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In Biodiesel Fuel Research Working Group(WG) of Japan Auto-Oil Program(JATOP), some impacts of high biodiesel blends have been investigated from the viewpoints of fuel properties, stability, emissions, exhaust aftertreatment systems, cold driveability, mixing in engine oils, durability/reliability and so on. This report is designed to determine how high biodiesel blends affect oil quality through testing on 2005 regulations engines with DPFs. When blends of 10-20% rapeseed methyl ester (RME) with diesel fuel are employed with 10W-30 engine oil, the oil change interval is reduced to about a half due to a drop in oil pressure. The oil pressure drop occurs because of the reduced kinematic viscosity of engine oil, which resulting from dilution of poorly evaporated RME with engine oil and its accumulation, however, leading to increased wear of piston top rings and cylinder liners.

In Biodiesel Fuel Research Working Group(WG) of Japan Auto-Oil Program(JATOP), some impacts of high biodiesel blends have been investigated from the viewpoints of fuel properties, stability, emissions, exhaust aftertreatment systems, cold driveability, mixing in engine oils, durability/reliability and so on. In the impact on exhaust emissions, the impact of high biodiesel blends into diesel fuel on diesel emissions was evaluated. The wide variety of biodiesel blendstock, which included not only some kinds of fatty acid methyl esters(FAME) but also hydrofined biodiesel(HBD) and Fischer-Tropsch diesel fuel(FTD), were selected to evaluate. The main blend level evaluated was 5, 10 and 20% and the higher blend level over 20% was also evaluated in some tests. The main advanced technologies for exhaust aftertreatment systems were diesel particulate filter(DPF), Urea selective catalytic reduction (Urea-SCR) and the combination of DPF and NOx storage reduction catalyst(NSR).

The synchronous belt employed in the valve train of automotive engines is operated under fluctuating load. Two types of the belt vibration are observed. One is the well-known lateral vibration. The other is the vibration in the belt running direction which may cause the resonant vibration of the camshaft rotation and may affect the belt life. The purpose of this paper is to describe an analysis of the latter vibration. This vibration was analyzed using the model composed of the inertia moment of the camshaft system and the nonlinear elasticity of the belt in the running direction. The predicted resonant frequency and amplitude were in good agreement with the measured ones. The influence of each factor of the model on the vibration was also investigated. The stiffness in the belt running direction that is determined by the tooth distortion When the belt engages with the pUlley should be increased to reduce the amplitudes of the resonant Vibration.

The properties of diesel fuels were investigated in terms of particulate emissions to clarify the specification of such a diesel fuel for minimizing particulate emissions. Diesel fuels were analyzed using thin layer chromatography (TLC), and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). These analysis revealed the entire composition of hydrocarbons in diesel fuels according to molecular formula. The entire composition of hydrocarbons in diesel fuels could be expressd on a three-dimensional graph: the X-axis as carbon number, the Y-axis as H/C ratio and the Z-axis as the amount of hydrocarbons of identical molecular formula. By using the graph, the properties reported so far were investigated. Also, simplified images of the fuel sprayed into a cylinder and its flame were derived from the observational results previously reported.

The 50% and 90% distillation temperature (T50 & T90), aromatics, olefins and sulfur content are regulated in California Phase2 Reformulated Gasoline. The effects of these properties on the exhaust emissions were investigated. Twelve test fuels with little interaction between T50, T90, aromatics and olefins were prepared. Exhaust emissions were measured using a TLEV according to 1975 Federal Test Procedure (75 FTP). T50 had a large effect on exhaust HC emissions. T90 also affected HC emissions. Both increasing and decreasing T50, T90 showed increasing exhaust HC emissions. These results suggest that an optimum range of T50 and T90 exist for lowering exhaust HC emissions. The effects of sulfur on exhaust emissions were also investigated. A Pt/Rh type catalyst (production type) and a Pd type catalyst (prototype) were prepared. These catalysts were put on a 94MY TLEV. Increase of sulfur lead to increase of the exhaust emissions with both catalysts.

Engine dynamometer tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of detergent additives and gasoline components on Combustion Chamber Deposits (CCD). Additives with polyether amine (PEA) and with polyolefin amine (POA) chemicals were used. Three kinds of POA additives were used. Our results show that some kinds of additives and aromatics in gasoline increase CCD formation. Different polyolefin detergents show different tendency of CCD formation. The amount of CCD showed good relationship with the unwashed gum level of the gasoline. In general, smaller dosages produce less CCD. This means that detergents which have good IVD and PFID effectiveness at smaller dosage are better with regard to CCD. We analyzed the CCD by C13-NMR, GPC and IR method. The detergent contributes to CCD. Vehicle emissions tests were carried out to evaluate the effects of CCD on exhaust emissions.

According to the principle of pH measurement, an on-board type engine oil deterioration sensor has been developed. The developed sensor is composed of a Pb and oxidized stainless steel electrodes. The sensor signal shows a good linear relationship to the quasi-pH value of the oil. Especially in the region where the oil deterioration proceeds, the remaining basic additives in the oil is easily estimated from the sensor signal.

