Volume 1 Issue 2 - Lubrication
Written by Dan Watson
The last issue of maxxTORQUE Lube Notes explained the regimes of lubrication including Hydrodynamic Lubrication, Boundary Lubrication and Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication. As promised, I will now talk about the formulation of motor oils and why we put all those additives in our oil. Before we get into the formulations of the motor oils, we better take a look at the functions of motor oil. If we understand what oil is doing, then we can better understand why we choose certain base stocks and additives.
Motor oil must perform the following functions:
- Lubricate engine parts in order to prevent wear
- Reduce friction and improve fuel economy
- Maintain clean engine components
- Prevent rust and corrosion
- Minimize engine deposits
- Provide engine cooling
- Aid in engine starting
- Provide ring seal for better combustion pressure
Each of these functions is vital to optimum performance as well as to the durability of the internal combustion engine. Motor oils are complex lubricating fluids carefully formulated to perform all of these functions.
