The manufacturers of automobile and motor cycles quote recommended mileages between oil changes. There are wide variations in these quoted values and the variations extend still further when vehicles are used in dry dusty atmospheres or on short journeys. There are several reasons for the oil change amongst which are the drop in lubricity of the oil and the increase in solid abrasive contaminant. By developing a novel portable contamination meter quick assessments have been made of both the viscosity of the oil and the contamination level down to below 10 microns. Motor cycles and most automobiles can be tested with the oil still in situ in the sump - the only stipulation being that it is possible to pass a thin tube into the oil through the oil filler or dip stick opening. As such testing is most reliable when the oil and contaminant are thoroughly mixed, the operation is seen as a convenient 'while you wait' situation on a petrol station forecourt or as part of a normal service. A added advantage of such testing would be to monitor for any abnormal wear of the mechanical components. The paper concludes with examples taken from a regular survey on a motor cycle and spot checks on automobile sump oil at different mileages. The results indicate some alarming differences between oils and it is suggested that a more realistic time at which an oil change should be made could be determined by such monitoring.
Contamination and viscosity monitoring of automobile and motor cycle oils using a portable contamination meter
Anzeige der Verschmutzung und Viskositaet von Automobil- und Motoroelen mit einem tragbaren Verschmutzungsmesser
Vehicle condition monitoring and fault diagnosis. IMechE Conf. ; 85-2 , Mar ; 41-48
1985
8 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 1 Quelle
Conference paper
English
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