greg,
look further. in that paper they say they had the most troubles for wear in the (piston ) pumps due to the reduced viscosity in respect of diesel fuel.
As for glow engines...did you note the BOILING temperature of methilic alchool?...it is 149°F. Did you ever see a crankase working UNDER that temperature?.... And Kerosene boiling point is from 347 to 664°F, did you ever see a crankase going UP to these temperatures?
As for the viscosity reduction by eliminating ether, I guess it becomes 1/4 of the original oil. THE excessive diluition of oil in the crankase requires to be somewhat compensated by increasing the oil percentage.. ..furthermore the diluition could explain also why diesels seem so oil thirsty.... and what you subtract from one side has to be added to the other one.
Last but not least, what has necessarily to do the evaporation in the cranckase with the combustion in the cylinder.? Every commercial diesel has LIQUID fuel injected in its cylinder, and they seem to burn it rather satisfactorily (cetane allowing)!
As for controlling the wear to the conrod, I think useful to make a metal rod with a very faible conicity, say 1/50" each inch. Minimum diameter that one of a (new) rod end hole. When conrod wears it will go inner in the hole, giving the exact measure of the wear.
ugo