Liqui Moly has developed both the MoS2 and Cera Tec as anti-wear additives which are added to the motor oils to improve their friction reduction ability.
MoS2 uses Molybdenum as an additive which is a solid lubricant just like graphite. It is used to effectively reduce friction by forming an extremely protective and pressure resistive layer around the moving engine parts. This layer also protects from damage during the cold start when oil is absent. It is made for a smoother and noise-free engine operation and contributes to longer engine life.
Whereas the Cera Tec consists of microscopic ceramic particles and some solid lubricants for physical protection. The double protection reduces friction and wear, since it has a combination of anti-wear agents and ceramic compound. It is known to improve fuel consumption and increase engine life.
Cera Tec in comparison to MoS2 is made for advanced engines, having greater lubrication properties due to the presence of friction modifiers, leading to better fuel consumption. It is effective for a higher number of kilometers than its counterpart but costs more.
Table of Contents
Comparison Table
| Specifications | MoS2 | Cera Tec |
| Manufacturer | Liqui Moly | Liqui Moly |
| Made in | Germany | Germany |
| Additive Type | Anti-wear | Anti-wear |
| Color | Black | Beige |
| Foam | Liquid | Liquid |
| Odor | Characteristic | Characteristic |
| Cost (per 300ml bottle) | 19.49$ | 34.49$ |
Compatibility
MoS2 is compatible with all the 4-stroke gasoline and diesel engines with or without turbochargers. It is miscible with all the commercially available motor oils and is considered safe to be used with catalytic converters. This additive can also be used with diesel particulate filters (DPF) and gasoline particulate filters (GPF). It is best for old engines since it was created in the twenties and is considered unsuitable for modern advanced engines.
Cera Tec has compatibility with the 4-stroke diesel and gasoline engines whether or not equipped with the turbocharger. It can be used with all of the commercially available motor oil and is considered safe to be used with catalytic converters. It works well with diesel particulate filters (DPF) and gasoline particulate filters (GPF) as well. It was specially targeted toward modern high-performance engines as well as manual transmissions and compressors.
Chemical Composition
MoS2 uses a suspension of Molybdenum disulfide as an anti-wear additive and contains Molybdenum as a solid lubricant. The solid content present inside reaches up to almost three percent. This suspension also includes oil-soluble lithium compounds which are mixed with the other additives present inside.
However, Cera Tec has a different approach since it uses Boron nitride micro ceramics as solid lubricants which are mixed with the other friction modifiers. These particles give it a unique color and are also small enough to pass through the filters.
| Additives | Base |
| Liqui Moly MoS2 | MoS2 suspension (Molybdenum disulfide) |
| Liqui Moly Cera Tec | BN (Boron nitride) micro ceramics |
Working
MoS2 physically protects the engine by forming a MoS2 protective layer on the moving engine parts which prevents metal-to-metal contact and causes the engine to work smoothly. They smoothen out the surface flaws through the solid particle layer, making a smooth layer on the metal surface.
However, the Cera Tec uses both physical solid lubricants and chemical friction modifiers. The physical solid lubricants include ceramic microparticles which form a protective layer around the metal parts while the chemical friction modifiers reduce the friction by providing an extra layer of chemical finish on the ceramic protective layer which further decreases the wear-causing friction.
Cera Tec is more effective in terms of reducing friction as it offers both physical and chemical protection.
Performance Analysis
The density of MoS2 is slightly higher than its counterpart giving it an edge in terms of viscosity. The molybdenum disulfide is the main anti-wear additive which increases the flashpoint of this suspension. This significantly lowers the rate of loss due to vaporization. It has a decent pour point temperature, indicating its freezing point.
Cera Tec has a slightly lower density in comparison but is equally affected in winters as its counterpart. It has a significantly lower flash point temperature due to the presence of friction modifiers which can easily evaporate due to high temperature, resulting in a higher rate of loss due to vaporization.
| Additives | Pour Point Temperature (°F) | Density (g/cm3) | Flash Point Temperature (°F) |
| Liqui Moly MoS2 | -4 | 0.9 | 393 |
| Liqui Moly Cera Tec | -4 | 0.893 | > 100 |
Effect on Fuel Consumption
MoS2 is known to save fuel since it eases out the friction which causes a lesser amount of fuel to be spent countering the friction and thus increases fuel efficiency. However, it does not save as much fuel as its counterpart since it is second-best in preventing wear.
Cera Tec with its efficient additives is more focused on fuel efficiency as it reduces the friction which in turn decreases the power of the engine which was wasted overcoming that friction. This increases fuel efficiency, and the reduced wear contributes to the longer engine life.
Longevity Comparison
The manufacturer recommends certain limits after which the additives may render useless.
The MoS2 can be effective only for a short duration and is recommended by the manufacturer to change with each oil interval which is nearly 5000 km for the old vehicles. Since it has a minimal quantity of molybdenum which runs out soon, therefore, its oil change interval is much shorter.
Cera Tec on the other hand can be used for a longer duration since its ceramic additives are sturdier and protect the engine from wear and tear up to thousands of kilometers.
| Additives | Effective Up to (kilometer) |
| Liqui Moly MoS2 | 5000 to 8000 |
| Liqui Moly Cera Tec | 50,000 |
Recommended Quantity
Just like the mileage, quantity is also recommended by the manufacturers for the most efficient use of the additives.
300ml MoS2 could be mixed with the 3 to 6 liters of the motor oil to enhance its anti-wear performance.
Whereas a slightly lesser quantity of motor oil is supported by the 300ml Cera Tec as it could only be used for 3 to 5 liters of motor oil.
Using the additives outside of recommended limit may become ineffective as most of the additives will not be used below the limit and the lesser quantity of them will not be able to maintain the same effectiveness for the higher volume of motor oil.
| Additives | The volume of Motor oil (liters) |
| Liqui Moly MoS2 | 3 to 6 |
| Liqui Moly Cera Tec | 3 to 5 |
Cost
The 300 ml bottle of MoS2 can be bought for 19.49 US dollars while the same sized bottle of Cera Tec is available for only 34.49 US dollars. The almost double price of Cera Tec is justified by its enhanced performance, longer duration, and higher fuel efficiency.
We recommend buying MoS2 for older cars and the Cera Tec for modern ones.
Quick Summary
- Both these are anti-wear additives.
- MoS2 is compatible with older engines while Cera Tec with the new high-performance ones.
- MoS2 has Molybdenum disulfide as the main additive while Cera Tec has microscopic ceramic particles.
- MoS2 only physically prevents wear while Cera Tec both physically and chemically does it.
- The flashpoint temperature of the MoS2 is much higher than its competitor.
- Cera Tec provides better fuel consumption than its counterpart.
- Cera Tec is effective for a longer duration of time.
- MoS2 is significantly cheaper than its peer.