A DI (Detergent-Inhibitor) package is the single concentrated additive blend a lubricant blender adds to base oil at 10-22% to make finished engine oil. The DI bundles 7-9 functions in one drum — detergent, dispersant, ZDDP anti-wear, antioxidant, corrosion inhibitor, pour-point depressant, foam inhibitor, friction modifier. This guide covers DI composition, treat rates by service category (API SP, SN+, CK-4, FA-4, ACEA C3, JASO MA2), India price benchmark vs Lubrizol / Afton HiTEC / Infineum / Chevron Oronite, and the custom DI route that transfers formula IP to the client.
| Component | Function | % in DI Concentrate | % in Finished Oil (12% treat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overbased Ca sulfonate TBN 400 | Primary detergent, TBN reserve | 22-28% | 2.6-3.4% |
| Overbased Mg sulfonate TBN 400 | Mg-rich for LSPI, low-temp soot | 5-9% | 0.6-1.1% |
| PIBSA-PAM bis-succinimide (PIB Mn 1300) | Sludge / soot dispersant | 22-30% | 2.6-3.6% |
| Borated succinimide (B-rich) | Chain wear, fluoro-elastomer compat | 4-7% | 0.5-0.8% |
| Mixed Pri/Sec ZDDP (active matter) | Anti-wear + secondary AO | 8-10% | 0.95-1.20% |
| Phenolic AO (2,6-DTBP) | Primary AO — H-donor | 3-5% | 0.36-0.60% |
| Aminic AO (alkylated DPA) | Secondary AO — nitroxide trap | 3-5% | 0.36-0.60% |
| Alkenyl-succinic acid (ASA) | Ferrous rust inhibitor | 1.5-3% | 0.18-0.36% |
| Tolutriazole (TTA) | Yellow-metal (Cu) inhibitor | 0.3-0.6% | 36-72 ppm |
| MoDTC (Mo concentrate) | Friction modifier (FM) | 1.5-3% | 0.18-0.36% (700-1000 ppm Mo) |
| Silicone defoamer | Foam inhibitor | 100-500 ppm | 12-60 ppm |
| 100N Group II diluent oil | Carrier base for DI concentrate | balance to 100% | — |
| Service / Spec | DI Treat % | P Limit (ppm) | Sulfated Ash % (Max) | Finished TBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| API SP / ILSAC GF-6 | 10-12% | 800 | 1.0 | 7-9 |
| API SN+ | 10-12% | 800 | 1.0 | 7-9 |
| API SN | 9-11% | 600-1000 | 1.5 | 6-8 |
| API SM (legacy) | 9-11% | 800-1200 | 1.5 | 6-8 |
| API CK-4 HDD | 14-17% | 1200 | 1.0 | 10-13 |
| API CJ-4 HDD | 12-14% | 1200 | 1.0 | 9-11 |
| API FA-4 low-VG HDD | 13-15% | 1200 | 1.0 | 7-9 |
| ACEA C3 low-SAPS | 11-13% | 800 | 0.8 | 7-8 |
| ACEA E9 low-SAPS HDD | 13-15% | 1200 | 1.0 | 9-11 |
| JASO MA2 motorcycle 4T | 9-12% | 1100 | 1.2 | 6-8 |
| Service Tier | Branded DI ₹/MT | Custom DI ₹/MT | Saving % |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCMO API SP / GF-6 | ₹3,50,000 - 4,50,000 | ₹2,20,000 - 2,80,000 | 36-40% |
| PCMO API SN | ₹3,00,000 - 3,80,000 | ₹1,90,000 - 2,40,000 | 36-37% |
| HDD API CK-4 | ₹3,40,000 - 4,20,000 | ₹2,20,000 - 2,80,000 | 33-35% |
| HDD API CJ-4 | ₹3,00,000 - 3,80,000 | ₹1,95,000 - 2,50,000 | 34-35% |
| ACEA C3 low-SAPS | ₹3,80,000 - 4,80,000 | ₹2,40,000 - 3,10,000 | 36-37% |
| JASO MA2 motorcycle | ₹3,20,000 - 4,00,000 | ₹2,00,000 - 2,55,000 | 36-38% |
A DI (Detergent-Inhibitor) package is the single concentrated additive blend that a lubricant blender adds to base oil at 10-22% by weight to make finished engine oil. It bundles 7-9 additive functions in one drum: detergent (Ca/Mg sulfonate), dispersant (PIBSA-PAM succinimide), anti-wear (ZDDP), antioxidant (phenolic + aminic synergy), corrosion inhibitor, pour-point depressant (PMA), foam inhibitor, friction modifier (MoDTC + GMO).
