Squeezing Greater Efficiency Out of Heavy-Duty Engine Oils
Leading lubricant additive and performance polymer supplier, The Lubrizol Corporation, discusses the increasingly vital role of the engine lubricant in today’s finely tuned heavy-duty vehicles.
Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDVs) continue to play a vital role in the global economy whilst having a resulting impact on the environment through greenhouse gas emissions.
Vehicle productivity and total cost of ownership is paramount for fleet operators and the role of the lubricant continues to be recognised as one of the key factors in supporting these goals.
The minimum quality level of service-fill oils demanded by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) members for use in their vehicles, are classified by the A,B and C Oil Sequences for passenger cars gasoline and light duty diesel engines, with the E Oil Sequences covering heavy-duty diesel engines.
ACEA 2016 E Sequence upgrades For heavy-duty diesel engines, three main drivers have led to an upgrade to the latest ACEA E Sequences, which were last published in December 2012.
Firstly, the wider use of biodiesel and alternative fuels such as methanol and ethanol has been creating oxidation and cleanliness concerns by engine manufacturers. Secondly, new engine platforms have a more efficient fuel combustion process, which are generating higher temperatures and also lower levels of soot. Finally, latest engines are using newer and more advanced elastomeric materials; whilst at the same time recognising older elastomers have been impacted by Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation.
All these changes are being incorporated into the ACEA 2016 E Oil Sequences upgrade which came into effect in December 2016.
Expanding on these in more detail, a new OM646LA biodiesel engine test has been introduced, which assesses protection against biodiesel related oil degradation and deposits in modern diesel engines. It is being introduced because increasing biodiesel content has led to oil starvation and engine failure in cold conditions, since biodiesel tends to cause thickening and oxidation. This impacts the ACEA E9 and ACEA E6 categories.
Next, a new bench test for biodiesel oxidation, which assesses protection against biodiesel related oil degradation
and viscosity increase in diesel engines. Again, it is being introduced because of the increasing biodiesel content leading to oil starvation and engine failure in cold conditions.
Additionally, new elastomer materials in modern engine hardware has necessitated the development of new oil-elastomer compatibility bench tests and the process has been catalysed by the potential toxicity of materials presently used in the ACEA 2012 Oil Sequences. ACEA 2016 has a number of new elastomeric materials with new performance limits which ensures the engine oil does not adversely affect the components such as seals, gaskets and rings with regard to cracking, swelling, shrinkage and hardening.
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LUBE MAGAZINE NO.137 FEBRUARY 2017
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