In this research, the tribological behavior of two distinct carbon nanotubes and the mechanisms influencing tribological performance were investigated. High frequency reciprocating rigs (HFRR) were used for the study, along with rapeseed oil as the base lubricant and commercial SAE 5W 30 as the benchmark. The experiment used particle concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 wt.% for MWCNTs and EC-CNTs, respectively, as lubricant additives. According to tests on the' viscometric properties, blends of both additives at a concentration of 1 wt.% produced the best results in terms of viscosity index. When compared to base lubricant, 1 wt.% MWCNTs performed better in frictional analysis at 80 N than 1 wt.% EC-CNTs, but less well than SAE 5W 30 benchmarks. In comparison to other evaluated samples, 1 wt.% EC-CNT exhibited remarkable results at higher loads of 100 N. Based on the investigation, EC-CNTs showed accumulation of particles at the front and back of the sliding ball under less operating conditions. This restricts the diffusion of the particles to the contact region, but it disappears at higher conditions. At a load of 100N, MWCNT and EC-CNT reduced friction and wear by 29.3%, 40.9%, and 30.8%, 45.5%, while SAE 5W 30 produced 45% and 36.4%, respectively. The ability of the additives to convert the direct sliding contact into a rolling mechanism and the formation of tribo-film were attributed to their successful performance. The outcomes clearly demonstrate that EC-CNTs behaved similarly to MWCNTs and SAE 5W 30 lubricants, making it appropriate for lubrication application.