Lubricants With Overbased Calcium and Overbased Magnesium Detergents and Method for Improving Low-Speed Pre-Ignition

Abstract

A lubricating oil composition and method of operating a boosted internal combustion engine. The lubricating oil includes greater than 50 wt. % of a base oil, one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents, one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents and one or more molybdenum compounds and leads to a more than 60% reduction in LSPI compared to the LSPI of a reference oil and passes the Ball Rust Test. The ratio of wt % calcium from the overbased detergents to wt. % of magnesium from the overbased detergents is less than 11.9. A ratio of total ppm of magnesium to total TBN of the lubricating oil in mg KOH/g is greater than 19. A ratio of the total ppm of calcium to the total TBN of the lubricating oil is less than 222. The oil and method may reduce low-speed pre-ignition events in a boosted internal combustion relative to commercially available lubricating oils.

Claims

1. A lubricating oil composition comprising: greater than 50 wt. % of a base oil of lubricating viscosity, based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition; a sufficient amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, to provide greater than 1000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition; one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, wherein the total amount of magnesium provided by the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents to the lubricating oil composition 50-1500 ppm; and one or more molybdenum compounds providing a total amount of molybdenum to the lubricating composition of 25-1000 ppm; wherein a ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents is less than 11.9; a ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is greater than 19; a ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is less than 222; the lubricating oil composition is effective to reduce the number of low-speed pre-ignition events by more than 60% relative to the number of low-speed pre-ignition events in the same engine lubricated with reference lubricating oil R-1, as determined in a Ford 2.0 Liter, 4 cylinder EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine operated for 4 hours under steady state conditions at a speed of about 1750 rpm and greater than 80% maximum brake mean effective pressure for four 4-hour stages of 175,000 engine cycles per stage; and the lubricating oil composition passes the Ball Rust test.

2. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents comprise detergents selected from calcium sulfonate and calcium phenate detergents.

3. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents comprises a magnesium sulfonate detergent.

4. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents is less than 10.

5. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents is from 0.5 to 9.

6. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is greater than 25.

7. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the a ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is from 30-90.

8. The lubricating oil composition of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is less than 215.

9. The lubricating oil composition of claim 2, wherein the ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is from 125-210.

11. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents provides greater than 1000 ppm to less than 2000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition.

12. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents provides from 1050 ppm to 1900 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition.

13. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents provide 100-1200 ppm of magnesium to the lubricating oil composition.

14. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents provide 200-800 ppm of magnesium to the lubricating oil composition.

15. The lubricating oil composition of claim 3, wherein the one or more molybdenum compounds provide 50-800 ppm of molybdenum to the lubricating composition.

16. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the amount of boron in the lubricating oil composition is from 150 to 600 ppm, based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

17. The lubricating oil composition of claim 2, wherein the one or more overbased calcium sulfonate detergents has a total base number of at least 250 mg KOH/g.

18. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the lubricating oil composition has a total base number of less than 10 mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, as measured by the method of ASTM D-2896.

19. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the TBN contributed to the lubricating oil composition by the one or more calcium-containing detergents is from 2.5-5.0 mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, as measured by the method of ASTM D-2896.

20. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the TBN contributed to the lubricating oil composition by a combination of the one or more calcium-containing detergents and the one or more magnesium-containing detergents is from 4.0-8.0 mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, as measured by the method of ASTM D-2896.

21. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the lubricating oil composition is effective to reduce the number of low-speed pre-ignition events by 60% relative to the number of low-speed pre-ignition events in the same engine lubricated with reference lubricating oil R-1.

22. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of friction modifiers, antiwear agents, dispersants, antioxidants, and viscosity index improvers.

23. The lubricating oil composition of claim 1, wherein the greater than 50 wt. % of the base oil is selected from the group consisting of Group II, Group III, Group IV, Group V base oils, and a combination of two or more of the foregoing, and wherein the greater than 50 wt. % of the base oil is other than diluent oils that arise from provision of additive components or viscosity index improvers to the lubrication oil composition.

24. A method for reducing a number of low-speed pre-ignition events in a boosted internal combustion engine comprising steps of: lubricating a boosted internal combustion engine with a lubricating oil composition as claimed in claim 1, and operating the engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the lubricating step lubricates a combustion chamber or cylinder walls of a spark-ignited direct injection engine provided with a turbocharger or a supercharger or a spark-ignited port fuel injection internal combustion engine provided with a turbocharger or a supercharger.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising a step of measuring the number of low-speed pre-ignition events of the internal combustion engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Various embodiments of the disclosure provide a lubricating oil composition and methods that may be used for reducing a number of low-speed pre-ignition events (LSPI) in a boosted internal combustion engine. In particular, boosted internal combustion engines of the present disclosure include turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines. The boosted internal combustion engines include spark-ignited, direct injection and spark ignited port fuel injection engines. The spark-ignited internal combustion engines may be gasoline engines.

[0061] The composition of the invention includes a lubricating oil composition containing a base oil of lubricating viscosity and a particular additive composition. The methods of the present disclosure employ the lubricating oil composition containing the additive composition. As described in more detail below the lubricating oil composition may be surprisingly effective for use in reducing a number of low-speed pre-ignition events in a boosted internal combustion engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition.

[0062] The lubricating oil composition includes greater than 50 wt. % of a base oil of lubricating viscosity, based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition; a sufficient amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, to provide greater than 1000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition; one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, wherein the total amount of magnesium provided by the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents to the lubricating oil composition is 50-1500 ppm; and one or more molybdenum compounds providing a total amount of molybdenum to the lubricating composition of 25-1000 ppm. A ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents is less than 11.9. A ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is greater than 19. A ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is less than 221. The lubricating oil composition is effective to reduce the number of low-speed pre-ignition events by more than 60% relative to the number of low-speed pre-ignition events in the same engine lubricated with reference lubricating oil R-1, as determined in a 2.0 Liter, 4 cylinder Ford EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline direct injection engine operated for 4 hours under steady state conditions at a speed of about 1750 rpm and greater than 80% maximum brake mean effective pressure for four stages of 175,000 engine cycles each. Also, the lubricating oil composition passes the Ball Rust test.

[0063] The method of the disclosure is a method for reducing a number of low-speed pre-ignition events in a boosted internal combustion engine including steps of lubricating a boosted internal combustion engine with the lubricating oil compositions of the disclosure, and operating the engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition. In some embodiments, the combustion chamber and/or cylinder walls of a spark-ignited direct injection engine or spark-ignited port fuel injection internal combustion engine provided with a turbocharger or a supercharger is lubricated with the lubricating oil composition during engine operation whereby the number of low-speed pre-ignition events in the engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition may be reduced.

[0064] Optionally, the methods of the present invention may include a step of measuring the number of low-speed pre-ignition events of the internal combustion engine lubricated with the lubricating oil composition. In such methods, the reduction of the number of LSPI events may be a 50% or greater reduction, or greater than a 60% reduction or greater than a 70% reduction, or greater than an 80% reduction. The average number of LSPI events may be a number of LSPI counts during about 175,000 engine cycles, wherein the engine is operated at a speed of about 1750 revolutions per minute and greater than 80% of maximum brake mean effective pressure.

[0065] As described in more detail below, embodiments of the disclosure may provide a significant and unexpected improvement in reducing LSPI events while maintaining a relatively high calcium detergent concentration in the lubricating oil composition. Embodiments of the disclosure may also pass the Ball Rust test in combination with reducing LSPI events.

[0066] The Ball Rust test referred to herein is conducted using the method of ASTM-D-6557. The Ball Rust Test (BRT) is a procedure for evaluating the anti-corrosion ability of fluid lubricants. In accordance with ASTM D6557, a ball bearing is immersed in an oil. Air saturated with acidic contaminants is bubbled through the oil for 18 hours at 49 C. After the 18-hour reaction period, the ball is removed from the test oil and the amount of corrosion on the ball is quantified using a light reflectance technique. The amount of reflected light is reported as an average gray value (AGV). The AGV for a fresh un-corroded ball is approximately 140. A totally corroded ball has an AGV result of less than 20. A lubricating oil composition which gives an AGV of at least 100 passes the BRT. A lubricating oil composition which gives an AGV of less than 100 fails the BRT.

Detergents

[0067] The lubricating oil composition comprises one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents and one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents. Specifically, the lubricating oil compositions include a sufficient amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, to provide greater than 1000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition and the lubricating oil compositions include a sufficient amount of one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents having a total base number of greater than 225 mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896 to provide 50-1500 ppm magnesium to the lubricating oil composition. The lubricating oil composition may optionally include other detergents, such as one or more overbased detergents or one or more low-based/neutral detergents.

