So I've recently tested a few Euro oils. Based off VOA analysis can we really tell any difference between these oils (Aside from the Super Tech)? Is anything making one better than the other? I know we don't have NOACK or any UOA off of these VOA submissions, but they all look pretty similar.
VOA Comparison
- Thread starter Furyus67
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Thanks for posting!
Without knowing the base oil composition you can't really draw any conclusions with regards to performance. For example product A may have higher concentrations of certain additives compared to product B, but that could be because product B uses a base oil blend that runs cleaner or it could be because product A wanted a better performing product.
Why? GDI doesn't mean LSPI. The Super Tech has BMW approvals and BMW doesn't test for LSPI.
Most LSPI events were prevalent in GDI/TGDI engines when calcium levels were high. Of course, engine design is also a factor. It's one of the main reasons most engine oils designed for GDI have gone to an MG/CA combination. The high pressure of DI exacerbated LSPI for some manufacturers. If you want to run this in your BMW, great.
From PQIA "Although calcium had been favored for decades, industry research has shown fewer incidents of LSPI occurred by re-balancing detergent chemistry to reduce the level of calcium and increase the level of magnesium sulfonate in the additive package. Calcium has been shown to promote LSPI, while magnesium has little impact good or bad. For more information on this topic, and other additive solutions to mitigate LSPI."
Science direct article:
"The harmful impact of calcium in detergents was already addressed in the early 1970s as part of a study on deposit-initiated pre-ignition [182]. The promoting effect has since then been confirmed by several other studies [20], [64], [119], [122], [131], [163], [173], [174], [183], [184], [185], [186]. The steep increase in LSPI for a calcium content between 1000 and 2500 ppm is visible in Fig. 16."
"The reason for why a substitution of calcium with magnesium in the oil detergent reduced LSPI still remains unknown."
https://pqia.org/2019/05/31/sn-plus-motor-oils-calcium-down-magnesium-up/#:~:text=Such LSPI events can cause engine knocking,,case, catastrophic failure due to cracked pistons.&text=Although calcium had been favored for decades,,of magnesium sulfonate in the additive package.
https://pqia.org/2019/05/31/sn-plus-motor-oils-calcium-down-magnesium-up/#:~:text=Such LSPI events can cause engine knocking,,case, catastrophic failure due to cracked pistons.&text=Although calcium had been favored for decades,,of magnesium sulfonate in the additive package.
https://blog.amsoil.com/lspi-is-still-causing-problems/
https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants...ines/low-speed-pre-ignition-engine-protection
I'll simplify this. Direct injection gave automakers a lot more control over tuning, especially when combined with forced induction. Some automakers, through tuning, created the problem known as LSPI and they had to scramble to develop an interim fix which was API SN+(circa 2017). BMW has been employing DI/TGDI since 2007 and their engines do not suffer from LSPI. Currently BMW and VW/Porsche have not incorporated a LSPI test in their approvals. Of course there's no downside to using an oil which also "meets" API SP in a BMW but there's no objective reason to only use such an oil. In any case, today it's almost impossible to find an oil on the shelf which is API SN/SN+ simply because it's not cost effective and the SP additive package isn't a compromise.
Your simplified explanation was not needed, but ok cool. I'll probably never own a BMW/VW/Porsche, so continuing on is of little interest to me.
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