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AM-97-40 THE RELATIONSHIP OF BASE OIL VOLATILITY TO OIL LOSS IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS

Barry C. Deane; Exxon Research and Development Laboratories Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Format:
Electronic (digital download/no shipping)

Associate Member, International Member, Petrochemical Member, Refining Member - $0.00
Government, NonMember - $35.00

Description:

Gil consumption control is one important quality feature of automotive engine oils. The average consumer typically perceives low oil consumption as an indication of both good engine performance and low levels of engine wear. Since the 1980’s, oil consumption control has become even more important due to changes in the primary viscosity grade recommendation by U.S. automakers (from SAE low-40 to SAE 5W-30) and due to possiile adverse effects of oil consumption on exhaust emissions and urban air quality. Oil consumption is generally related to engine oil viscosity and volatility, however, in modem hotter-running engines, volatility is reported to be the more significant property (1,2, 3). Engine oil volatility is to a large part controlled by the base oil used for blending. The International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) has established volatility requirements for GF-1 and GF-2 Minimum Performance Standards for Passenger Car Motor Oils (PCMO). The ILSAC PCMO specifications allow two methods for measuring engine oil volatility: - namely, GCD (Gas Chromatographic Distihation) method (ASTM D2887- extended and D5480 MOV) and Noack Volatility method (CEC L40-A-93 and JPI-5 S-4 l-93). This paper examines the effect of SAE 5W-30 PCMO volatility, as measured by both GCD and Noack volatility methods, on engine oil consumption in a vehicle operating at 65 mph. The base oils used to blend the SAE 5.W-30 engine oils were selected to allow measured GCD and Noack volatilities to be varied separately. Test results indicate that reducing either GCD or Noack volatility improves oil consumption. However, for the SAE 5W-30 engine oils in the vehicle tested, oil consumption showed a higher correlation coefficient to GCD measured volatility than to Noack volatility. These initial test results are reported to help industry document the potential benefits of lower volatility engine oil.

Product Details:

Product ID: AM-97-40
Publication Year: 1997