The DI house pre-balances the chemistry so the blender only needs to add base oil and VII to produce finished oil at target spec.
Three reasons. (1) Chemistry balance — detergent, dispersant and ZDDP interact through complex synergy; the DI house's value-add is the balance not the individual components. (2) API license — Lubrizol / Afton / Infineum / Oronite hold pre-licensed API SP / CK-4 / FA-4 packages that the blender can use under sub-licence, saving the blender ~$300k of sequence testing cost. (3) Blender simplicity — one drum to dose, one supplier QC pass-through.
Custom DI built by Lubechem retains all three benefits but transfers IP to the client and saves 30-45% on cost.
Treat rate 10-12% for API SP / SN+ PCMO (finished TBN 7-9), 9-11% for API SN PCMO (finished TBN 6-8), 14-17% for HDD API CK-4 (finished TBN 10-13), 12-14% for HDD API CJ-4 (finished TBN 9-11), 11-13% for ACEA C3 low-SAPS (finished TBN 7-8, sulfated ash 0.5-0.8%), 9-12% for motorcycle JASO MA2 (finished TBN 6-8, balanced for friction-clutch).
HDD FA-4 lower TBN (~9) at slightly lower treat (13-15%).
For an API SP PCMO custom DI built to LZ 7077-equivalent spec, the ASTM performance gap is typically within 3-5%: Sequence IIIH viscosity increase within 3%, Sequence IVB cam wear within 4%, Sequence VIE-LP fuel-economy retention within 0.3 FEI, Sequence VIII bearing corrosion within 5%, Sequence IX LSPI event count within 1-2 events.
The custom DI uses public-domain Ca/Mg sulfonate + PIBSA-PAM + mixed ZDDP + phenolic/aminic AO chemistry to deliver functional parity.
DI package native TBN (at 100% active) is typically 50-80, dropping to 6-13 in the finished oil after dilution at 10-17% treat rate. PCMO API SP DI native TBN ~50-60; HDD CK-4 DI native TBN 70-80. Low-SAPS ACEA C3 DI uses lower TBN detergent (~40-50 native) to meet the 0.5-0.8% sulfated ash limit. Marine cylinder oil DI native TBN can reach 200-300 to deliver 70-100 TBN finished oil.
Branded DI from Lubrizol / Afton / Infineum / Chevron Oronite: 12-16 weeks on factory order, 1-2 weeks on Mumbai warehouse stock if the code is held locally. Lubechem custom equivalent: 4-6 weeks for first 500 g lab blend, 6-8 weeks for 5 MT pilot batch. API sequence licensing adds 8-12 weeks if the blender wants to issue the API licence under their own brand.
Branded MOQ is typically 5,000-10,000 kg per code per shipment for Lubrizol / Afton / Infineum / Oronite. Lubechem custom DI MOQ is 500 kg. This unlocks private-label blenders (500-5,000 MT/year finished oil), regional aftermarket brands, and OEM-tier specialty applications that cannot absorb branded MOQ at acceptable inventory turn.
API SP / ILSAC GF-6 cap phosphorus at 800 ppm in finished oil to protect three-way catalyst. DI package ZDDP content is controlled at 8.0-9.5% (active matter) and the blender dilutes at 10-12% treat — giving 0.08-0.11% P, target 0.078-0.080%. Mixed primary/secondary ZDDP balance the thermal stability (primary alkyl) and anti-wear (secondary alkyl) functions at this P budget.
Custom DI hits 780-800 ppm finished P consistently.
Share your target service category (PCMO API SP / SN+, HDD CK-4 / FA-4, motorcycle JASO MA2, low-SAPS C3), volume requirement and timeline. We respond within one business day with a DI design brief, BOM and indicative cost.