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The ball rust procedure, ASTM D 6557, replaces the Sequence IID procedure (ASTM D 5844) and evaluates a lubricant’s ability to prevent engine corrosion, particularly the formation of rust. The Sequence IID procedure has been correlated with vehicles used in short-trip service prior to 1978.

Ball Rust Equipment and Procedure

The ball rust procedure uses procedures for engine oil categories:

• API SL

• API SM

• ILSAC GF-3

• ILSAC GF-4

The ball rust procedure fixture is a custom-built bench rig based on a temperature-controlled shaker table. A syringe pump is used to inject acid into the test oil, while a compressed air manifold system supplies clean, dry air into the oil at a controlled rate of 40 mL/min.

Ball Rust Test Parameters

Tests are run for 18 hours with the test oil environment controlled at 48 °C. A solution of Acetic, HBr, and HCl acids and deionized water is injected into the oil at a rate of 0.193 mL/hr. 

Ball Rust Test Results

At test end, the hydraulic lifter balls are removed from the rig, washed according to procedure, and rated for surface discoloration using an optical rating/computer/video system.

Each candidate oil is run in pairs during a single test. Up to 5 oils can be run simultaneously, with one or more of the oils as a reference oil.

Ball Rust Pass/Fail Criteria

An average gray scale value of 100 minimum is required for the ILSAC GF-3 and ILSAC GF-4 and API SL and API SM engine oil categories.

For more information about the ball rust test (ASTM D 6557) capabilities at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) or how you can contract with SwRI, please e-mail Pat Lang, or call (210) 522-2820.
 

| Engine Lubricants Research Department | Fuels and Lubricants Research Division | SwRI Home |

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a multidisciplinary, independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization with 11 technical divisions.

September 06, 2007