Entry and Retention of Methanol Fuel in Engine Oil 880040
To ensure that vehicles do not suffer adverse consequences when high-methanol-content fuel (M100 or M85) is used, it is important to understand the ways that the use of this fuel affects various vehicle systems. For that reason, some of the changes which occur in the engine oil when using methanol fuel were investigated. During a single cold start with an extended cranking time, as much as six percent fuel entered the engine oil. Over a 15-minute period, the lubricating medium changed from engine oil to an oil-methanol-water emulsion. With multiple cold starts followed by a five-minute trip and ambient temperatures near freezing, the oil contained 19 percent volatile contamination. In addition, the oil contained elevated levels of water, lead, iron, chromium, and aluminum. Efforts need to be directed toward reducing the adverse consequences of methanol fuel.
Citation: Schwartz, S., Smolenski, D., and Clark, S., "Entry and Retention of Methanol Fuel in Engine Oil," SAE Technical Paper 880040, 1988, https://doi.org/10.4271/880040. Download Citation
Author(s):
Shirley E. Schwartz, Donald J. Smolenski, Sidney L. Clark
Affiliated:
Fuels and Lubricants Department, General Motors Research Laboratories
Pages: 16
Event:
SAE International Congress and Exposition
ISSN:
0148-7191
e-ISSN:
2688-3627
Also in:
Fuel Methanol--A Decade of Progress-PT-36, SAE Transactions Journal of Fuels and Lubricants-V97-3
Related Topics:
Methanol
Aluminum
Iron
Chromium
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