axy buildup may be as

much the bane of todays automotive original equipment

manufacturers as it was of housewives of the 1960s.
Fortunately, theres a solution for the OEMs.
Of course, housewives (these days, the term sounds about
as quaint as big-block engine) were usually worried about
the waxy film that collected on their floors and furniture.
Modern OEMs, on the other hand, are concerned about the
wax contained in nearly all refined mineral lubricating oils,
which can crystallize at low temperatures and prevent the oils
from flowing. They rightfully expect that modern, high-performance lubricants will continually rise to the challenge of
controlling viscosity and preventing wear under real-life operating conditions.
Pour point depressants better known as PPDs have
kept fluids flowing in cold weather since the 1930s. With
changing needs in the marketplace, a recent study confirms
that selection of the right pour point depressant has never
been more important than it is today.
Equipment manufacturers and users are demanding fluids
that deliver greater efficiency and greater durability. At the
same time, new specifications for engine and driveline oils
place tougher limits on low-temperature fluidity. And base oil
slates are continually changing, with growing use of severely
hydrotreated API Group II and III oils.
Because they must be tailored to specific base oils, there is
no universal pour point depressant. Moreover, different PPDs
may be necessary for the same applications as product specifications change.
Despite a common misperception, even so-called synthetic API Group III base stocks require the use of PPDs. Also,
certain additive components in new oil formulations often act
as PPDs for a while, at least. As a result, new oil occasionally can meet low-temperature viscosity specifications without
adding a PPD. As the additives break down or are consumed
in use, however, the desired effect is lost.

COLD COMFORT
Pour Point Depressants Keep Things Flowing
B Y M ICHAEL J. C OVITCH

AND

W ILLIAM J. D IMITRAKIS

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COPYRIGHT 2006, LUBESNGREASES MAGAZINE. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE FEBRUARY 2006 ISSUE.

OEM Specifications for Used Oil Viscosity*

Specification

Engine Test

Oil Life in
Engine
(hrs)

Applicable
Viscosity
Grade(s)

MRV Limit
(mPa-s, max)

MRV Temp.

Comments

API CJ-4
(proposed)

Mack T-11

180

SAE 0W, 5W,

10W, 15W

25,000

-20o C

no yield stress

ILSAC GF-4

Seq. IIIGA

100

SAE 0W-20
60,000
0W-30, 5W-20
5W-30, 10W-30

SAE J300 T
or T + 5o C

Meet MRV max limit of original

grade or next higher W grade

DaimlerChrysler
MS-6395

Seq. IIIGA

100

SAE 5W-20
40,000 (5W-XX) SAE J300 T
5W-30, 10W-30 50,000 (10W-XX) or T + 5o C
60,000 (15W-XX)

DaimlerChrysler Seq. IIIGA

MS-10797

100

SAE 5W-20

40,000 (5W-XX) -35 or -30o C

50,000 (10W-XX)

Factory Fill. Meet MRV max limit of

original grade or next higher W grade

General Motors
GM6094M

Seq. IIIGA

100

SAE 0W-30
5W-20, 5W-30
10W-30

60,000

SAE J300 T
or T + 5o C

Service Fill. Meet MRV max limit of

original grade or next higher W grade

General Motors
Corvette
ILSAC GF-4
GM4781M

Seq. IIIGA

100

SAE 0W-30
20,000
5W-30, 10W-30

SAE J300 T
or T + 5o C

Meet MRV max limit of original grade

or next higher W grade

Service Fill. Meet MRV max limit of

original grade or next higher W grade

*Per Mini-Rotary Viscometer (MRV); December 2005

With an inadequate or incorrect PPD,

low-temperature viscosity can increase
rapidly, and an oil could fail to protect
the engine in critical conditions, such as
during cold start-up. Recognizing this
issue, many OEMs are beginning to add
used oil low-temperature viscosity limits
in their engine oil performance specifications (see table, above).
PPDs: The Basics A pour point is the
lowest temperature at which a fluid will
flow under standard conditions, as measured by the ASTM D 97 Pour Point Test;
this test is widely used today as a qualitycontrol tool. A pour point depressant
lowers that temperature. It also lowers
lubricant viscosity in other ASTM tests
which are known predictors of low-temperature lubricant flow in engines, axles
and transmissions.
At low temperatures, the wax contained in the base oil crystallizes to form
fragile, interlocking crystal structures that
can prevent the lubricant from flowing.
PPD molecules contain segments that cocrystallize with the wax, modifying the
shape of the crystals and preventing the
interlocking structure from forming.
Instead, they promote the formation of
small, free-flowing wax particles.
The ability of a pour point depressant
to improve the low-temperature flow
characteristics of a lubricating oil is largely determined by how well the alkyl side3

chains within these compounds can cocrystallize with the wax components of
the base oil. To be most efficient, the
PPD chemistry must be matched to the
base oil wax structure.
Wax crystals arent the only problem.
The viscosity of any fluid increases considerably at low temperatures, reducing
its flowability. A PPD can ameliorate only
the waxs contribution to viscosity. Thus,
there is a limit to which any PPD can
improve low-temperature viscosity.
Group III, a New Challenge Group III
base stocks are coming into greater use
for a number of reasons.
For one, many OEMs are specifying the
use of more fuel-efficient fluids, such as
SAE 0W-30 and 5W-20 engine oils, lowerviscosity automatic transmission fluids,
and SAE 75W-90, 75W-110 and 75W-140
wide-span multigrade gear oils.
Additionally, ILSAC (an international
lubricants standards committee), the
American Petroleum Institute, and ACEA
(the European automakers trade group)
continue to lower the maximum allowable
volatility limits. Lower-volatility oils protect
exhaust aftertreatment systems and help
comply with global air quality standards.
Third, passenger car engines and drivetrains are becoming smaller and more
powerful, placing a higher thermal load
on the lubricants. Finally, low-temperature
viscosity requirements for driveline oils

COPYRIGHT 2006, LUBESNGREASES MAGAZINE. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM THE FEBRUARY 2006 ISSUE.

continue to become more challenging.

