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Can Your Motor Oil Handle the Seven Responsibilities of a Lubricant?

Written by Charleen
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Can Your Motor Oil Handle the Seven Responsibilities of a Lubricant?

Ed Newman|

Most motorists understand the primary functions of motor oil: reduce friction and wear. However, motor oil and other lubricants must do more to protect your vehicles and equipment. With engines and equipment becoming more powerful and sophisticated, it takes a properly formulated, well-balanced lubricant to carry out these seven critical functions.


• Minimize Friction

Lubricants reduce contact between components, minimizing friction and wear.

• Clean

Lubricants maintain internal cleanliness by suspending contaminants within the fluid or by preventing the contaminants from adhering to components. Base oils possess a varying degree of solvency that assists in maintaining internal cleanliness. Solvency is the ability of a fluid to dissolve a solid, liquid or gas. While the solvency of the oil is important, detergents and dispersants play a key role. Detergents are additives that prevent contaminants from adhering to components, especially hot components such as pistons or piston rings. Dispersants are additives that keep contaminants suspended in the fluid. Dispersants act as a solvent, helping the oil maintain cleanliness and prevent sludge formation.

• Cool

Reducing friction minimizes heat in moving parts, which lowers the overall operating temperature of the equipment. Lubricants also absorb heat from contact surface areas and transport it to a location to be safely dispersed, such as the oil sump. Heat-transfer ability tends to be a trait of the base oil’s thickness – lighter oils tend to transfer heat more readily.

• Seal

Lubricants act as a dynamic seal in locations like piston rings and cylinder contact areas to prevent contamination.

• Dampen Shock

A lubricant can cushion the blow of mechanical shock. A highly functional lubricant film can resist rupture and absorb and disperse these energy spikes over a broad contact area. As the mechanical shock to components is dampened, wear and damaging forces are minimized, extending the component’s overall operating life.

• Protect

A lubricant must have the ability to prevent or minimize internal component corrosion. Lubricants accomplish this either by chemically neutralizing corrosive products or by forming a barrier between the components and the corrosive material.

• Transfer Energy

Because lubricants are incompressible, they can act as an energy-transfer medium, such as in hydraulic equipment or valve lifters in an automotive engine.

Lubricants do far more than simply protect against wear. High-quality lubricants – like AMSOIL synthetic lubricants – are formulated to excel in each of these critical areas, ensuring you get the most out of your vehicles and equipment.

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New Motor Oil Specs are Coming

Written by Charleen
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New Motor Oil Specs are Coming

Josh Kimmes|

As engine operating conditions grow more severe, so do the demands placed on your motor oil. New engine hardware such as turbochargers, direct injection and variable valve timing (VVT) place increased stress on your engine oil. You may find yourself asking, why do we need new engine hardware? What’s wrong with the tried-and-true equipment that has worked for years?

Well, automakers need every fuel economy gain under the sun they can get to meet tightening fuel-economy standards. And these new technologies help them get there.

More strict CAFE standards

The current corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard requires a fleet-wide average of 54.5 mpg by 2025 in the United States, a five percent annual improvement. These requirements have spurred the automotive industry to turn to the hardware mentioned above to build smaller, more fuel-efficient engines. In fact, by 2020, industry experts predict that almost every new vehicle will feature direct-injection technology (GDI). The vast majority will also be turbocharged (TGDI).

All upside, right?

Smaller, more-efficient engines that make the power and torque of their higher-displacement counterparts is all upside, right? In theory, maybe. But, in reality, today’s advanced engines undergo more severe operating conditions that can lead to…

  • Severe engine knock, also called low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI)
  • Increased engine temperatures
  • Compromised fuel injectors
  • Increased wear and deposits if the oil isn’t up to snuff

The biggest motor-oil-related challenge on the horizon is LSPI, also known as severe engine knock. LSPI can destroy pistons and connecting rods.

What is LSPI?

LSPI is the spontaneous ignition of the fuel/air mixture before spark-triggered ignition. It is another version of pre-ignition. Pre-ignition (engine knock) has been around since the beginning of internal combustion engines. LSPI, however, occurs under low-speed, high-torque conditions in TGDI engines, such as when taking off from a stoplight. This scenario can create conditions where the fuel/air ignites too early in the combustion cycle, throwing off the engine’s timing. The expanding combustion charge collides with the piston as it’s moving up the cylinder, potentially destroying the pistons or connecting rods.

How Does LSPI Occur?

Experts suggest the cause is due in part to oil/fuel droplets or deposits in the cylinder auto-igniting randomly. The droplets and deposits contain enough heat to ignite the air/fuel mixture before the spark-triggered ignition. This means oil formulation can play a role in reducing LSPI.

Testing has shown that certain motor oil ingredients can promote LSPI, while others can help reduce it. It’s tempting to think, “Well, dump a bunch of ingredients into your formulations that help reduce LSPI!” But some ingredients that help reduce LSPI have been limited over the years in motor oil formulations for other reasons.

