sulfur

[SkyPup]

Hmm, are you unaware that the crankcase oil has acid neutralizing hydroxides added to it to neutralize the acids and prevent significant instaneous corrosion of your engines?

BTW, I said SOx, that includes all sulfur oxide compounds just as NOx includes all nitrogen oxides.

 

[BobG_in_VA]

If the lub oil additive package has a neutralizer, then I find your statement about Sulfuric Acid to be so much wind. I humbly suggest you be prepared to defend your statements from now on, or better still, don't make them. BobG in VA

 

[RalphVa]

There's only so much additive in lube oil (typically 20%, and only part of this is neutralizer). You'll use up its neutralizing properties if you keep adding sulfuric acid in the form of sulfur in the fuel (e.g. combustion changes it to SOx and also has water; water + SOx = sulfuric or sulfurous acid).

Ralph
retired chemical and lube process engineer

 

[Mike_Lipke]

So, if I understand this, most goes out the exhaust, but some gets into the crankcase, combines with moisture (part of combustion) and mixes with the oil, but is neutralized by the oil additives until they are gone, therefore the reason oil has to be changed.
A little acid in anything will not take the skin off your hand (think vinegar), but can etch and corrode metals.

What no one has mentioned yet is the sulphur that goes out the stack into the air pollutes the air, contributing to acid rain and other bad things. Isn't that the main reason the government(s) are encouraging the use of low sulphur fuels?

 

[5030]

Sometimes I feel that anything the gummit endorses will only cost you more. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mike_Lipke]

Only sometimes??
You optimist.

 

[5030]

Mike:

That was tongue-in-cheek. My spouse is a gummit employee. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Mike_Lipke]

As long as she doesn't pepper me, thats cool.

 

[RalphVa]

The governement started requiring catalytic converters on gasoline engines. This turned out to be a good thing. Exhaust systems very seldom need changing out now because they're warmed up and kept warm by the catalytic converter; whereas, we used to have to change them out quite regularly.

This will happen on diesels with reduction in sulfur. Next will be catalytic converters on diesels. Exhaust systems won't last any longer on them though, as they generally are protected by the soot formation now.

Ralph

 

[SkyPup]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If the lub oil additive package has a neutralizer, then I find your statement about Sulfuric Acid to be so much wind. I humbly suggest you be prepared to defend your statements from now on, or better still, don't make them. BobG in VA )</font>

Try putting some of your used motor oil into a small eyedropper and applying it directly to the cornea of your eye next time, your corneal epithelial cells are much more sensitive to the hydrogen ion concentration than the skin epidermis on your hands.