This might be better suited for the oil analysis forums, but given that it concerns change over time I figured I'd ask here: how does one explain the dropoff in Pennzoil Ultra Platinum's boron levels from VOAs (in the 200s) to the used oil analysis (<100)? Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or neither?
Pennzoil Ultra Platinum how much boron?
- Thread starter Eulogium7
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My understanding is that boron is a detergent and extreme pressure additive. During use, I would say it is common to mix or react with contaminants and get "used up" or settle out of suspension. So IMHO, seems like it would show it is working and is a normal response.
OVERKILL
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Boron is sacrificial and will fill imperfections in things like the cylinder walls. It's a lot like ZDDP in that respect, though ZDDP's interactions and plating are more complex, with heat and pressure changing how it bonds, and the durability of the coating.
ZDDP has a complex cycle of plating, sloughing, plating (with other mechanisms fitting in there impacting that cycle that aren't relevant to this discussion), where the constituents of the compound tend to mostly end up back in the lubricant and it is these levels that we see in used oil analysis. Ergo, you don't really know how much of the ZDDP was "used up" because the elements are still there.
We see a reduction in the zinc and phosphorous levels of lubricants in used oil analysis as well, but of course they start at much higher levels.
That said, there does seem to be a higher rate of consumption with boron and I suspect this is due to its less complex relationship with surfaces. It plates, sacrificing itself, but I would theorize that it does not have the same bonding behaviour as ZDDP, so it's more easily consumed in the combustion chamber when filling imperfects in the cylinder walls, pistons-to-ring interface, and the piston bodies.
This study delves into the improvements in efficiency and power that adding boron to a lubricant that doesn't contain it has:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236123018483
There is a section on the filling of imperfections in the cylinder walls observed under a microscope.
The takeaway is that the boron compound improves ring seal, reducing emissions, increasing efficiency and improving power output. It is in this role, working the piston/ring/wall interface that I suspect is the primary source of consumption.
ZDDP has a complex cycle of plating, sloughing, plating (with other mechanisms fitting in there impacting that cycle that aren't relevant to this discussion), where the constituents of the compound tend to mostly end up back in the lubricant and it is these levels that we see in used oil analysis. Ergo, you don't really know how much of the ZDDP was "used up" because the elements are still there.
We see a reduction in the zinc and phosphorous levels of lubricants in used oil analysis as well, but of course they start at much higher levels.
That said, there does seem to be a higher rate of consumption with boron and I suspect this is due to its less complex relationship with surfaces. It plates, sacrificing itself, but I would theorize that it does not have the same bonding behaviour as ZDDP, so it's more easily consumed in the combustion chamber when filling imperfects in the cylinder walls, pistons-to-ring interface, and the piston bodies.
This study delves into the improvements in efficiency and power that adding boron to a lubricant that doesn't contain it has:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016236123018483
There is a section on the filling of imperfections in the cylinder walls observed under a microscope.
The takeaway is that the boron compound improves ring seal, reducing emissions, increasing efficiency and improving power output. It is in this role, working the piston/ring/wall interface that I suspect is the primary source of consumption.
MolaKule
Staff member
Here is a writeup on Boron from 2003.
The Boron would most likely be a phosphorilated borate (boron nitride) in an ester.
The Boron would be seen listed by itself as simply "Boron."
The small amount of phosphorus in the phosphorilated borate would add to the "Phos" reading.
The phosphorus from ZDDP these days is about 800ppm, so the phosphorilated borate might add an additional 25ppm to the "Phos" reading.
All additive compounds eventually have molecular dissociation over time such that individual atoms are separated from their parent molecules. Some atoms may show a reduction in the used oil analysis by being caught up in the more volatile compounds and expelled through the exhaust.
The Boron would most likely be a phosphorilated borate (boron nitride) in an ester.
The Boron would be seen listed by itself as simply "Boron."
The small amount of phosphorus in the phosphorilated borate would add to the "Phos" reading.
The phosphorus from ZDDP these days is about 800ppm, so the phosphorilated borate might add an additional 25ppm to the "Phos" reading.
All additive compounds eventually have molecular dissociation over time such that individual atoms are separated from their parent molecules. Some atoms may show a reduction in the used oil analysis by being caught up in the more volatile compounds and expelled through the exhaust.
The Motor Oil Geek has a Y.T. video of PENNZOIL Ultra Platinum 5w-30 and why it's BETTER than the 5w-30 PLATINUM that are both S.P.,GF-6A . He gets V.O.A. ( SPEEDiagnostix ) for both and explains why the ULTRA is better . Part of the reason being the BORON and what the BORON does .
The the title is " What Makes This Oil So Special ? " placed on June 17, 2023 . Worth a watch .
The the title is " What Makes This Oil So Special ? " placed on June 17, 2023 . Worth a watch .
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