Motor Oil Info

Many inputs used in modern agriculture are toxic to soil microbes, beneficial insects and soil invertebrates (such as earthworms) that cycle nutrients and make them available to plants. Each grain of healthy soil (about a thimbleful) contains several billion microbes, including bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes and algae. Fungi are the primary invaders, breaking down residue left in the highly-aerobic surface layer to a point where bacteria and actinomycetes can continue the process in the top 2-6″ of soil. The final result is humus, which provides highly-available nutrients to plants. Microbes produce their weight in humus everyday.

Some bacteria and algae also fix free nitrogen from the air, which contains 78% nitrogen. In a healthy acre of soil, these microbes fix 100 lbs. of nitrogen per acre into plant available forms each growing season. In addition, earthworms produce 700 lbs. of casting in one acre of healthy soil each day. Beneficial insects digest other insects, nematodes and residue, producing even more plant food.

Beneficial nematodes consume other nematodes, reducing or eliminating root damage and supplying available nutrients. This incredible army in the soil supplies most of the nutrients necessary for prolific crop growth as long as the proper substrates and environment are provided. However, the addition of toxins to the system inhibits their activity.

Converting to an Organic fertility program will increase the productivity and quality of any cropping system in the long run. The length of time it takes to convert to a more sustainable system (one that reduces the number of non-renewable inputs) depends on the degree of degradation of the biological ecosystem, which is impacted by the following:

1. The addition of toxic substances to the system.

2. The continuous mono-cropping in the absence of a viable crop rotation plan.

3. The lack of attention to soil chemical imbalance (i.e. base saturation percentage out of balance).

4. Soil compaction from the overuse of heavy machinery on the fields.

5. Practices that reduce the presence of organic matter in the top 6″ of soil.

Each of these factors must be addressed in some fashion, but it usually takes at least three years to see meaningful results: it takes time to detoxify the soil and open the soil pores so the soil microbes can multiply and begin releasing nutrients as crop need them.

Petroleum oils have met our lubrication needs for more than 100 years. They provide adequate lubrication and protection in many applications and they usually cost less to purchase than synthetics. However, because synthetic lubricants may be used for LONGER drain intervals than conventional lubes, and components lubricated with synthetics tend to require fewer repairs than those lubricated with conventional lubes, people who use synthetics often end up spending less on lubrication and vehicle maintenance than those who use conventional lubricants.

The savings to industrial and commercial users are well documented by AMSOIL and others. AMSOIL synthetic motor oils are the finest lubricants available today. Because AMSOIL uses only the highest quality base stocks and additive chemicals. AMSOIL synthetic motor oils provide maximum protection for virtually every application.

AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants are chemically engineered to form pure lubricants. Synthetic lubricants contain no contaminants or molecules that “don’t pull their own weight,” Because synthetic contain only smooth lubricating molecules, they slip easily across one another. On the other hand, the jagged, irregular and odd shaped molecules of refined lubricants don’t slip quite so easily. The ease with which lubricant molecules slip over one another affects the lube’s ability to reduce friction, which in turn, affects wear control, heat control and fuel efficiency.

AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are superior. Uniformity also helps synthetics resist thinning in heat and thickening in cold, which helps them protect better over a system’s operating temperature range. Synthetic lubricants are designable, they may be made to fulfill virtually every lubricating need.

Conventional Lubricants are refined from crude oil. Refining is a process of physically separating light from heavy oil fractions. Crude oil is a natural substance. It contains millions of different kinds of molecules. Many are similar in weight but dissimilar in structure. Because refining separates products by weight, it groups molecules of similar weight and dissimilar structure, so refined lubricants contain a wide assortment of molecules.

However, not all of those molecules are beneficial to the lubrication process. Some of the molecules found in refined lubricants are detrimental to the lubricated system or to the lubricant itself. For example, Paraffin, a common refined lubricant component, causes refined lubricants to thicken and flow poorly in cold temperatures. Some refined lubricant molecules also may contain sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen, which act as contaminants and invite the formation of sludge and other by-products of lubricant breakdown.

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Viscosity Grade is a system based on viscosity measures taken from a variety of tests. It developed 11 distinct motor oil viscosity classifications or grades: SAE oW,-SAE60. These are single-grade or single-viscosity oils.

These grades designate the specific ranges that the particular oil falls into. The “W” indicates the grade is suitable for use in cold temperatures. (Think of the “W” as meaning “Winter”.) The classifications increase numerically, readily indicating the difference between them and what the difference means. Simply put, the lower the number, the lower the temperature at which the oil can be used for safe and effective protection. The higher numbers reflect better protection for high-heat and high-load situations.

Engine heat is created from friction of moving parts and the ignition of fuel inside the cylinder. Oil carries heat away from these hot surfaces as it flows downward and dissipates heat to the surrounding air when it reaches the crankcase. Lubricating an engine actually requires a very small amount of motor oil compared to the amount needed to ensure proper cooling of these internal parts. The oil pump constantly circulates the oil to all vital areas of the engine.

Oil is classified by two systems. One system determines the oil’s viscosity (the SAE grade), and one determines its performance level, which oil to use in what type of engine (the API class).

All motor oils must be compatible with the various seal materials used in engines. Oil must not cause seals to shrink, crack, degrade or dissolve. Ideally, oils should cause seals to expand or “swell” slightly to ensure continued proper sealing.

Heat Dispersal: Another function of motor oil is to cool the engine. The radiator/cooling system is responsible for about 60 percent of the engine cooling that takes place. This cools only the upper portion of the engine, including the cylinder heads, cylinder walls and valves. The other 40 percent is cooled by the oil. The oil is directed onto hot surfaces, such as the crankshaft, main and connecting rod bearings, the camshaft and its bearings, the timing gears, the pistons and many other components in the lower portion of the engine that directly depend on the motor oil for cooling.

While detergents help minimize the amount of combustion by-products, dispersant additives keep those by-products suspended in a form so fine they minimize deposits. They keep the oil in the engine clean while they prevent the build-up of carbon or deposits from burned and unburned fuel and even from the oil itself. Eventually, these suspended particles are removed by the oil filter.

Anti-Foam: The addition of silicone or other compounds in very small amounts makes most oils adequately foam-resistant. It’s important to minimize foaming in motor oil because tiny air bubbles are whipped into motor oil by the action of many rapidly moving parts, resulting in a mass of oily froth that has very little ability to lubricate or aid in the cooling of the engine. These compounds weaken the air bubbles, causing them to collapse almost immediately upon forming, allowing the oil to continue to protect the engine.

In the same way that some chemical compounds are used to prevent engine rust and corrosion, other chemicals are added to motor oil to help prevent combustion by products from forming harmful sludge or varnish deposits. Detergents are added to motor oil because combustion causes carbon build-up and deposit formation on the pistons , rings, valves and cylinder walls.

Carbon and deposits affect engine temperature, oil circulation, engine performance and fuel efficiency. Detergent additives clean these by-products from the oil. Some combustion by-products slip past the piston rings and end up in the motor oil, which can clog the engine’s oil channels.