[0068] Suitable detergent substrates include phenates, sulfur containing phenates, sulfonates, calixarates, salixarates, salicylates, carboxylic acids, phosphorus acids, mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, alkyl phenols, sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, or methylene bridged phenols. Suitable detergents and their methods of preparation are described in greater detail in numerous patent publications, including U.S. Pat. No. 7,732,390 and references cited therein. The detergent substrate may be salted with an alkali or alkaline earth metal such as, but not limited to, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, lithium, barium, or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the detergent is free of barium. A suitable detergent may include alkali or alkaline earth metal salts of petroleum sulfonic acids and long chain mono- or di-alkylarylsulfonic acids with the aryl group being benzyl, tolyl, and xylyl.

[0069] Examples of suitable detergents include, but are not limited to, calcium phenates, calcium sulfur containing phenates, calcium sulfonates, calcium calixarates, calcium salixarates, calcium salicylates, calcium carboxylic acids, calcium phosphorus acids, calcium mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, calcium alkyl phenols, calcium sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, calcium methylene bridged phenols, magnesium phenates, magnesium sulfur containing phenates, magnesium sulfonates, magnesium calixarates, magnesium salixarates, magnesium salicylates, magnesium carboxylic acids, magnesium phosphorus acids, magnesium mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, magnesium alkyl phenols, magnesium sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, magnesium methylene bridged phenols, sodium phenates, sodium sulfur containing phenates, sodium sulfonates, sodium calixarates, sodium salixarates, sodium salicylates, sodium carboxylic acids, sodium phosphorus acids, sodium mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, sodium alkyl phenols, sodium sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, or sodium methylene bridged phenols.

[0070] Overbased detergents are well known in the art and may be alkali or alkaline earth metal overbased detergent. Such detergents may be prepared by reacting a metal oxide or metal hydroxide with a substrate and carbon dioxide gas. The substrate is typically an acid, for example, an acid such as an aliphatic substituted sulfonic acid, an aliphatic substituted carboxylic acid, or an aliphatic substituted phenol.

[0071] The terminology overbased relates to metal salts, such as metal salts of sulfonates, carboxylates, and phenates, wherein the amount of metal present exceeds the stoichiometric amount. Such salts may have a conversion level in excess of 100% (i.e., they may comprise more than 100% of the theoretical amount of metal needed to convert the acid to its normal, neutral salt). The expression metal ratio, often abbreviated as MR, is used to designate the ratio of total chemical equivalents of metal in the overbased salt to chemical equivalents of the metal in a neutral salt according to known chemical reactivity and stoichiometry. In a normal or neutral salt, the metal ratio is one and in an overbased salt, MR, is greater than one. They are commonly referred to as overbased, hyperbased, or superbased salts and may be salts of organic sulfur acids, carboxylic acids, or phenols.

[0072] An overbased detergent may have a TBN of greater 170 mg KOH/gram, or as further examples, a TBN of about 250 mg KOH/gram or greater, or a TBN of about 300 mg KOH/gram or greater, or a TBN of about 350 mg KOH/gram or greater, or a TBN of about 375 mg KOH/gram or greater, or a TBN of about 400 mg KOH/gram or greater, as determined using the method of ASTM D-2896.

[0073] In any of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more overbased sulfonate detergents has a total base number of at least 225 mg KOH/g. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more overbased sulfonate detergents may have a total base number of at least 250 mg KOH/g. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the one or more overbased sulfonate detergents may have a total base number of 260-450 mg KOH/g.

[0074] Examples of suitable overbased calcium-containing detergents include, but are not limited to, overbased calcium phenates, overbased calcium sulfur containing phenates, overbased calcium sulfonates, overbased calcium calixarates, overbased calcium salixarates, overbased calcium salicylates, overbased calcium carboxylic acids, overbased calcium phosphorus acids, overbased calcium mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, overbased calcium alkyl phenols, overbased calcium sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, and overbased calcium methylene bridged phenols. Examples of suitable overbased magnesium-containing detergents include overbased magnesium phenates, overbased magnesium sulfur containing phenates, overbased magnesium sulfonates, overbased magnesium calixarates, overbased magnesium salixarates, overbased magnesium salicylates, overbased magnesium carboxylic acids, overbased magnesium phosphorus acids, overbased magnesium mono- and/or di-thiophosphoric acids, overbased magnesium alkyl phenols, overbased magnesium sulfur coupled alkyl phenol compounds, or overbased magnesium methylene bridged phenols.

[0075] The overbased detergent may have a metal to substrate ratio of from 1.1:1, or from 2:1, or from 4:1, or from 5:1, or from 7:1, or from 10:1.

[0076] In some embodiments, a detergent is effective at reducing or preventing rust in an engine.

[0077] The total amount of detergent may be present at up to 10 wt. %, or about up to 8 wt. %, or up to about 4 wt. %, or greater than about 1 wt. % to about 8 wt. %, or greater than about 1.1 wt. % to about 2.5 wt. % based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0078] The total amount of detergent may be present in an amount to provide from about 1100 to about 3500 ppm metal to the lubricating oil composition. In other embodiments, the detergent may provide from about 1100 to about 3000 ppm of metal, or about 1250 to about 2500 ppm of metal, or about 1400 to about 2500 ppm of metal to the lubricating oil composition. In some embodiments, the metal is a combination of only calcium and magnesium.

[0079] The present disclosure also includes methods of using such lubricating oil compositions in a method or lubricating an engine by lubricating the engine with the lubricating oil composition and operating the engine.

[0080] In certain embodiments, the amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents may provide greater than 1000 ppm to less than 2000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the amount of one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents may provide from 1050 ppm to 1900 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition.

[0081] In some embodiments, the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents may provide 100-1200 ppm, or 200-800 ppm of magnesium to the lubricating oil composition.

[0082] In certain embodiments, the total of the one or more overbased calcium-containing and magnesium-containing detergents may provide from about 900 to about 2400 ppm of a combination of calcium and magnesium to the finished fluid. As a further example, the one or more overbased calcium-containing and magnesium-containing detergents may be present in an amount to provide from about 900 to about 2500 ppm of a combination of calcium and magnesium, or from about 1100 to about 2500 ppm of a combination of calcium and magnesium, or from about 1200 to 2450 ppm of a combination of calcium and magnesium, or from about 1400 to 2400 ppm of a combination of calcium and magnesium to the lubricating oil composition.

[0083] The lubricating oil composition of the disclosure may optionally include a low-based/neutral detergent which has a TBN of up to 170 mg KOH/g, or up to 150 mg KOH/g. The low-based/neutral detergent may include a calcium-containing detergent. The low-based neutral calcium-containing detergent may be selected from a calcium sulfonate detergent, a calcium phenate detergent and a calcium salicylate detergent. In some embodiments, the low-based/neutral detergent is a calcium-containing detergent or a mixture of calcium-containing detergents. In some embodiments, the low-based/neutral detergent is a calcium sulfonate detergent or a calcium phenate detergent.

[0084] The lubricating oil composition of the disclosure may include the low-based/neutral detergent in an amount of at least 2.5 wt. % of the total detergent in the lubricating oil composition. In some embodiments, at least 4 wt. %, or at least 6 wt. %, or at least 8 wt. %, or at least 10 wt. % or at least 12 wt. % or at least 20 wt. % of the total detergent in the lubricating oil composition is a low-based/neutral detergent which may optionally be a low-based/neutral calcium-containing detergent.

[0085] In certain embodiments, the one or more low-based/neutral calcium-containing detergents may provide from about 50 to about 1000 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition. In some embodiments, the one or more low-based/neutral calcium-containing detergents may provide from 75 to less than 800 ppm, or from 100 to 600 ppm, or from 125 to 500 ppm calcium to the lubricating oil composition based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0086] In some preferred embodiments, the lubricating oil composition contains no more than 100 ppm, or no more than 50 ppm, or no more than 25 ppm of a low-based/neutral calcium-containing detergent. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the lubricating oil composition may be free of added low-based/neutral calcium-containing detergent.

[0087] In some preferred embodiments, the lubricating oil composition contains no more than 100 ppm, or no more than 50 ppm, or no more than 25 ppm of a low-based/neutral detergent. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the lubricating oil composition may be free of added low-based/neutral detergent.

[0088] In some embodiments, the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents comprise detergents selected from calcium sulfonate and calcium phenate detergents. The one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents may comprise a magnesium sulfonate detergent.

[0089] In certain embodiments, the ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents is less than 10 or from 0.5 to 9.

[0090] In some embodiments, the ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, may be greater than 25 or from 30 to 90.

[0091] In certain embodiments, the ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, may be less than 215 or from 125 to 210.

