Comparative Assessment of the Physicochemical Properties of Some Commercially and Locally Blended Engine Oils within Awka Metropolis

Abstract

The physicochemical properties of eight (8) different samples of locally blended engine oil and two (2) commercially made engine oil within Awka metropolis, Anambra State were analyzed in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. The result obtained showed that there was a significant difference in the Kinematic Viscosity at 40o C while at 100o C there was no significant difference for all the samples analyzed. The range of the kinematic Viscosity at 40o C was 143.21 cst - 159.11 cst while at 100o C the Kinematic Viscosity range reduced to 13.30 cst - 18.41 cst. Samples D and E had the highest Viscosity Index of 128 and 129 respectively among the locally blended oil samples. Similar trend was also observed for the Specific Gravity of the oil with a standard deviation range of 0.0007- 0.0042. The Flash Point of the locally blended oil samples were below standards except for sample G (213o C), while the commercially made oil samples had Flash Points 225o C and 233o C for R1 and R2 respectively which were above the standard range of 204o C - 220o C. All the oil samples had values of Total Acid Number (0.049 - 0.209 mgKOH/g) within the standard value and the moisture content results showed that only five samples (A, B, C, F and G) met the requirement. The ANOVA analysis of all the properties for the samples at 95% confidence level showed that there was significant difference in all the properties among the samples except in the kinematic Viscosity at 100o

C. The research revealed that the commercially made oils were of better

grade than the locally blended oils.