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What types of additives are in diesel engine oil and how do they work? from varnish and sludge, as well as provide protection against wear, heat and acids. Key additives perform vital functions: Antioxidants - Engine oils react with oxygen in the air forming organic acids. Oxidation causes an increase in oil viscosity, sludge and varnish formation, corrosion of metallic parts and foaming. Antioxidants inhibit the oxidation process. By Dan Arcy Shell Lubricants Additives represent 15 to 20 percent of a gallon of oil with the balance being high-quality base oil. Additive packages help keep an engine clean and protected Next-generation low-viscosity oils will boost fuel economy, but durability could suffer. BY JACK ROBERTS Anti-wear additives - Anti-wear additives prevent direct metal-to- metal contact between the engine parts by adding a protective, sacrificial film. Using anti-wear additives promotes long engine life by reducing wear and scoring of the engine. to meet new federal greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency changes will be phased in from 2014 through 2017. One of the key components of the T Friction modifiers - Friction modifiers reduce engine friction, resulting in less fuel consumption. Dispersants - Dispersants keep foreign particles suspended from oil so they don't form deposit build- up on engine parts. Detergents - Detergents neutralize strong acids present in oil and remove them from metal surfaces. Detergents also form a film on the metal surfaces preventing sludge and varnish from forming in high temperature parts of the engine. Properly functioning diesel engine oils help enhance fuel economy, prevent deposits and maintain proper flow and viscosity under all temperatures. On-road testing is important to understand how well diesel engine oil will hold up under extreme road conditions. Shell Rotella® oil has been proven in more than 50 million miles of durability testing. T Triple Protection® engine This monthly column is brought to you by Shell Lubricants. Got a question? Visit ROTELLA.com, call 1-800-231-6950 or write to The ANSWER COLUMN, 1001 Fannin, Ste. 500, Houston, TX 77002. The term "Shell Lubricants" refers to the various Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business. 48 | Overdrive | October 2012 designs, experts say, will be markedly decreased parasitic drag on the powertrain. That will require a new he industry is preparing for the next generation of heavy- duty diesels that will have category of low-viscosity diesel engine oil. In laboratory testing, switching to a thin oil can deliver a 1.6-percent boost in fuel economy, says Dan Arcy, Shell's global OEM technical manager. The problem is that thinner oil generally breaks down more quickly in trucking applications, though oil companies are rising to the durability challenge. "There is a well-mapped, albeit very complex, procedure in play right A new generation of oil will be needed for engine technology designed to meet new environmental stan- dards that begin in 2014. Text INFO to 50298 or visit ovdinfo.com