[0092] In certain embodiments, the TBN contributed to the lubricating oil composition by the one or more calcium-containing detergents may be from 2.5-5.0 mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, as measured by the method of ASTM D-2896.

[0093] In each of the foregoing embodiments, the TBN contributed to the lubricating oil composition by a combination of the one or more calcium-containing detergents and the one or more magnesium-containing detergents may be from 4.0-8.0 mg KOH/g of the lubricating oil composition, as measured by the method of ASTM D-2896.

[0094] The lubricating oil composition optionally does not contain overbased calcium salicylate detergents.

[0095] In any of the embodiments of the disclosure, the amount of sodium in the lubricating composition may be limited to not more than 150 ppm of sodium, based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition or not more than 50 ppm of sodium, based on a total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

Base Oil

[0096] The base oil used in the lubricating oil compositions herein may be selected from any of the base oils in Groups I-V as specified in the American Petroleum Institute (API) Base Oil Interchangeability Guidelines. The five base oil groups are as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Base oil Saturates Category Sulfur (%) (%) Viscosity Index Group I >0.03 and/or <90 80 to 120 Group II 0.03 and 90 80 to 120 Group III 0.03 and 90 120 Group IV All polyalphaolefins (PAOs) Group V All others not included in Groups I, II, III, or IV

[0097] Groups I, II, and III are mineral oil process stocks. Group IV base oils contain true synthetic molecular species, which are produced by polymerization of olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbons. Many Group V base oils are also true synthetic products and may include diesters, polyol esters, polyalkylene glycols, alkylated aromatics, polyphosphate esters, polyvinyl ethers, and/or polyphenyl ethers, and the like, but may also be naturally occurring oils, such as vegetable oils. It should be noted that although Group III base oils are derived from mineral oil, the rigorous processing that these fluids undergo causes their physical properties to be very similar to some true synthetics, such as PAOs. Therefore, oils derived from Group III base oils may be referred to as synthetic fluids in the industry.

[0098] The base oil used in the disclosed lubricating oil composition may be a mineral oil, animal oil, vegetable oil, synthetic oil, or mixtures thereof. Suitable oils may be derived from hydrocracking, hydrogenation, hydrofinishing, unrefined, refined, and re-refined oils, and mixtures thereof.

[0099] Unrefined oils are those derived from a natural, mineral, or synthetic source without or with little further purification treatment. Refined oils are similar to the unrefined oils except that they have been treated in one or more purification steps, which may result in the improvement of one or more properties. Examples of suitable purification techniques are solvent extraction, secondary distillation, acid or base extraction, filtration, percolation, and the like. Oils refined to the quality of an edible may or may not be useful. Edible oils may also be called white oils. In some embodiments, lubricating oil compositions are free of edible or white oils.

[0100] Re-refined oils are also known as reclaimed or reprocessed oils. These oils are obtained similarly to refined oils using the same or similar processes. Often these oils are additionally processed by techniques directed to removal of spent additives and oil breakdown products.

[0101] Mineral oils may include oils obtained by drilling or from plants and animals or any mixtures thereof. For example such oils may include, but are not limited to, castor oil, lard oil, olive oil, peanut oil, corn oil, soybean oil, and linseed oil, as well as mineral lubricating oils, such as liquid petroleum oils and solvent-treated or acid-treated mineral lubricating oils of the paraffinic, naphthenic or mixed paraffinic-naphthenic types. Such oils may be partially or fully hydrogenated, if desired. Oils derived from coal or shale may also be useful.

[0102] Useful synthetic lubricating oils may include hydrocarbon oils such as polymerized, oligomerized, or interpolymerized olefins (e.g., polybutylenes, polypropylenes, propylene/isobutylene copolymers); poly(1-hexenes), poly(1-octenes), trimers or oligomers of 1-decene, e.g., poly(1-decenes), such materials being often referred to as -olefins, and mixtures thereof; alkyl-benzenes (e.g. dodecylbenzenes, tetradecylbenzenes, dinonylbenzenes, di-(2-ethylhexyl)-benzenes); polyphenyls (e.g., biphenyls, terphenyls, alkylated polyphenyls); diphenyl alkanes, alkylated diphenyl alkanes, alkylated diphenyl ethers and alkylated diphenyl sulfides and the derivatives, analogs and homologs thereof or mixtures thereof. Polyalphaolefins are typically hydrogenated materials.

[0103] Other synthetic lubricating oils include polyol esters, diesters, liquid esters of phosphorus-containing acids (e.g., tricresyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, and the diethyl ester of decane phosphonic acid), or polymeric tetrahydrofurans. Synthetic oils may be produced by Fischer-Tropsch reactions and typically may be hydroisomerized Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons or waxes. In one embodiment oils may be prepared by a Fischer-Tropsch gas-to-liquid synthetic procedure as well as other gas-to-liquid oils.

[0104] The greater than 50 wt. % of base oil included in a lubricating composition may be selected from the group consisting of Group I, Group II, a Group III, a Group IV, a Group V, and a combination of two or more of the foregoing, and wherein the greater than 50 wt. % of base oil is other than base oils that arise from provision of additive components or viscosity index improvers in the composition. In another embodiment, the greater than 50 wt. % of base oil included in a lubricating composition may be selected from the group consisting of Group II, a Group III, a Group IV, a Group V, and a combination of two or more of the foregoing. Also, the base oil may be selected from a Group II-Group V base oil or a mixture of any two or more thereof. The greater than 50 wt. % of base oil, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition, may be other than diluent oils that arise from provision of additive components or viscosity index improvers to the composition.

[0105] The amount of the oil of lubricating viscosity present may be the balance remaining after subtracting from 100 wt. % the sum of the amount of the performance additives inclusive of viscosity index improver(s) and/or pour point depressant(s) and/or other top treat additives. For example, the oil of lubricating viscosity that may be present in a finished fluid may be a major amount, such as greater than about 50 wt. %, greater than about 60 wt. %, greater than about 70 wt. %, greater than about 80 wt. %, greater than about 85 wt. %, or greater than about 90 wt. %.

[0106] The lubricating oil composition may comprise not more than 10 wt. % of a Group IV base oil, a Group V base oil, or a combination thereof. In each of the foregoing embodiments, the lubricating oil composition may comprise less than 5 wt. % of a Group V base oil. The lubricating oil composition of some embodiments does not contain any Group IV base oils and/or does not contain any Group V base oils.

Molybdenum-Containing Component

[0107] The lubricating oil compositions herein contain molybdenum. Specifically, one or more molybdenum compounds providing a total amount of molybdenum to the lubricating composition of 25-1000 ppm, or from 50-800 ppm, or from 70-550 ppm, or from 75-500 ppm of molybdenum to the lubricating oil composition.

[0108] An oil-soluble molybdenum compound may have the functional performance of an antiwear agent, an antioxidant, a friction modifier, or mixtures thereof. An oil-soluble molybdenum compound may include molybdenum dithiocarbamates, molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphates, molybdenum dithiophosphinates, amine salts of molybdenum compounds, molybdenum xanthates, molybdenum thioxanthates, molybdenum sulfides, molybdenum carboxylates, molybdenum alkoxides, a trinuclear organo-molybdenum compound, and/or mixtures thereof. The molybdenum sulfides include molybdenum disulfide. The molybdenum disulfide may be in the form of a stable dispersion. In one embodiment the oil-soluble molybdenum compound may be selected from the group consisting of molybdenum dithiocarbamates, molybdenum dialkyldithiophosphates, amine salts of molybdenum compounds, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment the oil-soluble molybdenum compound may be a molybdenum dithiocarbamate.

[0109] Suitable examples of molybdenum compounds which may be used include commercial materials sold under the trade names such as Molyvan 822, Molyvan A, Molyvan 200 and Molyvan 855 from R. T. Vanderbilt Co., Ltd., and Sakura-Lube S-165, S-200, S-300, S-310G, S-525, S-600, S-700, and S-710 available from Adeka Corporation, and mixtures thereof. Suitable molybdenum components are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,381; US RE 37,363 E1; US RE 38,929 E1; and US RE 40,595 E1, incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0110] Additionally, the molybdenum compound may be an acidic molybdenum compound. Included are molybdic acid, ammonium molybdate, sodium molybdate, potassium molybdate, and other alkaline metal molybdates and other molybdenum salts, e.g., hydrogen sodium molybdate, MoOCl.sub.4, MoO.sub.2Br.sub.2, Mo.sub.2O.sub.3Cl.sub.6, molybdenum trioxide or similar acidic molybdenum compounds. Alternatively, the compositions can be provided with molybdenum by molybdenum/sulfur complexes of basic nitrogen compounds as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,152; 4,285,822; 4,283,295; 4,272,387; 4,265,773; 4,261,843; 4,259,195 and 4,259,194; and US Patent Publication No. 2002/0038525, incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0111] Another class of suitable organo-molybdenum compounds are trinuclear molybdenum compounds, such as those of the formula Mo.sub.3S.sub.kL.sub.nQ.sub.z and mixtures thereof, wherein S represents sulfur, L represents independently selected ligands having organo groups with a sufficient number of carbon atoms to render the compound soluble or dispersible in the oil, n is from 1 to 4, k varies from 4 through 7, Q is selected from the group of neutral electron donating compounds such as water, amines, alcohols, phosphines, and ethers, and z ranges from 0 to 5 and includes non-stoichiometric values. At least 21 total carbon atoms may be present among all the ligands' organo groups, such as at least 25, at least 30, or at least 35 carbon atoms. Additional suitable molybdenum compounds are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,685, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0112] The lubricating oil composition may also include one or more optional components selected from the various additives set forth below.

