Additives are oil-soluble additives that are added to base oils to improve their performance. Different additives are added to the base oil in a specific concentration so that the oil properties required for operation can be achieved. There are a variety of different additives that are used. In general, these should perform the following tasks:

Surface protection against wear and corrosion

Detergents

Due to the high temperatures, deposits form in the form of sludge and oil carbon. The detergents have the task of preventing or reducing these deposits. In addition, they neutralize acids that are produced during the combustion process in the engine.

Dispersants

At low temperatures, sludge can form and deposit in the form of solid and liquid dirt particles. The dispersants prevent deposition by enveloping the dirt particles and keeping them suspended. This allows them to be transported to the oil filter.

Wear protection

This additive builds a thin, lubricated layer on the metal, so that direct contact with another metal (e.g. on camshafts or tooth flanks) can be prevented.

Corrosion Inhibitors

Metal can corrode due to oxygen, water and aggressive combustion products. Corrosion inhibitors build dense, furry, water-repellent bacteria on the metal, which protect against corrosion.

Friction Modifier

Synchronized manual transmissions, automatic transmissions and wet brakes in tractors require a specific friction value. The friction reducer (better known as a Friction Modifier) achieves the required friction value in the oils.

Oil aging protection

Anti-Oxidants

These additives prevent the attack of oxygen on the oil, which could lead to oil aging in the form of darkening or thickening.

Metal Deactivators

Tiny metal particles that end up in the oil due to wear and tear can accelerate the oil aging process. The catalytic effect is prevented by adding metal deactivators, which form a certain protective film on the metal surfaces.

Anti-Foam Additives

Foam can form when oil and air are mixed. This foam leads to quicker oil aging and a simultaneous increase in viscosity. Since the foam is also compressible, it can interfere with the function of the hydrostatic seal. Thanks to the anti-foaming additives, the formation of foam is reduced or, at best, completely prevented.

See: What happens if foam is in the hydraulic system?

Improvement of oil properties

Viscosity Modifiers

On one hand, the oil should not be too thick at cold temperatures to ensure smooth cold starting. On the other hand, the lubrication performance should also be maintained at high temperatures and the oil should not become too thin. In order to produce multi-grade oils, a viscosity modifier (VI improver) is used, which thickens the oil slightly when heated.

Pour Point Depressants

At low temperatures, mineral oils precipitate paraffin crystals. These crystals slowly grow together, leading to oil thickening. Pour point depressants prevent the growth of these crystals up to a certain point and thus improve the flow properties of the oil at low temperatures.

Seal Swell Agents

Certain synthetic hydrocarbons (e.g. PAO) can cause elastomer seals to dry out, causing them to shrink and no longer seal properly. Elastomer swell agents prevent the drying out of these seals.

Midland additives to improve various oil properties

There are various additives that improve the properties of the oil. This leads to less wear, better protection of the entire oil system, and makes the oil more resistant to aging. However, more is not always better. The following Midland additives improve oil properties:

• "Engine Oil Treatment" is a motor oil additive that reduces oil consumption, stabilizes oil viscosity, and proactively protects seals.
  
  
• "Friction Modifier" is a friction-reducing additive that can be used in engine oil to make the oil more resistant to aging and protect metal surfaces. Due to the reduced friction, the additive also has a fuel-saving effect.
  
  
• "Limited-Slip Axle Additive" is a transmission oil additive. Certain transmissions require a transmission oil with limited slip additive (also called LS additive) to prevent the limited slip differentials from rattling. There are premixed transmission oils that already contain this additive in the correct dosage. However, it can also be added independently to the appropriate transmission oil.
  
  
• "Zinc Booster" can be added to the engine oil to make it more pressure stable. In older engine oils, the zinc content was still increased. However, this proportion was reduced with the invention of exhaust aftertreatment systems such as catalytic converters, since too high a zinc content is harmful to them. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using Zinc Booster and it should only be used at a specific dosage and on specific vehicles where an engine oil with increased zinc content is desired.

Stay in Motion Smoothly - Lubricants from Midland

With Midland's lubricants, everything runs smoothly! Whether for passenger cars, trucks & buses, motorcycles & ATVs, marine, construction machines, industry, agriculture & forestry or classic cars - we offer you the full range of quality lubricants for all areas of application. This includes engine oils, transmission oils, hydraulic oils, additives, coolant protection and supplementary products. Since 2017, we have had the most modern fully automated lubricant production plant in Switzerland to constantly provide you with consistent and constantly carefully controlled quality. That's what our company slogan "Swiss Quality Oil" stands for.

Midland: A Brand of the Swiss Traditional Company Oel-Brack AG

The Midland brand was launched by Oel-Brack AG in 2004, which has been producing and importing products of American oil companies under license as a family business since 1880. Under the Midland brand, the Swiss family business trades in heating oil and fuels domestically and produces quality lubricants for domestic and foreign markets in Aargau (Hunzenschwil). In Switzerland alone, Midland lubricants are delivered to over 3000 passenger car and truck garages, motorcycle dealers, workshops, yards, forest offices and industrial companies, while almost half of the total production is exported.

Find the right lubricant with just a few clicks - Midland's Oil Finder

What engine oil should I use for my classic car? What hydraulic oil is best suited for my motorcycle? What should I look for when buying additives? Finding the right lubricants is not easy due to the large selection of different products. But now that's a thing of the past. Midland provides you with a convenient online Oil Finder, with which you can now reach the right lubricant with just a few clicks. Simply select the vehicle or machine and browse through the individually compiled product selection. You will receive product recommendations for each application area, including important interval hints for changing. Try it now!

Buy lubricants at Midland and get good advice

Midland offers quality lubricants and provides expert advice. If you have any questions about their products or would like to purchase motor oil, their specialists are available to assist you via phone +41 62 889 10 30, email info@oelbrack.ch, or their contact form. They are dedicated to providing personalized advice and are happy to answer your questions with their years of experience in the field of lubricants and fats.
Contact Midland for expert advice and support.