Patent ID: 6981401

Claim:
A method of safely testing at least one lubrication property of a flammable corrosive volatile lubricating media under operating engine conditions, said method comprising: providing a testing chamber comprising a workpiece; sealing said testing chamber using one or more features of an actuator rod selected from the group consisting of a deviation from linearity through a longitudinal retaining bore and a clearance through the longitudinal retaining bore, the one or more features being effective to maintain the lubricating media at a pressure gradient sufficient to simulate said engine conditions between the testing chamber and the outside of the testing chamber while permitting the actuator rod to move freely through the longitudinal retaining bore; subjecting said workpiece to said operating engine conditions comprising a selected pressure and a selected temperature; imparting to said workpiece a contact force having a magnitude and for a number of cycles effective to simulate said operating engine conditions; and, providing a venting mechanism effective to prevent pressure in said testing chamber from exceeding maximum safe pressure.