during the production process the molecules undergo a “real” SYNTHESIS process, then the resulting fluid may also be called synthetic

  • API-Group IV and V -> PAO, PIB, Esters, PG etc.

  • Everything else, where the majority of the molecules in the fluid are still directly originating from the original crude oil are in this sense mineral base oils

In Summary,

(1) Market misconceptions of base oil as quality (correct: quality is based on combination of base oil and additives)

(2) Quality is defined by performance profile and not base oils

(3) Clarifications of market understanding on “mineral”, “semi-synthetic”, “fully synthetic”

Base Oil Mix Table - Naming / Classification

Remark: Often a combination of different Base Oil Types is used within one formulation

* The classification/ naming of the base oil mixture can vary on a wide range depending on the region or local regulations (if any). For example, for yellow marked combinations, there is no official regulation in place (in Asia).

Purpose of Additives

Even by using more and more high quality Base Oils,
Additives are needed to fulfil the requirements of modern lubricants.

What Additives do:

• Improvement of desired lubricant properties

• Suppression of unwanted lubricant properties

• Adding new properties to lubricant

Typical Additive treat rates range from a few parts per million (ppm) up to 30% and more.

Some additives do interact with each other.

• synergistic effect,

• insoluble deposit formation

• Antagonistic effect/reduction of performance.

*Careful selection of Additives is therefore required.

Additives can, in principal, be divided into three types:

• Type A: Surface Protection Additives

• Type B: Lubricant Enhancement Additives

• Type C: Lubricant Protection Additives

TYPE A: Surface Protection Additives

TYPE B: Lubricant Enhancement Additives

TYPE C: Lubricant Protection Additives

In summary, 

• To meet the requirements of modern high tech lubricants, the usage of a plenitude of special Additives is needed.

• Additives have to improve desired properties and prevent from unwanted effects of the lubricant.

• Most of the additives are surface active and therefore compete on the friction partner surface. Some additives can interact with each other (sometimes synergistic/negative effect).

• Careful selection of Additives is therefore required, which means to find the best compromise.

Global Engine Oil Specifications

API Specifications

American Petroleum Institute differentiates between operating mode of engines and performance levels:

• S (Spark ignition): Gasoline Engines

• C (Compression ignition): Diesel Engines (HD)

  • Second letter defines performance level

  • Number for stroke mode -2/-4