Group III oils have considerable
appeal in addressing each of these factors. Compared with Group I and Group
II oils of equal kinematic viscosity measured at 100 degrees Celsius, Group III
base stocks have lower volatility,
improved thermal/oxidative stability and
often improved low-temperature fluidity.
These attributes are shared by API
Group IV synthetics (polyalphaolefins),
but Group III oils are considerably less
expensive than PAOs. As a result, Group
III base stocks are gaining market share
in Asia, the Americas and Europe.
While lubricants based on Group III oils
perform similar to PAO-based fluids in
many ways, the low-temperature flow
characteristics of Group III oils simply are
not as good as those of PAO fluids. A number of feedstocks are used to make Group
III oils, including highly paraffinic slack
wax as well as hydrocracker bottoms and
raffinates. Manufacturers often employ catalytic isomerization techniques to convert
linear paraffins to branched paraffins, thus
improving low-temperature properties
and maximizing production yield.
Catalytic isomerization converts the
base stocks paraffins, linear hydrocarbons that tend to crystallize and form
wax, into branched hydrocarbons with
short branches. These branches break
up the crystallinity and make a fluid
more amenable to be used as base oil for

lubricants. Catalytic isomerization lowers

the pour point but not to the levels
characteristic of PAO fluids. In most cases,
PPD additives are still required to be used
with Group III oils.
Figure 1 illustrates this, by comparing
the pour point of several Group III base
oils with PAO fluids of the same starting
viscosity. All these base oils did fine down
to -10 C, but as the temperature continued to drop, the differences in pour point
become more pronouced.
Performance Tests Several tests under the
auspices of ASTM International help to
provide assurance that lubricating oils will
flow properly at low temperatures. Most
significant among these industry-accepted
measures of low-temperature fluidity are
the Mini-Rotary Viscometer Test, or MRV
TP-1 (ASTM D 4684), and the Brookfield
Viscosity Test (ASTM D 2983). Another
method, the Cold Cranking Simulator Test
(ASTM D5293), measures lubricant viscosity under cold start conditions; since it measures viscosity at high shear rates, fragile
wax structures are broken down mechanically and do not adversely affect CCS viscosity. Therefore, the PPD is not effective
in lowering CCS viscosity.
The MRV Test simulates the pumpability
of engine lubricants under cold start-up
conditions. MRV viscosity is measured at a
temperature that depends upon the viscosity grade. Thus, an SAE 0W-30 oil is tested at
-40 C, while a 20W-50 oil is tested at -20 C.
Similarly, the Brookfield Viscosity Test is
designed to ensure good low-temperature
lubricant flow properties in vehicle trans-

mission, axle or hydraulic system applications. The Brookfield viscosity at

- 40 C is generally specified by OEMs for
automatic and commercial vehicle transmission lubricants. The Brookfield viscosity measurement temperature for automotive gear oils depends upon viscosity
grade. For example, an SAE 75W-90 gear
oil is tested at -40 C, and an SAE 85W-140
oil is tested at -12 C.
Choosing Right Choosing the right PPD
depends on the base stocks being used,
the performance package and the viscosity modifier in the formulation. Suppliers
can offer recommendations based on this
information, but there is no substitute for
testing to assure that all of the complex
interactions among base oils and additives
that can affect low-temperature performance are under control.
The broader the range of lubricants that
are made at a particular blending plant,
the greater the challenge in choosing one
PPD to cover all bases. Thats because passenger car engine oils, heavy-duty diesel
oils, gear oils, automotive transmission
fluids and hydraulic fluids all use different
base oils and additives. In many cases,
however, one PPD can be utilized
throughout a plant, although one or two
additional PPDs may be needed for special hard-to-treat, low volume products.
Even Mother Nature can affect PPD
selection. After last years hurricanes disrupted oil supply in the United States,
many oil marketers had to scramble to
find alternate sources of base oils to keep
production going. Chances are, those

Michael Covitch

William Dimitrakis

Michael J. Covitch is senior research scientist and William J. Dimitrakis is business

manager, viscosity modifiers, with The
Lubrizol Corp., headquartered in
Wickliffe, Ohio. For information about this
article, contact PPDinfo@lubrizol.com.

Figure 2 Used Oil Viscosity May Not

Track that of Fresh Oil

35,000

-10

30,000
25,000

-20

MRV, cP

Pour Point, 0C

Figure 1 Comparing Pour Points:

API Group III Stocks and PAO

new base oils required different PPDs.

In choosing the right one, start by evaluating PPDs at a relatively low concentration, and make sure to use low-temperature tests that are appropriate for the
application. Select the most effective PPD
or combination of PPDs, and then optimize the treat level.
Keep in mind, too, that the characteristics of an oil change as it is used, affecting
its ability to perform in cold temperatures.
For example the used-oil MRV performance
of two SAE 15W-40 lubricants was measured in the Mack T-10A test. The oil with
the lowest MRV viscosity when new had
the higher T-10A MRV viscosity when it was
tested again after use (see Figure 2).
Waxy buildup may not trouble todays
modern homeowners like it did their
mothers. And as long as oil formulators
select the right pour point depressant to
do the job, automotive OEMs need not be
concerned either.

-30
-40

20,000
15,000
10,000

-50

5,000

-60
4 c.St 4.3 cSt

Viscosity Grade
5 cSt 6 cSt 7 cSt
Group III

PAO

0
8 cSt

PPD A
Fresh Oil

PPD B
Used 15W-40 Oil

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