Hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) slowly replacing ZDDP?

Appears the post owner was correct about the market tendency of shifting towards Boron instead of ZDDP. Not a global tendency though, but I can see some premium oils follow that trend.
True for example, HPL euro and Shell HU C2/C3 and Redline HP, with over 500 ppm of Boron.

But why would HPL and Shell go for full Boron instead of a balance between Moly and Boron? Is it because Boron is not affected by moisture unlike Moly?

Reference: https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

hbn_2026.webp
 
Appears the post owner was correct about the market tendency of shifting towards Boron instead of ZDDP. Not a global tendency though, but I can see some premium oils follow that trend.
True for example, HPL euro and Shell HU C2/C3 and Redline HP, with over 500 ppm of Boron.

But why would HPL and Shell go for full Boron instead of a balance between Moly and Boron? Is it because Boron is not affected by moisture unlike Moly?

Reference: https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

View attachment 337208
It all depends on the additive package. HPL uses approved additive packages that they then test/top-treat/test...etc. to arrive at the final product. The Euro 5W-30 is a C3 oil and appears to use a mixed Ca/Mg detergent package and no real moly, so it would make sense that they wouldn't add moly to it and instead lean on boron. This is the opposite of their A3/B4 products where boron is like 50ppm and there's a ton of moly.
 
In the Yamaha 2ZZ-GE engine, the other (exhaust) camshaft is not subject to the higher spring tension, higher boundary layer pressures and higher shear forces. Only the intake camshaft is. The wiped camshaft was absolutely caused by a lubrication problem. No matter how you try to sugar coat it.

High ZDDP is a must-have in some engines. Don't take it from me, AMSOIL explains it well.
Do Older Engines Need Oil With ZDDP Additives? - AMSOIL Blog
Flawed engine design or metallurgy. BMW S54, S65, S85 all revs 8000+ RPM and have no cam wear issues on 900 ppm A3/B4. The low SAPS versions of those specs have the exact same cam wear limits in the tests.
 
These are SN era euro formulas using the same additive package. They came with 500ppm boron and 1700 calcium with no magnesium. The difference between these is HPL boosts magnesium, redline adds moly and boosts ZDDP. Redline has been reformulated for API SP and no longer contains 500ppm boron
 
It all depends on the additive package. HPL uses approved additive packages that they then test/top-treat/test...etc. to arrive at the final product. The Euro 5W-30 is a C3 oil and appears to use a mixed Ca/Mg detergent package and no real moly, so it would make sense that they wouldn't add moly to it and instead lean on boron. This is the opposite of their A3/B4 products where boron is like 50ppm and there's a ton of moly.
👍🏻
Yope exactly that for the A3/B3 version for Redline
Lots of moly and some boron.

https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

Yet they did not back off in terms of zddp. Thel redlines are nuts.
 
Flawed engine design or metallurgy. BMW S54, S65, S85 all revs 8000+ RPM and have no cam wear issues on 900 ppm A3/B4. The low SAPS versions of those specs have the exact same cam wear limits in the tests.
Turbo engines might require slightly more zddp than the NA engines especially if the OCI is extended but I do second you on that.
Looking at multiple past UOAs, almost the exact same wear (camshaft, bearings, pistons...) between low vs high saps oils.

That ravenol REP which is qualified as a racing oil is low saps and has one of the lowest zink ppm:

https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

PS: little sigh for that 214ppm of tungsten 🥸

Screenshot_20260511-232300~2.webp
 
Turbo engines might require slightly more zddp than the NA engines especially if the OCI is extended but I do second you on that.
Looking at multiple past UOAs, almost the exact same wear (camshaft, bearings, pistons...) between low vs high saps oils.

That ravenol REP which is qualified as a racing oil is low saps and has one of the lowest zink ppm:

https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

PS: little sigh for that 214ppm of tungsten 🥸

View attachment 337241
It's the P that's the AW additive, not the Zn.
 
It's the P that's the AW additive, not the Zn.
Right. Referring to ZDDP (Zinc, Phosphorus, Sulfur).
I know not long ago that the maximum allowed level of ZDDP (expressed as phosphorus indeed) in SN/GF-5 category car engine oil is around 800 ppm is. Due to it (Phosphorus) being the main poisonous component ( Way more than sulfur) for the catalytic converter.
And Zinc the stabilizer component which delivers the Phosphate to the metal surface, also Anti-oxidant.

