GLOSSARY
- ACEA
- ACEA is the European Association of Car Manufacturers. It sets the most
modern quality levels for automobile lubricants, essentially aimed at
European vehicles. These quality levels replace the earlier CCMC. A1, A2 and
A3 for petrol cars; B1, B2 and B3 for diesel cars; E1, E2 and E3 for heavy
diesel vehicles.
- MIXED LUBRICANT OIL
- This term is applicable to those engine lubricants of broad application,
which ensure suitable lubrication both in petrol and diesel cars.
- MINERAL OILS
- Made with lubricant bases obtained directly from distillation of petroleum.
- SEMISYNTHETIC OILS
- Made with mixtures of mineral and synthetic bases.
- SYNTHETIC OILS
- Made with bases which come from complex transformations or synthesis.
- ADDITIVES
- Compounds added to the base oils in small amounts to give a finished
lubricant of the desired characteristics and performance.
- AEROEMULSION
- An oil's ability to eliminate air trapped inside it. Aeroemulsion is very
important in turbine oils and increasingly in high severity hydraulic oils.
It is an intrinsic property of the base oil and cannot be corrected with
additives.
- ANTIWEAR
- An additive able to reduce friction between moving parts.
- ANTIRUST
- An additive which prevents water vapour from combustion or from condensation
from the atmospherre creating rust on the engine parts.
- ANTIOXIDANT
- An additive which makes the oil take longer to become degraded by reducing
its oxidation.
- API
- The API is the American Petroleum Institute. It sets quality levels for
automobile lubricants, essentially aimed at American manufacturers. Its
quality levels are identified with two letters. Those beginning with S refer
to petrol vehicles and those with C to diesel engines. The second letter,
after the S or C, indicates the quality level, in rising order, e.g., API SJ
is the highest quality level for petrol cars.
- LUBRICANTE BASE or BASE OIL
- A lubricant fluid obtained from petroleum distillation or complex
transformations. It is the raw material from which lubricants are made.
- MEDIUM SALOON
- Cars which often have multivalve and turbo systems, with a cylinder capacity
of 1.8-2.2 litres and a horse power of 90-150, e.g., Audi 80, BMW Series 3,
Citröen Xantia, Ford Mondeo, Nissan Primera, Opel Calibra, Peugeot 406,
Renault Laguna, Seat Toledo, Volkswagen Passat...
- SEPARATE GREASE CIRCUIT
- Since 1995, nearly all the designs of all motorcycle and scooter
manufacturers have included an independent circuit for oil, with its own
pump and tank. Depending on the manufacturer, the tank size varies from 1 to
1.3 litres. The oil is sucked from a tank by a pump which sends it directly
to the air/petrol intake after the carburettor.
- OIL COLOUR
- This not an essential property of the lubricant, nor does it say anything
about its quality. It is measured according to a scale described in the
standard ASTM-D-1500, which assigns low numbers to light-coloured oils and
high numbers to dark ones. The colours of base oils may be changed by
additives, so that the colour of the finished oil will be determined by
these two variables.
- COMPACT CARS
- Cars with a cylinder capacity of 1.4 to 1.9 litres and a horse power of
75-110, e.g.,
Citröen ZX, Fiat Tempra, Nissan Sunny, Peugeot 306, Renault Megane, Ford
Escort, Opel Astra,Volkswagen Golf, Seat Cordoba...
- DENSITY
- The weight of a substance per unit of volume. It should not be confused with
VISCOSITY. For example, water is denser than oil (it weighs more) but is
more fluid (less viscous). It is measured according to standard ASTM-D-4052
- FREEZING POINT DEPRESSANT
- An additive which prevents solidification or lack of fluidity of the
lubricant at very low temperatures.
- DEMULSION
- This is a measure of the capacity of an oil to separate from an equal volume
of water when they have been mixed together.
- DETERGENCE
- Detergence is the characteristic or quality of an oil which prevents the
engine from becoming dirty and acid products forming which corrode and wear
its parts. In an engine, it could be defined as the lubricant's ability to
remove combustion residues and impurities from metal surfaces.
- DETERGENT
- An additive which prevents carbon residues from combustion and lacquers and
varnishes from degradation of the oil becoming set on metal surfaces.
- DISPERSANCE
- This is the quality which allows an oil to prevent accumulation of insoluble
residues produced by combustion, keeping them in fine dispersion throughout
the circuit.
- DISPERSANT
- An additive which prevents particles from sticking together, forming
precipitaiton and sludge within the lubricant.
- FOAMING
- A measure of an oil's tendency to form foam. This test, included in standard
ASTM-D-892, tells how an oil would behave if it were stirred or air were
introduced in it.
- EXTREME PRESSURE
- A property which prevents two surfaces under a heavy work load from becoming
"welded" together. This property is very important for industrial and
automobile gears.
