The disclosed technology provides a lubricating composition and a method of lubricating an internal combustion engine where the lubricating composition contains an oil of lubricating viscosity, one or more metal-containing, sulfur-free, alkyl-phenol based detergents, an alkaline earth metal sulfonate detergent, a polyisobutenyl succinimide dispersant, and a dispersant viscosity modifier having a number average molecular weight of at least 20,000. The lubricating composition of the present invention can be formulated to have lower HTHS viscosity, and reduced phosphorous content, while providing protection against adhesive wear.