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This study presents the impact of two engine oil additives on fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions. Formulations containing either Olefin Copolymer (OCP) or Comb polymer (Comb) were compared in tests for fuel efficiency retention, fine particle emissions, and ash accumulation in the gasoline particulate filter. The Comb formulations showed higher fuel efficiency throughout the testing, retaining this efficiency after three distinct engine aging test cycles. No significant differences between formulations were observed in oil consumption, ash accumulation, and filtration efficiency.

Mechanical degradation of polymeric additives in lubricants has been a topic of extensive study since complex formulations were introduced to reduce the temperature dependence of viscosity. Many devices, which are able to shear polymers, have been tested for their abilities to simulate the degradation observed in engines and other lubricated systems. Conclusions drawn from these studies are often ambiguous as they depend on the test protocol and method of data analysis. In this work, a simple expression based on probabilistic arguments is used to describe kinematic viscosity data from a variety of degradation simulators. This expression provides a method of comparing extent and rate of degradation for different simulators.

Eight SAE 10W-30 oils were formulated with different viscosity index (VI) improvers and used in single and multicylinder engines. A significant number of measurements were made during each engine test to accurately determine changes in kinematic viscosity with time. These measured values appear to decay logarithmically over a large portion of each test. This behavior is qualitatively similar to results reported in other engine tests involving multigrade oils. A coefficient in the data correlation is suggested as a measure of engine severity for a particular formulation. This coefficient and the shear stability index are used to monitor severity changes during the test period. These changes are correlated to an increase in ring gap and a decrease in ring mass for the single cylinder engine. A procedure is suggested for extrapolating severity measures to a value representative of the initial engine configuration.

A series of SAE 5W-30 and SAE 10W-30 engine oils was evaluated in a New York City taxi fleet to study the performance of prototype API SG engine oils. Key formulation variables studied were SAE viscosity grade and Viscosity Index improver chemistry. A good correlation was established between Sequence VE sludge and varnish results and field performance. The deposit control value of dispersant Viscosity Index improvers was demonstrated. Formulations based on polymethacrylate Viscosity Index improvers performed directionally better in the field than the Sequence VE results predicted. Overall, the field performance of API SG quality oils was excellent.