diesel additive lubricity (Shell Rotella DFA)
08-18-2003, 12:57 AM
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diesel additive lubricity (Shell Rotella DFA)
For informational purposes --
Lubricity in diesel fuel additive seems to be poorly documented in literature on these products. Over at the Shell Rotella forum, I asked about the lubricity of Shell's Rotella DFA (diesel fuel additive) product, and how it might help the Bosch VP44 injection pump survive American low-sulfur, low-lubricity diesel fuels. I noted that Stanadyne had a seven-year-old test on its website, and that there had been some discussion here and on TDR on the subject of what was the best additive in terms of lubricity.
A Shell tech rep replied. Here's the crux of his response:
"I would like to interpret our test results against the regulatory proposals being developed for diesel fuel lubricity by the California Air Resources Board. This will permit avoiding reporting numbers, and yet bench mark the numbers for ROTELLA DFA against a developing regulatory standard. It is important to note that this is a developing standard, and not a final, adopted standard.
"CARB is considering a two tier concept, with the scuffing load rig test used to "protect existing equipment" by setting a 3100 gram minimum load for diesel fuel. For the fuels used in our ROTELLA DFA program, untreated fuels failed that limit (scuffing occurred at a lesser load), and all treated fuels passed the limit (load greater than 3100 grams was needed for scuffing to occur).
"For "low emissions high pressure fuel injection systems technology" (2005/2006 timeframe), CARB is considering a 460 micron wear scar limit in the high frequency reciprocating rig. Untreated fuels in our program all failed that limit (larger wear scar), and all treated fuels passed the limit (smaller wear scar). In most cases, scar diameter was reduced by nearly half with treated fuel."
This response doesn't compare Rotella DFA to other brands like Stanadyne and Power Service. But it does indicate that the product will pass CARB standards, and will reduce scarring and wear by "nearly half".
For myself, I use Rotella DFA and Power Service, largely because those are the brands I can get at Wally World or in truck stops on the road.
I.
Lubricity in diesel fuel additive seems to be poorly documented in literature on these products. Over at the Shell Rotella forum, I asked about the lubricity of Shell's Rotella DFA (diesel fuel additive) product, and how it might help the Bosch VP44 injection pump survive American low-sulfur, low-lubricity diesel fuels. I noted that Stanadyne had a seven-year-old test on its website, and that there had been some discussion here and on TDR on the subject of what was the best additive in terms of lubricity.
A Shell tech rep replied. Here's the crux of his response:
"I would like to interpret our test results against the regulatory proposals being developed for diesel fuel lubricity by the California Air Resources Board. This will permit avoiding reporting numbers, and yet bench mark the numbers for ROTELLA DFA against a developing regulatory standard. It is important to note that this is a developing standard, and not a final, adopted standard.
"CARB is considering a two tier concept, with the scuffing load rig test used to "protect existing equipment" by setting a 3100 gram minimum load for diesel fuel. For the fuels used in our ROTELLA DFA program, untreated fuels failed that limit (scuffing occurred at a lesser load), and all treated fuels passed the limit (load greater than 3100 grams was needed for scuffing to occur).
"For "low emissions high pressure fuel injection systems technology" (2005/2006 timeframe), CARB is considering a 460 micron wear scar limit in the high frequency reciprocating rig. Untreated fuels in our program all failed that limit (larger wear scar), and all treated fuels passed the limit (smaller wear scar). In most cases, scar diameter was reduced by nearly half with treated fuel."
This response doesn't compare Rotella DFA to other brands like Stanadyne and Power Service. But it does indicate that the product will pass CARB standards, and will reduce scarring and wear by "nearly half".
For myself, I use Rotella DFA and Power Service, largely because those are the brands I can get at Wally World or in truck stops on the road.
I.
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