Diesel
engine oils
We put oil in our engines to serve several
purposes. First, obviously, oil acts as a lubricant. If your
engine is operating correctly, there is almost no metal to
metal contact - everything is riding on a thin film of oil.
Diesel engine oils are required to manage
large amounts of internal contaminants, including combustion
products and water. They are complex to analyse and interpret.
Diesel Engine Oil Lubricants
Lubricants have several functions in an engine.
They:
- Keep the engine cool as they circulate
through the oil system.
- Prevent overheating at contacting moving
surfaces by reducing friction.
- Disperse soot and other fuel combustion
products.
- Neutralise corrosive combustion acids.
Diesel Engine Oil Additives
The additives in the oil are initially capable of providing
protection against the high temperatures and corrosive atmospheres
that are present in the modern internal combustion engine.
However, over time and constant assault, the additives and
oil gradually deteriorate. Soot, wear metals and fuel contamination
all contribute to oxidative breakdown, slowly destroying the
lubricating properties of the engine oil, while the alkaline
detergent additive is depleted by the formation of strong
acids from combustion of the fuel.
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