A method minimizes power loss in a direct injection diesel engine by adding a copolymer to a diesel fuel composition. The copolymer contains, in a copolymerized form, (A) maleic anhydride, (B) an α-olefin having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms, (C) optionally an additional aliphatic or cycloaliphatic olefin which has at least 4 carbon atoms and is different from monomer (B), and (D) optionally an additional copolymerizable monomer other than monomers (A), (B) and (C). Monomer (D) can be a vinyl ester, a vinyl ether, a (meth)acrylic ester of an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms, an allyl alcohol or an ester thereof, a N-vinyl compound, an ethylenically unsaturated aromatic, an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile, a (meth)acrylamide, or an allylamine. Anhydride functionalities present in the copolymer are partly reacted with at least one compound (E) comprising an alcohol group and/or an amino group, and the anhydride functionalities present are hydrolyzed.

A method minimizes power loss in a direct injection diesel engine by adding a copolymer to a diesel fuel composition. The copolymer contains, in a copolymerized form, (A) maleic anhydride, (B) an α-olefin having from 12 to 30 carbon atoms, (C) optionally an additional aliphatic or cycloaliphatic olefin which has at least 4 carbon atoms and is different from monomer (B), and (D) optionally an additional copolymerizable monomer other than monomers (A), (B) and (C). Monomer (D) can be a vinyl ester, a vinyl ether, a (meth)acrylic ester of an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms, an allyl alcohol or an ester thereof, a N-vinyl compound, an ethylenically unsaturated aromatic, an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile, a (meth)acrylamide, or an allylamine. Anhydride functionalities present in the copolymer are partly reacted with at least one compound (E) comprising an alcohol group and/or an amino group, and the anhydride functionalities present are hydrolyzed.

A quaternary ammonium compound of formula (I): wherein R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each independently an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group; X is a linking group; R.sup.4 is an optionally substituted alkylene group; n is a positive integer; W is O.sup.− or OH; b is 1 when W is OH, and b is 2 when W is O.sup.−. ##STR00001##

A quaternary ammonium compound of formula (I): wherein R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each independently an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group; X is a linking group; R.sup.4 is an optionally substituted alkylene group; n is a positive integer; W is O.sup.− or OH; b is 1 when W is OH, and b is 2 when W is O.sup.−. ##STR00001##

The present invention relates to the use, for reducing deposits in the internal parts of a spark ignition engine, of a fuel composition comprising at least three additives: a quaternary ammonium salt, a non-quaternary polyisobutylene succinimide and a Mannich base which is different from the other additives. The composition is such that the mass ratio of the quantity of the first additive to the quantity of the second additive is in the range from 0.2:1 to 2.5:1.

The present invention relates to the use, for reducing deposits in the internal parts of a spark ignition engine, of a fuel composition comprising at least three additives: a quaternary ammonium salt, a non-quaternary polyisobutylene succinimide and a Mannich base which is different from the other additives. The composition is such that the mass ratio of the quantity of the first additive to the quantity of the second additive is in the range from 0.2:1 to 2.5:1.

A fuel composition comprising as an additive the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid compound of formula (I): (I) or an anhydride thereof; and an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms; wherein each of n and m may be 0 or a positive integer.

##STR00001##

A fuel composition comprising as an additive the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid compound of formula (I): (I) or an anhydride thereof; and an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms; wherein each of n and m may be 0 or a positive integer.

##STR00001##

A fuel composition comprising as an additive the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid having no more than 5 carbon atoms per carboxylic acid group, or an anhydride thereof and an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms.

A fuel composition comprising as an additive the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid having no more than 5 carbon atoms per carboxylic acid group, or an anhydride thereof and an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms.