What exactly does the term oil "moly" mean?

[martyi]

I've been learning a lot since coming here a couple weeks ago but this is a term I keep reading about that I do not fully understand. I have been reading a lot of reports at the VOA and UOA section and they talk about this oil or that oil having lots of "moly".

I have a new Honda Ridgeline V6 truck and many of the posts I've read dealing with Hondas say that they like oils with lots of "moly". I'm sure it is an additive of some sort but what does it do and why do Honda engines like it?

In trying to determine the best oils to use for my truck I have found that the used oils showing the best oil test figures for Hondas (or personal recommendations) are Motorcraft, Havoline and ExxonMobil - all 5W20 of course as that is what Honda suggests.

During my search there was a Havoline 5W20 VOA made some months ago and everyone was surprised at the amount of "moly". One person said it was even more than Motorcraft and another initmated Hondas should love this formula.

So, can anyone enlighten me on this term as it relates to Hondas and the oils known to be "moly" enhanced?

 

[SSDude]

Read this:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/moly.html

 

[y_p_w]

"Moly" is just short for the metallic element molybdenum. It's used as an alloy with iron (chrome-molybdenum steel) or in some antiwear additives (molybdenum sulfide for example). It's also used in some greases.

http://www.chemsoc.org/viselements/pages/molybdenum.html

 

[haley10]

Moly isn't the Holy Grail as many believe. Some oils that are top peformers do not show Moly content.

 

[1911]

quote:

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Originally posted by SSDude:
Read this:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/moly.html

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We don't want to be misleading SSDude since this is the auto engine board. Moly disulfide to the best of my knowledge is not used in PCMOs. The moly compounds used in PCMO may be of the
molybdenum dialkyldithiocarbamates or molybdenum phosphordithioates variety. There may be others but moly disulfide is not a player in PCMO. Perhaps one of the experts can explain why this is but I have heard stories of racing folks adding this to motor oils and ending up with totally blocked off oil filters.

1911

 

[JohnBrowning]

haley10 everybody nows "moly" is not the Holy Grail! It is common knoldge that ZDDP is the Holy Grail! But atlast thanks to GM and Chrysler whineing about Zink and Phos. maybe poisning catalytic converter the good cheap stuff that is proven to work is quickly disapearing !!! So that leave Moly and Borates ti take up most of the slack! Calcium is only good for about 1000 miles as an AW additive. Moly is mostly their for FM to meet fuel efficency requirments it job as an AW is secondary!