It truly is a scientific balancing act confronting us oil formulators. It’s no easy task to formulate motor oils that deliver excellent wear protection, resist the increased heat of turbocharged engines, prevent deposits, act as a hydraulic fluid and, now, combat LSPI. The performance of the entire formulation – not just one or two ingredients – is what counts.

Coming Soon: New Oil Specifications

Difficult or not, next-generation motor oils will need to fight LSPI. In fact, they’ll need to pass an LSPI test to meet the new API SP and ILSAC GF-6 performance specifications set to take effect in mid-2019. General Motors is ahead of the game and requires oils to pass its own LSPI test. Its updated GM dexos1 specification (known as dexos1 Gen 2) is scheduled to take effect Aug. 31, 2017. The table explains the specs in a little more detail.

Relax…for now

For now, you don’t have to worry too much about LSPI. Your vehicle’s computer is programmed to avoid operating conditions that lead to LSPI. But, operating your engine under those conditions does promise fuel economy gains. And, once oils hit the market that combat LSPI, you can bet the vehicle manufacturers will reprogram their vehicles to take advantage in their never-ending quest for better fuel economy.

AMSOIL Prepared for the Change

We’ve been hard at work reformulating Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil, XL Synthetic Motor Oil and OE Synthetic Motor Oil to address LSPI. The early signs are exciting. Experimental formulations of AMSOIL synthetic motor oils provided 100 percent protection against LSPI in turbocharged direct-injected engines.* Expect to see them hit the market in the months ahead.

Check out this page to learn more about LSPI.

*Based on the engine test required for GM dexos1 Gen2 specification.

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Variable valve timing improves engine efficiency

Written by Fiona

Variable valve timing improves engine efficiency.

Quality oil is vital for keeping sensitive components clean and functioning properly.

Matt Erickson | TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER, PASSENGER CAR

Variable valve timing (VVT) is one of the big-three engine technologies (along with turbocharging and direct fuel injection) automakers have turned to in the last several years to meet increasingly strict fuel-economy and emissions requirements without sacrificing vehicle performance.

Although it sounds complicated, VVT is based on the simple principle that engine efficiency can be increased by adjusting when the engine’s valves open and close. Say you’re cruising down the highway and approach a logging truck. As you depress the accelerator to pass, an engine with VVT can quickly adjust when the valves open, allowing the combustion chamber to fill with air and fuel more efficiently. This results in better torque, helping you easily pass the truck and be on your way. When you let off the accelerator, the VVT system adjusts the timing again relative to your driving conditions so the valves open and close in a way that returns optimum efficiency at lower engine speeds. Overall, the vehicle delivers increased torque and fuel economy while cutting emissions.

The keys to the system working are the components responsible for advancing or retarding valve timing in response to driving conditions. Although each system is slightly different, they all use motor oil as a hydraulic fluid to move the necessary components. Many accomplish this with cam phasers that provide extra rotation to the camshaft, thereby adjusting when the valves open and close. VVT components typically contain tiny openings through which the oil must flow in order to function properly, as you can see in the images. The solenoid pictured, from a 3.5L Ford* EcoBoost* engine, contains openings .007 of an inch across, which is about the thickness of two sheets of paper.

The keys to the system working are the components responsible for advancing or retarding valve timing in response to driving conditions. Although each system is slightly different, they all use motor oil as a hydraulic fluid to move the necessary components. Many accomplish this with cam phasers that provide extra rotation to the camshaft, thereby adjusting when the valves open and close. VVT components typically contain tiny openings through which the oil must flow in order to function properly, as you can see in the images. The solenoid pictured, from a 3.5L Ford* EcoBoost* engine, contains openings .007 of an inch across, which is about the thickness of two sheets of paper.

The keys to the system working are the components responsible for advancing or retarding valve timing in response to driving conditions. Although each system is slightly different, they all use motor oil as a hydraulic fluid to move the necessary components. Many accomplish this with cam phasers that provide extra rotation to the camshaft, thereby adjusting when the valves open and close. VVT components typically contain tiny openings through which the oil must flow in order to function properly, as you can see in the images. The solenoid pictured, from a 3.5L Ford* EcoBoost* engine, contains openings .007 of an inch across, which is about the thickness of two sheets of paper.

The solenoid directs oil flow based on a signal from the computer. Pressurized oil enters the middle ring (where most of the deposits are on the solenoid pictured). Then it sends oil out the top or bottom ring to advance or retard timing. In the case of this engine, deposits prevented oil from flowing properly. The computer detected incorrect valve timing, illuminating the check-engine light.

Even the slightest amount of deposits can lodge in these tiny openings and negatively affect the system. In some cases, dealerships view these problems as non-serviceable and recommend engine replacement instead of repairs.

The good news is, many VVT issues can be avoided simply with a combination of proper maintenance and high-quality oil and filtration. AMSOIL synthetic motor oil resists deposits and sludge better than conventional oils, helping keep sensitive VVT components clean and functioning properly. It also resists viscosity loss, meaning it consistently performs the duties of a hydraulic fluid, which is vital to proper operation of VVT components.

