Reduce Waste Oil by Switching to Extended-Drain Synthetics

Reduce Waste Oil by Switching to Extended-Drain Synthetics By Travis Woods

There are more automobiles on the roads today than ever before, and this trend is obviously going to continue. Unfortunately, oil consumption is going to continue to increase by means of gasoline consumption, and motor oil consumption. Most Americans have been taught from previous generations to always change your oil every 3,000 miles to make your engine last longer. Granted this is partially true, the environment suffers tremendously from the disposal of all this waste oil. We've been in the auto-repair industry for quite some time, and very rarely see engine failures caused by 'old' oil.

Some of our customers change their oil every 3,000 miles as recommended by their service manuals, but many of them wait until 5,000 miles or more, and use the cheapest oil they can buy. And yet, their engines still last over 150K miles without having failure due to old engine oil. This just goes to show that most factory engines can tolerate fairly extreme service conditions. For the most part, engine problems are usually caused by overheating, over-revving, lack of maintenance, and the usual lead-foot abuse.

With today's high-quality synthetic motor oils, there is no reason or excuse to not be switching to longer drain-intervals. If everybody extended their drain-intervals by only 1,000 miles, the reduction of waste oil would be phenomenal. Our overall oil consumption in the US would decrease enough that it would draw national attention. Thankfully, Mobil 1 has recently introduced their own line of extended-drain synthetic oils, and I expect many more to follow suit in the very near future.

This really adds credibility to AMSOIL's long-standing claims of extended drain-intervals, and is a huge step towards convincing people that longer drain-intervals are perfectly safe. Although the initial cost is relatively expensive, the savings obtained from increased gas mileage, less frequent oil changes, and reduction of waste oil are all extremely important reasons to switch to a premium quality extended-drain synthetic motor oil. In addition, synthetics provide far better engine protection, especially in temperature extremes, where most conventional oils break down and provide very little protection to bearings and other moving parts. Regardless of which brand you choose, be responsible, and extend your drain-intervals.

Woods Bros. Racing is a certified AMSOIL Dealer with over 15 years of experience in the auto-repair industry. For more information about AMSOIL products or ordering, please visit our website at http://www.woodsbrosracing.com

Engine Protection Can Save Gas and Help the Environment

Engine Protection Can Save Gas and Help the Environment By Chris Robertson Chris Robertson Level: Platinum Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon International is one of the world's MOST popular internet marketing and internet advertising companies on ... ...

Today, everyone is feeling the pinch at the pump. Gasoline prices have gone through the roof, and there is little relief in sight. Although some people are able to drive less in order to save gas, and others are able to trade in their vehicles for more fuel efficient models, many of us must drive in order to get to work and aren't in a position to get a new car.

The Source of the Problem

While there are fuel additives on the market that promise to extend gas mileage, the recurring cost of those additives means that they don't result in significant savings. To really save gas, we need to take a step back, look at internal combustion engines, and examine ways we can make improvements at the source of the problem.

What's the problem? Car engines are inherently inefficient. In fact, the U.S. Department of Energy has found that only about 15 percent of the energy in gas is actually used to power our cars. Much of the rest of the energy is expended by the engine and drive train's moving parts. Oil acts as a lubricant for some of the moving parts, but it's insufficient to increase MPG, or miles per gallon, of fuel.

Solutions from Science

One of the best solutions comes from metal technology, in the form of a dry lubricant that coats vehicles' moving parts in order to reduce friction. Once friction has been reduced, a greater percentage of the car's gas is used to move the car down the road. In other words, we get better engine performance, more power, and increase MPG at the same time. And, because there is less friction, this dry lubricant extends the life of the engine and decreases the need for maintenance repairs.

Perhaps the best news of all is that the film that is deposited on metal parts will last for the lifetime of the vehicle. In other words, we only have to use the product once in order to experience years of savings. In addition, vehicles don't need to be taken to a facility in order to use the product. Essentially, installing this dry lubricant is a three-step process. First, you have to drive for about ten minutes to get the engine to its normal running temperature. Then, you pour in the correct amount of the product (as determined by engine type and size) into the fuel tank and the oil supply. Any excess will be flushed away at your next oil change. Finally, you drive your car for about 20 minutes more in order for the material to embed into the steel surfaces and coat the moving parts. That's it!

Environmental Impact

Not only will this one-time treatment save gas and enhance engine performance, but it will also result in less emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency published data saying that this type of engine protection decreases hydrocarbon emissions by almost 25 percent, carbon monoxide emissions by almost 44 percent, and nitrous oxide emissions by over 21 percent.

Given the global concern about the effect of greenhouse gases on the environment, using a product that will save gas, result in less emissions, and extend the life of an engine is both responsible and economical.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web.

Learn more about Engine Protection Can Save Gas or Majon's Automotive directory

Engine Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Engine Chronic Fatigue Syndrome By Dee Scrip

We all get tired and have felt depressed at times, but have you ever considered that your engine may experience the same manifestations?

The early signs of Engine Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ECFS) is a strong, noticeable lethargy that simply overpowers your engine. The profound weakness does not disappear with additional fuel feedings, oil changes, spark plug replacements, etc.

ECFS Symptoms:

· Strong and noticeable fatigue even after resting

· Increased fuel appetite

· Inability to perform with no apparent reason

· Dissipation of energy and vigor

· Painful increased toxic exhaust emissions

· Vociferous discord in engine

· Increased frequency in oil changes

· Persistent soiled spark plugs

One or more of these symptoms warrants further investigation.

How does ECFS begin?

From the first time you use either gasoline or diesel to fill the tank.

Who can get ECFS?

ECFS transcends all ages, social and economic classes, as well as geographical locations. Some members of the transportation community, and public consumers as a whole, are inexperienced with ECFS, or are skeptical of the syndrome.

What are the statistics for ECFS?

Inevitably, all engines powered by diesel or gasoline fuel are affected.

What causes ECFS?

Sulfuric acid in the engine produced by a combination of water in fuel and innate attraction of fuel to water. Although most diagnosticians thought it to be an age disorder resulting in weakness and fatigue, scientific evidence has now cast doubt on that theory.

How can consumers cope with and manage ECFS?

The Fuel Doctor suggests that “what we have here is a failure to communicate” between owner and engine. Manifestations are simply an engine’s mode of conveying the need for owner intervention.

Learning how to manage ECFS, may help improve the level at which your engine functions, as well as its quality of life. But managing ECFS requires treatment choices: short term versus long term, economical versus non-economical.

Long Short-Term Treatments -- Manage individual symptoms as they surface. For example, soiled spark plugs can be changed, or tainted oil can be removed and replaced. Not economically viable.

Short Long-Term Treatment – Manage the collective symptoms and simultaneously induce a cure – clearly the optimal economically viable solution.

The Fuel Doctor’s Treatment Prescription:

Based on scientific evidence, the Fuel Doctor strongly recommends the UBiee Power Pill Fe-3 for treating all ECFS expressions. The Power Pill Fe-3 is not only a nutritious supplement to fuel feedings, but it has shown to radically induce improvement and liberate cure for all guises of ECFS. It is the most economically viable solution available on the market.

Conclusion:

Engine Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a condition of known causes and is an inherent disorder affecting all engines. Results of treatment with Power Pill Fe-3 have proven to work an effective and economical cure.

**Attn Ezine editors / Site owners **
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include the resource box as listed above.

Dee Scrip is a well known and respected published expert author of numerous articles on Home Business, Business Opportunities, Fundraising, VoIP, VoIP Security, and other related VoIP issues.

http://www.helpwithfuelprices.net
http://www.free-pc-phone.com

Dealing With Used Motor Oil

Dealing With Used Motor Oil By G Chapman

To automobiles, motor oil is essential for proper engine performance, as is replacing it on a regular basis. To the plants and animals with which we share our natural environment, motor oil can be damaging and even deadly. Oil that is improperly discarded in trash cans, storm drains and on the ground does not readily break down and can cause irreversible harm to the environment. Even relatively small amounts of used motor oil can contaminate millions of gallons of fresh water on which humans, plants and animals rely for daily life and survival. Additionally, contamination caused by the disposal of used motor oil on the ground can render soil unable to support plant life for decades. Fortunately, many local governments as well as private entities such as auto repair businesses, car dealerships and automobile parts stores accept used motor oil from consumers for recycling. Still, consumers who are unaware of or unwilling to comply with safe motor oil disposal methods are releasing millions of gallons of contaminants into the environment, creating pollution that could easily have been prevented.

