Lubricants and Fuels

Part of Petroleum and Tar

Making lubricants and fuels from petroleum to keep machinery running and society moving.

Why This Matters

Machines without lubrication destroy themselves. Every bearing, gear, axle, piston, and sliding surface in any mechanical device requires a film of lubricant between metal surfaces. Without it, friction generates heat, surfaces seize, and components fail in minutes to hours. In a rebuilding society dependent on water mills, windmills, lathes, pumps, and any salvaged engines, lubricant is as essential as the metal the machines are made from.

Before petroleum, lubricants came from animal fats (tallow, lard, whale oil) and vegetable oils (olive, rapeseed, castor). These work but deteriorate rapidly — they oxidize, become acidic, and lose their lubricating properties within weeks under operating conditions. Petroleum-based lubricants are vastly superior: they resist oxidation, maintain viscosity across a wider temperature range, and last far longer in service. A single barrel of well-made petroleum lubricant can keep a water mill running for a year.

The fuel applications are equally critical. Diesel-range fractions power compression-ignition engines, heavy oils fuel boilers and furnaces, and petroleum-based greases protect exposed metal from corrosion. Mastering the production of these heavier petroleum fractions gives your community the ability to operate the mechanical infrastructure that separates subsistence from industrial capability.

Understanding Lubricant Fractions

Lubricating oils come from the heavier distillation fractions, between kerosene and the solid residue.

Fraction	Boiling Range	Viscosity	Primary Use
Light lubricating oil	275-350°C (527-662°F)	Thin, flows easily	Sewing machines, clocks, light bearings
Medium lubricating oil	350-400°C (662-752°F)	Medium body	General machinery, axle bearings
Heavy lubricating oil	400-450°C (752-842°F)	Thick, slow-flowing	Heavy bearings, gears, cylinders
Cylinder stock	450-500°C (842-932°F)	Very thick	Steam cylinders, extreme pressure

Collecting Lubricant Fractions

Producing lubricating oil requires pushing your distillation to higher temperatures than kerosene production:

1. Complete your gasoline and kerosene collection as normal
2. Continue heating past 275°C — the condensate becomes noticeably thicker and darker
3. The condenser must handle these higher-boiling fractions; you may need a shorter or less-cooled condenser to prevent solidification in the tube
4. Collect in stages if possible, taking lighter oils first and heavier oils as temperature climbs
5. Stop before the residue begins to crack and produce smoke — this typically happens above 450°C in simple equipment

High-Temperature Distillation

Pushing distillation above 350°C requires sturdy equipment. At these temperatures, thermal cracking begins — heavy molecules break into lighter ones, producing gas and potentially dangerous pressure. Use a retort with adequate venting, never seal completely, and stay well clear during high-temperature operation.

Refining Lubricating Oil

Raw lubricating oil straight from the still contains wax, asphaltenes, and sulfur compounds that degrade its performance. Several refining steps improve quality:

Dewaxing

Paraffin wax dissolved in the oil causes it to thicken dramatically in cold weather and can solidify in bearings.

Cold settling method:

1. Dilute the lubricating oil with 2-3 volumes of kerosene or naphtha (this reduces viscosity for easier wax separation)
2. Cool the mixture to the lowest temperature available — outdoors in winter, or in a stream-cooled vessel
3. The wax crystallizes and settles or can be filtered out through cloth
4. Decant or filter off the liquid
5. Gently warm to evaporate the kerosene diluent, leaving dewaxed oil
6. Save the recovered wax — it has many uses (candles, waterproofing, coatings)

Acid Treatment

As with kerosene refining, sulfuric acid removes undesirable compounds:

1. Warm the oil to reduce viscosity (60-80°C)
2. Add 3-5% by volume of concentrated sulfuric acid
3. Stir thoroughly for 15-20 minutes
4. Let settle for 12-24 hours — the acid sludge is dense and settles well
5. Decant the oil carefully
6. Wash with dilute soda ash solution to neutralize residual acid
7. Final wash with warm water

Clay Treatment

Fuller’s earth (bentonite clay) or similar absorbent clays remove color bodies and remaining impurities:

1. Heat the oil to 80-100°C
2. Add 5-10% by weight of finely powdered clay
3. Stir for 30-60 minutes
4. Filter through cloth
5. The result is a lighter-colored, cleaner oil

Making Grease

Grease is lubricating oil thickened with a “soap” — typically a metal salt of a fatty acid. Grease stays in place on vertical surfaces, in open bearings, and on exposed gears where liquid oil would drip away.

