Toward 100,000 hour bearing life

ExxonMobil has taken two steps to better address the lubrication needs of turbochargers. It has reformulated its premium synthetic turbocharger lubricant, Mobil SHC 600 Series, and it is advocating the use of a separate lube system. A 1,000 hour TOST test of the new formulation SHC 600, generated 1/10 the amount of sludge deposit that was experienced with the previous SHC product, says ExxonMobil. The company adds that SHC 600 still had a 14,000 hour life when water was introduced and it showed only a 16% increase in viscosity. Further improvements, the company says, have been gained in rust/corrosion protection, oxidation and thermal stability, hydrolytic stability, antiwear, demulsibility and antifoam. ExxonMobil believes that by combining a properly formulated synthetic lubricant with a dedicated turbocharger lube system and sound maintenance practices, it may one day be possible to reach 100,000 hour bearing life.