Companies which accumulate large quantities of used motor oil as a byproduct of doing business, such as oil change service stations, must comply with laws regulating their methods of handling motor oil. If you are like many people and change your vehicle’s motor oil yourself, utilize online resources, consult the local phone book and obtain personal referrals to determine the most convenient means of recycling used motor oil in your area. Often, oil change stations and automotive stores will accept your used motor oil for recycling. Some communities even provide convenient road side collection of motor oil for recycling. Regardless of the method you choose in recycling used oil, ensure that you are collecting used oil in an appropriate container with a secure lid which has not been used to store other household chemicals. Also, inquire about the proper means of collecting the oil that has accumulated in your oil filter, which may also be recycled.

Besides carrying significant environmental benefits, recycling used motor oil conserves the world’s precious natural resources and saves energy and money. Used motor oil can be recycled and reprocessed into a valuable, usable substance with the ability to provide electricity and heat energy for places such as power plants and other manufacturing facilities. The utilization of reconditioned motor oil for energy reduces the demand for petroleum from the world’s limited reserves and affords an economical, renewable source of energy.

Synthetic Oil Revolution

Synthetic Oil Revolution By Gregory J Johnson Gregory J Johnson Level: Basic PLUS Retired Airline Captain Started using synthetic lubricants, including synthetic motor oil, transmission, gear oils, brake fluid and radiator coolants about three years ago. I used ... ...

Old Habits are hard to break!

You can't teach an old dog new
tricks!

These are a couple of adages that apply to the use of oil verses
Synthetic Lubricants in our cars, trucks and any other motorized
vehicles we own.

For the past 100 years or so the standard oil change drain
interval has been established at 3000 miles. This standard,
established by the petroleum industry, the automobile industry
and our automotive mechanics has worked fairly well. The real
reason for frequent oil changes are the chemical changes to the
oil itself , depletion of the additives and the effects of
oxidation and heat Oil is black when you change it because its
molecules have broken down and lost their ability to function.
As oil breaks down and loses its ability to lubricate then
damage begins to occur to your engines moving parts, including
its crankshaft, bearings, cylinder walls, rings and gearboxes
and any other moving part.

When the proper lubricant is lacking the result is failure of
that part.

To avoid this problem OEM ( Original Equipment Manufacturers)
accepted the 3000 miles drain interval as the standard because
of the rapid deterioration of motor oils. Thus giving the
consumer the feeling that this is the best formula for
maintaining their vehicle. Most motor oils will provide
protection past 3000 miles but that number has been ingrained
into our minds and has become a habit.

Synthetic Oils have been in the developmental stages since 1877
when C. Friedlander and JM Crafts synthesized the first
synthetic hydrocarbons. Over the next 130 years chemists have
developed new processes for the commercial application of
synthetic lubricants. Over these years such familiar companies
as Standard Oil, Union Carbide, National Carbide and Texaco have
produced synthetic fluids. The Germans under Adolph Hitler had a
major synthetic fuel and oil program because of their dependence
on imported oil.

How does it work? Synthetics contain only uniform smooth
lubricating molecules that easily slide across one another and
are not affected by extremes in heat and cold. Motor oils have
odd shaped, irregular and jagged molecules that don't slip that
easily and break down at differing rates. Uniformity helps
synthetic oils resist thinning in heat and thickening in cold
which protects better in an engines wide temperature operating
ranges.

By producing synthetic oils we can manipulate them to provide
protection throughout a wide variety of conditions including
lubricant viscosity , thermal and oxidative stability, hot and
cold temperature fluidity, friction control and volatility which
is the boiling off point of the molecules.

Now is the time to join the Synthetic Oil Revolution and help
reduce our dependence upon foreign oil imports. Made in America
is a strong statement. In 1972 a company was formed with a
vision, to provide a better product from what was on the market
at the time. They produced the first 25,000 mile drain interval
synthetic crankcase oil. They specifically addressed the
benefits associated with using synthetic oils. Now with over 35
years of experience they have positioned themselves to provide
us with the products that will be the standard for our
lubrication needs within the next 10 years. The benefits include
Higher Mileage, Longer Drain Intervals, Saving Time, Money the
Earth and your Vehicle. Only 2% of the vehicles on the road
today use this technology.

Ten Myths About Synthetic Lubrication

Ten Myths About Synthetic Lubrication By Ed Newman

It's a fact of life that behavior is influenced by what people believe, whether true or not. Numerous cases from history bear this out. For example, sailors were once fearful of sailing outside the sight of land lest they would fall off the edge of the world. In the early

19th century, the train was considered dangerous because it was believed that if you moved faster than 25 miles per hour, you’d be traveling too fast to breathe. At a later date, the New York Times warned that electric light would cause blindness. Microwave ovens, automobiles and airplanes have had equally vociferous opponents.

Looking back, it's easy to laugh at some of the things people once held as true. But these people were not stupid. They were misinformed. In many instances they had simply drawn conclusions before all the facts were in. How easy it is to make the same mistake today.

In our own time, synthetic motor oils have been the object of numerous misconceptions held by the general public. Many people, including some mechanics, have been misled by these persistent myths.

PARAMETERS OF THE DEBATE

Synthetic motor oils are fuel efficient, extended life lubricants manufactured from select base stocks and special purpose additives. Synthetic oil base stocks are made from organic compounds or synthetic hydrocarbons using a process that re-arranges the structure so all the molecules are uniform in size, shape and weight, a phenomenon that does not occur in nature. In contrast to petroleum oils which are pumped from the earth and refined, synthetics are custom-designed to produce, in effect, the ideal lubricant.

In responding to the objections most commonly raised against synthetics it is important to establish the parameters of the debate. When speaking of synthetic motor oils, this article is defending the lubricants which have been formulated to meet the performance standards set by the American Petroleum Institute (API). (The first such synthetic motor oil independently tested and confirmed to meet these industry-accepted tests for defining engine oil properties and performance characteristics was AMSOIL 100% Synthetic 10W-40 in 1972.)

Many people with questions about synthetics haven't known where to turn to get correct information. Is it super oil or snake oil? Some enthusiasts will swear that synthetics are capable of raising your car from the dead. On the other hand, the next fellow asserts that synthetics will send your beloved car to an early grave. Where's the truth in all this?

In an effort to set the record straight, we've assembled here ten of the more persistent myths about synthetic motor oils to see how they stack up against the facts.

Myth #1: Synthetic motor oils damage seals.

Untrue. It would be foolhardy for lubricant manufacturers to build a product that is incompatible with seals. The composition of seals presents problems that both petroleum oils and synthetics must overcome. Made from elastomers, seals are inherently difficult to standardize.

Ultimately it is the additive mix in oil that counts. Additives to control seal swell, shrinkage and hardening are required, whether it be a synthetic or petroleum product that is being produced.

Myth #2: Synthetics are too thin to stay in the engine.

Untrue. In order for a lubricant to be classified in any SAE grade (10W-30, 10W-40, etc.) it has to meet certain guidelines with regard to viscosity ("thickness").

For example, it makes no difference whether it's 10W-40 petroleum or 10W-40 synthetic, at -25 degrees centigrade (-13F) and 100 degrees centigrade (212 degrees F) the oil has to maintain a standardized viscosity or it can't be rated a 10W-40.

Myth #3: Synthetics cause cars to use more oil.

Untrue. Synthetic motor oils are intended for use in mechanically sound engines, that is, engines that don't leak. In such engines, oil consumption will actually be reduced. First, because of the lower volatility of synlubes. Second, because of the better sealing characteristics between piston rings and cylinder walls. And finally, because of the superior oxidation stability (i.e. resistance of synthetics against reacting with oxygen at high temperatures.)

Myth #4: Synthetic lubricants are not compatible with petroleum.

Untrue. The synthesized hydrocarbons, polyalphaolefins, diesters and other materials that form the base stocks of high-quality name brand synthetics are fully compatible with petroleum oils. In the old days, some companies used ingredients that were not compatible, causing quality synlubes to suffer a bum rap. Fortunately, those days are long gone.

Compatibility is something to keep in mind, however, whether using petroleum oils or synthetics. It is usually best to use the same oil for topping off that you have been running in the engine. That is, it is preferable to not mix your oils, even if it is Valvoline or Quaker State you are using. The reason is this: the functions of additives blended for specific characteristics can be offset when oils with different additive packages are put together. For optimal performance, it is better to use the same oil throughout.

Myth #5: Synthetic lubricants are not readily available.

Untrue. This may have been the case two decades ago when AMSOIL and Mobil 1 were the only real choices, but today nearly every major oil company has added a synthetic product to their lines. This in itself is a testament to the value synthetics offer.

Myth #6: Synthetic lubricants produce sludge.

