Shell begins final phase-in process for its PC-11 oils

[kscarbel2]

Fleet Owner  /  July 20, 2016

Its CK-4 blend rolls out in August, while its FA-4 formulation will arrive in December.
Shell Lubricants took the wraps off its new “portfolio” of Shell Rotella CK-4 and FA-4 oils diesel engine oils, designed to meet Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) specifications finalized back in February, at a special event in the nation’s capital this week.

Shell’s Rotella T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 and 10W-30, along with T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30, meet the new CK-4 service category and will become available in August – replacing current lubricant formulas as they are completely backwards compatible with all current engines, though those oils will not be “licensed” as CK-4 on the API donut until Dec. 1.

Chris Guerrero, global HDEO brand manager for Shell Rotella and Shell Rimula, added that FA-4 formulations, which include lower viscosity grades designed to maximize fuel economy in 2017 model year engines, will have limited backwards compatibility because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower viscosity grades. Shell won’t introduce those oils until December.

He added that Shell’s new engine oil “portfolio” will also include a new “multi-vehicle” synthetic blend, Rotella T6 5W-30, for both diesel and gasoline engines that allow CK-4 blends as well as API SN performance standards.

“This oil cut its teeth in the diesel setting; we did that first before seeing if it could work in the gasoline setting,” Guerrero explained.

Other details regarding Shell’s new CK-4 and FA-4 oils include:

• Rotella T Triple Protection is being renamed Rotella T4 Triple Protection, with Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 reengineered as well, to meet the new CK-4 spec.
• Both of these engine oils will be on retail shelves in August but won’t display the API CK-4 donut until Dec. 1; the official date of first license for CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils.
• The Rotella Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications.
• Rotella T5 Ultra Synthetic Blend 10W-30, which will meet the API FA-4 specification, will be introduced in December.
• The naming structure of Shell’s engine oils – T4 to T5 to T6 – will correspond to a specific “bottle color” to make them easier for customers to identify, with Rotella T4 products in white bottles, Shell Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend products in silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products in blue bottles, with bottles available in either one-gallon and quart sizes.
• If a truck engine was built prior to 2016, whether on- or off-highway, Shell recommends using CK-4 oil as those blends replace its CJ-4 oils.
• For a 2017 on-highway vehicle, follow the OEM recommendation before changing the oil for the first time to see if they allow FA-4 oil to be used.

Dr. Richard Tucker, general manager-technology for B2B lubricants, stressed that there is a “global trend” towards lower viscosity engine oils in order to reduce fuel consumption and that PC-11 represents “just the starting point” for Shell to further pursue further formulations to that end.

“It’s really just a matter of time before we see wider adoption of FA-4 oils, for the pressure for greater fuel economy and from GHG rules is not going away,” he pointed out.

Dan Arcy, Shell's global OEM technical manager for the Americas, said that based on Shell’s testing of its new oils, there should a 1.5% improvement in fuel economy by switching from current 15W-40 engine oil blends to the new 10W-30 formulations.

But Guerrero noted that the development of PC-11 compliant CK-4 and FA-4 is only the beginning of Shell’s effort to create higher performing engine oils.

“PC-11 is not the finish line for us,” he said. “The real ‘destination’ is creating the most technically advanced Rotella [oils] ever.”

Matt Urbanak, HDEO technology manager, added that Shell is already testing viscosity formulations even lower than the 2.9 level of FA-4 blends.

“The challenge has always been the fear of sacrificing [oil] durability when moving to lower viscosity formulations,” he explained.  

That’s why Dr. Jason Brown, global technology manager for heavy duty diesel engine oil (HDEO), said extensive field testing of the new PC-11 oils – efforts that encompassed 40 million miles of on-road prototype formulation testing for its PC-11 family, along with 50,000 hours of off-road testing for its CK-4 product line alone – is critical to winning acceptance from trucking customers.

“Field testing is what drivers the most credible numbers,” he explained. “It helps our customers see directly the benefits [the new oils] bring to their equipment.”

 

 

[kscarbel2]

Shell Debuts Oils Formulated for API CK-4 and FA-4 Categories

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  July 19, 2016

Years of work in the lab and millions of miles of road testing has culminated in three new Rotella engine oils formulated to meet the API CK-4 and FA-4 oil-service categories that will start coming on the market later this year, Shell Lubricants announced here at a July 19 media briefing.