- LARGE SALOON
- High-performance cars, generally with more than 4 cylinders, multivalve
systems, a cylinder capacity of more than 2.5 litres and a horse power
greater than 150 hp, e.g., Audi 100, BMW Series 5, Opel Omega, Peugeot 605,
Reanult Safrane, Volvo Series 800, Mercedes Class E...
- GTI
- Top-of-the-range sports cars with petrol engines. They are high-speed cars
with high specific power (all having multipoint injection technology and
increasingly turboinjection).
- VISCOSITY INDEX
- This is a measure of the change in viscosity with temperature. ASTM-D-2270
is the standard describing it. Typical values for the viscosity index are 95
(for normal or "single grade" oils) and between 125 and 150 (for
"multigrade" oils). Thge higher the number, the less the viscosity changes
with temperature.
- ISO
- As well as the SAE scale of viscosity, basically used for automotive oils
(engine, gear boxes, transmissions, etc.), there is another viscosity scale
used for industrial lubricants (hydraulics, turbines, compressors, pneumatic
tools, industrial gears, heat transmission, dielectrics, etc.). This is the
I.S.O. (International Standard Organization) scale of viscositiy, described
in standards DIN 51519 and ISO 3448. This scale measures viscosity in
centistokes at 40ºC and dfines margins of tolerance within each ISO grade.
- CLEANING
- In engines, the lubricant keeps the engine clean by attracting all the
residues produced by combustion.
- LUBRICATION
- The science of the procedures to reduce friction between two surfaces in
movement relative to each other, its context and consequences.
- LUBRICANT
- Any solid, semi-solid or liquid substance, whatever its origin, which serves
to reduce friction between moving parts and mechanisms.
- LUBRICATE
- To reduce friction and rubbing between metal parts in contact by placing a
lubricant film between them.
- VISCOSITY INDEX IMPROVER
- An additive with the capacity to keep the oil fluid at low temperatires and
sufficiently viscous at the engine's working temperatures, i.e., it keeps
the oil fluid at the different temperatures.
- MINERAL OILS
- Lubricants made with bases obtained directly from petroleum distillation .
- SINGLE GRADE
- Oils which need to be changed according to the season of the year because
their viscosity changes with temperature.
- MULTIGRADE
- Oils with a minimum viscosity change with temperature. These oils respond to
the requirements of use at both high and low temperatures and can be used
all year round. An SAE MULTIGRADE oil is one complying with two SAE scales
at the same time (e.g., 80W90; 15W40; 10W30, etc.).
- MULTIVALVE ENGINES
- One of the great innovations in motor engineering has been the development
of multivalve engines. Engine performance is considerably improved, as it is
able to "breathe" better and more. There are cars with
4 valves per cylinder (2 intake and 2 exhaust valves per piston):
- 16 valves (4-cylinder engine) (e.g., Peugeot 406 2.0 16V ST, Renault
Laguna 2.0 S RXE, Ford Mondeo Ghia 2.0 16V, Citröen Xantia 2.0 16V SX,
Volkswagen Golf Gti.)
- 24 valves (6-cylinder engine) (e.g., Alfa Romeo 164 3.0 Super V6 24V,
Citröen XM V6 24V Exclusive...)
5 valves per cylinder (3 intake and 2 exhaust valves per piston)
- 20 valves (4-cylinder engine) (e.g., Volkswagen Passat 90 CV i, Audi A4
1.8.)
- 30 valves (6-cylinder engine) (e.g., Volkswagen Corrado V6 2.8l 193CV,
Audi A8 4.0l...).
The highly complicated structure of these multivalve systems requires a
high-performance lubricant guaranteeing perfect balance between fluidity and
control of wear.
- ACEA STANDARDS
- ACEA is the European Association of Car Manufacturers. It sets the most
modern quality levels for automobile lubricants, essentially aimed at
European vehicles. These quality levels replace the earlier CCMC. A1, A2 and
A3 for petrol cars; B1, B2 and B3 for diesel cars; E1, E2 and E3 for heavy
diesel vehicles.
- API STANDARDS
- The API is the American Petroleum Institute. It sets quality levels for
automobile lubricants, essentially aimed at American manufacturers. Its
quality levels are identified with two letters. Those beginning with S refer
to petrol vehicles and those with C to diesel engines. The second letter,
after the S or C, indicates the quality level, in rising order, e.g., API SJ
is the highest quality level for petrol cars.
- PRE-MIX
- Oil and petrol are mixed at the start, using the petrol tank for this. This
system is typical of traditional scooters, motorcycles and mopeds (made
before 1995) and other 2-stroke engines, such as:
- Water extraction pumps
- Electricity generators
- Garden machinery (lawn mowers, burring machines, hedge cutters, etc.)
- Power saws
- Garden tractors
- Etc.
- PROTECT FROM CORROSION
- The lubricant protects the engine parts from the corrosive effects of agents
produced by combustion and other substances.
- COMBUSTION POINT
- This is reached just after the ignition point, when a temperature is reached
at which the oil continues to burn for at least 5 seconds. It is described
in standard ASTM-D-92.
