Management Board

Unconfirmed Minutes from the last Management Board meeting, held on 2nd October 2009, are now available to CEC Group members on the CEC Web Site.

Announcing a New CEC Test Development - Effects of Biodiesel Using the Daimler OM646LA Engine

 

This new test will be used to investigate the effects of Biodiesel containing fuels on the condition of engine oils with respect to engine sludge and oil degradation and on the condition of engine pistons with regard to Piston Cleanliness and Ring Sticking.  
The test will evaluate the type of sludge being formed by biofuel components and it has just been agreed to move forward with this test using an RME type fuel.  Full details will be made available in the Template and Terms of Reference, which are being finalised ready for the tender document to be issued mid October 2009.  Laboratories wishing to become the lead laboratory for this test development will be required to submit their bids to the CEC Secretariat by mid November, in order that a lead laboratory can be selected, sponsors found and the Group begin its work early in 2010.
Whilst the tender documents will be placed on the public part of the CEC Web Site as soon as they are available, if your company is interested in participating as either lead laboratory, or sponsor, please advise the CEC Secretariat and you will receive relevant documents directly by email.

Replacement for DV4 test – CEC L-93-04

The Template and Terms of Reference are almost ready.  PSA input is needed and then the documents will be approved by the Board.  
There is likely to be more information available during December on how this new test will progress.  The anticipated changes from the current test are minimal so the new test should be developed and available before the end of 2010.

M111 Sludge Test Replacement

The proposed inclusion of this Daimler test into the ACEA specifications is seen as a temporary solution only, whilst an alternative test is sought from Industry.  
Industry Associations are taking advice on how best to handle this proposal.  Since the Daimler M271 sludge test will be used to support claims, it is in everyone’s interests for it to be as good a test as possible. It is therefore important to consider how CEC might assist with statistical support to this test. 

TDG-L-100 – Turbo Deposits Test

There is no more information available to enable further work to advance this test.  
The Group will produce a CEC Code of Practice to include all the development reports produced, in order to ensure that the experiences and conclusions reached so far are recorded down, in case of future need.  This Code of Practice will be made available on the CEC Web Site to all sponsors of the test and will be available to purchase at a price to be determined.  This Group has conducted a great deal of investigation into turbo deposits and a high standard of technical work has been achieved.  The challenges of linking a bench test to field performance has to be recognised and improvements must be made in the proper definition of field oils to give future tests the best possible chance of being developed.
CEC Board Members confirmed that the Group will close upon publication of the Code of Practice and gave a vote of thanks to Mr. K. Daniel, Chair of the TDG-L-100 Group for all his efforts with this test.

SG-F-098 – DW10

Board Members discussed the status of the DW10 test, the severity problems reported and the actions taken so far.  
It was agreed to allow the Group’s Task Force 3 months to investigate the problems and identify solutions, before considering if the test needs to be declared ‘out of control’. 

CEC L-78-99 – VWTDi Test

This test is experiencing some problems with hardware during the last stages of the running-in.
The hardware sponsor and supplier are both involved in trying to resolve the issues.  The Group has been recommended to set up a Task Force to resolve the problems by latest end 2009.  The Board will consider declaring the test ‘out of control’ if the issues are not resolved by then. 

CEC Biodegradability Testing

TDG-L-103 Test Development Group is progressing well. Three basic studies have been completed.
They define (a) low-toxic solvent and extraction media, (b) the most repeatable oil insertion methods and (c) a higher precision gas-chromatographic analytical method. The best options from these basic studies are currently evaluated in the second mini-round-robin test in two labs and with significantly smaller size of test flasks to reduce cost and environmental impact of the future CEC oil biodegradability test method.
Another basic study of the active labs in TDG-L-103 has confirmed that the new extraction process for the amount of residual oil at EOT is able to cover not only the fresh oil but also intermediates from primary degradation. The same had been found and published by an earlier (1994) study from Shell Research Ltd. with extractions according to the CEC-L-33 test method.  (Please note that the CEC L-33-A-93 method is currently not supported by a CEC Surveillance Group).
This is further encouragement for TDG-L-103, as the L-33-A-93 test method was widely used in Europe and even some overseas labs, and is still offered by a fair number of independent European labs.
The future L-103 test method is being shaped to be equivalent to the predecessor in its biochemical positioning, but better in terms of environmental side effects and in statistical control of results according to actual CEC requirements.

CEC Reference Fuels

All TDGs and SGs must clearly document in their meeting minutes, or other correspondence, their reasons for choosing a particular reference fuel supplier and good reasons if they decide not to use the tender process.  They must ensure that this information is made available to all the members of the CEC Reference Fuels Group, via the CEC Secretariat.  Section 2 of the CEC Reference Fuels Manual will be improved to give clearer guidance on this, as well as making improvements about confidentiality to prevent analysis of reference fuels for the specific purpose of ascertaining additive content, without due cause and / or permission.

Transmissions Groups

CEC Transmissions Groups are desperately short of officers to run the Groups. In order to keep these tests fully supported CEC needs volunteer Chairmen.  Please contact the CEC Secretariat.

CEC Tests for Third Parties

Responding to requests for the names of companies that provide third-party commercial testing for CEC tests, the CEC Board has agreed to allow links from the CEC Web Site. (From the main (public) page click on ‘Useful Links’ and scroll down.
If your company wishes to be contacted for any third party CEC test business, via the CEC Web Site, please provide the following:
1.  Your Company Logo
2.  Your Company Web Site Address
3.  Permission for CEC to use your Company Logo on its Web Site
4.  Permission for CEC to link to your Company Web Site
Potential customers will see the range of CEC tests that you can carry out commercially, by visiting the CEC Web Site and connecting directly from there to your own Company Web Site, where your services and contact details should be listed.

CEC Secretariat Opening Hours

Please note the following changes to the availability of the CEC Secretariat and the CEC Help Desk.  Opening Hours are Monday to Thursday, 0800-1730 hours.  The office is closed on Fridays.

CEC Help Desk

Suggestions?  Questions?  Guidance?  Support is available from Lyn, Barry and Monique.  See the CEC Web Site for details:  www.cectests.org