Untrue. In point of fact, synthetic motor oils are more sludge resistant than their petroleum counterparts, resisting the effects of high temperature and oxidation. In the presence of high temperatures, two things can happen. First, an oil's lighter ingredients boil off, making the oil thicker. Second, many of the complex chemicals found naturally in petroleum base stocks begin to react with each other, forming sludge, gum and varnish. One result is a loss of fluidity at low temperatures, slowing the timely flow of oil to the engine for vital component protection.

Further negative effects of thickened oil include the restriction of oil flow into critical areas, greater wear and loss of fuel economy.

Because of their higher flash points, and their ability to withstand evaporation loss and oxidation, synthetics are much more resistant to sludge development.

Two other causes of sludge -- ingested dirt and water dilution -- can be a problem in any kind of oil, whether petroleum or synthetic. These are problems with the air filtration system and the cooling system respectively, not the oil.

Myth #7: Synthetics can't be used with catalytic converters or oxygen sensors.

Untrue. There is no difference between synthetic and petroleum oils in regards to these components. Both synthetic and petroleum motor oils are similar compounds and neither is damaging to catalytic converters or oxygen sensors. In fact, because engines tend to run cleaner with synthetics, sensors and emission control systems run more efficiently and with less contamination.

Myth#8: Synthetics void warranties.

Untrue. Major engine manufacturers specifically recommend the use of synthetic lubricants. In point of fact, increasing numbers of high performance cars are arriving on showroom floors with synthetic motor oils as factory fill.

New vehicle warranties are based upon the use of oils meeting specific API Service Classifications (for example, SJ/CF). Synthetic lubricants which meet current API Service requirements are perfectly suited for use in any vehicle without affecting the validity of the new car warranty.

In point of fact, in the twenty-eight years that AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants have been used in extended service situations, over billions of miles of actual driving, these oils have not been faulted once for voiding an automaker's warranty.

Myth #9: Synthetics last forever.

Untrue. Although some experts feel that synthetic base stocks themselves can be used forever, it is well known that eventually the additives will falter and cause the oil to require changing. Moisture, fuel dillution, and the by-products of combustion (acids and soot) tend to use up additives in an oil, allowing degradation to occur.

However, by "topping off", additives can be replenished. Through good filtration and periodic oil analysis, synthetic engine oils protect an engine for lengths of time far beyond the capability of non-synthetics.

Myth #10: Synthetics are too expensive.

Untrue. Tests and experience have proven that synthetics can greatly extend drain intervals, provide better fuel economy, reduce engine wear and enable vehicles to operate with greater reliability. This more than offsets initial price differences. All these elements combine to make synthetic engine oils more economical than conventional non-synthetics.

In Europe, synthetics have enjoyed increasing acceptance as car buyers look first to performance and long term value rather than initial price. As more sophisticated technology places greater demands on today's motor oils, we will no doubt see an increasing re-evaluation of oil buying habits in this country as well.

CONCLUSIONS

Since their inception, manufacturers of synthetic motor oils have sought to educate the public about the facts regarding synthetics, and the need for consumers to make their lubrication purchasing decisions based on quality rather than price. As was the case with microwave ovens or electric lights, a highly technological improvement must often overcome a fair amount of public skepticism and consumer inertia before it is embraced by the general population.

But the word is getting out as a growing number of motorists worldwide experience the benefits of synthetic lubrication. The wave of the future, in auto lubes, is well under way.

-30-

About The Author

Ed Newman is Marketing Manager for AMSOIL INC., manufacturer of the original synthetic motor oil for automotive applications. He has published more than 200 articles as a freelance writer on a wide range of important topics.

Synthetic Lubricants Mean Less Dependence on Foreign Oil Consumption

Synthetic Lubricants Mean Less Dependence on Foreign Oil Consumption By Steve Danielson

As big oil companies continue to grow bigger, foreigners are the ones who get most of the money. If you own a lot of oil stock you may be happy, but the rest of us can only grumble when we see prices jump higher at the pump. The gas station is the easiest way to see how the rising cost of oil affects us, but there are many hidden costs, too.

Much of the world’s oil now comes from the middle east. We are able to see on a daily basis the price of being dependent on another part of the world for the energy we have come to rely upon. The wars in that region may not be for oil specifically, but if there was no oil, there would be considerably less money to make war. Most of the oil money goes to a few people who are in control. The majority of the people in the oil rich countries remain poverty-stricken and greatly resent the way the cash flow does not improve their lives.

For every dollar we spend on gasoline or oil, a significant portion goes to companies paying taxes in foreign countries. In much the same way that it hurts our country to lose jobs to foreign corporations, our economy suffers greatly when we buy foreign oil.

The U.S. population consumes an incredible amount of energy. For most of us, mobility is necessary to live our daily lives. We drive to work each day; chauffer our children from place to place, and rely heavily upon rental and company cars for business travel. In a more perfect world, mass transit or bicycles would be much better, but with frequently changing jobs, nomadic lifestyles and hectic schedules, these options are hardly practical.

Many people complain about the price of gas, the war and the terrorists who are funded by oil money. Instead of enabling the situation, let's make some changes for the better.

Now is our chance to make a difference for our country and the future of our economy. How can you help? Exercise your American buying power!

Boosting the fuel economy of our vehicles can dramatically reduce foreign oil consumption. We don’t have to be as dependant on foreign oil as we might think. Just lessening our oil and fuel usage even a small amount will help. Buying products made in the USA can reduce our dependence and keep the money and jobs in our country.

LessForeignOil.com is dedicated to helping reduce the amount of oil we use through the development of environmentally-friendly synthetic lubricants. What are some synthetic oil-based products that will prove economical for your cars, trucks and machinery parts while being kind to the environment?

- synthetic engine oil

- synthetic racing oil

- synthetic motor oil

- biodegradable hydraulic oil

- transmission fluid

- synthetic polymer food-grade grease

- suspension fluid

- oil and air filters

- gas stabilizers

As we move into an economy that includes developing countries with needs that will soon exceed the USA, reducing oil use is even more important. If you're the kind of person that takes a great opportunity when it is offered, you can get started now. For more information on a full line of technologically-advanced, superior-performance synthetic oil products, visit www.lessforeignoil.com. Buy American, and make a difference for your country's economy and for future generations to come.

Copyright 2005 Steve Danielson. All rights reserved.

Steve Danielson has over 35 years of experience designing, building, repairing, operating and owning machinery including autos, heavy trucks, RVs, construction, sawmills, concrete, mining systems and farm equipment. Learn more at http://www.lessforeignoil.com

How Often Do You Change Oil?

How Often Do You Change Oil? By Thomas Yoon Thomas Yoon Level: Platinum Thomas Yoon specializes in cartoon illustrations that will make an impact on people's opinions. Publisher for fortnightly distributed Marine Treasure Chest Ezine and TechMarketing Ezine ... ...

When do you need to replace your lubricating oil? If you have a large quantity of lubricating oil to change, it is going to burn a hole in your pocket. So most plant operators try to preserve the properties of the lubricating oil for as long as possible.

One of the most important functions of lubricating oil is to reduce the friction between the moving parts of machinery. But there are other features to look at.

When do you know that the oil needs to be changed? Below is a rough guide:

1. Viscosity has changed by 10%
2. Flash Point has dropped to 150 degree Celsius
3. Water Content has reached 2%
4. TBN, or Total Base Number has reduced by 20%
5. Insoluble Content has increased to 5% of the oil

Due to the oxidation of the oil when exposed to heat and oxygen, the viscosity of the oil tend to reduce. With the reduction of viscosity, the film of oil between rubbing metal surfaces becomes more difficult to maintain. This results in metal to metal contact, micro seizures that leads to scuffing, abrasion and other damages.

In large diesel engines, fuel oil from dripping injectors or fuel pumps sometimes finds their way into the lubrication oil sump. This has the tendency to reduce the flash point of the lubricating oil. In addition to reducing the viscosity that is detrimental to lubrication, this contamination with fuel oil can be quite dangerous. If there is a hotspot in any of the rubbing parts, this can lead to a crankcase explosion.

Water can also find its way into the lubricating oil from leaks in the cooling water system o-rings or gaskets. In addition to reducing the lubricating properties of the oil, the presence of water in the oil can give rise to bacteria or fungal growth, which will quickly damage the oil properties as well as contributing to acid corrosion and oxidation of the oil, changing the chemical composition of the oil itself. However, if the water content is below 0.5%, it can still be removed by centrifugal purifiers.

The total base number is especially needed for the cylinder liner lubrication of engines that run on poor quality fuel with high sulphur content. The base additive is used to reduce the corrosive effects of the sulphuric acid fumes on the cylinder.

