Ceratec Experiment... Does it fall out?

[Condor1970]

Ceratec is an hBn solid lubricant. Liqui-Moly told me it doesn't fall out of suspension when sitting over time, and won't cause sludge deposits in your oil pan. OK, I'll believe that.

But you know the Gippers old saying... "Trust, but verify!"

So, I decided to go ahead and do a little experiment. I took 1qt of Quaker State Ultimate Durability full synthetic 5w30, and mixed in 50ml of Ceratec. This is just a hair under the 1 bottle/5qt ratio they recommend.
I then put the jar in my oven, and ran it at 250F for 2hrs to simulate hard track/hot weather driving. Each time I checked the oil temp, I stirred the oil thoroughly to simulate circulation while driving.
At 2hrs and 250F, I then removed the jar, and set it on a shelf to cool naturally and took pictures every few days to see if it would begin to separate. Here's my results.

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[Condor1970]

First Day!!!

 

[Condor1970]

3 Days!!!

 

[Condor1970]

5 Days!!!

 

[Condor1970]

10 Days!!!

 

[Condor1970]

So, yes, Ceratec does start falling out of suspension within a week with no driving. If you drive your car all the time as a daily, then it probably isn't an issue. In fact, I don't think that little amount of settling out, even after 10 days, isn't an issue either.

However, I'm going to let it sit for another few weeks and take another pic. Then, I will slowly pour it out and see if it leaves a layer of sludge at the bottom that won't pour. Somehow I don't think it will, since it is such a slippery substance, it will probably pour with no issues. If that's the case, then it just means that even though it settles to some degree, it will not plug up the pick up tube for the oil pump. In a few weeks we will see the results when I pour it out.

 

[kent0464]

Of course it’ll fall out/separate ........anything that has as part of its instructions “Shake Well before use”, will separate out if let set for a period of time...you can be sure there is more settling out chemically than visually.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Interesting experiment!

Maybe it’s the way the pics were taken, but looking very closely at the images, at the top of the jar, it appears there is very slight separation on Day 1 and seen better on Day 3, with the progression of separation starting to formalize more vividly as seen on Day 10.

As you said though, most S550’s will be daily driven and won’t be sitting for weeks or months on end. Even if there is slight separation, as soon as that Coyote fires up, it’s an instant blender...

 

[Condor1970]

Even if there is slight separation, as soon as that Coyote fires up, it’s an instant blender...

Exactly...

...As well as the fact that hBn is more slippery than the oil itself, so I fail to see how it would "stick" to the bottom of the oil pan and form sludge, as some have speculated. When I pour it out in a few weeks, I'll pour very slowly to see if any settling on the bottom won't easily pour. Some of the add packs to regular jugs of motor oil will stick to the bottom. The vast majority of those are detergents though, and not necessarily friction modifiers, which is why I always shake the jugs before using.

 

[Condor1970]

18 days.

You can see a noticeable amount of particulate settling on the bottom as well.

 

[Zed09]

It's apparent that it will settle out, especially those of us in northern climates where the car sits for the winter. If any remains on the bottom after pouring it out, I'd be curious to see how much you need to agitate it before it becomes suspended again. I'm suspecting that even when it settles out, once the engine is ran long enough to bring it to temperature that it will be fully suspended again.

 

[redtrack]

what is the avg temp in the room/garage where the jar is?

 

[Condor1970]

what is the avg temp in the room/garage where the jar is?

Ambient in my basement. About 60-65F. So technically cooler than outside. Maybe akin to living in the south.

 

[Qcman17]

Where'd the bullet go?

 

[Condor1970]

Where'd the bullet go?

Getting used, to open my beer.

It's actually an expended 50 BMG round that was reloaded with a standard ball projectile and converted into a bottle opener.

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