“We have been working on the new CK-4 and FA-4 specifications for more than five years, keeping in mind that meeting the new specifications was simply a starting point for Shell Rotella,” said Chris Guerrero, Brand Marketing Manager for global heavy-duty diesel engine oil.”

Once industry product licensing begins in December, CK-4 oils will replace current CJ-4 oils and will be completely backwards-compatible with all current engines, according to Shell. To meet the CK-4 specs, oils will be formulated with improved oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control.

To meet FA-4, oils will also be formulated with lower viscosity grades designed for next-generation diesel engines— those of model year 2017 and newer-- to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection, the company stated.

Also per Shell, because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower-viscosity oils, the backwards-compatibility of FA-4 products will be limited by individual engine makers.

Rotella T4 Triple Protection, offered in 15W-40 and 10W-30 grades, will meet the CK-4 spec while Rotella T5 Ultra10W-30 Synthetic Blend will comply with FA-4. However, no product will be marked with the API CK-4 or SA-4 donut until December 1, the date of first licensure for both categories.

Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 will be introduced in December. It’s formulated for improved fuel economy compared to Rotella CK-4 oils yet offers “equivalent wear protection to CK-4 products,” according to Shell.

The company noted that Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 15W-40 and Rotella T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications. Also to be rolled out will be Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30, which will meet CK-4 and SN category specs so it can be used in both diesel and gasoline engines.

“Shell Lubricants has been a leader in the development and testing of next generation engine oils that will meet the new API specifications without compromising oil life or wear protection,” said Dan Arcy, Global OEM technical manager. “We’ve conducted more than 40 million miles of real-world testing to demonstrate the performance of our next-generation engine oils to meet the CK-4 and FA-4 specifications.”

According to Arcy, T4 Triple Protection oil will “effectively sustain emissions control system durability where diesel particulate filters and after-treatment systems are used. It provides enhanced protection against viscosity loss due to shear and improved oil aeration. The exclusive low-ash formulation helps protect the exhaust catalysts and diesel particulate filters found on the latest low-emission vehicles.” He added that a fuel-economy benefit may be realized from running the 10W-30 grade of this oil.

As for the 15W-40 T4, Arcy said it will provide “wear protection beyond CK-4 standards. In API industry wear tests, T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 didn’t just meet CK-4 specs, it delivered an average 50% more wear protection than required. It also provided strong wear protection in CK-4 engine tests, including the Cummins ISM and ISB.”

He added that the T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 will “defend against deposits and help keep engines cleaner over the entire oil drain interval. It delivers reduced deposits in engine tests including Caterpillar 1N and OM 501.”

Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 has been enhanced with synthetic base oils, plus advanced additive technology to provide “Triple Protection Plus technology that adapts to driving conditions,” Arcy said. “It provides excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also protects against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems.

He said that T5 Ultra “delivers excellent wear protection and deposit control/cleanliness. It also provides protection against oil breakdown and sustains emission control system durability in particulate filters and aftertreatment systems. And tests prove that this new oil has better cold cranking properties and low temperature pumpability at -25˚C and -30˚C respectively.

Arcy noted that T5 Ultra has been shown to provide a 1.6% fuel economy improvement compared to 15W-40 oil in an independent third-party test.

Guerrero called the new oils Shell’s “most technically advanced, hardest working products to date.”

He said that selecting the proper engine oil will be easy once the new API categories kick in: “If it was built prior to 2016, whether it is on- or off-highway, choose CK-4 oil, which directly replaces CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle,; check with the manufacturer before changing the oil for the first time and if they allow an FA-4 oil, choose Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30.”

The new products will come in new packaging “to protect the recognizable look of our bottles while simplifying the naming and developing a strong label design to help our customers select the proper Rotella product to meet their needs,” Guerrero pointed out.

“The logical naming structure of T4 to T5 to T6 and the Triple Protection identifier makes each engine oil easy to identify,” he explained. “Rotella T4 products will maintain their white bottle, T5 Synthetic Blend products their silver color, and T6 Full Synthetic products will continue in blue bottles.”

