ANTIWEAR FILM FORMATION BY COMPONENTS OF PASSENGER CAR MOTOR OILS

Engine testing of new low-sulfur, low-phosphorus anti wear components is expensive and time consuming so bench testing of potential candidates is highly desirable as a first step evaluation. Electrical contact resistance (ECR) has been shown to be a convenient method to assess antiwear film formation in a ball-on-flat bench wear test. Correlation of the bench test to fired engines was demonstrated for lubricants varying only in the type of detergent. Previous papers have examined film formation by one and two component formulations of zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZnDTP) and detergents. In this study, the ECR technique is systematically extended to formulations including ZnDTP, detergent, and dispersant. Both type and level of components are considered and the implications for engine performance are discussed.