Basic Tallow Grease

1. Render beef or mutton tallow (melt fat and strain out solids)
2. Heat 1 part tallow with 2 parts lubricating oil to 80°C
3. Mix thoroughly until uniform
4. Cool slowly while stirring occasionally
5. The result is a simple grease suitable for most applications

Calcium (Lime) Grease — Water Resistant

1. Make lime water by dissolving slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) in water
2. Slowly add the lime water to heated tallow while stirring constantly
3. Continue heating and stirring until the mixture thickens and saponifies (becomes soap-like) — this takes 30-60 minutes
4. Add lubricating oil gradually, stirring, until the desired consistency is reached
5. The ratio is approximately: 15% calcium soap, 85% lubricating oil

Calcium grease resists water washout, making it ideal for water mill bearings, outdoor applications, and marine use.

Consistency Guide

Consistency	How It Feels	Best For
Semi-fluid	Thick oil, barely holds shape	Enclosed gear boxes, slow bearings
Soft	Like soft butter	General purpose bearings, chassis
Medium	Like firm butter	Wheel bearings, medium-speed equipment
Firm	Like candle wax	Open gears, vertical surfaces, wire ropes

Adjust consistency by varying the ratio of thickener (soap) to base oil. More soap = firmer grease.

Fuel Applications

Diesel-Range Fuel

The fraction boiling between 250-350°C is suitable for compression-ignition (diesel) engines. Diesel engines are simpler and more robust than gasoline engines, making them preferable in a rebuilding scenario.

Straight-run diesel from simple distillation works in most diesel engines with these considerations:

• Cetane number (ignition quality) is typically adequate from paraffinic crudes
• Filter carefully — diesel injectors are sensitive to particles
• Remove water by settling and decanting
• May need slight warming in cold weather to prevent wax solidification

Fuel Oil for Heating and Boilers

Heavier fractions that are too thick for diesel engines make excellent heating fuel:

• Burns in simple drip-feed burners or atomizing nozzles
• Higher energy density per liter than kerosene
• Powers steam boilers for stationary engines, heating systems, and industrial processes
• Requires preheating for proper atomization in burners

Fuel Blending

You can create fit-for-purpose fuels by blending fractions:

Blend	Ratio	Application
Kerosene + light lubricating oil	80:20	Extended-range lamp fuel (burns longer, slightly dimmer)
Diesel fraction + kerosene	70:30	Cold-weather diesel (prevents wax gelling)
Heavy oil + kerosene	60:40	Heating fuel (easier to atomize)

Application Guide for Lubricants

Bearing Lubrication

• Plain bearings (sleeve/journal): Use medium lubricating oil. Apply regularly — the oil works its way out and must be replenished. Drip oilers (a small reservoir that feeds oil drops onto the bearing) are ideal.
• Rolling bearings (ball/roller): Pack with medium grease. Repack annually for moderate use, more often for heavy duty.
• Thrust bearings: Use heavy oil or soft grease depending on speed.

Gear Lubrication

• Enclosed gears: Fill the housing with heavy lubricating oil to a level that submerges the lower gear teeth
• Open gears: Apply thick grease with a brush to all tooth surfaces. This must be done regularly as it gets thrown off during operation.
• Worm gears: Use heavy oil — worm gears generate significant heat and need good oil flow

Cylinder and Piston Lubrication

For steam engine cylinders and pistons:

• Use the heaviest lubricating oil or cylinder stock
• The oil must withstand high temperatures without breaking down
• Apply through a displacement lubricator (a small reservoir that meters oil into the steam line)
• Consumption is ongoing — budget 0.5-2 liters per day for a small stationary engine

Chain and Cable Lubrication

• Soak chains in warm lubricating oil periodically
• Apply grease to wire rope and cable by running through a grease-packed funnel
• This prevents internal corrosion and wear between strands

Storage and Shelf Life

Petroleum lubricants store much better than their animal and vegetable alternatives:

• Lubricating oil: 3-5 years in sealed containers; indefinitely if completely sealed from air
• Grease: 1-3 years depending on type; calcium greases store longest
• Fuel oil: 2-5 years in sealed containers

Store all lubricants in sealed containers away from moisture, dirt, and temperature extremes. Contamination with water, dirt, or other materials is the primary cause of lubricant failure — more so than aging.

Reclaiming Used Oil

Used lubricating oil can be partially reclaimed by heating to 100°C, settling to remove water and heavy particles, and filtering through cloth and charcoal. This is not as good as fresh oil, but extends your supply significantly. Never discard used petroleum oil — it always has residual value as a lubricant, rust preventive, or fuel.

Yield Planning

From 100 liters of typical crude petroleum by simple distillation:

• 15-25 liters gasoline
• 20-25 liters kerosene
• 10-15 liters diesel fraction
• 5-10 liters lubricating oil fractions
• 30-50 liters heavy residue

Lubricating oil is the smallest liquid fraction, making it the most valuable per liter. Prioritize conservation, reclamation, and careful application to maximize the impact of this limited but critical product.