Motor Oil Info

Wear particles can scour away piston liners, cam lobes, piston rings and other engine parts, reducing combustion efficiency and causing the engine to burn more fuel to produce maximum horsepower. Wear in the valve train can disrupt timing and valve movement, while ring, piston and liner wear reduces volumetric compression and contributes to blow-by.

By-pass Filtration that removes particles smaller than 10 microns directly correlates to reduced engine wear and optimum efficiency. In the article “Clean Oil Reduces Engine Fuel Consumption” on Machinery Lubrication magazine’s website, the author surveys a number of studies that confirm this. Studied over 50,000 miles of service, buses fitted with Cummins six cylinder 8.3 liter turbocharged engines achieved 2 to3 percent gains in fuel efficiency while operating with six-micron by-pass filtration. A second study of a six-cylinder diesel engine saw dramatic improvements after installing a by-pass filter rated 75 percent efficient at six microns: oil contamination dropped 98 percent, friction decreased 2.9 percent and fuel economy increased 5 percent.

When an engine is started or running abnormally, some unburned fuel in liquid form is deposited on cylinder walls. That means raw fuel leaks past the rings into the crankcase, where it reduces the viscosity of the oil. Dilution lowers the film strength of the oil and increases oil consumption. Usually this is a minor problem when engine operation is at high-speed or high-temperatures, but it can be a problem in vehicles consistently used for short-trip driving.

While all of the processes by which a motor oil is contaminated are not fully defined, the use of high-quality motor oils such as AMSOIL Synthetic Motor Oils allows motorists continued protection of their engines along with extended drain intervals, all while limiting the contaminants in the oil and prolonging engine life.