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THE DIRTY TRUTH ABOUT SOOT
One by-product has remained a constant since Daimler developed the first prototype of
todays modern diesel engine in 1886 soot. Even in todays most advanced engines which run
on ultra low sulphur fuel, soot can have a significant impact on the performance and longevity
of an engine. In fact, as engine loads get heavier and drain intervals are extended further
and further, the relevance of soot has never been greater. However, there are steps that can
be taken to minimize the effects of engine soot for improved operations and costs savings.
What is the HT difference? Petro-Canada starts with the patented HT purity process to produce crystal-clear,
99.9% pure base oils. The result is a range of lubricants, specialty fluids and greases that deliver maximum
performance for our customers.
carbon, preventing the free movement of the ring within the By choosing a higher quality engine oil that handles soot
cylinder. This can lead to a condition called blowby, where better, both fleet and heavy duty equipment operators
unburned fuel and gases pass by the rings and blow into should be able to extend drain intervals with the use of an oil
the crankcase, robbing the engine of power, decreasing fuel analysis program. Fuel economy plays a part in extending the
economy, increasing oil consumption and the chance of oil drain interval as well. For instance, a truck with better fuel
serious engine failure. economy would typically be less demanding on the lubricant
than one with poorer fuel economy, given the same oil
consumption rate. Fuel rate is an indication of the heat input
What can you do?
into an engine, which can affect the rate of oxidation of
To help fight the negative effects of soot and prolong the the lubricant and deposit formation. Therefore, it appears
life of your engine, it is important to select an engine oil with that poorer fuel economy would also equate to a higher
excellent soot handling properties. There are two principal soot loading of the lubricant. Making an informed engine oil
points to consider when selecting a heavy duty engine oil: selection will help operators improve engine performance
That it is formulated with base oils produced through and protect their engines longer for greater reliability and
advanced refining processes. Based on a comparison reduced downtime.
of Mack T-11 test results, engine oils formulated with Figure 1: MACK T-11 Drain Samples
Petro-Canadas 99.9% pure base oils and proprietary
additive system significantly outperform competitive Good Bad
group II base oil/additive combinations in both soot (DURON-E Synthetic 10W-40) (Group II Base Oil & CJ-4 Chemistry)
6% soot, 228 hrs 6% soot, 204 hrs
dispersion and ability to reduce agglomeration.
That the heavy duty engine oil has effective dispersant
additives to handle the soot and prevent it from clumping
and changing the oils viscosity. Petro-Canadas DURON-E
1.0
is blended with specialty additives for longer-lasting 1.0
protection against the damage soot causes. As a result,
DURON-E is better able to micro-disperse soot particles
and prevent clumping to better protect engines from
abrasive wear.
0.1
Recent research has shown that dispersant performance is 0.1
enhanced by the purity of the base oil used. Ultra pure base oils Few large aggregates More large aggregates
can improve soot dispersion efficiency, allowing the engine oil to Well dispersed sample Poorly dispersed sample
disperse more soot for the same amount of dispersant additive. Largest aggregate sizes ~300-400 nm Largest aggregate sizes ~700-800 nm
TB1203E (2011.10)
Petro-Canada is a Suncor Energy business
TM
Trademark of Suncor Energy Inc. Used under licence.