Tailored motor oil solutions

Article 2 June 2014

The new generation engines combine added power with lower fuel consumption but they often demand tailored motor oil solutions. Neste Oil responds to this challenge by developing better lubricant formulations.

More performance, lower fuel consumption levels, smaller engines, and less emissions. Consumers and legislators pose demands that vehicle manufacturers must meet.

To offer their optimal performance, new gasoline and diesel motors and their emission cleaning systems require customized lubricating oils. With top tier and premium class lubricants based on Neste Oils Very High Viscosity Index (VHVI) base oils, even the most demanding engines will purr as intended by their manufacturers.

“We create our lubrication oil recipes or formulations based on engine-specific data provided by the vehicle manufacturers together with the manufacturers of additives. The oils must have a top-notch performance under both high and low temperatures, their viscosity must be optimal, and they must prevent friction, wear, and corrosion in the engine and secure the function of emission cleaning system during the warranty time which may be as long as 700 000 kilometers,” explains Kari Kulmala, who is in charge of the technical development and OEM Liaison for commercial vehicles at Neste Oil Base Oils.

Low emissions and especially low fuel consumption are currently at the very top of vehicle manufacturers' wish list. “Fuel consumption can be reduced by decreasing the friction between the different parts of an engine. This is possible by using Group III base oils in combination with the right additives which improve the properties of the lubricant," says Thomas Guinot, who is in charge of the marketing and technology services at Neste Oil Base Oils.

Neste Oil's over fifteen years of experience in the development and production of high-class Group III NEXBASE® base oils is a great starting point for cooperation with additive manufacturers.

This advantage is further emphasized by the fact that the technical requirements become stricter with each new generation of engines. In the market, a special competitive edge of Neste Oil and its additive manufacturer partners is the larger selection of formulations compared to most competitors. The partners highly value the cooperation with Neste Oil.

“Infineum has been working in partnership with base oil suppliers for more than a decade to co-develop high performance market general products. By pro-actively sharing our views of the market trends and combining our complementary technical knowledge, we have successfully co-developed cost effective solutions responding to new market challenges. As complexity increases, closer collaboration will facilitate development of simple solutions to meet tougher specifications.”says Yannick Jullien, Regional Executive Market Manager –EMEA at Infineum.

The development of formulations is speeded up not only by the stricter emission limits of new engine models but also by different types of fuels. Fuels manufactured from renewable raw materials or ethanol pose different requirements for lubricants than fossil fuels. Preventing corrosion and treating impurities generated in the engine are more important.

New industry specifications and equipment manufacturers future requirements force the lubricants industry to develop more complex and higher quality products. Neste Oil Base Oils is well equipped to take up the challenges ahead for the benefit of its customers and partners, say Guinot.