With large diesel engine installations, the lubricating oils are continuously filtered and purified to reduce the insoluble particles in the oil. Special strainers containing magnets are used to trap particles of carbon or iron particles. In large diesel engines, the carbon particles are byproducts of combustion while the iron particles comes from rubbing of gears, cams or other parts where wear down still occur.

The presence of these particles interferes with the lubrication of bearings, most of which contain soft white-metal coating. The particles can become embedded into the soft metal and cause abrasion of the metal parts.

The contents of this page are part of a page from my e-book "General Engineering Knowledge Notes" that will help candidates prepare for the Marine Certificate of Competency Examinations. This e-book is available for FREE downloading at http://www.free-marine.com/ebook.htm

Until next time...

Make "hard-to-find" Tools "easy-to-find". You can only Produce YOUR BEST with THE BEST!" Earn praises for a job well done, only with the PROPER TOOLS! Locate Hard-to-Find Tools for your garage and workshop. Good for Cars, Trucks, Cycles, Boats, and Planes. http://www.free-marine.com/linkeastwood.htm

Many years of working experience in Marine, Facilities, Construction has given the author material for writing e-books and articles related to engineering, and management. Subscribe to facworld ezine at mailto:facworld-subscribe@yahoogroups.com More information at http://www.free-marine.com and http://www.free-engineering.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Yoon

How to Make Your Car Run on Water

How to Make Your Car Run on Water! By Dave Sterling

With fuel prices constantly juggling around, it is increasingly difficult to make commitments in our life that matter. We want to plan a vacation but have to worry about how much you will spend on gas. You snag a great new job but it is really too far a commute to justify the gas costs versus your pay. You want a new car and could really use a truck, but there goes that fuel efficiency issue all over again. But now you have a solution- supplementing your car fuel with hydrogen created from water.

How It Works

Nobody should run out to put water in their gas tank just to see what happens, but what you should do is consider checking out a program that can give you the right information for improving your fuel efficiency all while reducing your costs. There are even environmental benefits for the use of hydrogen supplements developed from water. Understanding how to make your car run on water will provide you long term benefits that you will never see from just investing in traditional fuel efficiency options.

Making your car or truck run off of water may seem impossible, but there are online programs that provide instructions as well as technical support to help you get started right away. Using just a small amount of electricity generated from your car or truck battery, the system separates water into a hydrogen gas that is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.

Why Didn't They Think of This Before?

You may be wondering why the water for fuel solution has not been put in to place before. The simple fact is that several people have developed patented technology but it simply hasn't caught on the way that it can. By checking out some of the many available online programs and the several testimonials from users who are enjoying the increased fuel efficiency of their cars and trucks, soon you can also be enjoying extra money in your pocket from your reduced gas consumption.

Are you sick of putting your hard earned dollars directly into your gas tank?

Click here to learn how I saved thousands on gas last year.

Dave Sterling is an Ezine Expert Author™ with over 1 million published article views.

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Synthetic Oil - What's the Big Deal?

Synthetic Oil - What's the Big Deal? By Thom Wofford

Let' talk about motor oil in general for a minute. Motor oil is the life blood of an engine. It consists of two basic components, the base stock and the additives. The base stock makes up the majority of the volume of the oil and is responsible for lubricating the moving parts of the engine and removing heat. It also seals the piston rings.

Base stocks can be made from, (1) crude petroleum that goes through a refining process, (2)chemicals that are synthesized in a laboratory setting, or (3) a combination of the two. A petroleum base stock is composed of a number of different sizes and shapes of long chain carbon molecules that are sensitive to heat and tend to boil away at relatively low temperatures. Over time this leads to sludge and varnish buildup and changes in the oil's viscosity. In synthetic base stocks the molecules are uniform in shape and size rendering them much more resistant to the effects of the heat inherent in internal combustion engines. Synthetic oil base stocks retain their molecular structure and physical properties (such as viscosity) much longer and because of the molecular uniformity have a lower coefficient of friction and are much better at transferring heat away from moving parts.

The chemicals that make up the additives in motor oil are put there to provide specific properties not inherent in the base stocks themselves. These include anti-wear, anti-foam, protection from corrosion, neutralization of acid, maintenance of viscosity and detergency or cleaning properties. The quality and quantity of additives varies greatly depending on the required specifications. Some oils only provide additive levels that comply with minimum industry standards while others offer very high quality additives in quantities that meet high performance requirements.

As internal combustion engines and drive-trains become more sophisticated the lubricants they use must meet higher and higher standards. At this time about approximately10% of the lubricants used today are synthetic. We will start seeing this percentage increasing rapidly as more and more vehicle and equipment manufacturers begin recommending synthetics in their new vehicles and oil and filter change intervals continue to increase.

Additives Make the Base Stock Better.

Oil additives are basically chemicals that provide increased anti-wear, anti-foam, corrosion protection, neutralization of acid, viscosity maintenance, detergency (the cleaning properties of the oil) and dispercency. Let's take these one at a time.

* Most of an oil's function is to prevent friction and wear between moving parts in an engine or drive-train component. The additives bond to the metal surfaces and form a protective film between moving parts that are at the most risk of wear during start-up and before the oil warms up and circulates completely. Although this protective film doesn't entirely eliminate metal to metal contact it minimizes the effect of that contact.

* Silicone is one of the common chemicals added to oil in small amounts to keep it from foaming when it is circulating through the equipment. Foaming is undesirable because the air bubbles can create a frothy mass that has little ability to lubricate or transfer heat, which are the two most important functions of the oil.

* When oil is heated over time it begins to produce acidic gases that combine with condensation in the crankcase. If left unchecked this results in corrosion and rust of the metal components. It is important that oil has properties that inhibit acid formation. Synthetic base stocks are generally more resistant to acid formation than petroleum base stocks and oxidation inhibitors work to inhibit the impact of oxidation.

*The most important property of an oil, viscosity, refers to the oil's resistance to flow. An oil's viscosity will change when it changes temperature. It becomes thinner when hot and thicker when cold. To maintain its maximum lubricating ability oil must remain viscous enough when hot to offer a protective layer between moving parts and must be able to flow at cold temperatures to lubricate moving parts upon engine start-up. Viscosity improvers are chemical polymers that decrease the viscosity fluctuations of oil when exposed to fluctuating temperatures. Since synthetic base stocks are inherently "viscosity stable" they require less viscosity improver additives than petroleum based oils.

*Detergents are added to motor oil to keep combustion by-products from building up on pistons, rings, valves and cylinder walls in the form of varnish and sludge deposits. Without detergent additives, varnish and sludge can effect oil circulation and clog the oil channels running throughout the engine, resulting in inadequate lubrication to critical engine components.

*Dispersant additives keep any combustion by-products that do form and find their way into the engine oil suspended in the oil as it circulates. They are then picked up by the oil filter and eliminated.

*It is important that oil is compatible with the various gasket and seal materials used in an engine. Additives can be added that will enable the seals to swell slightly and remain pliable rather than becoming hard, then cracking and causing leaks.

Why is all of this important? Because, with oil you get what you pay for. The more expensive oils, in general, are composed of higher quality base stocks and additives. Paying a little extra for a premium lubricant will save money and time down the road due to decreased breakdowns and improved fuel economy.

Is the 3000 Mile Oil Change Dead?

The old standard 3000 mile oil change, promoted for years by most motor oil companies and especially quick lube businesses, is going by the wayside. Vehicle manufacturers have recently begun recommending oil change intervals exceeding 3,000 miles. Most are now recommending intervals of 5000 miles or more. Ford Motor Company began recommending 7500 mile oil change intervals in 2007.

In the December 2006 issue of Consumer Reports drivers were encouraged to follow the longer oil change recommendations of vehicle manufacturers saying, "Although oil companies and quick-lube shops like to promote this idea (that engine oil should be changed every 3,000 miles) it's usually not necessary. Go by the recommended oil change schedule in your vehicle owner's manual. Most vehicles driven under normal conditions can go 7500 miles or more between changes. Some models now come with a monitoring system that alerts the driver when the oil needs changing. The California Environmental Protection Agency and its Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) launched a public information program and website designed to "bust the 3000-mile myth" and encourage drivers to reduce used oil volume by following the longer oil drain recommendations of vehicle manufacturers.

In addition to the environmental benefits associated with less waste oil, extended drain intervals with synthetic oil saves consumers money. Assuming a consumer drives 15,000 miles in a year and does 5 oil changes at $30 per change, the 3000 mile oil change interval will cost $150.00 over the course of a year. Changing to synthetic oil that will last 7500 miles will cost approximately $120.00 and an oil change with oil that will last 15,000 miles will cost approximately $100.00, saving $50 per year. Additional savings occur from an expected increase in gas mileage of 3% to 5% due to the ability of the synthetic oil to reduce friction within the engine.

