Lubricant loss

Hello Hazel,

Because you said our "customers" then I'll assume that the condition is not isolated to 1 engine burning the oil. So the most likey cause is that you have blended a base oil with a high volatility level. Basically the oil shears down and evaporates. As you get air porting through the engine in the valve train etc the air picks up the vapourised oil and the next you know the EGR system is picking up the oil and it goes through the combustion process and out through the exaust.
There is a QA test that you should be performing the NOACK Volatility test ASTM D-5800. You can read up a bit more here...
http://www.1st-in-synthetics.com/10W30APIc.htm

So you need to get your purchansin group to specify an acceptable volatility level when you buy your base stock.

regards.........

Hazel,

Apart from Volatility and external oil leakages,
Wornout Liners,Rings allows oil to get burnt in
combustion chamber.If engine is turbocharged,
engine oil loss is through external and internal seal leakages.

Inadequate oxidation and thermal stablity of oil
losses its property over a period of time and
could lead to high oil consumption,increased wear.

Do Oil analysis to confirm machine condition,
contaminant condition and oil condition.

Bala.

hi
the discussion is very informative.however are there are standards which provide lube loss/consumption levels vis-a-vis the engine hp and also engine life?

Sam,

Evaporative loss is measured by the Noack Test as percentage ( % ) loss by wt. For Diesel and Gasoline engines the values for MIL and API are given below:

1. For diesel engines - MIL-2104G

a)For 10w allows 18% loss by wt max.
b)For 5w/30 allows 20% loss by Wt Max
c)For 10w/30 allows 17% loss by wt max
d)For 15w/40 allows 15% loss by wt.

2. For Gasoline engines - API SH and SJ

a)For SAE 5w/xx allows 25% (SH) & 22% (SJ)
b)For SAE 10w/30 allows 20%(SH) & 22% (SJ)
c)For SAE 15w/40 allows 18%(SH) & 20% (SJ)

The standards are based on oils (or base oils in use).To correlate to horsepower we will have to seek info from the OE's. But I trust the info above is suitable.

Hussam Adeni

Sam,

Lab Noack evaporative may meet the spec.However
Lab conditions and field conditions are quite
different.Oil should pass the field conditions.
Certain oils forms excess deposits in combustion
chamber and piston grooves,land areas,eventually
leads to high oil consumption.

Bala.