Antioxidants

[0113] The lubricating oil compositions herein also may optionally contain one or more antioxidants. Antioxidant compounds are known and include for example, phenates, phenate sulfides, sulfurized olefins, phosphosulfurized terpenes, sulfurized esters, aromatic amines, alkylated diphenylamines (e.g., nonyl diphenylamine, di-nonyl diphenylamine, octyl diphenylamine, di-octyl diphenylamine), phenyl-alpha-naphthylamines, alkylated phenyl-alpha-naphthylamines, hindered non-aromatic amines, phenols, hindered phenols, oil-soluble molybdenum compounds, macromolecular antioxidants, or mixtures thereof. Antioxidant compounds may be used alone or in combination.

[0114] The hindered phenol antioxidant may contain a secondary butyl and/or a tertiary butyl group as a sterically hindering group. The phenol group may be further substituted with a hydrocarbyl group and/or a bridging group linking to a second aromatic group. Examples of suitable hindered phenol antioxidants include 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 4-methyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 4-ethyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 4-propyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol or 4-butyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, or 4-dodecyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol. In one embodiment the hindered phenol antioxidant may be an ester and may include, e.g., IRGANOX L-135 available from BASF or an addition product derived from 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol and an alkyl acrylate, wherein the alkyl group may contain about 1 to about 18, or about 2 to about 12, or about 2 to about 8, or about 2 to about 6, or about 4 carbon atoms. Another commercially available hindered phenol antioxidant may be an ester and may include ETHANOX 4716 available from Albemarle Corporation.

[0115] Useful antioxidants may include diarylamines and high molecular weight phenols. In an embodiment, the lubricating oil composition may contain a mixture of a diarylamine and a high molecular weight phenol, such that each antioxidant may be present in an amount sufficient to provide up to about 5%, by weight, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. In an embodiment, the antioxidant may be a mixture of about 0.3 to about 1.5% diarylamine and about 0.4 to about 2.5% high molecular weight phenol, by weight, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0116] Examples of suitable olefins that may be sulfurized to form a sulfurized olefin include propylene, butylene, isobutylene, polyisobutylene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, nonene, decene, undecene, dodecene, tridecene, tetradecene, pentadecene, hexadecene, heptadecene, octadecene, nonadecene, eicosene or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, hexadecene, heptadecene, octadecene, nonadecene, eicosene or mixtures thereof and their dimers, trimers and tetramers are especially useful olefins. Alternatively, the olefin may be a Diels-Alder adduct of a diene such as 1,3-butadiene and an unsaturated ester, such as, butylacrylate.

[0117] Another class of sulfurized olefin includes sulfurized fatty acids and their esters. The fatty acids are often obtained from vegetable oil or animal oil and typically contain about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms. Examples of suitable fatty acids and their esters include triglycerides, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitoleic acid or mixtures thereof. Often, the fatty acids are obtained from lard oil, tall oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower seed oil or mixtures thereof. Fatty acids and/or ester may be mixed with olefins, such as -olefins.

[0118] The one or more antioxidant(s) may be present in ranges about 0.0 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. %, or about 0.1 wt. % to about 3.0 wt. %, or about 0.2 wt. % to about 2.5 wt. % of the lubricating oil composition.

Antiwear Agents

[0119] The lubricating oil compositions herein also may optionally contain one or more antiwear agents. Examples of suitable antiwear agents include, but are not limited to, a metal thiophosphate; a metal dialkyldithiophosphate; a phosphoric acid ester or salt thereof a phosphate ester(s); a phosphite; a phosphorus-containing carboxylic ester, ether, or amide; a sulfurized olefin; thiocarbamate-containing compounds including, thiocarbamate esters, alkylene-coupled thiocarbamates, and bis(S-alkyldithiocarbamyl)disulfides; and mixtures thereof. A suitable antiwear agent may be a molybdenum dithiocarbamate. The phosphorus containing antiwear agents are more fully described in European Patent 612 839. The metal in the dialkyl dithio phosphate salts may be an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, aluminum, lead, tin, molybdenum, manganese, nickel, copper, titanium, or zinc. A useful antiwear agent may be zinc dialkyldithiophosphate.

[0120] Further examples of suitable antiwear agents include titanium compounds, tartrates, tartrimides, oil soluble amine salts of phosphorus compounds, sulfurized olefins, phosphites (such as dibutyl phosphite), phosphonates, thiocarbamate-containing compounds, such as thiocarbamate esters, thiocarbamate amides, thiocarbamic ethers, alkylene-coupled thiocarbamates, and bis(S-alkyldithiocarbamyl) disulfides. The tartrate or tartrimide may contain alkyl-ester groups, where the sum of carbon atoms on the alkyl groups may be at least 8. The antiwear agent may in one embodiment include a citrate.

[0121] The antiwear agent may be present in ranges including about 0.0 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, or about 0.0 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. %, or about 0.05 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. %, or about 0.1 wt. % to about 3 wt. %, or less than 2.0 wt. % of the lubricating oil composition.

[0122] An antiwear compound may be a zinc dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP) having a P:Zn ratio of from about 1:0.8 to about 1:1.7. The dihydrocarbyl groups of the ZDDP may be formed from a mixture of C3 and C6 alcohols.

Boron-Containing Compounds

[0123] The lubricating oil compositions herein may optionally contain one or more boron-containing compounds. The amount of boron in the lubricating oil composition is less than 600 ppm, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition, or the amount of boron may be less than 200 ppm, or less than 100 ppm, or less than 50 ppm, or 150 ppm to less than 600 ppm, or 200 ppm to less than 500 ppm, or 200 ppm to 350 ppm, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0124] Examples of boron-containing compounds include borate esters, borated fatty amines, borated epoxides, borated detergents, and borated dispersants, such as borated succinimide dispersants, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,057.

Dispersants

[0125] The lubricating oil composition may optionally further comprise one or more dispersants or mixtures thereof. Dispersants are often known as ashless-type dispersants because, prior to mixing in a lubricating oil composition, they do not contain ash-forming metals and they do not normally contribute any ash when added to a lubricant. Ashless type dispersants are characterized by a polar group attached to a relatively high molecular weight hydrocarbon chain. Typical ashless dispersants include N-substituted long chain alkenyl succinimides. Examples of N-substituted long chain alkenyl succinimides include polyisobutylene succinimide with number average molecular weight of the polyisobutylene substituent in the range about 350 to about 50,000, or to about 5,000, or to about 3,000. Succinimide dispersants and their preparation are disclosed, for instance in U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,696 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,435. The polyolefin may be prepared from polymerizable monomers containing about 2 to about 16, or about 2 to about 8, or about 2 to about 6 carbon atoms. Succinimide dispersants are typically the imide formed from a polyamine, typically a poly(ethyleneamine).

[0126] In an embodiment the present disclosure further comprises at least one polyisobutylene succinimide dispersant derived from polyisobutylene with number average molecular weight in the range about 350 to about 50,000, or to about 5000, or to about 3000. The polyisobutylene succinimide may be used alone or in combination with other dispersants.

[0127] In some embodiments, polyisobutylene, when included, may have greater than 50 mol %, greater than 60 mol %, greater than 70 mol %, greater than 80 mol %, or greater than 90 mol % content of terminal double bonds. Such PIB is also referred to as highly reactive PIB (HR-PIB). HR-PIB having a number average molecular weight ranging from about 800 to about 5000 is suitable for use in embodiments of the present disclosure. Conventional PIB typically has less than 50 mol %, less than 40 mol %, less than 30 mol %, less than 20 mol %, or less than 10 mol % content of terminal double bonds.

