Q8Oils UK technical sales manager Mike Phillips explains the recent developments in specialised lubricants for commercial vehicles and the important role they play in reducing engine emissions and improving fuel economy.
Think of a lubricant like a structure made of concrete and building blocks, where the foundations are so important for maximum strength and durability. With automotive lubricants this is where we start and the major consideration is the base oil as the carrier for additives, which collectively provide the levels of performance necessary for today’s modern vehicles.
For automotive lubricants we start with the base oil or base stock and there are three common descriptions found in the terminology used when products are formulated and later described in technical data or marketing brochures.
The first is Mineral Oil Base Stocks, which are refined from crude oil and feature a wide distribution of chemical structures. Secondly there are Synthetic Base Stocks, which are built from chemical reactions and control over composition and distribution. The third is Semi-Synthetic or Part-Synthetic, which is a combination of mineral and synthetic base stocks in various proportions, blended to achieve the desired level of performance required in the finished lubricant, without incurring any unnecessary cost increase.
Mineral base stocks are still widely used for automotive and industrial lubricants, but performance in certain areas such as low- and high-temperature stability, means they have limited use. This is where synthetic base stocks have become an essential part of today’s modern automotive lubricants. Synthetics possess excellent low- and high-temperature stability and resistance to oxidation, which helps to determine the life of the finished lubricant.
Engine and emission requirements
For many years the automotive industry has been developing new engines to comply with exhaust emission legislations, which become more stringent as the years go by. Road haulage vehicles play a major role in this process and the European industry is now at the Euro VI exhaust emission level. These modern engines are highly-technical and use sophisticated exhaust after-treatment systems to clean exhaust gases.
Automotive engine lubricants play an extremely important role in ensuring the most efficient operation of heavy duty engines both in component durability and extended oil drain intervals, which now exceed 100,000km for long haul vehicles. Synthetic engine lubricants are now in high demand, achieving the levels of performance commonly specified by the OEM’s. Significantly, low SAPS additive technology (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur) must now be used to ensure compatibility with expensive exhaust after-treatment systems and prevent the poisoning of catalysts. The wrong engine lubricant choice can be a very expensive mistake for the haulier, so the message is: check vehicle maintenance recommendations extremely carefully to ensure you are specifying the correct engine lubricant.
The common engine lubricant specifications recommended by OEMs will include references to ACEA (Europe) and API (USA). Do not ignore these OEM specifications as they are sometimes a requirement in addition to the industry standards for performance quality. Engine lubricant viscosity recommendations to the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standards are now a key requirement, and will be specified according to climatic conditions wherever the vehicle will be used.
Biofuels are becoming more common and, while modern engine lubricants accommodate these fuels, there should be some consideration given to recommendations for users. The general opinion within the European automotive industry recommends halving the oil drain interval if you are not using EN590 fuel.
Fuel economy
Fuel economy is a major influence in the development of vehicles which, for several years, has included engine and transmission systems. A fuel efficient vehicle will not only use less fuel and reduce costs for the operator, but will also help to reduce exhaust emissions and meet legislation limits. Synthetic low-viscosity lubricants play an important role in reducing the internal friction in engine and transmission systems, and therefore have a positive effect on the overall vehicle fuel economy. It is now common for heavy duty vehicles to be using 10W-XX and 5W-XX engine lubricants and 75W-XX transmission lubricants.
Other lubricants and greases
For the hydraulic systems of certain heavy-duty vehicles, improved operating efficiency is now possible by using high VI (viscosity index) synthetic hydraulic fluids, which improve the hydraulic system’s efficiency and in turn, as hydraulic pumps are engine driven, the vehicle’s fuel economy.
Lubricating grease has also developed through the use of synthetic base oil technology, but what is grease?
The definition of grease is a “thickened fluid”, so it is the base oil carrier and additives that perform the lubrication function. The type of thickener specified for the application is there to keep the grease in position.
Modern grease formulations using synthetic base oil technology now deliver greater performance due to improved low- and high-temperature stability and resistance to oxidation. This means a longer operating life is possible depending on the application.
Further information is available from the Q8Oils Technical Help Line, which can assist with product recommendations, OEM approvals, product information, health and safety data, problem solving advice, troubleshooting and highly-specialised after sales packages. These include used oil test analysis, which can give instant diagnostic advice and support if required. Where necessary, laboratory analysis can also be provided to support problem solving, and is backed up with technical reports detailing corrective action.
For further information call the Q8Oils Technical Help Lines on +44 (0)113 236 5223 or email TechDesk@Q8Oils.com.
