Starting this summer, the new ILSAC GF-4 passenger

car engine oil category will be expected to maintain catalytic converter efficiency for 120,000 miles. At the same time, these oils must reduce by 20 percent the current level of phosphorus the con-tain1. Phosphorus is a proven component in antiwear pro-tection but known to slowly poison the catalytic converter in the exhaust system. On the heavy-duty diesel side, the proposed new PC-10 engine oil category is under rapid development, driven by the EPA’s “2007 Rule ” mandating an addi-tional 90 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulates. The on-board equipment that will make this possible will fur-ther load increasing levels of soot into the crankcase2. Achieving low emissions while maximizing fuel econ-omy is a particular formula-tion challenge for diesel engines. Older and rebuilt diesel engines running with retarded fuel ignition timing to satisfy proposed emission requirements force higher soot loading, causing poorer fuel economy. Newer engines equipped with cooled EGR systems allow more advanced fuel injection tim-ing for better fuel economy — but they introduce corro-sive acids (from sulfur in the fuel) into the oil, which leads to damage in cylinder liners, rings and bearings. To minimize abrasive and corrosive engine wear under the PC-10 specification, new dispersants and detergents will be needed to manage soot, which is expected to reach levels in the oil of up to 8 to 10 percent/wt., approximately 50 percent above previous require-ments. Another unknown is how very high soot loading will affect the oils ’ antiwear performance. The lubricant industry relies on phospho-rus- and sulfur-containing additives for antiwear pro-tection but with a mandate scheduling their reduction, new chemistries for replace-ments and supplements will soon be needed. All of this is putting heavy demands on the engine test-ing facilities which demon-strate lubricants ’ compliance and additive packages ’ sus-tained performance over time. However, testing an oil sample during an engine sequence test usually requires two steps, sampling then analysis. These steps must be repeated at fre-quent, consistent intervals for the duration of the test, slowing down the flow of information and introducing the possibility of error