The question then becomes; where do you find oil that will last 15,000 miles? There is only one oil company that manufactures a completely synthetic oil and guarantees it 15,000 miles or more and has been doing so for 35 years. The name of the company is AMSOIL, Inc. You can view a comparison of AMSOIL Synthetic Oil with other leading brands of oil on our website and judge for yourself whether synthetic oil is for you and your vehicles or equipment.

Extended oil drain intervals are here to stay and synthetic oil is the only type of oil that will hold up for that long. If you are going to use synthetics, doing your homework will allow you to receive the best value available.

Synthetic Lubricants - Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications

Synthetic Lubricants - Advantages, Disadvantages and Applications By Richard C. Milton Richard C. Milton Level: Platinum Manager and editor of IndustrialSAVER, an Online Manufacturing Marketplace to post and explore offerings to buy/sell industrial products and services from national and international manufacturers ... ...

Synthetic lubricants are often attached to products such as synthetic oils and greases. They are made out of different compounds like boron nitride, esters, diesters, chlorofluorocarbons, polyglycol and silicones. When compared to non-synthetic fluids, synthetic ones are often more expensive. But the cost one spends over synthetic greases is compensated with better cooling performances and fire resistance.

There are many types of synthetic lubricants for cooling performance and fire resistance. Some of the most popular ones are insulating and thermal oils, floor or mist coolants and circulating coolants. General applications include grinding, metal cutting, metal forming, transmission, hydraulic purposes and vacuum fluids. They vary according to dielectric strength, gravity, viscosity index, thermal conductivity, operating temperature and usage concentration. Learn about more facts regarding these industrial products.

Advantages versus disadvantages

Just like other products sold in the market today, synthetic oils, greases and lubricants have their own benefits and drawbacks. It is favored because it poses better stability in terms of shearing and chemical components. It does not evaporate as quick as other forms and it has a better temperature viscosity. It resists problems such as oil sludge, thermal breakdown and oxidation. Above all, because these lubricants provide better lubrication, it delivers more improved fuel economy than with non-synthetic versions.

Alongside these major advantages are some disadvantages as well. In some instances, synthetic lubricants result to lower friction thus making them not that suitable for break-in purposes especially for brand new vehicles. In some environments, problems on decomposition may potentially arise. They also do not have the capacity to hold mineral oil and lead therefore caution is needed when one makes use of leaded gasoline or fuel. Overall, synthetic greases are not advisable to be used in automotive rotary engines.

More specific applications and other facts on these industrial products

There is a wide array of designs created for synthetic oils, greases and lubricants depending on the industries where they are utilized. Some popular industries that benefit from such industrial products are automotive, marine, military and aerospace. They are highly favored in food and beverage as well as pharmaceutical industries too. In certain cases, the products provide much ease and help in making bearings, processing equipment, piston pumps, gears, compressors, final drives and combustion engines run properly.

Synthetic lubricants function very well with the help of several agents or components. With the use of extra pressure additives, stopping when there are heavy loads as well as sticking is prevented. Those with release agents also prevent other materials from sticking to any underlying surface.

Biodiesel Fuel Additives - What You Need to Know

Biodiesel Fuel Additives - What You Need to Know By May Stewart

The world is now experiencing the beginning of the scarcity of its resources like coal and oil which we use as energy sources. Due to this fact, many people from young students to skilled scientists have come up with different methods of manufacturing their own biofuel. These biofuels include biodiesel, bioethers, biogas, and syngas. Biodiesel is one of the most common biofuels having a production of five to six million tons all over the world. Biodiesel, or fatty acid alkyl esters, is made by a chemical reaction of an alcohol with animal fat or a vegetable oil.

Being that biodiesel has its share of operability problems, biodiesel fuel additives are incorporated to reduce problems, including making this fuel more stable. The stability of biodiesel, specifically B100, is essential to avoid the deterioration of engine parts. Fuel additives are important for decreasing the oxidation and acid formation in engines. B100 can be destructive to an engine due to the some factors that were used in its production. A factor which is capable of causing a destructive biodiesel product is the type of manufacturing process that was performed in order to come up with the biodiesel. Another factor would be the type of oil that was used in the biodiesel production. One of the most harmful oils to an engine is animal fat because it forms polymeric gums and other such byproducts which cause deposits and plugs in the engine. Fuel additives are included in the fabrication of biodiesel to counteract all these problems.

Biodiesel fuel additives work to improve the quality of the B100 biodiesel to make it more efficient as a fuel for diesel-powered vehicles.

Synthetic Blend Motor Oil - A Good Compromise

Synthetic Blend Motor Oil - A Good Compromise By Vince Platania

One of the factors that keeps people from using synthetic oil in their car or truck is the cost. Synthetic oils are generally more expensive than petroleum-based oils due to the extra refining and lab work that goes into their development. While this extra processing usually translates into an oil that can be used for longer intervals in your before it requires a change, the initial cost can still sometimes seem like too much of a barrier.

For this reason, many companies offer what is termed a synthetic blend motor oil. This type of oil contains a mixture of up to 30 percent synthetic oil with the rest being standard petroleum-based oil, and is usually significantly less expensive that a pure synthetic. What are the advantages of using such a blend?

At first glance it seems as though there would be little benefit to using a synthetic blend motor oil. After all, with only 30 percent of the total volume being truly synthetic, isn't it too diluted for it to make any real difference?. Actually, this is not the case. While the percentage of synthetic oil in the blend is indeed too low to provide synthetic-like levels of engine protection when it comes to thermal breakdown and overall viscosity, there is another dimension of benefit when it comes to the inclusion of synthetic oil in a blend.

The additives that are found in synthetic oil can help a great deal when it comes to addressing several engine issues. Synthetic blend motor oil contains additives which contribute to reducing overall engine wear. Not only that, but the detergents found in the synthetic component of the oil help fight the build up of acids in the engine oil, and help clean carbon and other contaminants out of engine internals. Synthetic blend motor oil is a good option for use in applications where the engine will be seeing heavy duty or extreme conditions, as these circumstances will make full use of the oil's additives.

Synthetic blend motor oil is an excellent compromise for those who want to enjoy some of the protections of synthetic oil but who don't want to spend a large amount of money changing the oil in their vehicles. This type of oil can be particularly useful for someone running a fleet of light trucks or service vehicles which are used hard but for which the cost of constantly replacing a full synthetic oil would be prohibitive.

Visit Synthetic Motor Oils

For over 25 years Vincent Platania has been marketing, consulting and formulating high performance lubricants.

Source for AMSOIL, the World's Best Synthetic Lubricants, Motor Oils and Filters.

Oil Additive - What You Need to Know

Oil Additive - What You Need to Know By Matt Harrison Matt Harrison Level: Basic I'm Matt Harrison, 20 years old and have been working from home for quite a while now. I get to help people save money on ... ...

There are lots of negative articles about using an oil additive, exorbitant claims which have been written and supported by others, finally its time to tell the real truth. There are a number of positive effects an additive can add to equipment or a vehicle when used regularly.

So first things first, one very important thing you do need to distinguish is if the additive was developed by a company that extensively tested the product and has been certified, or was it made by an individual, that had no such testing or documentation done. Nowadays just about anyone can make a product put a pretty little label on it and say "it really works". There are so many oil additives out on the market, which do not have any real proof or documentation. This is why they have received such a bad reputation. People who did not do their research got an additive that did not work and now all of these products are bad. On the flip-side there are a number of companies which have done extensive research, proven documentation, and have been certified.

Two common questions are always discussed when talking about an oil additive they are: How do I know this is really going to work and not harm my engine and if they really work car companies, dealerships, and oil companies aren't endorsing them why?

Well its blatantly obvious why these companies are not recommending using an oil additive. For the ones that are legitimate they will renew, repair, revitalize, and reduce your engines emissions. These are all good things for the consumer, but bad for these companies, as they are in the market for "making more money". If an additive helps lengthen your engines longevity why in the world would they want to support it and it helps reduce your oil consumption why would these oil companies want to support it. All these companies would be losing income revenue if they supported an oil additive. Now a lot of people think it is not going to work and will cause harm to their engine. The reason most people think this is because someone used a product that did not work, had no testing done, and no documentation. In reality when looking for an oil additive you need to find out these three facts has the product had testing done, does it have proven documentation, has it been SEO approved? If yes then I can guarantee you they will help your engine and help you increase your gas mileage. On a side note some companies have a guarantee that if they do not work the company will refund your money. Seriously, if the product did not work why would they even offer that!

In the end it pretty much boils down to these "special interest groups" protecting their interests, the car companies and major oil companies protecting their interest in making more money.

What is Regular Motor Oil Anyway?

