Oil, Additives and Standards
Explained
Non-Cracked Solvent

Neutral Base Stock

There are 2 different processes that can be used to refine crude oil.  Catalytic cracking uses heat to remove impurities and extract gasoline and diesel fuel.  Crude is heated to 1900 degrees and the molecule of the oil is broken (cracked) down.

The result is you lose the lubricating qualities of the removed fuels and what's left is damaged product which is susceptible to thinning when exposed to temperature or pressure.  It also mixes easily with water (emulsifies) and has a higher flash point.

Solvent Neutral extraction on the other hand, uses solvents or chemicals instead of heat to refine crude oil.  The complete molecule of the oil remains intact.  The fuels (gasoline and diesel) are not removed resulting in a "non-cracked solvent neutral base stock" which is vastly superior to crude which have had the fuels removed.  It resists thinning even under much higher temperatures and pressures.  The result is an oil that can be run for many hours straight with no significant thinning.  Oil pressure stays high, resists wash-down from fuel getting past engine rings and contamination of anti-freeze which can also get into the engine.  The oil life is greatly increased.  Mack Trucks has approved ULX-110 for 40,000 to 50,000 mile change intervals.

E.P. (Extreme Pressure) Additives

E.P. additives are blended into oils to increase its ability to remain between moving metal parts.  This results in reduction of wear from metal-to-metal contact under extreme pressure.

Non-Shear Viscosity Index Improver

Mechanical shearing is what happens to a molecule of oil as it travels through an engine between moving metal parts.  The oil is sheared or cut into smaller molecules.  To put it another way, the oil is thinning.

Oils are given a grade number (index) based on its ability to resist shearing.  Additives called "viscosity index improvers" can help an oil resist shearing.  The additives are priced based on their own ability to resist shearing.  The best, most expensive additives are the non-shearing type.
Pour Point Additive

A pour point additive is an additive which lowers the oil's pour temperature.  Petroleum oils are affected by temperature.  At around zero degrees F. oils become so viscous that the oil pump cannot pump it through the motor.  Pour point additives reduce that temperature to around -15 to -20 degrees.

Paraffin Base Stock

The crude oils that come out of the ground are put into three categories.  The Naphthenic and paraffin crudes are used to produce engine oils.  Paraffin oils have a naturally higher viscosity index and produce the best engine oils.

SAE
Society of Automotive Engineers

API

American Petroleum Institute

ASTM
American Society for Testing and Materials

ILSAC

International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee

JASO

Japan Automotive Standards Organization

AGMA

American Gear Manufacturers Association

Viscosity

A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow, or how thick the fluid is.