The guidelines in this SAE Information Report are directed at laboratory engine dynamometer test procedures with alternative fuels, and they are applicable to four-stroke cycle spark ignition (SI) and diesel (CI) engines (naturally aspirated or pressure charged, with or without charge air cooling). A brief overview of investigations with some alternative fuels can be found in SAE J1297. Other SAE documents covering vehicle, engine, or component testing may be affected by use of alternative fuels. Some of the documents that may be affected can be found in Appendix A. Guidelines are provided for the engine power test code (SAE J1349) in Appendix D. The principles of these guidelines may apply to other procedures and codes, but the effects have not been investigated.

The report is organized into four technical sections, each dealing with an important aspect of testing or reporting of results when using alternative fuels. The first (section 3) deals with such issues as what is a "fuel" in the context of engine operation. The next (Section 4) is concerned with identifying fuel properties. The third technical section (Section 5) covers the testing considerations and calculations for alternative fuels. The final technical section (Section 6) provides some guidelines for reporting the results so that sufficient information is given in a form that allows convenient comparison of the results from different investigations.