Vehicle Engine Oil

What is Vehicle Engine Oil?

Motor oil, engine oil, or engine lubricant is any of various oils comprising different kinds of base oils enriched with additives, particularly anti-wear additive as well as detergents, dispersants and viscosity index improvers. The main application of motor oil is for lubrication of internal combustion engines. The main function of motor oil is to reduce friction and wear on moving parts and to clean the engine from sludge and varnish. It also neutralizes acids that originate from fuel and from oxidation of the lubricant (detergents), improves sealing of piston rings, and cools the engine by carrying heat away from moving parts. It is also worth to be mentioned that, almost all lubricating oils contain corrosion and oxidation inhibitors. We can briefly list the main functions of the vehicle engine oils as:

• Lubrication: Control of friction and wear by reducing friction between surfaces in mutual contact.
• Heat Transfer: To cool the moving parts and surfaces with heat transfer.
• Sealing: Prevent of leakage between moving parts.
• Surface Protection: Lubrication film supply a surface protection.
• Mass Transfer: Able to suspend and carry the particles from wear fuel decomposition, oil, sulfur and dust and so on.

Gasoline Vs. Diesel Engine Oil

The diesel engine oil is very similar to gasoline engine oil. Both have base oils that are formulated with a variety of additives to change particular oil properties. The difference between the two depends on the amount of additives that are used.

To further discuss, diesel engines absorb more carbon while gasoline engines tend to absorb more moisture and tar. Diesel engine oils contain a higher amount of dispersants and more anti-wear additives. Also, diesel requires higher viscosity in the oil unlike the gasoline engine, which only produces more heat. In sum, diesel engine oils contain more additives because they are subject to harsher conditions.

Properties of Vehicle Engine Oil

1. Viscosity: Viscosity is the degree to which the flow resistance and/or fluid internal friction being measured. Viscosity changes with temperature and it is usually being measured at 40 ºC or 100 ºC.
2. Viscosity Index (VI): Viscosity index shows the relative magnitude of viscosity changes with temperature. The higher VI oils the lesser change in viscosity with temperature.
3. Pour Point (P.P.): Pour point is the temperature at which a lubricant becomes semi solid and loses its flow characteristics.
4. Flash Point (F.P.): Flash point is the lowest temperature at which vapors of a lubricant will ignite momentarily on application of a flame under specified conditions.
5. Fire Point: Fire point is the lowest temperature at which vapors of a lubricant will ignite and it will go on. Fire point is usually 15 ºC higher than the flash point.
6. Density: Is the mass of liquid per unit of volume of a substance at 15 ºC.