He added that the jugs will retain their “much-preferred two-handled design for easy pouring and the thinner dimension fits easily on retail shelves, in a shop or truck.” The products will be offered in one-gallon and quart jugs. 

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[kscarbel2]

Petroleum Institute Campaigns to Educate About New Oils

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  July 21, 2016

The American Petroleum Institute is ramping up efforts to educate diesel engine users about the two new diesel engine oil standards it approved earlier this year, API CK-4 and FA-4.

Having two different oil categories is likely to cause confusion among truck owners. And putting the wrong oil in your engine will at the least mean it won’t perform like it should and could cause engine damage, according to Kevin Ferrick, senior manager for engine oil licensing at API.

That’s because FA-4 was designed for use in new 2017-model engines that are required to get better fuel economy for lower greenhouse gas emissions. The different viscosity parameters needed in these oils generally won’t work well in older engines.

The new oil categories were the results of a years-long process to develop new standards and tests, a process during which the new oils were known as PC-11.

API CK-4 and FA-4 will first appear in the API Service Symbol “Donut” on Dec 1.

Most truck and engine makers will likely recommend truck owners that are currently using API-licensed CJ-4 engine oils start using licensed API CK-4 oils as soon as they are available. API CK-4 oils have been designed to better protect existing diesel engines.

API FA-4 oils, however, are different. The FA-4 standard describes certain lower viscosity oils specifically formulated for use in diesel engines designed to meet 2017 model year on-highway greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards.

In general, FA-4 oils are not considered backward-compatible. Some engine manufacturers might recommend API FA-4 oils for their previous model-year vehicles, but it is more likely that manufacturers will recommend the oils starting with the 2017 model year engines.

Making things more confusing is the different viscosity standards go beyond the basic 10W-40 or 5W-30 type of nomenclature. In fact, you could have two 10W-30 oils on the shelf, but one would be an FA-4 and one would be a CK-4.

While lower-viscosity oils in general have been shown to improve fuel economy, the FA-4 oils must perform to a more stringent “high-temp/high-shear” viscosity test to stand up to the more punishing environment in the new engines.

Add to all this the fact that most fleets would prefer to run a single oil, and you have potential for “misapplication” — using the wrong oil in your engine.

One way the API has come up with to help truck owners identify the right oil is by changing the Service Symbol Donut. For FA-4 oils, the top of the donut has been divided, with FA-4 on the left-hand side. That part of the donut also will be shaded black or red.

In addition, the API, which in the past has typically let oil marketers handle the announcements about new categories, is using everything from interviews with the press to radio and print ads to a website and social media to get the word out under the moniker “Diesel Oil Matters.” There’s a website, www.dieseloilmatters.com, a Facebook page, and a Twitter feed under @dieselmatters.

Ferrick said he’s concerned that some truck owners “might believe that all oils are the same, and in this case this is not true. If you have two 10w30s side by side on the shelf, we’re worried they may mistakenly grab the wrong one.

"The only way we know to mitigate that is to do the two things we’ve done. We named the oils differently — we called it FA-4 and CJ-4, we didn’t call it CK-4A and CK-4B – and we put a new API donut on the FA 4 without changing the CK 4 donut. Between those two things, we hope we get enough information out through our campaign to educate consumers, and if not we hope the difference in the donut will give them pause.”

For fleets that aren’t buying oils off the shelf, Ferrick says, “the other thing I would say gives me some concern is there are a lot of fleets used to having only one oil. They need to come to grips with the idea that as they get new equipment, they may need to start carrying a second oil.”

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[kscarbel2]

API: Fleets need to be aware of new engine oils, heed OEM recommendations

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  July 28, 2016

When licensing and distribution begin for the two new heavy-duty diesel engine oils in December, it’s paramount for fleets and owner-operators to be aware of the new categories and ensure they’re using the proper engine oil in their equipment, says a representative from the American Petroleum Institute.

“New oils are coming. They’re coming very soon, and you need to make sure you know which one you’re supposed to use,” said Kevin Ferrick, manager of API’s global industry services certification programs. “Oils are different enough and unique enough today that you need to be sure you’re buying the right oil.”

