A Laboratory Method for Measuring Bulk Volatility of Engine Oils - Comparative Results

Previous studies to improve upon the Noack volatility test have reported a new approach which does not require toxic Wood's Metal for heating yet agrees well with Noack test results. In addition, the new approach collects 99% of the volatilized oil for optional analysis. This can be important apropos to phosphorus levels which are of concern regarding automotive exhaust catalyst life. To more closely compare the new approach with the Noack test, reference oils used in a recent ASTM volatility round-robin study were analyzed and the new approach was found to produce close agreement with the Noack technique and generally greater repeatability.