- FREEZING POINT
- This is the minimum temperature at which a given oil maintains itself fluid.
Logically, it is desirable for the freezing point of an engine oil to be as
low as possible. It is described in standard ASTM-D-97.
- IGNITION POINT
- Indicates the temperature to which an oil can be heated without risk of
igniting (flashing) in the presence of a naked flame. It is described in
standard ASTM-D-92, when it is measured in an open vessel.
- REFRIGERATING
- In engines, the lubricant cools bearings, cylinder walls and the interior of
pistons (places where the engine's traditional refrigeration system does not
reach).
- FRICTION
- All the forces which oppose the relative movement of two surfaces in contact
with each other.
- SAE
- This refers to a scale of viscosity used throughout the world, established
by the American Society of Automotive Engineers, for all oils used in
automobiles. This classification gives the SAE engine oil grades 0W, 5W,
10W, 15W, 20W, 25W, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60, while for manual gear boxes,
differentials transmissions it assigns SAE 70W, 75W, 80W, 85W, 90, 140, 250.
Viscosity levels in SAE grades are measured at 100º C. If followed by the
letter W, it shows that it was measured below 0º C. For example, SAE 20W-50:
the 20W shows the viscosity at low temperatures and 50 the viscosity at high
temperatures.
- SELF-MIX
- Since 1995, nearly all the designs of all motorcycle and scooter
manufacturers have included an independent circuit for oil, with its own
pump and tank. Depending on the manufacturer, the tank size varies from 1 to
1.3 litres. The oil is sucked from a tank by a pump which sends it directly
to the air/petrol intake after the carburettor.
- SEALING
- In engines, the lubricant contributes towards sealing of the combustion
chamber, preventing gases leaking into the engine casing when adequate
compression is maintained.
- SEMISYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
- Lubricants made with mixtures of mineral and synthetic bases.
- SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS
- Those made with bases produced by complex transformations or synthesis.
- SEPARATE GREASE CIRCUIT
- Since 1995, nearly all the designs of all motorcycle and scooter
manufacturers have included an independent circuit for oil, with its own
pump and tank. Depending on the manufacturer, the tank size varies from 1 to
1.3 litres. The oil is sucked from a tank by a pump which sends it directly
to the air/petrol intake after the carburettor.
- PRE-MIX SYSTEM
- Oil and petrol are mixed at the start, using the petrol tank for this. This
system is typical of traditional scooters, motorcycles and mopeds (made
before 1995) and other 2-stroke engines, such as:
- Water extraction pumps
- Electricity generators
- Garden machinery (lawn mowers, burring machines, hedge cutters, etc.)
- Power saws
- Garden tractors
- Etc.
- STOU
- Super Tractor Oil Universal. This term is used by farm machinery
manufacturers and users, applied to the multifunctional lubricants developed
to lubricate the different systems in farm marchiner: diesel engine
(atmosphere or turbo-injected), final drives, transmissions, hydraulic
systems, oil-immersed brakes.
- T.B.N.
- Total Basic Number. It is expressed in mg KOH/g of sample, and shows the
power to neutralize acids from combustion.
- TDI
- These are modern, top-of the-range diesel cars with direct turboinjection.
They provide lively acceleration and high top speeds, reaching 200 km/h. The
provide performance (cylinder capacity and power) very similar to their
petrol-engined counterparts.
- COMPACT CARS
- Cars with a cylinder capacity of 1.4 - 1.9 litres and a horse power of
75-110, e.g.,
Citröen ZX, Fiat Tempra, Nissan Sunny, Peugeot 306, Renault Megane, Ford
Escort, Opel Astra,Volkswagen Golf, Seat Cordoba...
- SMALL CARS
- Small cars with a cylinder capacity of up to 1.4 litres and horse power up
to 75, e.g., Citröen AX, Fiat Punto, Nissan Micra, Peugeot 205, Renault
Twingo, Seat Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa, Peugeot
106,...
- UTILITIES
- Pequeños utilitarios con cilindrada hasta 1.4 litros y potencia hasta 75 CV. Ejemplos: Citröen AX, Fiat Punto, Nissan Micra, Peugeot 205, Renault Twingo, Seat Ibiza, Volkswagen Polo, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa, Peugeot 106,...
- UTTO
- Universal Transmission Tractor Oil. Concepto que se maneja entre los constructores y usuarios de maquinaria agrícola, que se aplica para aquellos lubricantes formulados para la lubricación en la maquinaria agrícola de: transmisiones, sistemas hidráulicos y frenos sumergidos en baño de aceite.
- VISCOSITY
- The most important property of a lubricant. It can be defined as a
measurement of the resistance to flow of the oil. Viscosity varies with
temperature, but this variation is not the same for all oils. When
temperature rises, viscosity descreases. The less an oil's viscosity varies
with temperature, the better its behaviour will be. Viscosity is measured
according to the standard ASTM-D-445 and expressed in centistokes at 40 ºC
or 100 ºC.