[0128] An HR-PIB having a number average molecular weight ranging from about 900 to about 3000 may be suitable. Such HR-PIB is commercially available, or can be synthesized by the polymerization of isobutene in the presence of a non-chlorinated catalyst such as boron trifluoride, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,499 to Boerzel, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,355 to Gateau, et al. When used in the aforementioned thermal ene reaction, HR-PIB may lead to higher conversion rates in the reaction, as well as lower amounts of sediment formation, due to increased reactivity. A suitable method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,897,696.

[0129] In one embodiment the present disclosure further comprises at least one dispersant derived from polyisobutylene succinic anhydride (PIBSA). The PIBSA may have an average of between about 1.0 and about 2.0 succinic acid moieties per polymer.

[0130] The % actives of the alkenyl or alkyl succinic anhydride can be determined using a chromatographic technique. This method is described in column 5 and 6 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,321.

[0131] The percent conversion of the polyolefin is calculated from the % actives using the equation in column 5 and 6 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,321.

[0132] Unless stated otherwise, all percentages are in weight percent and all molecular weights are number average molecular weights.

[0133] In one embodiment, the dispersant may be derived from a polyalphaolefin (PAO) succinic anhydride.

[0134] In one embodiment, the dispersant may be derived from olefin maleic anhydride copolymer. As an example, the dispersant may be described as a poly-PIBSA.

[0135] In an embodiment, the dispersant may be derived from an anhydride which is grafted to an ethylene-propylene copolymer.

[0136] One class of suitable dispersants may be Mannich bases. Mannich bases are materials that are formed by the condensation of a higher molecular weight, alkyl substituted phenol, a polyalkylene polyamine, and an aldehyde such as formaldehyde. Mannich bases are described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,634,515.

[0137] A suitable class of dispersants may be high molecular weight esters or half ester amides.

[0138] A suitable dispersant may also be post-treated by conventional methods by a reaction with any of a variety of agents. Among these are boron, urea, thiourea, dimercaptothiadiazoles, carbon disulfide, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, hydrocarbon-substituted succinic anhydrides, maleic anhydride, nitriles, epoxides, carbonates, cyclic carbonates, hindered phenolic esters, and phosphorus compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 7,645,726; U.S. Pat. No. 7,214,649; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,048,831 are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0139] In addition to the carbonate and boric acids post-treatments both the compounds may be post-treated, or further post-treatment, with a variety of post-treatments designed to improve or impart different properties. Such post-treatments include those summarized in columns 27-29 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,003, hereby incorporated by reference. Such treatments include, treatment with:

Inorganic phosphorous acids or anhydrates (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,403,102 and 4,648,980);
Organic phosphorous compounds (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,502,677);
Phosphorous pentasulfides;
Boron compounds as already noted above (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,178,663 and 4,652,387); Carboxylic acid, polycarboxylic acids, anhydrides and/or acid halides (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,708,522 and 4,948,386);
Epoxides, polyepoxides or thioexpoxides (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,859,318 and 5,026,495);
Aldehyde or ketone (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,458,530);
Carbon disulfide (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,256,185);
Glycidol (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,137);
Urea, thourea or guanidine (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,312,619; 3,865,813; and British Patent GB 1,065,595);
Organic sulfonic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,544 and British Patent GB 2,140,811);
Alkenyl cyanide (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,278,550 and 3,366,569);
Diketene (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,243);
A diisocyanate (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,573,205);
Alkane sultone (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,749,695);
1,3-Dicarbonyl Compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,675);
Sulfate of alkoxylated alcohol or phenol (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,639);
Cyclic lactone (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,617,138; 4,645,515; 4,668,246; 4,963,275; and 4,971,711);
Cyclic carbonate or thiocarbonate linear monocarbonate or polycarbonate, or chloroformate (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,612,132; 4,647,390; 4,648,886; 4,670,170);
Nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,598 and British Patent GB 2,140,811);
Hydroxy-protected chlorodicarbonyloxy compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,522);
Lactam, thiolactam, thiolactone or ditholactone (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,614,603 and 4,666,460);
Cyclic carbonate or thiocarbonate, linear monocarbonate or polycarbonate, or chloroformate (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,612,132; 4,647,390; 4,646,886; and 4,670,170);
Nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,598 and British Patent GB 2,440,811);
Hydroxy-protected chlorodicarbonyloxy compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,522);
Lactam, thiolactam, thiolactone or dithiolactone (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,614,603, and 4,666,460);
Cyclic carbamate, cyclic thiocarbamate or cyclic dithiocarbamate (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,663,062 and 4,666,459);
Hydroxyaliphatic carboxylic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,482,464; 4,521,318; 4,713,189);
Oxidizing agent (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,064);
Combination of phosphorus pentasulfide and a polyalkylene polyamine (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,647);
Combination of carboxylic acid or an aldehyde or ketone and sulfur or sulfur chloride (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,390,086; 3,470,098);
Combination of a hydrazine and carbon disulfide (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,564);
Combination of an aldehyde and a phenol (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,649,229; 5,030,249; 5,039,307);
Combination of an aldehyde and an O-diester of dithiophosphoric acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,740);
Combination of a hydroxyaliphatic carboxylic acid and a boric acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,086);
Combination of a hydroxyaliphatic carboxylic acid, then formaldehyde and a phenol (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,322);
Combination of a hydroxyaliphatic carboxylic acid and then an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,064);
Combination of formaldehyde and a phenol and then glycolic acid (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,724);
Combination of a hydroxyaliphatic carboxylic acid or oxalic acid and then a diisocyanate (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,191);
Combination of inorganic acid or anhydride of phosphorus or a partial or total sulfur analog thereof and a boron compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,214);
Combination of an organic diacid then an unsaturated fatty acid and then a nitrosoaromatic amine optionally followed by a boron compound and then a glycolating agent (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,412);
Combination of an aldehyde and a triazole (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,963,278);
Combination of an aldehyde and a triazole then a boron compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,492);
Combination of cyclic lactone and a boron compound (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,963,275 and 4,971,711). The above mentioned patents are herein incorporated in their entireties.

[0140] The TBN of a suitable dispersant may be from about 10 to about 65 on an oil-free basis, which is comparable to about 5 to about 30 TBN if measured on a dispersant sample containing about 50% diluent oil.

[0141] The dispersant, if present, can be used in an amount sufficient to provide up to about 20 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. Another amount of the dispersant that can be used may be 0.0 wt. % to about 12.0 wt., or about 0.1 wt. % to about 12 wt. %, or about 2.0 wt. % to about 10.0 wt. %, or about 1.0 wt. % to about 8.5 wt. %, or about 4.0 wt. % to about 8.0 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. In some embodiments, the lubricating oil composition utilizes a mixed dispersant system. A single type or a mixture of two or more types of dispersants in any desired ratio may be used.

Friction Modifiers

[0142] The lubricating oil compositions herein also may optionally contain one or more friction modifiers. Suitable friction modifiers may comprise metal containing and metal-free friction modifiers and may include, but are not limited to, imidazolines, amides, amines, succinimides, alkoxylated amines, alkoxylated ether amines, amine oxides, amidoamines, nitriles, betaines, quaternary amines, imines, amine salts, amino guanadine, alkanolamides, phosphonates, metal-containing compounds, glycerol esters, sulfurized fatty compounds and olefins, sunflower oil other naturally occurring plant or animal oils, dicarboxylic acid esters, esters or partial esters of a polyol and one or more aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic acids, and the like.

[0143] Suitable friction modifiers may contain hydrocarbyl groups that are selected from straight chain, branched chain, or aromatic hydrocarbyl groups or mixtures thereof, and may be saturated or unsaturated. The hydrocarbyl groups may be composed of carbon and hydrogen or hetero atoms such as sulfur or oxygen. The hydrocarbyl groups may range from about 12 to about 25 carbon atoms. In some embodiments the friction modifier may be a long chain fatty acid ester. In another embodiment the long chain fatty acid ester may be a mono-ester, or a di-ester, or a (tri)glyceride. The friction modifier may be a long chain fatty amide, a long chain fatty ester, a long chain fatty epoxide derivatives, or a long chain imidazoline.

[0144] Other suitable friction modifiers may include organic, ashless (metal-free), nitrogen-free organic friction modifiers. Such friction modifiers may include esters formed by reacting carboxylic acids and anhydrides with alkanols and generally include a polar terminal group (e.g. carboxyl or hydroxyl) covalently bonded to an oleophilic hydrocarbon chain. An example of an organic ashless nitrogen-free friction modifier is known generally as glycerol monooleate (GMO) which may contain mono-, di-, and tri-esters of oleic acid. Other suitable friction modifiers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,723,685, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0145] Aminic friction modifiers may include amines or polyamines. Such compounds can have hydrocarbyl groups that are linear, either saturated or unsaturated, or a mixture thereof and may contain from about 12 to about 25 carbon atoms. Further examples of suitable friction modifiers include alkoxylated amines and alkoxylated ether amines. Such compounds may have hydrocarbyl groups that are linear, either saturated, unsaturated, or a mixture thereof. They may contain from about 12 to about 25 carbon atoms. Examples include ethoxylated amines and ethoxylated ether amines.

