Petro-Canada

TechBulletin
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 soot? What does this mean for your engine?

Soot is principally made up of carbon and occurs as a result
of the incomplete burning of fuel, whether it is by a flickering
candle or a diesel engine. When clean fuel burns completely
the only by-products are water and carbon dioxide. However,
due to impurities in the fuel, inefficiencies in the combustion
cycle of an engine and high engine temperatures, soot
and other by-products, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) are
produced. These emissions are treated by systems such
as Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) or Selective Catalytic
Reduction (SCR) systems with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF).
While most soot and other by-products exit through the engines
exhaust system, a percentage is absorbed by the engines lubricant.
In EGR systems a portion of the engine exhaust is re-introduced
into the combustion chamber to control the gaseous emissions,
which add to higher levels of soot loading in the lubricant.
Although soot particles in engine oil are sub-micron-sized,
they tend to agglomerate to form larger particles (See Figure 1).
While all modern diesel-engine lubricants have additives known
as dispersants to help reduce this clumping, the build up of soot
over time eventually results in a thickening of the oil. This occurs
because clumps of soot trap oil within them causing the oil to
behave as though it is made of larger, more viscous molecules.
If soot is not well dispersed in the lubricant, sludge will form
on the filter, rocker covers and cylinder head deck. Filter
blockage can occur if the filter element becomes covered in
sludge, which will cause high differential pressure across the
filter and cause it to go into bypass mode, allowing unfiltered
oil to circulate through the engine. Sludge accumulation on the
cylinder head deck can potentially lead to an increase in valve
guide wear.
The principal problem for engines is that agglomerated soot
is abrasive. While sub-micron-sized particles can flow freely
through an engines components, the presence of agglomerated
soot between two sliding surfaces, a piston ring and liner or
bearing and journal for example, can act like sandpaper and
cause abrasive wear. As soot levels increase throughout the oil
drain interval, the ability of the oil to minimize agglomeration
becomes a critical defence against wear.
If soot is allowed to agglomerate, it can gradually wear down
engine components and significantly affect the efficiency and
power output of the engine. Pistons that are scored as a result
of the presence of soot particles can leak fuel and air during
the compression cycle, reducing the engines horsepower.
Similarly, valve train component wear can result in a loss of fuel
economy, as injection and valve timing can change, resulting in
a retardation of the fuel injection timing, causing more soot to
be generated.
Another outcome of agglomerated soot in the oil is higher
viscosity levels. Higher viscosity oil will have lower pumpability
and possibly leave the engine under-lubricated. This is
particularly dangerous during cold weather start-ups when oil
flow is reduced by low ambient temperature and the engine
is the most vulnerable to oil-pumping failure. Soot loading
also affects the High Temperature High Shear (HTHS)
properties of a lubricant, which will result in a loss of fuel
economy over the drain interval.
A final, less common, but equally damaging effect of soot
accumulation in engine oil is stuck rings caused by soot
deposits. Using the wrong engine oil can result in the groove
that the ring runs in getting gummed up with sludge and

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
cylinder. This can lead to a condition called blowby, where
unburned fuel and gases pass by the rings and blow into
the crankcase, robbing the engine of power, decreasing fuel
economy, increasing oil consumption and the chance of
serious engine failure.
What can you do?
To help fight the negative effects of soot and prolong the
life of your engine, it is important to select an engine oil with
excellent soot handling properties. There are two principal
points to consider when selecting a heavy duty engine oil:
That it is formulated with base oils produced through
advanced refining processes. Based on a comparison
of Mack T-11 test results, engine oils formulated with
Petro-Canadas 99.9% pure base oils and proprietary
additive system significantly outperform competitive
group II base oil/additive combinations in both soot
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
is blended with specialty additives for longer-lasting
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.
Recent research has shown that dispersant performance is
By choosing a higher quality engine oil that handles soot
better, both fleet and heavy duty equipment operators
should be able to extend drain intervals with the use of an oil
analysis program. Fuel economy plays a part in extending the
oil drain interval as well. For instance, a truck with better fuel
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
into an engine, which can affect the rate of oxidation of
the lubricant and deposit formation. Therefore, it appears
that poorer fuel economy would also equate to a higher
soot loading of the lubricant. Making an informed engine oil
selection will help operators improve engine performance
and protect their engines longer for greater reliability and
reduced downtime.
Figure 1: MACK T-11 Drain Samples
Good Bad
(DURON-E Synthetic 10W-40) (Group II Base Oil & CJ-4 Chemistry)
6% soot, 228 hrs 6% soot, 204 hrs
1.0
1.0
0.1
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

Learn more at www.fightsoot.com

TechBulletin Info Lines

If you would like information about the many Petro-Canada lubricants, specialty fluids and greases, please contact us at:
Petro-Canada Lubricants Inc.
2310 Lakeshore Road West
Mississauga, Ontario
Canada L5J 1K2
Canada West .....................
Canada East (English) ........
Canada East (French) .........
Other Areas ........................
E-mail.................................
Petro-Canada America Lubricants
980 North Michigan Avenue
Suite 1400, #1431
Chicago, Illinois USA 60611
Phone 1-800-661-1199 Phone ................................ 1-888-284-4572
Phone 1-800-268-5850
Phone 1-800-576-1686 Petro-Canada Asia Pacific Holding Company Ltd.
Phone 1-416-730-2408 Jia Shi Lubricants Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd.
lubecsr@suncor.com
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1908 World Trade Tower

Internet..............................
Petro-Canada Europe Lubricants
Wellington House, Starley Way
lubricants.petro-canada.ca 500 Guangdong Road, Huangpu District
Shanghai, China 200001
Phone ................................ +86-21-6362-0066
PRINTED IN CANADA

Birmingham International Park

Solihull B37 7HB United Kingdom
Phone ................................ +44 (0) 121 781 7264
Fax .................................... +44 (0) 121 781 7401

TB1203E (2011.10)
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