What is Regular Motor Oil Anyway? By Tony Manning

Believe it or not I still get a lot of questions about motor oil from housewives to car nuts. And one of the most common question I hear is "What is the difference in motor oils?" Well for this discussion I am going to focus on the highlights of the two types of oil that most of us use everyday. Pure Base Oil (API SA) and Conventional motor oils (API SM).

First is the conventional motor oils, lets keep to the basics for this article. Most conventional oils are petroleum base. This means that they are made from petroleum.

Sorry to be redundant there but that is a fact. The manufactures of these oils add different additives to the oil so that it can meet the daily grind of being used everyday. So you ask what these additives do. First and for most any oils job is to reduce friction. Which in turn reduces temperature, prevents rust, and helps to keep the engine clean from combustion deposits. Now for a little technical jargon.

Conventional oils that are Pure (meaning no additives at all) do not provide protection against most contaminants, these oils in question would be API SA oils (these oils do not have any additives), which are not suitable for modern engine applications. However modern Petroleum oils like the latest API SM category do contain detergents and other chemical additives to "keep contaminants in suspension". The theory is that when the Petroleum oil is changed frequently these contaminants will drain out at each oil change. This is the main reason why extended oil drain service is not recommended with any Conventional oil lubricant, so that being said change any petroleum base oil between 3 thousand and 5 thousand miles.

Avoid Costly Lubricant Related Machine Failures with Routine Oil Analysis

Avoid Costly Lubricant Related Machine Failures with Routine Oil Analysis By Michael Barrett

Insufficient lubrication is one problem that can lead to premature failure. Proper lubrication is defined as the proper amount of the proper lubricant at the proper place. If oil levels are low, or the lubricant delivery system is inadequate, a proper oil film cannot be maintained at the friction surface. This results in metal to metal contact and accelerated wear. Sufficient lubrication can only be achieved when oil levels are correct, and the appropriate lube is in place and functioning properly.

Another problem that can sometimes lead to lubricant related machine failures is lubricant degradation. Nature takes its toll on all of us, and lubricants are no exception. Oxidation breaks down the base oil of a lubricant, additives are depleted, and physical properties change over time. This process is accelerated by high temperatures, heavy loading, and contamination. When a lubricant reaches the end of its useful life, it is no longer capable of protecting equipment components. Steps must be taken to ensure a healthy lubricant is in use at all times.

A third problem that can lead to premature failure is contamination. Contaminated lubricants account for nearly half of all lubricant related failures. Lubricants can become contaminated with either solid or liquid contaminants. Solid contaminants can act as abrasives causing severe damage to components. Oil will hold contaminants in suspension as it flows through the machine. The contaminants are carried away from the friction surface to settle out in the reservoir or be filtered out. Solids can also clog filters and orifices restricting oil flow and resulting in lubricant starvation. Filters need to be checked and maintained on a scheduled routine basis.

Fluid contaminants such as water will alter the load handling ability of oil, and act as a catalyst for lubricant degradation. Many fluids also cause internal corrosion and rust. The proper oil additives will enhance the rust and oxidation inhibiting properties of the oil. When the oil starts to show a high level of degradation, it is time to change the oil removing all the contaminants from the system. The scheduled oil analysis tests will assess the oil condition and degradation. Proper filtration must be maintained, and sources of potential contamination should be identified and controlled to ensure the cleanest lubricant possible.

Lubricant related failures may also include incorrect lubricant selection. When selecting a lubricant for a given application, both equipment specifications and operating parameters should be taken into account. A higher oil viscosity will be required for equipment running at a higher load. There are many types of oil to choose from. Most importantly, the proper grade (viscosity) lubricant must be chosen.

Oil absorbs the heat generated by the friction surface. The oil carries the heat away to the reservoir where it can disperse, cooling before circulating through the equipment again. Oil can be passed through a cooler to disperse the heat more rapidly. The viscosity will determine the amount of heat the oil is meant to withstand. Low viscosity subjected to higher heat temperatures will cause the oil to break down prematurely. Testing the viscosity will assist in confirming that the proper oil is being used for the application at hand.

Secondly the lubricant should have the proper additive package. Lubricating oils are composed of 70% to 95% base oil and the balance is additives. Engine oil has the most additives due to the engines high running temperatures and rough environments. The second highest amount of additives is in gear oil, AW hydraulic oil, and transmission fluid. The least amount of additives is found in turbine oil. Additives enhance rust and oxidation inhibiting properties in turbine oil creating a longer lasting, more durable product. Some oils use alkaline additives to neutralize acid as it is formed.

Other considerations in selecting a lubricant include demulsibility properties and extreme temperature characteristics. Running a base line oil analysis test before the oil is used, confirms the cleanliness of the new oil. This gives a point of comparison for future oil testing as the oil breaks down with age and use. This can be an important part of an efficient Predictive Maintenance Program.

Lubricant related failures are sometimes caused by the use of grease when oil is required. The lubricant functions to reduce friction and wear by physically separating opposing friction surfaces with an oil film. This also reduces the amount of energy needed to complete the task.

Once the proper lube is selected, procedures should be put in place to ensure the selected lubricant is applied at the proper intervals. Always monitor the oil with scheduled oil analysis testing to spot lubricant problems before they turn into costly machine failures.

Mike has been with Insight Services for 14 years, currently managing the marketing and sales efforts for the company. Insight Services is an industrial oil analysis lab located in Cleveland, OH. They excel in same day turnaround and exceptional customer communication.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Barrett

Avoid Costly Lubricant Related Machine Failures with Routine Oil Analysis

Avoid Costly Lubricant Related Machine Failures with Routine Oil Analysis By Michael Barrett

Insufficient lubrication is one problem that can lead to premature failure. Proper lubrication is defined as the proper amount of the proper lubricant at the proper place. If oil levels are low, or the lubricant delivery system is inadequate, a proper oil film cannot be maintained at the friction surface. This results in metal to metal contact and accelerated wear. Sufficient lubrication can only be achieved when oil levels are correct, and the appropriate lube is in place and functioning properly.

Another problem that can sometimes lead to lubricant related machine failures is lubricant degradation. Nature takes its toll on all of us, and lubricants are no exception. Oxidation breaks down the base oil of a lubricant, additives are depleted, and physical properties change over time. This process is accelerated by high temperatures, heavy loading, and contamination. When a lubricant reaches the end of its useful life, it is no longer capable of protecting equipment components. Steps must be taken to ensure a healthy lubricant is in use at all times.

A third problem that can lead to premature failure is contamination. Contaminated lubricants account for nearly half of all lubricant related failures. Lubricants can become contaminated with either solid or liquid contaminants. Solid contaminants can act as abrasives causing severe damage to components. Oil will hold contaminants in suspension as it flows through the machine. The contaminants are carried away from the friction surface to settle out in the reservoir or be filtered out. Solids can also clog filters and orifices restricting oil flow and resulting in lubricant starvation. Filters need to be checked and maintained on a scheduled routine basis.

Fluid contaminants such as water will alter the load handling ability of oil, and act as a catalyst for lubricant degradation. Many fluids also cause internal corrosion and rust. The proper oil additives will enhance the rust and oxidation inhibiting properties of the oil. When the oil starts to show a high level of degradation, it is time to change the oil removing all the contaminants from the system. The scheduled oil analysis tests will assess the oil condition and degradation. Proper filtration must be maintained, and sources of potential contamination should be identified and controlled to ensure the cleanest lubricant possible.

Lubricant related failures may also include incorrect lubricant selection. When selecting a lubricant for a given application, both equipment specifications and operating parameters should be taken into account. A higher oil viscosity will be required for equipment running at a higher load. There are many types of oil to choose from. Most importantly, the proper grade (viscosity) lubricant must be chosen.

Oil absorbs the heat generated by the friction surface. The oil carries the heat away to the reservoir where it can disperse, cooling before circulating through the equipment again. Oil can be passed through a cooler to disperse the heat more rapidly. The viscosity will determine the amount of heat the oil is meant to withstand. Low viscosity subjected to higher heat temperatures will cause the oil to break down prematurely. Testing the viscosity will assist in confirming that the proper oil is being used for the application at hand.

Secondly the lubricant should have the proper additive package. Lubricating oils are composed of 70% to 95% base oil and the balance is additives. Engine oil has the most additives due to the engines high running temperatures and rough environments. The second highest amount of additives is in gear oil, AW hydraulic oil, and transmission fluid. The least amount of additives is found in turbine oil. Additives enhance rust and oxidation inhibiting properties in turbine oil creating a longer lasting, more durable product. Some oils use alkaline additives to neutralize acid as it is formed.

