Here we go with Oil again...

[amsoilman]

You put alot of emphisis on TBN numbers. Yet oil analysis companies will allow continued use of TBN at 2.



There's alot more to an oil makeup and quality than just plain old TBN numbers. Maybe if we were back in the days before oil additive packages were being added to oils the PAO and other synthetic makeups were far superior but not in todays technology advanced era.



Just because an oil starts out at 12 verses one that starts out at 10 doesn't mean the 12 will last longer. There are other factors to concider in when to change an oil and when it is good enough to keep using.



You guys can keep helping the average guy to waste his money on expensive oil and at the same time driving up regular oil prices because now they can market their oils differently.



Most people don't realize that synthetic oils are still regular base oils developed from petroleum products. Even class III oils can be marketed as synthetics. Which by the way are your standard off the shelf oils. So technically most everyone is running a synthetic oil.

What you say is "partialy" true. A TBN test is used to determine an oil's ability to neutralize acid by-products of combustion, and is relevent only to engine oils. If the liquid was water, the test would indicate a neutral pH of 7. 0. A lower number than that is considered acidic and a higher number is considered "Caustic".



As it is the oil being tested for TBN, a result of 0. 0 is similar to "neutral" in that the oil no longer can neutralize acidic by-products. A "NEW engine oil may typiclly have a TBN between 7 and 14. Gasolene engine oils are usually about 7 TBN, while Diesel engine oils are usually about 9 TBN.



To some extent, the higher the original TBN is, the longer the service life of the oil will be. Amsoil gasolene oils start out with a TBN of 11 or greater. Amsoil Diesel oil all have a TBN of 12 or greater.



This is only "one" of the reasons Amsoil is able to recommend longer drain intervals.



The TBN is determined not only by the "Base" oil, but also the additives that are put with the base oil!



AMSOIL top tier oils use only PAO base stock, unlike most of the other "Synthetics" on the market.







Wayne

amsoilman

 

[AKaiser]

You put alot of emphisis on TBN numbers. Yet oil analysis companies will allow continued use of TBN at 2.

Blackstone labs recommends replacement of oil below TBN of 2. Blackstone Laboratories - Do I Need a TBN?

Just because an oil starts out at 12 verses one that starts out at 10 doesn't mean the 12 will last longer. There are other factors to concider in when to change an oil and when it is good enough to keep using.

And I caveated that in my statement. Again see Blackstone Laboratories - Do I Need a TBN?



Bypass filtration and extended drain intervals: Blackstone Laboratories - By-Pass Oil Filtration

Most people don't realize that synthetic oils are still regular base oils developed from petroleum products. Even class III oils can be marketed as synthetics. Which by the way are your standard off the shelf oils. So technically most everyone is running a synthetic oil.

Incorrect: Valvoline Premium Blue is a Group II oil, and they don't market it as Syn. PB Extreme is a Group III Synthetic.

 

[DeezelDood]

I stand corrected. Amsoilman is right, the TBN is a total reading. My point is that the the number is adjusted with additive to fit the fuel being burned, and expected length of service. The length of service of the oil is subject to many other factors: molecular structure, additves etc. Readers need to be aware of the problems with using high TBN oils with ULSD. The rules have changed with ULSD and what worked before may not work anymore. Synthetic oil will not protect the engine from the affects of too low or too high TBN.

 

[AKaiser]

I stand corrected. Amsoilman is right, the TBN is a total reading. My point is that the the number is adjusted with additive to fit the fuel being burned, and expected length of service. The length of service of the oil is subject to many other factors: molecular structure, additves etc. Readers need to be aware of the problems with using high TBN oils with ULSD. The rules have changed with ULSD and what worked before may not work anymore. Synthetic oil will not protect the engine from the affects of too low or too high TBN.

Points well taken. After reading the Valvoline website article about CJ oils, I am beginning to think I should have went with DEO instead of HDD. They have a chart on there that shows the protection differences from CI-4+ to CJ-4. See page 10 at http://www.valvoline-technology.com/upload/dynamic/API CJ-4 Heavy Duty Engine Oil.pdf



New Plan: Run 15K on HDD, run oil analysis throughout, then switch to DEO, same testing protocol. No bypass filtration for now.