Ferrick spoke to CCJ editors in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Thursday, July 28.

Licensing for the two new diesel lubricants, CK-4 and FA-4, begins Dec. 1, 2016, which is the first day oil marketers like Shell Rotella, Chevron Delo and Mobil Delvac can sell lubricants officially stamped as CK-4- and FA-4-certified by API.

CK-4 oils will essentially replace the current CJ-4 oil spec on the market today and will be backwards compatible with diesel engines currently using CJ-4.

FA-4 will be much more limited in its use. It will be recommended almost exclusively for 2017 year-model engines and newer, and it will only be recommended for long-haul applications.

Ferrick strongly advises fleets and owner-operators to check with their engine’s manufacturer to ensure they’re using the oil recommended for their engine when the new products come to market.

Ferrick says CK-4 oils improve upon CJ-4 oils by better protecting against engine oxidation, oil shearing, oil aeration and degradation of the oil due to soot. CK-4 is also expected to improve fuel economy and generally work more efficiently with modern engines.

Ferrick says consumers using older engines could see engine life benefits from using CK-4 instead of CJ-4, which will still be available following the licensing of CK-4 and FA-4 products.

FA-4 oils offer the aforementioned benefits of CK-4 oils, but they’re designed to increase fuel economy in new engines. FA-4 oils are deemed low-viscosity oils, as they’re “thinner” (less viscous) than CK-4 oils and therefore allow engine parts to operate more efficiently. FA-4 oils have been proven to protect engines as well as CK-4 and CJ-4 oils, despite their thinner design. The API certification procedure is designed to ensure FA-4 oils protection engines just as well as their higher viscosity counterparts, Ferrick says.

The development of the new lubricants was spurred by modern engine design and federal regulations requiring reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Today’s engines run hotter, are more powerful and more efficient than engines of yesteryear, and engine manufacturers requested new lubricants to fit their new needs.

New emission regulations taking effect next year call for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, primarily emissions of carbon dioxide. To achieve those emissions reductions, fuel economy needs to be boosted, Ferrick says. FA-4 oils were designed to help engine makers reach those fuel economy goals.

Ferrick’s key message to fleets and owner-operators regarding proper oil use is simple: Check with your engine manufacturer. “It’s not something you get cute about,” he said. “You need to be sure you’re using exactly what’s recommended. It’s that precise now. Not all oils are the same. You could end up with lower performance if you get the wrong oil.”

For fleets that buy in bulk, Ferrick warned against mixing CK-4 and CJ-4 oils. Fleets need to empty their CJ-4 tanks before filling them with CK-4. “You don’t need to clean it or flush it,” he says. “But you don’t want to mix them. Fleets need to draw their tanks down before adding CK-4 or FA-4 oils.”

To prepare for the launch of the new products, Ferrick says API is trying to get the word out to fleets, owner-operators and technicians across all outlets.

API has a site dedicated to helping users choose the right oil — dieseloilmatters.com — along with a marketing and advertising campaign built around the same message: Diesel oil matters.

Oil containers like drums and off-the-shelf bottles will also feature the new API donut for CK-4 and FA-4 oils. The CK-4 donut will look just like existing donuts — a plain white circle that designates them as CK-4. The donut for FA-4 lubes, however, will be slightly different. The top half of the donut will be split into two quadrants, and the FA-4 designation will be in reverse type or will feature a splash of color.

[BillyT]

Kscarbel, ,does it not get curiouser and curiouser concerning the new oils! Since 1978 I have been using  non synthetic rotella t in every internal combustion engine I owned.15/w40.my cousin was an o/o,a diesel mechanic,and had an airframe license.a very well rounded  dude! One day I was building him a hydraulic tank to his dump trailer,and he asked me what oil I used in my welder and truck.I said Quaker state deluxe.He went into a long profane rant about the attributes of rotella,I've been using it ever since! With two exceptions. My wife's first corolla an 03,called for 10w30 rotella only has it special order, so I used castrol.it was totaled in a flood.Her  New corola calls for ow/20 synthetic.Once again I used castrol.castrol edge wasn't  available in my county until I talked the local Sam's club to stock it by the case.0w20 is what many new car mfgs. Call for. O means nothing right? How can you have no viscosity?