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Deposit protection is critical for turbocharged engines

Written by Fiona

Deposit protection is critical for turbocharged engines

Motor oil quality must stay ahead of the curve.

Matt Erickson | TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER, PASSENGER CAR

It may be a good time to invest your retirement funds in a company that builds automotive turbochargers; they’re predicted to be in most new passenger cars/light trucks by 2020.

Matt Erickson AMSOIL INCAs such, we’ve focused quite a bit of time and energy on turbos and the challenges they present to motor oil. Today, I want to dive a little deeper into turbo tech and explain how they work and why AMSOIL will be synonymous with the subject of turbos in the coming years.

An engine is essentially an air pump, and the more air it ingests, the more fuel it can burn – and the more power it can produce. There are a few ways to increase the amount of air the engine takes in, but turbocharging has emerged as the favored choice of automakers.

As shown in the diagram, exhaust gases commonly exceeding 1,000ºF spin a turbine, often at more than 150,000 rpm, which drives the compressor that draws ambient air used to pressurize the combustion chamber. The added oxygen combined with direct injection and advanced engine-tuning helps the engine burn fuel more efficiently, boosting fuel economy. It also allows the engine to burn more fuel for increased power. As a result, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine can make as much power as a non-turbo six-cylinder engine. This advancement allows automakers to build vehicles with smaller, lighter engines that don’t sacrifice power or torque. Motorists enjoy the performance and fuel economy they demand, while automakers meet increasingly strict CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements. A win-win situation.

As they say, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and in this case, it’s the motor oil that ends up footing the bill. The turbo’s center section contains an oil-lubricated bearing. The tremendous heat and stress turbos create can cause some oils to break down and form harmful bearing deposits, known as turbo coking. Over time, turbos can suffer reduced performance, or fail altogether.

For this reason, auto manufacturers and oil companies – including AMSOIL – automatically include turbocharged vehicles in their severe-service category when prescribing oil-change intervals. The TEOST 33C Test (ASTM D6335), an industry-standard bench test that simulates turbocharger operating conditions, has taken on added importance in today’s automotive landscape. With the predicted rise in turbo use, it’s more important than ever for motor oils to protect against harmful high-temperature deposits to keep vehicles running properly. To meet the API SN Resource Conserving and ILSAC GF-5 motor oil specifications that are often recommended by vehicle manufacturers, a 5W-30 motor oil must limit total deposit formation to 30 mg or less in the TEOST Test.

Turbocharger Cutaway

In our recent published tests (deposits caused by lower quality base stocks in turbo equipped engines), AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil held the total weight of deposits to 7 mg, well under the 30 mg limit required by the API and ILSAC, while Royal Purple® API 5W-30 and Mobil 1® Extended Performance 5W-30 came in just under the limit at 25.4 mg and 28.2 mg respectively. Signature Series 5W-30 Synthetic Motor Oil protects against harmful deposits on turbochargers 4X better than Mobil 1® Extended Performance and 3.6X better than Royal Purple® in industry-standard testing*.

We want our customers to understand the importance of protecting their turbocharged vehicles, and to know AMSOIL is devoted to offering protection beyond what is required by the industry. We are the only name for true automotive enthusiasts here in Sioux Falls!

*Based on independent, third-party testing of AMSOIL® Signature Series 5W-30, Mobil 1® Extended Performance 5W-30 and Royal Purple® API 5W-30 in the ASTM D6335 bench test required by the API SN Resource Conserving specification. For full test details visit www.amsoil.com/depositprotection.

 

 

 

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Engine Deposits can be Prevented using Superior AMSOIL Lubricants

Written by Fiona

Help Preserve Your Engine’s Horsepower

performance_oil

Although you may equate engine wear and deposits with sudden, catastrophic engine failure, they are more likely to erode engine power and efficiency over time. Here’s how it works and what you can do about it.

Several factors cause an engine to slowly lose power, but one of the primary reasons includes compression loss due to wear and deposits.

Engine compression = power

For your engine to produce maximum power, the combustion chamber must seal completely during the compression and combustion strokes. Wear and deposits can prevent the valves or piston rings from sealing, allowing pressurized gases to escape the combustion chamber and take potential engine power with them.

To illustrate, imagine using a hydraulic floor jack. Pumping the handle will raise the vehicle as long as the release valve is tightly seated and doesn’t leak. A poorly sealed release valve, however, allows pressure to escape, causing the vehicle to sink to the ground no matter how much you pump the jack handle.

The same principle applies inside your engine. If some of the pressure created during the compression and combustion strokes is lost due to valves and piston rings that don’t seal completely, the engine will create less power.

Wear & deposits reduce compression

Over time, deposits or valve wear can prevent the valves from closing completely, interfering with a good seal. Wear can also interfere with proper valve operation, disrupting optimum fuel/air flow.

Worn or stuck piston rings produce the same effect. The rings are designed to move freely in their grooves and press tightly against the cylinder wall, forming a seal that prevents fuel/air from escaping. Ring wear can interfere with formation of a tight seal, while deposit buildup can cause the rings to stick in their grooves, also preventing a good seal. As a result, some fuel/air escapes the combustion chamber during compression, reducing power. On the combustion stroke, pressurized gases can blow by the rings and travel down the cylinder wall and into the oil sump, taking potential power with them. This is what’s meant when someone says an engine has lost compression.

AMSOIL Signature Series helps prevent the problem

A lot is working against you including the quality of the gasoline available here in Sioux Falls. Everything you can do to prevent deposits goes a long way saving you money in the long term no t to mention engine life. AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil provides 75 percent more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear than required by a leading industry standard*, extending the life of vital components like pistons and cams. In addition, it prevents piston deposits 93 percent better than required to meet the latest API standard.* Its outstanding performance helps prevent deposits and wear that rob engines of horsepower, helping preserve that like-new feeling you crave when driving. The secrete is in the low volatility of the oil. That can only happen when quality is the main driver of the firm.

deposits_in_engine

*Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30, in ASTM D7320 as required by API SN specification

Ches Cain – AMSOIL Direct Jobber

Your Sioux Falls Power Gain by Oil company. Most AMSOIL customers discovered AMSOIL via word of mouth due to performance only!! Not because our products save fuel or last 3X longer. It’s the real benefit of performance you can feel!! So compare that to other brands and more research will unveil the BIG lie they “don’t” offer to the consumer as advertised. AMSOIL is a family owned and operated business. No greedy stockholders to effect the choosing of additive packages.

 

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