An automotive engine oil viscosity sensor

For the evaluation of the condition of automotive engine oil, the oil's viscosity is one of the most important parameters. Using microacoustic viscosity sensors, an oil-viscosity measurement can be performed on-board. In this contribution, we discuss the behavior of the viscosity of engine oil, its temperature dependence, and the resulting representation in terms of output signals of microacoustic viscosity sensors. These considerations are illustrated by means of measurement results obtained for used oil samples, which have been obtained from test cars and fresh oil samples out of different viscosity classes. Finally, the detection of the viscosity increase due to soot contamination is demonstrated.