A process for preparing a sulfurized oil soluble molybdenum complex having reduced active sulfur comprising: a. reacting an acidic molybdenum compound with a basic nitrogen derived from an amide reaction product of a C 4-40 aliphatic carboxylic acid component and a polyamine having 2 to 10 nitrogen atoms; wherein the charge mole ratio of the carboxylic acid component to the polyamine component is about 2:1 to 1:1, wherein the molybdenum component is selected from the group consisting of molybdic acid, ammonium molybdate, sodium molybdate, potassium molybdate, M O OCl 4, MoO 2 Br 2, Mo 2 O 3 Cl 6, molybdenum trioxide, and mixtures thereof, and the polyamine is a polyalkylenepolyamine of the general formula H 2 N(-R-NH) n -H and wherein R is an alkylene group of 2-3 carbon atoms and n is an integer of from 1 to 11; b. reacting the product of step a) with a sulfur-containing compound in amounts to provide a sulfurized oil soluble molybdenum complex having 1 to 4 moles of sulfur per mole of molybdenum and active sulfur, wherein the sulfur-containing compound is selected from sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, phosphorus pentasulfide, R 2 S x where R is C 1-10 alkyl, and x is at least 2, inorganic sulfides, inorganic polysulfides, thioacetamide, thiourea, or mercaptans of the formula RSH where R is C 1-10 alkyl; and c. reacting the product of step b) with at least one compound capable of reacting with the active sulfur of step b) to thereby reduce the active sulfur in the product of step b), wherein the at least one compound capable of reacting with the active sulfur of step b) is at least one basic nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the at least one basic nitrogen-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of at least one amine or amide, wherein the amine is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl amine represented by the formula HNR 3 R 4, wherein R 3 is hydrogen or an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, including moieties thereof substituted with a group selected from halo, hydroxyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, acyl, or combinations thereof, R 4 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, including moieties thereof substituted with a group selected from halo, hydroxyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, acyl, or combinations thereof, and wherein the amide is selected from the reaction product of at least one fatty acid with at least one polyalkylene polyamine. a. reacting an acidic molybdenum compound with a basic nitrogen derived from an amide reaction product of a C 4-40 aliphatic carboxylic acid component and a polyamine having 2 to 10 nitrogen atoms; wherein the charge mole ratio of the carboxylic acid component to the polyamine component is about 2:1 to 1:1, wherein the molybdenum component is selected from the group consisting of molybdic acid, ammonium molybdate, sodium molybdate, potassium molybdate, M O OCl 4, MoO 2 Br 2, Mo 2 O 3 Cl 6, molybdenum trioxide, and mixtures thereof, and the polyamine is a polyalkylenepolyamine of the general formula H 2 N(-R-NH) n -H and wherein R is an alkylene group of 2-3 carbon atoms and n is an integer of from 1 to 11; b. reacting the product of step a) with a sulfur-containing compound in amounts to provide a sulfurized oil soluble molybdenum complex having 1 to 4 moles of sulfur per mole of molybdenum and active sulfur, wherein the sulfur-containing compound is selected from sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, phosphorus pentasulfide, R 2 S x where R is C 1-10 alkyl, and x is at least 2, inorganic sulfides, inorganic polysulfides, thioacetamide, thiourea, or mercaptans of the formula RSH where R is C 1-10 alkyl; and c. reacting the product of step b) with at least one compound capable of reacting with the active sulfur of step b) to thereby reduce the active sulfur in the product of step b), wherein the at least one compound capable of reacting with the active sulfur of step b) is at least one basic nitrogen-containing compound, wherein the at least one basic nitrogen-containing compound is selected from the group consisting of at least one amine or amide, wherein the amine is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbyl amine represented by the formula HNR 3 R 4, wherein R 3 is hydrogen or an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, including moieties thereof substituted with a group selected from halo, hydroxyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, acyl, or combinations thereof, R 4 is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, including moieties thereof substituted with a group selected from halo, hydroxyl, nitro, cyano, alkoxy, acyl, or combinations thereof, and wherein the amide is selected from the reaction product of at least one fatty acid with at least one polyalkylene polyamine.