AR Services and Capabilities > Gasoline Fired Engine Lubricant Tests > Sequence VIB Test Method

Sequence VIB Test Method

The Sequence VIB is an engine dynamometer test that measures a lubricant's ability to improve the fuel economy of passenger cars and light-duty trucks. The method compares the performance of a test lubricant to the performance of a baseline lubricant over five different stages of operation.

A 1993 Ford 4.6L spark ignition, V-8 cylinder design,4-cycle engine is used as the test apparatus. The engine incorporates overhead camshafts, a cross-flow, fast-burn cylinder head design, two valves per cylinder, and an electronic port fuel injection.

The Sequence VIB test incorporates a flush and run type procedure. Each test consists of two 5-stage fuel economy measurements on baseline oil (BC), one at the beginning of the test and one at the end. The test oil is evaluated in between the two baseline runs. The test oil is initially aged during 16 hours of engine operation at 1500 r/min and 125°C oil temperature. After the initial aging, a 5-stage fuel economy measurement is taken. The test oil is then aged an additional 80 hours at an engine speed of 2250 r/min and 135°C oil temperature. Following this final aging, the test oil once again goes through a 5-stage fuel economy measurement. The two fuel economy measurements taken on the baseline oil (BC) and a final value for Fuel Economy Improvement is calculated for the test oil.

Below is a summary of the operation conditions for the aging and 5-stage fuel economy portions of the test:

Fuel Economy Measurement and Aging Condition
FE Stage	Speed (r/min)	Torque (N-m)	Oil Temp. (°C)	Coolant Temp. (°C)
1	1500	98	125	105
2	800	26	105	95
3	800	26	70	60
4	1500	98	70	60
5	1500	98	45	45