[0146] The amines and amides may be used as such or in the form of an adduct or reaction product with a boron compound such as a boric oxide, boron halide, metaborate, boric acid or a mono-, di- or tri-alkyl borate. Other suitable friction modifiers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,291, herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0147] A friction modifier may optionally be present in ranges such as about 0.01 wt. % to about 5.0 wt. %, or about 0.01 wt. % to about 3.0 wt. %, or 0.02 wt. % to about 1.5 wt. %, or about 0.1 wt. % to about 1.4 wt. %.

Transition Metal-Containing Compounds

[0148] In another embodiment, the oil-soluble compound may be a transition metal containing compound or a metalloid. The transition metals may include, but are not limited to, titanium, vanadium, copper, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, and the like. Suitable metalloids include, but are not limited to, boron, silicon, antimony, tellurium, and the like.

[0149] In one embodiment, the oil-soluble compound that may be used in a weight ratio of Ca/M ranging from about 0.8:1 to about 70:1 is a titanium containing compound, wherein M is the total metal in the lubricant composition as described above. The titanium-containing compounds may function as antiwear agents, friction modifiers, antioxidants, deposit control additives, or more than one of these functions.

[0150] Among the titanium containing compounds that may be used in, or which may be used for preparation of the oils-soluble materials of, the disclosed technology are various Ti (IV) compounds such as titanium (IV) oxide; titanium (IV) sulfide; titanium (IV) nitrate; titanium (IV) alkoxides such as titanium methoxide, titanium ethoxide, titanium propoxide, titanium isopropoxide, titanium butoxide, titanium 2-ethylhexoxide; and other titanium compounds or complexes including but not limited to titanium phenates; titanium carboxylates such as titanium (IV) 2-ethyl-1-3-hexanedioate or titanium citrate or titanium oleate; and titanium (IV) (triethanolaminato)isopropoxide. The monohydric alkoxides may have 2 to 16, or 3 to 10 carbon atoms. In an embodiment, the titanium compound may be the alkoxide of a 1,2-diol or polyol. In an embodiment, the 1,2-diol comprises a fatty acid mono-ester of glycerol, such as oleic acid. In an embodiment, the oil soluble titanium compound may be a titanium carboxylate. In an embodiment the titanium (IV) carboxylate may be titanium neodecanoate.

[0151] Other forms of titanium encompassed within the disclosed technology include titanium phosphates such as titanium dithiophosphates (e.g., dialkyldithiophosphates) and titanium sulfonates (e.g., alkylbenzenesulfonates), or, generally, the reaction product of titanium compounds with various acid materials to form salts, such as oil-soluble salts. Titanium compounds can thus be derived from, among others, organic acids, alcohols, and glycols. Ti compounds may also exist in dimeric or oligomeric form, containing TiOTi structures. Such titanium materials are commercially available or can be readily prepared by appropriate synthesis techniques which will be apparent to the person skilled in the art. They may exist at room temperature as a solid or a liquid, depending on the particular compound. They may also be provided in a solution form in an appropriate inert solvent.

[0152] In one embodiment, the titanium can be supplied as a Ti-modified dispersant, such as a succinimide dispersant. Such materials may be prepared by forming a titanium mixed anhydride between a titanium alkoxide and a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic anhydride, such as an alkenyl- (or alkyl) succinic anhydride. The resulting titanate-succinate intermediate may be used directly or it may be reacted with any of a number of materials, such as (a) a polyamine-based succinimide/amide dispersant having free, condensable NH functionality; (b) the components of a polyamine-based succinimide/amide dispersant, i.e., an alkenyl- (or alkyl-) succinic anhydride and a polyamine, (c) a hydroxy-containing polyester dispersant prepared by the reaction of a substituted succinic anhydride with a polyol, aminoalcohol, polyamine, or mixtures thereof. Alternatively, the titanate-succinate intermediate may be reacted with other agents such as alcohols, aminoalcohols, ether alcohols, polyether alcohols or polyols, or fatty acids, and the product thereof either used directly to impart Ti to a lubricant, or else further reacted with the succinic dispersants as described above. As an example, 1 part (by mole) of tetraisopropyl titanate may be reacted with about 2 parts (by mole) of a polyisobutene-substituted succinic anhydride at 140-150 C. for 5 to 6 hours to provide a titanium modified dispersant or intermediate. The resulting material (30 g) may be further reacted with a succinimide dispersant from polyisobutene-substituted succinic anhydride and a polyethylenepolyamine mixture (127 grams+diluent oil) at 150 C. for 1.5 hours, to produce a titanium-modified succinimide dispersant.

[0153] Another titanium containing compound may be a reaction product of titanium alkoxide and C.sub.6 to C.sub.25 carboxylic acid. The reaction product may be represented by the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein n is an integer selected from 2, 3 and 4, and R is a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 5 to about 24 carbon atoms, or by the formula:

##STR00002##

wherein m+n=4 and n ranges from 1 to 3, R.sub.4 is an alkyl moiety with carbon atoms ranging from 1-8, R.sub.1 is selected from a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 6 to 25 carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are the same or different and are selected from a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or by the formula:

##STR00003##

wherein x ranges from 0 to 3, R.sub.1 is selected from a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 6 to 25 carbon atoms, R.sub.2, and R.sub.3 are the same or different and are selected from a hydrocarbyl group containing from about 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R.sub.4 is selected from a group consisting of either H, or C.sub.6 to C.sub.25 carboxylic acid moiety.

[0154] Suitable carboxylic acids may include, but are not limited to caproic acid, caprylic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, erucic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, phenylacetic acid, benzoic acid, neodecanoic acid, and the like.

[0155] In an embodiment the oil soluble titanium compound may be present in the lubricating oil composition in an amount to provide from 0 to 3000 ppm titanium or 25 to about 1500 ppm titanium or about 35 ppm to 500 ppm titanium or about 50 ppm to about 300 ppm titanium by weight.

Viscosity Index Improvers

[0156] The lubricating oil compositions herein also may optionally contain one or more viscosity index improvers. Suitable viscosity index improvers may include polyolefins, olefin copolymers, ethylene/propylene copolymers, polyisobutenes, hydrogenated styrene-isoprene polymers, styrene/maleic ester copolymers, hydrogenated styrene/butadiene copolymers, hydrogenated isoprene polymers, alpha-olefin maleic anhydride copolymers, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates, polyalkyl styrenes, hydrogenated alkenyl aryl conjugated diene copolymers, or mixtures thereof. Viscosity index improvers may include star polymers and suitable examples are described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,999,905 B2.

[0157] The lubricating oil compositions herein also may optionally contain one or more dispersant viscosity index improvers in addition to a viscosity index improver or in lieu of a viscosity index improver. Suitable viscosity index improvers may include functionalized polyolefins, for example, ethylene-propylene copolymers that have been functionalized with the reaction product of an acylating agent (such as maleic anhydride) and an amine; polymethacrylates functionalized with an amine, or esterified maleic anhydride-styrene copolymers reacted with an amine.

[0158] The total amount of viscosity index improver and/or dispersant viscosity index improver may be about 0 wt. % to about 20 wt. %, about 0.1 wt. % to about 15 wt. %, about 0.1 wt. % to about 12 wt. %, or 0.25 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, or about 0.5 wt. % to about 10 wt. %, or about 3.0 wt. % to about 9.5 wt. %, of the lubricating oil composition.

Other Optional Additives

[0159] Other additives may be selected to perform one or more functions required of a lubricating fluid. Further, one or more of the mentioned additives may be multi-functional and provide functions in addition to or other than the function prescribed herein.

[0160] A lubricating oil composition according to the present disclosure may optionally comprise other performance additives. The other performance additives may be in addition to specified additives of the present disclosure and/or may comprise one or more of metal deactivators, viscosity index improvers, ashless TBN boosters, friction modifiers, antiwear agents, corrosion inhibitors, rust inhibitors, dispersants, dispersant viscosity index improvers, extreme pressure agents, antioxidants, foam inhibitors, demulsifiers, emulsifiers, pour point depressants, seal swelling agents and mixtures thereof. Typically, fully-formulated lubricating oil will contain one or more of these performance additives.

