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The heightened interest level in Fuel Economy for Heavy Duty Diesel Engines the industry has seen over the last few years continues to be high, and is not likely to change. Lowering the fuel consumption of all internal combustion engines remains a priority for years to come, driven by economic, legislative, and environmental reasons. While it is generally assumed that lower viscosity grade lubricants offer fuel economy benefits, there is a lot of confusion about exactly what drives the fuel economy benefits. Fuel Economy claims in trade literature vary over a broad range and it is difficult for the end user to determine what to expect when a change in lubricant viscosity is adopted for a fleet of vehicles in a certain type of operation. This publication makes an attempt at clarifying a number of these uncertainties with the help of additional engine test data, and more extensive data analysis.

In light-duty diesels, carbonaceous deposits can restrict the fuel-injection nozzles, resulting in increased noise, smoke, and roughness. An ashless dispersant fuel additive concentrate based on polyether amine chemistry was developed to remove these deposits during normal service. Tests in a wide variety of light-duty vehicles show that one tankful of additized fuel provided, on average, more than 50% nozzle cleanup. Significant reductions of cold engine noise and smoke emissions after use of the additive were demonstrated. The development program included studies of the effects of deposits on injector flow characteristics and engine performance. Selected examples illustrate that a definition of fuel “quality” as it relates to nozzle deposits has yet to be resolved.