Tagged: automotive

Automotive / Oil Properties / Storage & Handling of Lubricants / Storage and Handling / Strategic Tips

How to Properly Dispose of Used Engine Oil

Changing our motor oil is important and must be done regularly, but how do we dispose of the used oil in a safe and environmentally friendly manner? Approximately 42 gallons of crude oil are required to produce 0.5 gallons of new oil for lubricants. However, only one gallon of used oil needs to be converted into 0.5 gallons of new oil.

Hence, recycling used oil significantly reduces the number of resources required to produce new oil. There are numerous benefits to recycling used oil, which can help in the fight against declining resources. Let’s dive into this a bit more.

Environmental Impact of Improper Disposal

When motor oil reaches the end of its life, it can become contaminated with harmful pollutants, which can negatively impact the environment if improperly disposed of. Some of these can be toxic to plants, and it only takes the used oil from one oil change to contaminate one million gallons of fresh water!  Therefore, we need to be mindful of the disposal of our oils.

Used motor oil can typically contain metal fillings (from engine wear), chemicals from by-products, and possibly fuel. Improper disposal, especially into waterways, can disrupt the supply of clean drinking water for many people. If this used oil seeps into the soil, it could also contaminate the water table and negatively impact plants and, by extension, humans who may consume these plants at some point.

Laws and Regulations for Disposing of Oil

The EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) provides guidelines in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, specifically CFR part 279, regarding the disposal of used oil. In the UAE, there are strict guidelines for the disposal of used oil; otherwise, individuals may face severe fines and legal action. These used oils should never be poured down drains, onto the ground, or into bodies of water.

Community Recycling Programs

Some communities have a local collection point for used motor oils, which they then take to the larger refineries. This way, a larger volume of oil is collected and recycled by the refineries.

Tips for Safe and Responsible Oil Disposal

Motor oils contain 30% additives; therefore, mixing them with other used oils may not be the best option for those trying to recycle them. Ideally, these oils can be reconditioned (where they are cleaned up) or re-refined (where they are reused as base stock). Collecting your used motor oil in a clean container and taking it to your local recycling facility, where it will be properly disposed of.

Some facilities may burn it to process it for energy recovery, using it as fuel after removing the water and contaminants. One gallon of used oil processed for fuel contains about 140,000 British thermal Units (Btus) of energy. Regardless of the method you choose to dispose of your used motor oil, ensure you do not harm the environment.

Find out more in the full article featured in Precision Lubrication Magazine.

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April 13, 2025
Automotive / Oil Properties / Strategic Tips

Effects of Using the Wrong Engine Oil

Sometimes, the wrong engine oil is used. Whether it’s an issue of the unavailability of the correct stock or trying to standardize across the fleet without consulting the manufacturer’s recommendations, numerous issues can arise when the wrong engine oil is used.

Engine Sludge Build-Up

One of the most common side effects of using the wrong oil is a build-up of engine sludge. If we recheck the API standards, oils were designed to reduce sludge formation. When the incorrect oil is used, it cannot adequately compensate for the engine’s conditions, simply because it wasn’t designed for that purpose.

This can also occur when oil is used with an incorrect viscosity or with the wrong fuel (specifically, the concentration of sulphur for diesel engines).

Increased Friction and Wear

Earlier, we discussed how OEMs typically recommend several different types of viscosity for engines, depending on the specific conditions. However, if a viscosity is used that is too low to provide the correct amount of support and separation between the two surfaces, then increased friction and wear can result, damaging the engine’s internals.

Poor Performance and Efficiency

With the incorrect engine oil, the engine will not perform at its expected efficiency. This will directly impact its overall performance. If the viscosity exceeds the recommended value, the engine must work harder to achieve the same results, resulting in poor performance and decreased efficiency. Similarly, if the viscosity is lower than the recommended value, increased friction will result, leading to higher heat and reduced engine efficiency.

Damage to Engine Components

As stated above, a viscosity that is either higher or lower than the recommended value can damage the equipment’s internal components. Similarly, if an incorrectly specified product is used, it may not withstand the engine’s regular environmental conditions and can break down prematurely, damaging its components.

Potential for Engine Failure

Using the incorrect oil, the engine’s components will not receive the necessary protection, whether it’s due to the incorrect viscosity or the wrong mix of additives. This can lead to premature oil degradation, which in turn may result in engine failure. The correct oil will be able to protect against these harmful conditions and keep the engine from failing due to lubricant-related issues.

Find out more in the full article featured in Precision Lubrication Magazine.

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April 13, 2025
Automotive / Oil Properties / Strategic Tips

Choosing the Right Engine Oil Grade for Your Vehicle

Choosing the Right Engine Oil Grade for Your Vehicle

This begins with understanding the requirements of your engine and the type of fuel it uses. As we saw above, various classifications exist, and when selecting diesel engines, we must pay particular attention to the concentration of sulphur in the fuel being used. This would be highly dependent on the availability of these fuels in the market, as not all countries have ready access to varying grades of fuel.

All original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) provide a recommended range of oils for your vehicle, typically listed in the vehicle’s owner’s manual. They typically provide various operating conditions and corresponding grades of oils to select. For example, for the Nissan Qashqai 2024 model with the HR13DDT engine, a 5w30 or 0w20 oil is recommended, but the manufacturer also provides this chart to guide the user:

Figure 6: Nissan Qashqai Manufacturer recommendation chart
Figure 6: Nissan Qashqai Manufacturer recommendation chart

It is important to consult with your Car manufacturer before purchasing the correct oil for your vehicle.

Find out more in the full article featured in Precision Lubrication Magazine.