[0161] Suitable metal deactivators may include derivatives of benzotriazoles (typically tolyltriazole), dimercaptothiadiazole derivatives, 1,2,4-triazoles, benzimidazoles, 2-alkyldithiobenzimidazoles, or 2-alkyldithiobenzothiazoles; foam inhibitors including copolymers of ethyl acrylate and 2-ethylhexylacrylate and optionally vinyl acetate; demulsifiers including trialkyl phosphates, polyethylene glycols, polyethylene oxides, polypropylene oxides and (ethylene oxide-propylene oxide) polymers; pour point depressants including esters of maleic anhydride-styrene, polymethacrylates, polyacrylates or polyacrylamides.

[0162] Suitable foam inhibitors include silicon-based compounds, such as siloxane.

[0163] Suitable pour point depressants may include a polymethylmethacrylates or mixtures thereof. Pour point depressants may be present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0 wt. % to about 5 wt. %, about 0.01 wt. % to about 1.5 wt. %, or about 0.02 wt. % to about 0.4 wt. % based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0164] Suitable rust inhibitors may be a single compound or a mixture of compounds having the property of inhibiting corrosion of ferrous metal surfaces. Non-limiting examples of rust inhibitors useful herein include oil-soluble high molecular weight organic acids, such as 2-ethylhexanoic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, behenic acid, and cerotic acid, as well as oil-soluble polycarboxylic acids including dimer and trimer acids, such as those produced from tall oil fatty acids, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. Other suitable corrosion inhibitors include long-chain alpha, omega-dicarboxylic acids in the molecular weight range of about 600 to about 3000 and alkenylsuccinic acids in which the alkenyl group contains about 10 or more carbon atoms such as, tetrapropenylsuccinic acid, tetradecenylsuccinic acid, and hexadecenylsuccinic acid. Another useful type of acidic corrosion inhibitors are the half esters of alkenyl succinic acids having about 8 to about 24 carbon atoms in the alkenyl group with alcohols such as the polyglycols. The corresponding half amides of such alkenyl succinic acids are also useful. A useful rust inhibitor is a high molecular weight organic acid. In some embodiments, an engine oil is devoid of a rust inhibitor.

[0165] The rust inhibitor, if present, can be used in an amount sufficient to provide about 0 wt. % to about 5 wt. %, about 0.01 wt. % to about 3 wt. %, about 0.1 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition.

[0166] In general terms, a suitable crankcase lubricant may include additive components in the ranges listed in the following table.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Wt. % Wt. % Component (Broad) (Typical) Dispersant(s) .sup.0.0-12.0% .sup.2.0-10.0% Antioxidant(s) 0.0-5.0 0.01-3.0 Metal Detergent(s) 0.1-15.0 0.2-8.0 Ashless TBN booster(s) 0.0-1.0 0.01-0.5 Corrosion Inhibitor(s) 0.0-5.0 0.0-2.0 Metal dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate(s) 0.1-6.0 0.1-4.0 Ash-free amine phosphate salt(s) 0.0-3.0 0.0-1.5 Antifoaming agent(s) 0.0-5.0 0.001-0.15 Antiwear agent(s) 0.0-10.0 0.0-5.0 Pour point depressant(s) 0.0-5.0 0.01-1.5 Viscosity index improver(s) 0.0-20.00 0.25-10.0 Dispersant viscosity index improver(s) 0.0-10.0 0.0-5.0 Friction modifier(s) 0.0-5.0 0.02-1.5 Base oil(s) Balance Balance Total 100 100

[0167] The percentages of each component above represent the weight percent of each component, based upon the total weight of the lubricating oil composition. The remainder of the lubricating oil composition consists of one or more base oils.

[0168] Additives used in formulating the compositions described herein may be blended into the base oil individually or in various sub-combinations. However, it may be suitable to blend all of the components concurrently using an additive concentrate (i.e., additives plus a diluent, such as a hydrocarbon solvent).

[0169] The present disclosure provides novel lubricating oil blends specifically formulated for use as automotive engine lubricants. Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide lubricating oils suitable for engine applications that provide improvements in one or more of the following characteristics: low-speed pre-ignition events, antioxidancy, antiwear performance, rust inhibition, fuel economy, water tolerance, air entrainment, seal protection, deposit reduction, and foam reducing properties.

[0170] Fully formulated lubricants conventionally contain an additive package, referred to herein as a dispersant/inhibitor package or DI package, that will supply the characteristics that are required in the formulations. Suitable DI packages are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,204,012 and 6,034,040 for example. Among the types of additives included in the additive package may be dispersants, seal swell agents, antioxidants, foam inhibitors, lubricity agents, rust inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, demulsifiers, viscosity index improvers, and the like. Several of these components are well known to those skilled in the art and are generally used in conventional amounts with the additives and compositions described herein.

[0171] The present disclosure provides novel lubricating oil blends specifically formulated for use as automotive engine lubricants. Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide lubricating oils suitable for engine applications that provide improvements in one or more of the following characteristics: low-speed pre-ignition events, antioxidancy, antiwear performance, rust inhibition, fuel economy, water tolerance, air entrainment, seal protection, deposit reduction, passing the Ball rust test, and foam reducing properties.

[0172] The following examples are illustrative, but not limiting, of the methods and compositions of the present disclosure. Other suitable modifications and adaptations of the variety of conditions and parameters normally encountered in the field, and which are obvious to those skilled in the art, are within the scope of the disclosure.

EXAMPLES

[0173] Fully formulated lubricating oil compositions containing conventional additives were made and the number of low-speed pre-ignition events of the lubricating oil compositions were measured. Each of the lubricating oil compositions contained a major amount of greater than 50 wt. % of a base oil, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition, a conventional dispersant inhibitor (DI) package plus a viscosity index improver(s), wherein the DI package (less the viscosity index improver) provided about 8 to 13 percent of the lubricating oil composition. The DI package contained conventional amounts of dispersant(s), antiwear additive(s), antifoam agent(s), and antioxidant(s) as set forth in Table 3 below. Specifically, the DI package contained a succinimide dispersant, a borated succinimide dispersant, a molybdenum-containing compound, a friction modifier, one or more antioxidants, and one or more antiwear agents (unless specified otherwise). About 4 to about 10 wt. % of one or more viscosity index improver(s) was included in each tested lubricating oil composition. A base oil was used as a diluent oil for the viscosity index improver(s). The components that were varied are specified in the Tables and discussion of the Examples below. All the values listed in Table 3 are stated as weight percent of the component in the lubricating oil composition, based on the total weight of the lubricating oil composition (i.e., active ingredient plus diluent oil, if any), unless specified otherwise.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 DI Package Composition Ranges Component Wt. % Antioxidant(s) 0.5 to 2.5 Antiwear agent(s), including any 0.7 to 5.0 metal dihydrocarbyl dithiophosphate Antifoaming agent(s) 0.001 to 0.01 Detergent(s)* 0.0 Dispersant (s) 2.0 to 6.0 Metal-containing friction modifier(s) 0.05 to 1.25 Metal free friction modifier(s) 0.01 to 0.5 Pour point depressant(s) 0.05 to 0.5 Process oil 0.25 to 1.0 *Detergent is varied in the following experiments, so for purposes of the base formulation, the detergent amount is set to zero in the base DI package.

[0174] Low Speed Pre-Ignition (LSPI) events were measured in a Ford 2.0 Liter, 4 cylinder EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline direct injection (TGDi) engine. One complete LSPI fired engine test contains 4 test iterations. Each test iteration was operated for 4 hours under steady state conditions at a speed of about 1750 rpm and greater than 80% maximum brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). For each stage, data is collected over about 175,000 engine cycles. Thus, for one complete LSPI fired engine test, data was typically generated over a total of about 700,000 engine cycles and was used to evaluate performance of comparative and inventive oils. This test method is anticipated to be adopted into the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) GF-6 engine oil Specification and the American Petroleum Industry (API) SN engine oil category.

[0175] LSPI events were determined by monitoring peak cylinder pressure (PP) and when 2% of the combustible material in the combustion chamber burns (MFB02). An LSPI event was recorded when both the PP and MFB02 thresholds were exceeded in a single engine cycle. LSPI events can be reported in many ways. In order to remove ambiguity involved with reporting counts per engine cycles, where different fired engine tests can be conducted with a different number of engine cycles, the relative LSPI events of comparative and inventive oils was reported as an LSPI Ratio based on Reference oil R-1 being set to 1.0. In this way improvement relative to some standard response is clearly demonstrated.

[0176] In the following examples, several different combinations of additives were tested with the base formulation. The LSPI Ratio was reported as a ratio of the LSPI events of a test oil relative to the LSPI events of Reference Oil R-1. R-1 was a lubricating oil composition formulated with the base DI package and an overbased calcium detergent in an amount to provide about 2400 ppm Ca to the lubricating oil composition. More detailed formulation information for reference oil R-1 is given below.

