Sooted Diesel Engine Oil Pumpability Studies as the Basis of a New Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oil Performance Specification

Changing diesel engine emission requirements for 2002 have led many diesel engine manufacturers to incorporate cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation, EGR, as a means of reducing NOx. This has resulted in higher levels of soot being present in used oils.

This paper builds on earlier work with fresh oils and describes a study of the effect of highly sooted oils on the low temperature pumpability in diesel engines. Four experimental diesel engine oils, of varying MRV TP-1 viscosities, were run in a Mack T-8 engine to obtain a soot level ranging between 6.1 and 6.6%. These sooted oils were then run in a Cummins M11 engine installed in a low temperature cell. Times to lubricate critical engine components were measured at temperatures ranging between -10 °C and -25 °C.

A clear correlation was established between the MRV TP-1 viscosity of a sooted oil and the time needed to lubricate critical engine components at a given test temperature.

The results of this study were used to propose meaningful limits on sooted oil pumpability for PC-9 (API CI-4) and OEM specifications.