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April 13, 2025
Automotive / Oil Properties / Strategic Tips

Understanding Viscosity and Engine Oil Grades

Engine oil is a lubricating fluid designed to reduce friction and wear between moving parts inside an internal combustion engine, while also cooling, cleaning, and protecting components from corrosion and deposits.

While we may think that there are numerous car manufacturers globally, as of 2025, there are only slightly over 100 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but over 5,000 models. Whether it’s a luxury vehicle or a basic, functional one, they all require one thing to keep them running: lubricants (in the EV market, this can mean greases as opposed to traditional oils).

Parallel to the various models of vehicles, there are also numerous types of lubricants on the market, each designed specifically for different requirements. In this article, we will share some knowledge on the areas you need to be familiar with for these types of lubricants, and of course, what impacts they have on your vehicle of choice.

Understanding Viscosity and Engine Oil Grades

Before exploring the types of oils, it is essential to understand one of the most important characteristics of oil: its viscosity. This is what governs the engine’s functionality and, to some extent, dictates its performance.

engine-oil-vis

What is Viscosity?

Oil viscosity is the internal friction within an oil that resists its flow. It measures the oil’s resistance to flow and is one of the most important factors in lubricants. Viscosity is also defined as the ratio of shear stress (pressure) to shear rate (flow rate).

The SAE Viscosity Rating System

The SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) developed viscosity grades to classify engine oils, enabling engine manufacturers and oil marketers to make recommendations and label their products accordingly. The SAE J300 is a series of two viscosity grades: one with the W and one without the W.

Monogrades with the letter “W” are defined by maximum low-temperature cranking and pumping viscosities and a minimum kinematic viscosity at 100°C. (Typically, this represents the start-up condition of an engine.)

Monogrades without the W are based on a set of minimum and maximum kinematic viscosities at 100°C and a minimum high temperature / high shear measured at 150°C and 1 million reciprocal seconds (s-1). (Typically, this represents the operating conditions of the engine when it is in use.)

Multiple viscosity grade oils or multigrades are defined by:

  • Maximum low-temperature cranking and pumping viscosities
  • A kinematic viscosity at 100°C that falls within the prescribed range of one of the non-W grade classifications
  • A minimum high temperature / high shear viscosity at 150°C and 1 million reciprocal seconds (s-1).

These represent the extremes of startup and engine operation.

The table below gives a summary of these.

Figure 1: SAE J300 revised January 2015. Source Widman International SRL
Figure 1: SAE J300 revised January 2015. Source Widman International SRL

Find out more in the full article featured in Precision Lubrication Magazine.

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April 13, 2025
Automotive / Strategic Tips

TBN decrease

TBN_drop

The TBN has dropped significantly, can I still use the oil?

The TBN (Total Base Number) is usually seen in diesel engines. Most modern (smaller) diesel engines have TBNs within the range of 9-15 (especially if they are using ULSD).

The TBN gets depleted when the acids in the oil start to increase.

Typically, higher sulphur levels in the fuel produce more acids. As such, as the sulphur level increases, so does the TBN level.

For instance, in power plants that use larger (older) diesel engines that require HSFO (High Sulphur Fuel Oil, 3.5% sulphur), the TBN of the lubricant can be as much as 50. Here are the different types of fuel and their sulphur ratings:

  • HFSO (High Sulphur Fuel Oil): 3.5%
  • LSFO (Low Sulphur Fuel Oil): 1.0%
  • ULSFO (Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil): 0.1%

 

With IMO 2020, the cap has been placed on sulphur in fuel to 0.5% for marine vessels. While this cap has not yet been translated to land applications, due to the demand for HSFO declining there may be a shift to ULSFO in land based applications in the not so distant future.

 

Ideally, if your TBN level gets depleted by 50% then there is a cause for concern and the oil should be changed or topped up with new oil (depending on which is more convenient).

If your TBN levels get to 50% in a very short time, you may want to investigate the reasons behind the value dropping so significantly in such a short time (perhaps fuel dilution or thermal cracking?).

Always investigate the reasons behind unexpected results as these will continue to impact your lubricant in the future.

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April 15, 2020
Automotive / Strategic Tips

That “w”!

w_oil

What does the “w” stand for in multigrade oils?

The “w” stands for winter.

Let’s go back a bit. We weren’t always as advanced in lubricant technology as we are today. For instance, if we left an ice tray filled with water on the table, what would happen? It would remain in that state of water. Now, if we placed that in the freezer, the water would turn into ice.

Similarly, before we advanced lubrication technology, there was one oil to be used for the Summer and one for the Winter. During the summer, the temperatures were higher and during the winter the temperatures were lower.

The “w” helps us to understand that this is the measurement related to how an oil flows at a cold temperature (or on start-up). It does not mean that you can only use an oil with a “w” in countries that experience winter!

The lower the number is in front of the “w”, the faster the oil flows on start-up. When we start our cars on a morning, all of the oil is at the bottom of the sump. It will take some time before the oil gets from the bottom to the top of the engine.

However, all of the parts in the engine are moving before they get the oil. Thus, it is critical to get the oil to them in the shortest time possible. The lower the number in front of the “w”, the faster the oil takes to get to the top of the engine (this will reduce the amount of wear that occurs).

Quick Tip: Zero (0) does not mean that there is no protection on start up, it means that it will get to the components faster than all the other grades (like a 0w20).

 

What about the number after the “w”?

This is the number that represents the viscosity of the oil at operating temperature. When the engine begins operating this is the viscosity that flows through all of the lines and components continuously. As we mentioned in an earlier post, the value has decreased in recent times (some going as low as 0w16!) due to the lines being thinner, which is ideal for lower viscosities.

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April 15, 2020