Penrite oil company has the following claim:
Boron offers much greater protection than even Zinc by increasing the load carrying capacity of the oil by as much as 8 times in a 4 ball load test. It also showed a 12.5% decrease in scarring over a normal engine oil with a standard anti-wear additive pack and better than 50% less scarring than a base oil only 4 ball wear test. Apart from its increased protection, boron does not increase emission levels and is safe for catalysts.

In your opinion, do you think
  • Boron/Borate
is better replacement/complement for ZDDP? knowing that we're starting to hear talks about:
  • Ashless Phosphorus compounds
 
Right. Referring to ZDDP (Zinc, Phosphorus, Sulfur).
I know not long ago that the maximum allowed level of ZDDP (expressed as phosphorus indeed) in SN/GF-5 category car engine oil is around 800 ppm is. Due to it (Phosphorus) being the main poisonous component ( Way more than sulfur) for the catalytic converter.
And Zinc the stabilizer component which delivers the Phosphate to the metal surface, also Anti-oxidant.

Penrite oil company has the following claim:
Boron offers much greater protection than even Zinc by increasing the load carrying capacity of the oil by as much as 8 times in a 4 ball load test. It also showed a 12.5% decrease in scarring over a normal engine oil with a standard anti-wear additive pack and better than 50% less scarring than a base oil only 4 ball wear test. Apart from its increased protection, boron does not increase emission levels and is safe for catalysts.

In your opinion, do you think
  • Boron/Borate
is better replacement/complement for ZDDP? knowing that we're starting to hear talks about:
  • Ashless Phosphorus compounds
The 4-ball load test is predominantly used for EP testing (though there is a motor oil screening test that can be run). I expect that, like with moly, there may be some synergies between boron and ZDDP. ZDDP is a compound with a complex and not fully understood relationship with surfaces. I've gotten into this in previous threads. As I think it was Molakule that said, if there was a drop-in replacement for ZDDP, oil companies would be all over it, but there isn't, so we continue to use it.
 
Appears the post owner was correct about the market tendency of shifting towards Boron instead of ZDDP. Not a global tendency though, but I can see some premium oils follow that trend.
True for example, HPL euro and Shell HU C2/C3 and Redline HP, with over 500 ppm of Boron.

But why would HPL and Shell go for full Boron instead of a balance between Moly and Boron? Is it because Boron is not affected by moisture unlike Moly?

Reference: https://oilyman.opentika.ovh/?auto=...engine=&mileage=0&ocons=0&country=ES&surname=

View attachment 337208
Well it has been almost 4 years since the original post, so if you give anything enough time it'll become true.
 
The 4-ball load test is predominantly used for EP testing (though there is a motor oil screening test that can be run). I expect that, like with moly, there may be some synergies between boron and ZDDP. ZDDP is a compound with a complex and not fully understood relationship with surfaces. I've gotten into this in previous threads. As I think it was Molakule that said, if there was a drop-in replacement for ZDDP, oil companies would be all over it, but there isn't, so we continue to use it.
Clearer now. Thanks 👍🏻
 
Flawed engine design or metallurgy. BMW S54, S65, S85 all revs 8000+ RPM and have no cam wear issues on 900 ppm A3/B4. The low SAPS versions of those specs have the exact same cam wear limits in the tests.
Flawed logic, you have no idea what you're talking about and clearly did zero research on the topic.
  1. BMW S54 is a prime example of an engine that requires extremely specific, rare oil: 10W-60. Try running off-the shelf API 5W-30 (~700 PPM Zn/P) in it and see what happens at sustained 8000+ RPM.
  2. You argue with 900 PPM A3/B4. That would in fact be borderline acceptable. My issue is with API 5W-30 SM, SN, SP, SQ which became unacceptably low on Zn/P for my application. Toyota originally specified 5W-30 SL which was not great but high ZDDP SL oils did exist. Toyota should've issued a TSB advising against using 5W-30 API when they switched to "energy-conserving."
I have been running 0W-40 in my two 2ZZ-GE engines since I replaced the intake camshaft and rockers in each. One is has had 4 fills of Amazon Basics 0W-40 (1,300 PPM Zn), the other ran Castrol Euro 0W-40 (1,020 PPM), then Rotella T6 (1,300 PPM) and 2 fills of Pennzoil Euro 0W-40 (1,020 PPM). These are appropriate oils for a specialty high-output, high-revving engine. So far so good. I have not observerd any sparkles in oil. Power in lift is great. One day I will take off the two valve covers and do a case study: Amazon Basics 0W-40 vs brand name xW-40.
 
Back
Top Bottom