Other considerations in selecting a lubricant include demulsibility properties and extreme temperature characteristics. Running a base line oil analysis test before the oil is used, confirms the cleanliness of the new oil. This gives a point of comparison for future oil testing as the oil breaks down with age and use. This can be an important part of an efficient Predictive Maintenance Program.

Lubricant related failures are sometimes caused by the use of grease when oil is required. The lubricant functions to reduce friction and wear by physically separating opposing friction surfaces with an oil film. This also reduces the amount of energy needed to complete the task.

Once the proper lube is selected, procedures should be put in place to ensure the selected lubricant is applied at the proper intervals. Always monitor the oil with scheduled oil analysis testing to spot lubricant problems before they turn into costly machine failures.

Mike has been with Insight Services for 14 years, currently managing the marketing and sales efforts for the company. Insight Services is an industrial oil analysis lab located in Cleveland, OH. They excel in same day turnaround and exceptional customer communication.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Barrett

What Is Royal Purple Motor Oil

What Is Royal Purple Motor Oil By Sam Hubbard

In order to understand this question, we must first look at what motor oil is. Motor Oil is a lubricant containing additives to increase the ability of the lubricant to do certain things inside the internal combustion engine. The first thing that motor oil does is lubricate the engine. This prevents metal to metal contact between the internal moving parts of a engine. The engine simply operates on a thin film of oil between its moving parts. The ability of an oil to maintain its thin film is measured and is called film strength.

The next thing that motor oil must do is assist in cooling of the engine. Not all parts are next to the water jackets of a engine so cooling must be achieved in the circulation of the oil or lubricant. Not all engines are water cooled, so the circulation of the oil is very critical. Temperatures in the combustion chamber alone can reach over 500*F.

All manufacturers of oil include different types of additives to their oil, each claiming that their additive will prevent something or do something that other oils will not. During normal operation of an engine the oil will become contaminated with dirt, metal particles, sulfur, just to name a few. The additives, being blended with the oil, will assist in the cleaning of the oil of these contaminants and take them to the oil filter where they are filtered from the oil.

Royal Purple was founded in 1986 as the result of testing to find a lubricant that would withstand a very high level of strength in the bearings of compressors. John Williams, founder of Royal Purple had been working with synthetic oils in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Mr. Williams was contacted by a Oil Company and ask to assist in the manufacturing of a oil that would withstand the strength needed to prevent bearing failure. Mr. Williams concluded that there was no lubricant available, but during his experimenting with different types of synthetics, formulated a oil with a very high film strength. Upon additional testing this new lubricant did withstand the strains and did prevent bearing failure. Thus the founding of Royal Purple. Mr. Williams new lubricant easily solved the problems of the oil company he was working for and when the manager of the plant tried the oil he too found it too to be superior in every application. He suggested to Mr. Williams that the oil should look something different from other oils. Mr. Williams suggested he color the oil red, blue, or green, however those colors were already in production is other oils. Purple oil had never been seen before so the two decided to color the oil Purple.

Additionally Mr. Williams decided to name the company Royal Purple, since historically, royalty used the color purple only for the finest of fabrics.

Royal Purple is a 100% Synthetic oil and offers a complete line of both straight and multi-viscosity oils. Royal Purple is formulated with Royal Purple’s unique, proprietary Synerlic additive technology.

Sam Hubbard is a big believer in synthetic motor oil. He's been involved in the racing industry for over 10 years and has used Royal Purple Motor Oil for just as long. To find out more, go to http://www.lubricantsandmore.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Hubbard

Grease, Oil Life Estimates, Predicting Lube Life in Bearings

Grease, Oil Life Estimates, Predicting Lube Life in Bearings By Lance Winslow Lance Winslow Level: Platinum Greetings to Everyone, I am a retired Franchisor, Business Consultant, Philantropist and I run a Think Tank, as well as do a lot of Traveling, ... ...

Bearing Oil and Grease Life Study

How can we estimate and predict the lube life of the products we use in the cars we service. Well, we all understand the principles of friction. Heat and contaminants are the biggest enemies of bearing grease and oil. Think of all the components that need lube, from bearings to internal Engine Component Parts. In Bearings there are three types of lubricants: Synthetic oils, mineral oils and grease. Synthetics last longer at elevated temperatures. Many have special low temperature and low flammability properties. Many also have properties that tend to absorb water (hydrolysis), but this excellent feature also tends to shorten the life of most phosphates, silicates and ester synthetic oils. I hope I am not losing anyone here.

But this is important so please stay with me. Avoiding hydrolysis can be achieved with special additives, desiccated air or filtration with activated alumina or clay based fullers Earth. What kinds of Synthetic and mineral oils exist? Silicones, Alkyl silicates, alkyl phosphates, mineral oils, Polyglycols, Polyphenyl ethers, Silicones, Poly Esters, Synthetic hydrocarbons and Diesters.

Mineral oil deteriorate quickly when they oxidize or react chemically with dissolved oxygen. This increases the oil acidity causing varnish looking deposits, this shortens bearing life. Additives can extend oil life by interrupting oxidation chain reactions. You can increase coverage by adding additives as this process takes place. How do you know when to change it? You can test it electrochemically, micro scale oxidation test, differential thermal analysis, or high-pressure differential scanning calorimetry. Grease contains thickening material additives and also contains oil, either synthetic or mineral? A grease can fail once 1/2 of its oil content is gone. In this case noise from the bearing will alert you. A good book to read on this subject is "Applied Tribiology-Bearing Design and Lubrication"

Do Oil Additives Really Work?

Do Oil Additives Really Work? By Robert Sanborn

With all of the negative articles about oil additives, which have been written and supported extensively by special interest groups, its time to tell the real truth about oil additives. In most cases they perform a positive function and with regular use can provide a number of benefits to vehicles and equipment.

First, lets get one thing clear, it’s important to distinguish from oil additives developed by companies that have been extensively tested, and others, usually made by individuals, without such testing and documentation. Anyone can put an additive package together and have a label made. There are many on the market, which have no real testing, even though, they claim they do. This is where additives have gotten a bad name. On the other hand there are a number of companies that sell additives that have extensive research and development teams that have tested their additive packages. For example, Lubrizol www.lubrizol.com whose revenues were over 4 billion dollars for 2005 specializes in additive packages including aftermarket engine and fuel treatments. Anyone doing this kind of volume is not selling snake oil to millions of dumb consumers—just doesn’t happen. And they are only one of several that are very large. Others include Oronite, Ethyl, Infineum, Bardahl, Wynn’s, SFR, Power Up, STP, Slick 50, BG products. This is just a partial list of companies that have well documented additive products.

In actuality additives are used in most all lubricants, because even the best synthetic base oils cannot protect vital parts alone, as it’s the additives that do all of the work. Let’s concentrate on the internal combustion engine in looking at the need for additives. According to the American Petroleum Institute the powerful watchdog for the oil companies, “The temperatures and types of service under which an engine is operated vary markedly. Moderate-speed driving on short trips or stop-and-go driving in traffic uses only a fraction of the available engine power. Because the cooling systems must be capable of meeting the cooling requirements of the engine at high speeds, they may overcool the engine in short-trip driving. In such light-duty service engines and motor oils warm up slowly and often do not reach proper operating temperatures.

Under these conditions automatic chokes will provide the engine with the rich air-fuel mixture it needs to operate smoothly at cold temperatures, but this richness will result in incomplete combustion. Soot and partially oxidized hydrocarbons undergo further oxidation in the crankcase, forming sludge and varnish deposits. These may clog oil screens or plug oil rings, interfering with oil circulation and control, or they may cause hydraulic valve lifters and valves to stick. Corrosive acids are formed that cause wear on piston rings, cylinders, and occasionally on piston skirts. Steam from combustion condenses on cylinder walls and drains into the crankcase. Water, often in combination with acidic gases, may cause valve lifters to rust and stick. It may also create rust deposits on piston pins, rocker arm shafts, and valve stems. Liquid fuel leaking past the piston rings dilutes the oil and reduces its lubricating value. These are some of the effects of engine operation at cold temperatures.

In contrast legal speed limit driving and long trips allow the engine and oil to warm p properly. The choke is open, and the carburetor is feeding the cylinders with a lean, clean burning air-fuel mixture. As a result there little or no incomplete combustion to produce soot other residue. Under these conditions water compensation is not a problem, nor is dilution of the motor oil by raw fuel.” Additives have been developed to address these problems as most of us qualify much of time for driving in severe service conditions. Furthermore, the API goes on to say “Under some conditions it is impossible to maintain a continuous oil film between moving parts, and there is intermittent metal-to-metal contact between the high spots on sliding surfaces. Lubrication engineers call this boundary lubrication. Under these circumstances the load is only partially supported by the oil film. The oil film is ruptured, resulting in significant metal-to-metal contact. When this occurs, the friction generated between the surfaces can produce enough heat to cause on or both of the metals in contact to melt and weld together. Unless counteracted by proper additive treatment, the result is either immediate seizure or the tearing apart and roughening of surfaces.