As an AMSOIL Dealer, having your customers’ best interests in mind is central to your business. The vast majority have VVT engines, so stress the importance of following the appropriate oilchange guidelines. Many engines with VVT are also turbocharged, including the EcoBoost from which this solenoid originated. Turbocharged engines automatically fall under our severe-service category, meaning customers who use Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil can extend their drain intervals up to 15,000 miles, 700 hours or one year if they choose. Even if a customer is not interested in extended drain intervals, Signature Series is an excellent choice for maximum engine and turbocharger protection.

They should also be using AMSOIL Ea® Oil Filters. They offer a filtering efficiency of 98.7 percent at 20 microns. Twenty microns is roughly 10 times smaller than the openings in the solenoids pictured. Compared to conventional filters, Ea Oil Filters do a better job trapping and holding the deposits that could otherwise end up negatively affecting VVT components.

VVT systems aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. The challenges they present to motor oil are really opportunities in disguise. Selling a high-quality synthetic motor oil and advanced filters becomes easier when your customers realize the importance of superior protection to the life and performance of their vehicles.

VVT solenoids often contain tiny oil-flow passages that can easily clog with deposits if maintenance is neglected or low-quality oil or filters are used.

Sioux Falls Motor Oil and Lube News, Tech Articles,

A Look at Today's Gasoline Issues and Quality

Written by Fiona

Gasoline is the source of your vehicle’s power – and many of its problems.

Gasoline quality is vital, yet often overlooked.

Dan Peterson - AMSOIL Technical Development

AMSOIL’s Dan Peterson.

Dan Peterson | VICE PRESIDENT, TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT

Gasoline’s influence on our lives can’t be overstated. Remember how the gas lines of the 1970s disrupted daily life? People waited hours to fill up – if there was any gas available once they finally pulled up to the pump. Odd-even rationing dictated that motorists could only fill up on even-numbered days if the last digit on their license plate was even. The fallout of the gas shortages of the 1970s was a driving force behind the government mandates to increase fuel efficiency that continue to influence the industry today.

A few years ago, when gas hit $5 a gallon in some places, stories populated the Internet and airwaves about people willfully losing money to sell their giant SUVs in favor of small, fuel-efficient cars. Some people even took a loss on their houses in the suburbs to move closer to work.

In many ways, gasoline makes the world go ‘round, yet many of your customers likely know almost nothing about it, including the negative effects it can have on their vehicles.

Gasoline is distilled from petroleum crude oil. Typically, a 42-gallon barrel of crude will yield about 19 U.S. gallons of gas. The final blend can contain hundreds of different ingredients, among which are detergency additives designed to prevent harmful deposits from forming inside your engine.

In 1995, the EPA introduced its minimum gasoline detergent standard, known as lowest additive concentration (LAC). The intent was to ensure that all gasoline available in the country contained sufficient detergent additives to combat formation of deposits that reduce fuel efficiency and performance.

The widespread use of electronic fuel injection in the 1980s was a driving force behind the introduction of the LAC mandate. It quickly became evident that fuel injectors were especially sensitive to deposits, and the gasoline of the time didn’t contain sufficient detergents.

Deposit formation on the injector tips disrupts the spray pattern, which reduces fuel economy and results in less-efficient combustion. This contributes to increased tailpipe emissions since unburned gasoline can escape the combustion chamber on the engine’s exhaust stroke.

Deposits can also form on the intake valve, piston crown and in the ring grooves. They can prevent the intake valve from closing completely, reducing engine compression and horsepower. Deposits in the ring grooves can lead to ring sticking, which also reduces engine compression since a stuck ring won’t seal the combustion chamber completely. Piston crown deposits act like a sponge that soaks up gasoline. This can result in preignition, where the fuel/air mixture ignites sporadically, reducing performance and potentially damaging the engine.

Many automakers today don’t think the LAC mandate goes far enough. In fact, many gasoline marketers have reduced detergent levels by up to 50 percent, according to www.toptiergas. com. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is a performance specification designed by several of today’s top automakers.

Today’s vehicles run even hotter than they did in 1995. Since then the number of engines that use turbochargers, which increase heat, has grown substantially. So, too, has the number of vehicles that use direct fuel injection, which locates the injectors directly in the combustion chamber, exposed to intense heat. Plus, injectors today are more highly engineered with tighter tolerances, meaning even minute deposits can interfere with performance.

Gasoline is the source of your vehicle’s power – and many of its problems if you don’t perform proper maintenance. We formulate AMSOIL P.i.® to be one of the most potent additives on the market. It contains a very high dose of fuel detergents proven to combat the problems associated with gasoline, keeping injectors clean and functioning properly. In fact, testing showed dirty injectors returned to >95 percent flow after only one tank of gas treated with P.i. Just take a look at the dramatic before/ after images above.

As vehicles become more sophisticated and sensitive to gas quality, make sure you understand the importance of maintaining them with a quality fuel additive. AMSOIL provides solutions to problems you may not even be aware of.

Let AMSOIL Sioux Falls be your gasoline fuel additive source! Depend on us for the best products which will always be the state of the art for all Nebraskans! Thank you for your business. We love being here in Sioux Falls!

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