Oil Bypass Filter Technology Evaluation, Eighth Quarterly Report, July - September 2004

Abstract

This Oil Bypass Filter Technology Evaluation quarterly report (July--September 2004) details the ongoing fleet evaluation of an oil bypass filter technology being conducted by the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) FreedomCAR & Vehicle Technologies Program. Eight INEEL four-cycle diesel engine buses used to transport INEEL employees on various routes and six INEEL Chevrolet Tahoes with gasoline engines are equipped with oil bypass filter systems from the puraDYN Corporation. The bypass filters are reported to have engine oil filtering capability of <1 micron and a built-in additive package to facilitate extended oil-drain intervals. This quarter, the eight diesel engine buses traveled 82,123 miles. As of the end of September 2004, they had accumulated 580,848 miles since the beginning of the test and 516,401 miles without an oil change. This represents an avoidance of 43 oil changes, which equates to 1,505 quarts (376 gallons) of new oil not consumed and, furthermore, 1,505 quarts of waste oil not generated. Two buses had their oil changed this quarter due to the degraded quality of the engine oil, as determined by the low total base numbers. This quarter, the six Tahoe test vehicles traveled 40,762 miles.more » As of the end of September 2004, the six Tahoes have accumulated 150,205 total test miles. The Tahoe filter test is in flux because of the engine cleaning or flushing that is occurring. The recycled oil used initially in the Tahoe testing was replaced with a 10W-30 Castrol oil, however only three vehicles have been flushed (one servicing event with the new oil) and restarted on testing.« less