A linear model of lubricant-related engine friction was developed. Based on lubrication fundamentals, the technique is comprised of three simple bench tests that respectively operate under thick fluidfilm hydrodynamic lubrication, elastohydrodynamic lubrication, and boundary lubrication. With adequate configunztion and appropriate test conditions, these bench tests are seen to simulate major friction losses in a typical intern1 combustion engine. Lubricant characteristics obtained in the bench tests were combined using SAS linear regression and correlated to ASTM Five-Car and Sequence VI engine tests. The linear model gave an excellent prediction of engine data. It further showed that hydrodynamic friction losses dominate lubricant-related engine fiction, followed by boundary friction losses, and elastohydrodynamic or mixed friction losses. This simple, reliable, and inexpensive technique can be used as a research tool to study fiction characteristics of crankcase lubricants and to develop superior fuel-efficient engine oils. Major findings fron this study can be summarised as f i h w s : I . The linear &l predicts that 5 to 6% fuel economy improvement over the industry high reference oil HR-4 is achievable with today's motor oil technology. both 'thick' and 'thin' fluid-film lubrication account for 63% of total friction losses caused by the engine oil while boundary friction losses amount to 37%. 3. Friction losses in the elastohydrodynamic mHD) engine are significant, up to 22% of total friction losses. This, combined with the fact that EHD film thickness is the most significant parameter in the linear model, suggests that pressure effects (ie, high-temperature I high-shear I high-pressure viscosity, pressure-viscosity coefficients) are important.
Hydrodynamic friction losses in
4.Increasing fuel economy improvement is in general in the order: SAE lOW-40 < SAE low40 < SAE 5W-30, providing that base stock and additive systems are unchanged.