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The Port Fuel Injector (PFI) Deposit Test is a performance-based test procedure developed by the Coordinating Research Council and adopted by state and federal regulatory agencies for fuel qualification in the United States. To date, Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has performed over 375 PFI tests between 1991 and 1998 for various clients. This paper details the analyses of these tests. Of the 375 tests, 199 were performed as keep-clean tests and 176 were performed as clean-up tests. The following areas of interest are discussed in this paper: Keep-clean versus clean-up test procedures Linearity of deposit formation Injector position effects as related to fouling Dirtyup / cleanup phenomena Seasonal effects This paper draws the conclusion that it is easier to keep new injectors from forming deposits than it is to clean up previously formed deposits. It was found that injector deposit formation is generally non-linear.

Propylene glycol (PG) has been demonstrated to be a viable alternative to ethylene glycol (EG) as a base fluid in engine coolants using a variety of laboratory tests designed to simulate on-the-road vehicle conditions. However, actual vehicle testing has been primarily limited to heavy duty diesel applications and the specialized protocol required for high temperature desert evaluations. A light-duty propylene glycol coolant has been evaluated in a 1 year, 48,280 kilometer (30,000 mi.) test using a 15 vehicle fleet composed of compact, mid-size, and sport-utility vehicles. Mileage was accumulated at an average rate of 177 kilometers (110 mi.) per day using a combination of highway, suburban, and city driving routes. Corrosion inhibitor depletion rates and metal coupon weight loss data are presented as are photographs of cooling system components removed from the vehicles at the conclusion of the test.