Sulfar, additive or contaminate?

[electrolover]

the way it was explained to me was, oil is refined to reduce sulfar and other contaminates which causes deposits. but im looking at voas here:
http://www.pqiamerica.com/testresults3a.html

and i see the cleanest advertised oil(PYB) has a much higher sulfar content than most. whats the deal here? am i mixed up on something or what? i have not seen any deposits since i started using pennz products. does that have something to do with the high boron levels? if the sulfar is bad does the boron counter it? or am i completely mixed up?

 

[electrolover]

wow so no one cares about the purpose of sulfar huh?
ok then....

 

[m37charlie]

I think you need to read a book on oil chemistry. Many very useful additives contain a lot of sulfur (not "sulfar").

Charlie

 

[electrolover]

Originally Posted By: m37charlie
I think you need to read a book on oil chemistry. Many very useful additives contain a lot of sulfur (not "sulfar").

Charlie


any recommendations? ill ask books a million if they have one

 

[m37charlie]

I'll make 2 recommendations when I get home in about 3 hrs.

Charlie

 

[m37charlie]

1)Automotive Lubricants Reference Book, 2nd ed., Haycock & Hillier
2) Lubricant Additives, Chemistry and Applications; Rudnick.

The first book is very readable cover to cover if you have a bit of chemistry background.
The second is quite technical, and quite expensive.

Charlie

 

[electrolover]

thanks charlie

 

[tinmanSC]

Sulfur can be a contaminate as it's present in many types of crude, but it's also used in several additives. If you look at a bottle of TUMS, you see it's made of calcium carbonate. The TBN additives in most oil are calcium sulfate. It does the same job, it's an acid neutralizer without being an active base. This shows up in a VOA/UOA as sulfur. Sulfur is also used in extreme pressure additives. These are not normally found in standard engine oil, however. But they are found in gear oil (it's why gear oil is super smelly!) Some oils use a small amount as an anti-wear additive, but normally only a small mount because the API and ILSAC put limits on it.

 

[ottotheclown]

Thank you for the explanation, I always wondered what it really does. So by this the more is better than the least eh?

Originally Posted By: tinmanSC
Sulfur can be a contaminate as it's present in many types of crude, but it's also used in several additives. If you look at a bottle of TUMS, you see it's made of calcium carbonate. The TBN additives in most oil are calcium sulfate. It does the same job, it's an acid neutralizer without being an active base. This shows up in a VOA/UOA as sulfur. Sulfur is also used in extreme pressure additives. These are not normally found in standard engine oil, however. But they are found in gear oil (it's why gear oil is super smelly!) Some oils use a small amount as an anti-wear additive, but normally only a small mount because the API and ILSAC put limits on it.

 

[edhackett]

Almost every standard engine oil on the market uses ZDDP as an anti-wear additive. That second D stands for dithio, which means two sulfur atoms.

Ed

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: edhackett
Almost every standard engine oil on the market uses ZDDP as an anti-wear additive. That second D stands for dithio, which means two sulfur atoms.

Ed




man,you know your stuff!

 

[electrolover]

i read some stuff that said they use sulfur to make antioxidants as well. it seems if you see sulfur in a uoa its because of a strong add pack. its in everything from anti wear to underwear.

i will be buying those books