Making Zinc Oxide, additive for oil Options

[timothy_nd28]

Is there any Chemist here, that can do a write up procedure to make a zinc additive for the cheap oils at the auto-parts store? My Castro GTX oil seems to be lacking zinc these days, and I really don't want to spend 20 bucks on the additive.

[injunmort]

use Valvoline vr1 oil still has mineral package. available at most flaps.

[VaccaRabite]

Maybe buy an oil that does not need an additive?

Kendall, Brad Penn, Valvoline all have oils with Zinc in them already.

Anything you add in the oil will not be as good as oil that already has the zinc blended in.

Making your own zinc oxide is really rolling dice with your engine.

Zach

[Madswede]

Uhm ... it's not really zinc oxide that's a motor oil additive, at least not for the purposes of anti-wear and corrosion inhibition.

ZDDP is actually a family of chemical compounds that has a basic central structure around the zinc atom. This is called a "coordination complex" or compound. The chains of hydrocarbons that can branch off of the main central group of sulfur, phosphorous, and oxygen surrounding the zinc atom are called ligands, and as a family of complexes with different ligands they are collectively called ZDDP, or zinc dialkyldithiophosphates. It's actually the structure of all the stuff that goes around the central part that gives the ZDDP much of its desirable properties, especially its solubility in motor oils.

Zinc oxide may be used in part of the manufacturing/synthesis process, but other than some very general concepts of how ZDDP is made that anyone can find on the 'net, I haven't a clue. It's likely a highly proprietary (i.e. a trade secret) process that Castrol came up with, though I'm sure others have their own versions. There are tricks in this sort of chemistry to get just the right amount of each type of ZDDP or closely related complex that really are the stuff that make whole armies of chemists and chemical engineers a helluva lot of money.

In summary, I think you'd need a PhD in organic chemistry focusing on synthesis to make a reasonable go at it, and I doubt it could be done reliably or cheaply enough to justify making it on one's own - it would almost certainly cost quite a bit more than the $20 for the additive.

[carr914]

Sorry, but this has to be one of the Dumbest Questions ever asked!

If you can't afford the $20 Additive (which isn't advised to use anyway), you shouldn't have a Sports Car!

Buy the Correct Oil for your car and get rid of that Castrol GTX

[timothy_nd28]

Perhaps, but one would never know unless asked. I have been a Castrol man for many many years and for me it would be hard to jump ship to a different brand. I have full access to the University's Lab and provided a equation with a good forward rxn that provides a good yield, why not? If I could produce a gallon of this stuff, it may be worth it. In addition, there is a cool factor for making your own. Money really isn't the issue here, its more about the EPA being a bitch and putting further restraints on oil company's.

[Mblizzard]

OK there is a lot out there about how much zinc is needed and what happens when you use additives, and what happens when don't use the right oil. I do have a degree in chemistry and I still don't really understand all that I have read. But the summary is that you need at least 1,000 ppm ZDDP but more is not better as excessive wear can occur with levels above 1,400 ppm.

The metallurgy and chemistry is complex and even the additives you can buy have to be evaluated carefully. Some lack a ingredient molybdenum disulphide that makes the chemistry work and some have such high concentrations of ZDDP that they can trash your engine in a short period.

I am sure there are 914 owners out there that may be able to come up with a viable way to make the oil from cheaper sources. But even though I am cheap, I will be paying the high price for the oil. And yes I hate to pay it but I love my 914!

[carr914]

But the additives do not go into the Oil uniformly & what if your Chemistry experiment goes wrong?

[worn]

Perhaps, but one would never know unless asked. I have been a Castrol man for many many years and for me it would be hard to jump ship to a different brand. I have full access to the University's Lab and provided a equation with a good forward rxn that provides a good yield, why not? If I could produce a gallon of this stuff, it may be worth it. In addition, there is a cool factor for making your own. Money really isn't the issue here, its more about the EPA being a bitch and putting further restraints on oil company's.

It isn't intrinsically a dumb question, but you overlooked a lot. You can just buy zinc oxide dirt cheap because it does it on its own. Heating zinc in air will do it - white powder. Problem is the additives are complex and proprietary, they aren't zinc oxide as mentioned above. I believe, but do not know, that the additives are coordinate complexes with both Zn and P as the centers. They provide a lot of help coating the metal and preventing wear. I use maybe half of an 8 dollar bottle of ZDDP from eastwood for every oil change. Made by people who have both chemistry degrees and a lot of experimental work under their belts. You and I just have the chemistry degrees. Not enough.