Diesel Engine Oil Consumption Studies

An oil consumption test procedure has been developed in a 6-cyl, 425 hp, turbocharged and after-cooled diesel engine. Tests conducted on reference oils agree with good and poor oil consumption characteristics found with these same oils in the field.

This paper includes evaluations using the engine test procedure as well as various laboratory bench tests which measure the effects of viscosity, volatility, and oxidation stability. Both bench and engine test results indicate that traditional properties, such as viscosity and volatility, do not completely account for variations in oil consumption. The data indicate that the problam of obtaining low diesel engine oil consumption may involve a complex combination of factors.