[0177] The LSPI Ratio for the R-1 reference oil is thus deemed to be 1.00. Considerable improvement in LSPI is recognized when there is greater than a 60% reduction in LSPI events relative to reference oil R-1 (i.e. an LSPI Ratio of less than 0.4). A further improvement is recognized when there is greater than a 70% reduction in LSPI events relative to reference oil R-1 (i.e. an LSPI Ratio of less than 0.3). An even further improvement is recognized when there is greater than a 75% reduction in LSPI events relative to reference oil R-1 (i.e. an LSPI Ratio of less than 0.25), an even further improvement is recognized when there is greater than an 80% reduction in LSPI events relative to reference oil R-1 (i.e. an LSPI Ratio of less than 0.20), and an even further improvement is recognized when there is greater than a 90% reduction in LSPI events relative to reference oil R-1 (i.e. an LSPI Ratio of less than 0.10).

[0178] The Ball rust test was carried out following the method of ASTM D-6557.

[0179] TBN measurements given in the tables below were made using the procedure of ASTM-D-2896.

[0180] Commercial oil, R-1 is included as a reference oil to demonstrate the current state of the art. Reference oil R-1 was formulated from about 80.7 wt. % of a Group III base oil, 12.1 wt. % of HiTEC 11150 PCMO Additive Package available from Afton Chemical Corporation and 7.2 wt. % of a 35 SSI ethylene/propylene copolymer viscosity index improver. HiTEC 11150 passenger car motor oil additive package is an API SN, ILSAC-GF-5, and ACEA A5/B5 qualified DI package. Reference oil R-1 is a commercially available engine oil that meets all ILSAC GF-5 performance requirements, including passage of the Ball Rust test discussed below.

[0181] Reference oil R-1 also showed the following and properties and partial elemental analysis:

TABLE-US-00004 Reference Oil R-1 10.9 Kinematic Viscosity at 100 C., (mm.sup.2/sec) 3.3 TBS, APPARENT_VISCOSITY, cPa 2438 calcium (ppmw) <10 magnesium (ppmw) 80 molybdenum (ppmw) 772 phosphorus (ppmw) 855 zinc (ppmw) 9.0 Total Base Number ASTM D-2896 (mg KOH/g) 165 Viscosity Index

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 4 Example 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ca Detergent 2.8 3.7 3.4 4.1 2.8 4.6 TBN contrib- uted to lubri- cating oil Total Detergent 4.8 4.7 6.6 7.4 4.8 6.6 TBN contrib- uted to lubri- cating oil Total TBN of 7.5 7.3 9.2 9.9 7.2 9.1 the lubricating oil composition Mo (ppm) 480 290 270 460 80 490 Mg (ppm) 450 230 710 690 450 460 Ca (ppm) 1100 1510 1340 1650 1120 1880 Ca (ppm)/Total 147 207 146 167 156 207 TBN of lubri- cating oil Ca/Mg 2.4 6.6 1.9 2.4 2.5 4.1 Mg (ppm)/ 60 32 77 70 63 51 Total TBN of lubricating oil Ford LSPI 0.04 0.26 0.28 0.28 0.30 0.37 Ball Rust Test Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass (AGV > 100 to pass)

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 5 Example Compara- Compara- Compara- Reference tive A tive B tive C Oil R-1 Ca Detergent TBN 4.1 4.1 4.6 6.0 contributed to lubricating oil Total Detergent TBN 4.8 4.8 4.6 6.0 contributed to lubricating oil TBN of lubricating 7.4 7.3 7.5 8.99 oil composition Mo (ppm) 460 80 500 80 Mg (ppm) 130 140 <10 <10 Ca (ppm) 1640 1670 1910 2438 Ca (ppm)/Total 222 229 255 271 TBN of lubricating oil composition Ca/Mg 12.6 11.9 N/A N/A no Mg no Mg Mg (ppm)/Total 18 19 0 no Mg 0 no Mg TBN of lubricating oil composition Ford LSPI 0.40 0.60 0.96 1.0 Ball Rust Test Fail Pass Fail Pass (AGV > 100 to pass)

[0182] As shown in Tables 4-5, there is a significant improvement in the LSPI performance of the inventive compositions, as shown by comparing the reference example oil R-1 with inventive examples 1-6 as shown by reductions in LSPI events of at least 60%. Reference oil R-1 contains 1.95 wt. % of a calcium-containing detergent which is a relatively large amount compared to the total amount of calcium-containing detergent in inventive examples 1-6. However, LSPI performance improved in inventive examples 1-6 even at significantly lower overall calcium detergent concentrations, when the amounts of detergent, calcium, magnesium and molybdenum were controlled to provide:

[0183] (a) a ratio of the wt. % of calcium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased calcium-containing detergents to the wt. % of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition from the one or more overbased magnesium-containing detergents of less than 11.9,\

[0184] (b) a ratio of the total ppm of magnesium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is greater than 19; and

[0185] (c) a ratio of the total ppm of calcium in the lubricating oil composition to the total TBN of the lubricating oil composition in mg KOH/g, measured by the method of ASTM D-2896, is less than 222.

[0186] The data also shows that an improvement in the LSPI Ratio was obtained when comparing the inventive examples 1-6 with comparative examples A-C each of which had ratios outside the ranges of ratios (a)-(c) given above. Thus, the proper ratio of CaMgMo can be selected such that average LSPI events can be reduced by more than 60% and the formulations can still pass the Ball Rust test. This demonstrates the need to include appropriate combinations of Ca, Mg and Mo within the designated concentrations

[0187] Comparative example C and inventive example 6 had similar Ca and Mo concentrations, but the addition of Mg provides an unexpected improvement in LSPI ratio and in the Ball Rust test.

[0188] Comparative example A and inventive example 4 show that a proper combination of Ca, Mg and Mo led to a reduced LSPI ratio and also passing the Ball Rust test.

[0189] Comparative example A and inventive example 2 had similar Ca concentrations, but an adjustment to Mg and Mo led to improved performance in both the LSPI ratio and the Ball Rust test.

[0190] At numerous places throughout this specification, reference has been made to a number of U.S. Patents and other documents. All such cited documents are expressly incorporated by reference in full into this disclosure or at least for the specific purpose for which the document was cited, as if fully set forth herein.

[0191] Other embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments disclosed herein. As used throughout the specification and claims, a and/or an may refer to one or more than one. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as molecular weight, percent, ratio, reaction conditions, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about, whether or not the term about is present. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the specification and claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claims, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the disclosure are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims.

[0192] The foregoing embodiments are susceptible to considerable variation in practice. Accordingly, the embodiments are not intended to be limited to the specific exemplifications set forth hereinabove. Rather, the foregoing embodiments are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, including the equivalents thereof available as a matter of law.

[0193] The patentees do not intend to dedicate any disclosed embodiments to the public, and to the extent any disclosed modifications or alterations may not literally fall within the scope of the claims, they are considered to be part hereof under the doctrine of equivalents.

[0194] It is to be understood that each component, compound, substituent or parameter disclosed herein is to be interpreted as being disclosed for use alone or in combination with one or more of each and every other component, compound, substituent or parameter disclosed herein.

[0195] It is also to be understood that each amount/value or range of amounts/values for each component, compound, substituent or parameter disclosed herein is to be interpreted as also being disclosed in combination with each amount/value or range of amounts/values disclosed for any other component(s), compounds(s), substituent(s) or parameter(s) disclosed herein and that any combination of amounts/values or ranges of amounts/values for two or more component(s), compounds(s), substituent(s) or parameters disclosed herein are thus also disclosed in combination with each other for the purposes of this description.

[0196] It is further understood that each range disclosed herein is to be interpreted as a disclosure of each specific value within the disclosed range that has the same number of significant digits. Thus, a range of from 1-4 is to be interpreted as an express disclosure of the values 1, 2, 3 and 4.

[0197] It is further understood that each lower limit of each range disclosed herein is to be interpreted as disclosed in combination with each upper limit of each range and each specific value within each range disclosed herein for the same component, compounds, substituent or parameter. Thus, this disclosure to be interpreted as a disclosure of all ranges derived by combining each lower limit of each range with each upper limit of each range or with each specific value within each range, or by combining each upper limit of each range with each specific value within each range.

[0198] Furthermore, specific amounts/values of a component, compound, substituent or parameter disclosed in the description or an example is to be interpreted as a disclosure of either a lower or an upper limit of a range and thus can be combined with any other lower or upper limit of a range or specific amount/value for the same component, compound, substituent or parameter disclosed elsewhere in the application to form a range for that component, compound, substituent or parameter.