Boundary lubrication conditions always exist during engine starting and often during the operation of a new or rebuilt engine. Boundary lubrication is also found around the top piston ring where oil supply is limited, temperatures are high, and a reversal of piston motion occurs.

Extreme pressure conditions can develop between heavily loaded parts from lack of lubrication, inadequate clearance, extreme heat, and sometimes as a result of using the wrong type or grade of lubricant for the operating conditions of the engine. Since motor oils do not contain extreme pressure agents this is an area that aftermarket additive manufacturers focus a lot of attention. In modern engines the valve train with its cams, valve lifters, push rods, valve stem tips, and parts of the rocker arms operate under conditions of extreme pressure because they carry heavy loads on very small contact areas. Unit loading, which may be as high as 200,000 pounds per square inch, is many times greater than the loads on the connecting rod bearings or on the piston pins.” Motor oils rarely contain extreme pressure additives, thus premature wear could take place. The preceding has laid the groundwork for the need for additives. Additives to take care of the deposits and sludge, called detergent/dispersant additives, anti-oxidants to delay the effects of oxidation. Anti-foaming additives are important as if foaming occurs in a motor oil the film strength is reduced allowing wear. And since base oils alone cannot withstand the metal-to-metal contact inside an engine, anti-wear agents are needed. With acids there is also a need for corrosion inhibitors; and in reducing friction in hydrodynamic lubrication such as on the cylinder liners, where metal-to-metal contact does not occur, friction modifiers or lubricity additives are desired to improve engine efficiency and improve mileage.

If additives are a necessity to reducing wear in an engine and are contained in motor oils, then that must be the end of the story right? Not quite. Few people know that the oil companies do not make the specifications for motor oil. They are required to make their motor oils to meet the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) specifications. Motor oil specifications are established by the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee, which consists of the Big Three domestic car manufacturers as well as the Japanese car manufacturers. ILSAC defines the performance characteristics and the chemistry of the oil it will accept for use in its engines; and then the American Petroleum Institute (API) makes sure the oil sold by marketers displaying that label meets the definition. This isn’t an easy process as the OEM’s are not best of friends as competitors, thus they have driven the cost of this highly political process into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Yes, just to come up with a new specification. ILSAC comes up with a series of Sequence Tests that a motor oil must pass to receive certification. The public is not aware of the fact that, a motor oil formulation going through the process, can fail a Sequence test two times and not have to re-formulate. If the formulation fails three times on a single Sequence test then it must be re-formulated and start over. To control how many additive companies that can supply the complete packages to meet the new warranty specification, ILSAC has proposed the testing process to cost a whopping 1.5 million dollars for diesel motor oil warranty, and over $500,000 for gasoline engine motor oil. That is assuming you pass on the first try other wise the costs can escalate. With specifications changing so fast, only a few large companies can recover their cost of development in such a short time. When oil companies advertise they exceed the highest standard available it’s the only one so it’s also the lowest standard. Regardless of how good your motor oil is there is only one standard, currently GF-4 for gasoline engines and CJ-4 for diesel engines. There is no incentive to improve beyond the lowest passing standard because it costs money to add additives that do the work. Motor oil companies often cut additives to the core to exceed the standard by the narrowest of margins to cut costs and maximize revenues. In summary, the oil companies make their motor oils to the OEM’s standards not theirs!

Two questions are always asked when discussing oil additives and whether they work or not and they are: Why doesn’t the OEM’s recommend oil additives and why doesn’t the oil companies get into the additive business if they are so good.

First, it seems fairly obviously why the OEM’s do not want to recommend oil additives as they have spent millions of dollars protecting their engineering. When I say protecting their engineering I mean using a fluid to insure that the engine, on average, lasts as long as they engineered it to last. They are in the business of selling cars and they know to be competitive it has to last a certain amount of time, but then they want you to purchase a new car. They do not want to have to test other additive products as they have spent money to develop their specification. This does not mean that oil additives can’t be beneficial as a Sequence Wear Test was run by SFR Corporation with the leading selling motor oil in the United States—once without the additive and once with the leading motor oil and 5% SFR’s additive package SFR 100. The test was run by a large testing facility certified to conduct tests for motor oil warranty approval. The results of these expensive tests showed that the additive package reduced the overall wear of the leading motor oil by 17% and on the exhaust lobe part of the test the results were an outstanding 80-90% reduction in wear using the additive. When OEM’s are developing their own specifications they are not going to say their specification needs help in performance by using an additive as it’s against their best interest. However, no OEM will state that the use of an additive in itself will void a warranty. The reason is that they must run the battery of tests which costs from $500,000 to 1, 500,000 per test. This doesn’t mean that an additive could not hurt or destroy an engine and that is why the leading additive suppliers have performed extensive testing to validate their product.

Why aren’t the oil companies involved in the additive market? Truth is they are the leaders in the development of aftermarket oil additives. Many of the additives used in the aftermarket industry are actually purchased from the oil companies. The oil companies, with their big budgets, can provide hundreds of thousands of dollars of testing to validate additive performance. The public is unaware of this though as most all oil companies run their additive divisions as separate companies under their corporate umbrella. They include Infineum for Exxon/Mobil, Oronite for Chevron/Texaco and then there is Ethyl who is well known for its tetraethyl lead previously found in all gasoline. Shell has their own as does Castrol. Quaker State owned Slick 50 additive company, and I cannot see them buying this company if the product would not have any benefit as the liability would be too great if the products would not perform. Chevron sells Techron today an aftermarket gasoline treatment, Valvoline has marketed aftermarket additives as well as others including the additive leader Lubrizol. One must realize the following: The oil companies make products to meet the OEM’s requirements not theirs. You could call an oil company up right now and ask if oil could be made better and your response would be similar to this: We have over 150 chemists in this building alone and if motor oil could be made better, we would be the ones to do it. On the other hand we could call their additive division and say we want a heavy duty performing oil that would out perform the current specification and they could fax you a product with hundreds of thousands of dollars of testing documentation.

It all boils down to special interest groups protecting their special interests. The OEM’s and the major oil companies all protect their interests. It’s hard for an oil company not to defend their oil as the best there is, but in reality we know the specification was created by the OEM. This is the main reason why so many articles have been posted about why additives do not work. A magazine writer doing an article on additives will go to a source that he or she thinks is an expert, and thus they call someone up at the oil company. That person reinforces that their oil is the best and doesn’t need additional additives. Even the specialty motor oil marketers such as Amsoil support the notion that oil additives are not needed. They do not want competition from additive companies because in their mind all you need is their oil. Unfortunately, being a (MLM) multi-level marketing company, most all are part-time, thus more laymen in the business than any other oil marketing company. Their dealers go to great lengths supporting articles that additives do not work. What a paradox, because if additives do not work, than why is their motor oil better than anyone else’s. Doesn’t take much thought to figure that one out.

To support the issue of additives all one has to do is look at Mobil’s new marketing campaign. They still claim their oil meets GF-4 or the new specification that API certifies, but they are now calling for extended drain intervals. And, if you read anything about Mobil’s new products is that it has to do with additional additives being used, mainly detergents. From their literature it states: Mobil Clean 7500 is a synthetic blend formulation with a boosted level of cleaning performance, 18 percent beyond the level of even our premium Mobil Clean 5000 conventional motor oil, to keep your engine cleaner longer.

Additives are what make motor oil what it is and additives are what make aftermarket additive manufacturers their gains in performance. It’s all based on testing both engine and fleet tests. Additives have been around for years and auto parts stores devote entire rows of products related to additives. Additive manufacturers are seen as nuisances because the OEM’s engineer their products to last on average a certain amount of time and the oil companies make their products to meet the OEM’s needs. So if you want to find out about additives you wouldn’t ask the OEM’s or oil companies but the testing laboratories like Southwest Research Institute and Auto Research Laboratories Inc. that performs thousands of tests each year. I am including some links to additive suppliers and testing companies so that you can see the tremendous amount of data that is available from large substantial companies. They include www.lubrizol, www.infineum.com, www.rheinchemie.com, www.sfrcorp.com, www.stp.com, www.rtvanderbilt.com, www.ethyl.com, www.powerup.com, www.slick50.com, www.wynns.com, www.bardahl.com, www.oronite.com and many more that I have not mentioned.

Written by Robert H. Sanborn, who was a member of the STLE Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers for 15 years.

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