Diesel oil functions
One of the most important functions of a diesel engine oil is to neutralize the acids created by the combustion of diesel fuel. When diesel fuel is burned in an engine, several highly acidic by-products are produced. These very strong acids, if not neutralized, attack the metals of crucial moving parts. Diesel engine oils contain calcium and/or magnesium sulfonate additives to neutralize these acids. Only one of those additives is effective in hard working engines.
What is calcium sulfonate?
Calcium sulfonate has many advantages over its counterpart magnesium sulfonate. Calcium sulfonate is thermally stable at higher temperatures. It continues to do its job when the engine is working its hardest. Magnesium breaks down at these high temperatures and won’t protect the engine.
Calcium sulfonate also maintains its protective attributes in the presence of moisture. Magnesium turns into acid when it contacts with any kind of moisture and turns into an acid creating micro pitting on the cylinder walls and pistons.
Research through used oil analysis shows that calcium sulfonate has been proven to keep wear metal levels very low, helping to extend the life of any diesel engine. These same used oil analysis tests show that the presence of wear metals is 10 times greater in diesel fuels treated with magnesium additives.
If your goal is to protect your engine and extend your oil change interval, it is best to choose a diesel engine oil with an all-calcium formulation that contains very little to any magnesium. For those who want the absolute best protection for their engine, choose a diesel engine oil that contains synthetic calcium sulfonate in its formulation.
Why do oil companies choose to use magnesium despite its considerable disadvantages? Because it is a much cheaper additive. Alpha Lubricants is proud to offer top-of-the-line diesel engine oil formulated with synthetic calcium sulfonate.
Alpha Lubricant’s Mission
As a leader in performance and protection lubricants, it is our mission and responsibility to help our customers in achieving operational excellence for all of their vehicles and machinery. Our goal is to greatly increase your engine life expectancy, performance and fuel efficiency while simultaneously lowering operation and maintenance costs to an absolute minimum.
About the Author
Jim Silvestros, Jr. learned the oil business from his father Jim Silvestros, Sr. He has been CEO of Alpha Lubricants since 2010. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and two children.