The effect of phosphorus concentration in gasoline engine oils on the valve train wear was experimentally investigated by using the JASO M328-91 3A valve train wear (3A-VTW) test method. The phosphorus concentration is determined proportionally to the amount of zinc dithiophosphate (ZDDP), which is formulated as both antiwear agent and antioxidant. Lower concentrations of ZDDP generally bring about larger wear in the valve train. However, it was found from the experiments that valve train wear remained low despite a decrease of phosphorus concentration when secondary ZDDPs with short alkyl chain together with appropriate ashless dispersants were selected. Since adsorptivity of secondary ZDDPs with short alkyl chain lengths onto rubbing metal surfaces is higher than that of primary types, the secondary types give excellent antiwear characteristics.

A laboratory scale simulation test method was developed to evaluate deterioration of radial lip seals of fluoroelastomer (FKM) compounds for engine crankshafts. The investigation of the collected radial lip seals of FKM compounds from the field with service up to 450,000km indicated that the only symptom of deterioration is a decrease of lip interference. This deterioration was not duplicated under conventional test conditions using an oil seal test machine because sludge build up at the seal lip caused oil leakage. However, revised test conditions make it possible to duplicate the deterioration experienced in the field. An immersion test using a radial lip seal assembled with the mating shaft was newly developed. This test method was found to be useful to evaluate deterioration of radial lip seals using FKM compounds. Oil additives affect the deterioration of lip seal materials significantly. Therefore, immersion tests of four different oils were conducted to evaluate this effect.

In response to various reformulated gasoline regulations, several studies have been conducted to evaluate the relationship between fuel properties and vehicle exhaust emissions. These studies, however, have focused on the fuel effect and have not examined the most promising advanced technology emission control systems on low emission vehicles. Toyota's reformulated gasoline research first set out to study the effect fuel compositions has on 2 different emission control systems. On both systems, non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) emissions were significantly affected by the 50% and 90% distillation temperature (T50 and T90). A correlation was also found exhaust olefine content and the amount of MTBE contained in the fuel. Research was also conducted on the specific ozone reactivity (SOR) of exhaust hydrocarbons. Various fuels with similar specifications but blended from different feedstocks were evaluated.

Lubrication of a connecting rod bearing is analyzed by the theory of elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL). The hydrodynamic of a connecting rod bearing was calculated in consideration of not only the effects of bearing elastic deformation but also those of bearing shapes. Journal center loci were measured to confirm the accuracy of calculated results. The governing equations of EHL are the Reynolds equation, the clearance gap equaution and the load equation. The effects of the shapes of a connecting rod bearing were included in the clearance gap equaution. The calculated results agree well with the measured results. Results of this study show that lubrication of a connecting rod journal bearing is significantly influenced by bearing elastic deformation and shapes of a connecting rod bearing.

Fifty percent distillation temperature (T50) can be used as a warm-up driveability indicator for a hydrocarbon-type gasoline. MTBE-blended gasoline, however, provides poorer driveability than a hydrocarbon-type gasoline with the same T50. The purposes of this paper are to examine the reason for poor engine driveability caused by MTBE-blended gasolines, and to propose a new driveability indicator for gasolines including MTBE-blended gasolines. The static and dynamic evaporation characteristics of MTBE-blended gasolines such as the evaporation rate and the behavior of each component during evaporation were analyzed mainly by using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. The results of the analysis show that the MTBE concentration in the vapor, evaporated at ambient temperature (e.g. 24°C), is higher than that in the original gasoline. Accordingly, the fuel vapor with enriched MTBE flows into the combustion chamber of an engine just after the throttle valve is opened.

It has been reported that the middle range of gasoline distillation temperatures strongly affects vehicle driveability and exhaust hydrocarbon (HC) emissions, and that MTBE(CH3-O-C4H9)- blended gasoline causes poor driveability during warm-up. The present paper is concerned with the results of subsequent detailed research on gasoline characteristics, exhaust emissions and driveability. In this paper, first it is demonstrated by using four models of passenger cars having different types of exhaust gas treatment system that decreased 50% distillation temperature (T50) reduces exhaust HC emission. This result indicates lowering T50 in the market will contribute to improving air quality. Secondly gasoline behavior in the intake manifold is investigated by using an engine on the dynamometer in order to clarify the mechanisms of HC emission increase and poor engine response which are caused by high T50.

The oil consumption phenomena during transient engine operating condition is analyzed. The investigation of the oil consumption by means of the real-time oil consumption meter shows that higher intake manifold vacuum during engine-brake condition causes a larger amount of transient oil consumption. The reverse blowby gas flow into the combustion chamber from the crankcase is generated by the high vacuum under engine-brake condition. It is found that this reverse gas flow carries the oil into the chamber from the third land of the piston through the ring end gap of the compression rings. The oil on the piston skirt leaks into the third land through the clearance between the oil ring and the cylinder bore. The weakened bore-to-ring contact pressure by the piston slap motion increases the amount of the leakage oil. New ring sets and pistons are developed based on the results of this study.

The reduction of engine oil consumption rate is one of the important concerns for automotive engineers. However, it has been difficult to solve this subject, since the oil consumption mechanism has not yet been elucidated. In this study, to clarify the oil loss mechanism via the piston rings, a transparent glass cylinder engine was used to observe oil behavior between cylinder wall and piston surface. For photographic observation, a high speed camera, a still camera. and a TV camera were used. Since the new photographic system by using TV camera with a synchro - flash and a synchro-memory was applied, it was also possible to observe the oil behavior in detail. Moreover, a new visual method by which colored oil was injected from the various points on the piston surface and traced was developed for easy analysis of oil movement around the piston ring.