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Due to engine oil consumption, over 90% of the incombustibles in the diesel particulate filters (DPF) are derived from organometallic lubricant additives. These components are derived from calcium and magnesium detergents, zinc dithiophosphates (ZnDTP) and metal-containing oxidation inhibitors. They do not regenerate as they are non-volatile metals and salts. Consequently, the DPF has to be removed from the vehicle for cleaning. Ashless oil could eliminate the need for cleaning. This study initially focused on development of an ashless oil, but eventually concluded that this oil could not meet the valve-train wear requirements of the API CJ-4, SN/ACEA E9 oil categories. However, a zero-phosphorus oil with no ZnDTP and an extremely low sulfated ash of 0.4% demonstrated that it could meet critical engine tests in API CJ-4/ACEA/SN. The above oil, which has been optimized at 0.3% sulfated ash, has proven field performance in Cummins ISX with DPF using ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD).

By 2014, all new on- and off-highway diesel engines in North America, Europe and Japan will employ diesel particulate filters (DPF) in the exhaust in order to meet particulate emission standards. If the pressure across the DPF increases due to incombustibles remaining after filter regeneration, the exhaust backpressure will increase, and this in turn reduces fuel economy and engine power, and increases emissions. Due to engine oil consumption, over 90% of the incombustibles in the DPF are derived from inorganic lubricant additives. These components are derived from calcium and magnesium detergents, zinc dithiophosphates (ZnDTP) and metal-containing oxidation inhibitors. They do not regenerate as they are non-volatile metals and salts. Consequently, the DPF has to be removed from the vehicle for cleaning. Ashless oil could eliminate the need for cleaning.

The Colorado Department of Health (CDH) collected CO exhaust emissions data from twenty-one vehicles using three “short” emissions tests, and the Federal Test Procedure (FTP). CO data were also collected from these vehicles using a remote sensing system. Excess carbon monoxide emissions were calculated from the difference between FTP measurements and federal standards. Emissions were then categorized by individual vehicle and by vehicle type. Errors of comission and omission were determined for each of the short tests and remote sensing system. The CDH226 showed the highest correlation for identifying vehicles emitting excessive CO. Compared to the FTP, it identified the vehicles responsible for 98.5% of all excess emissions. All the “short” tests and remote sensing tests identified the vehicles producing the majority of excess emissions. The current BAR '84 type idle “short” test and the CDH226 demonstrated the lowest errors of comission, or false failures.

In order to improve previous estimates of the reduction in carbon monoxide achievable in Colorado for oxygenated fuels with various levels of oxygen concentration, the Colorado Department of Health has reviewed several outside studies in addition to examining an in-house data base which contains more than 400 tests on 165 vehicles. Earlier findings such as 1) considerable variability among individual vehicle reductions and 2) a nearly linear relationship between CO reduction and fuel oxygen content for non-catalyst vehicles were confirmed. However, certain other conclusions by outside researchers were not supported by the high altitude data base. These included 1) non linear relationships between CO reduction and fuel oxygen content for catalyst and closed loop vehicles and 2) the fleetwide generalization that CO reductions achievable from fuels containing 2.0 percent oxygen are eighty percent as great as CO reductions achievable from fuels containing 3.5 percent oxygen.