Shell touts progress with new oils, expands Rotella line

[kscarbel2]

Neil Abt, Fleet Owner  /  September 20, 2017

SANTA BARBARA, CA. The transition to the new generation of engine oils is proceeding smoothly, according to Shell Rotella executives, who also announced several additions to the product line.

Speaking at a Sept. 20 media event, Dan Arcy, OEM technical manager at Shell Global Solutions, said CK-4 and FA-4, “are helping to lower the total cost of operation for these vehicles.” That comes from increased fuel economy and extended oil drain intervals, assisted by enhanced oxidation stability from the new formulations.

The new oils officially debuted industry wide last December and CK-4 can be used in all new engines. Even though the transition to FA-4, which Arcy said offers even greater fuel economy than CK-4, remains slow, there are positive signs as more engine makers begin to approve use of the lower viscosity oil in their latest models.

When FA-4 initially rolled out, only Detroit Diesel recommend its use. Since then, Cummins and Navistar have begun incorporating FA-4 in its newest models. However, Paccar, Volvo and Mack are not yet recommending FA-4, though that is expected to change in the coming years.

Matthew Urbanak, project leader with Shell's heavy-duty engine oil group, said testing of the new oils is rapidly advancing, including with some engines not yet publicly recommending use of FA-4. For CK-4 formulations, Shell has data from 60 million miles of testing, he said.

Looking ahead, Dr. Jason Brown, global technology manager for Shell Lubricants, said a key step to further speeding the transition is for the engine makers to not only say it is appropriate to consider using the oils, “they need to recommend them.”

That will continue to happen in time as newer engine models beginning hitting the highway, he added.

Brown also touted Shell’s new T6 multi-vehicle 5W-30 oil, developed for use in both heavy-duty diesel truck engines, as well as passenger car engines running on gasoline.

He said it is the company’s “first foray into the development of a heavy-duty engine oil that meets all passenger car specifications.” Brown called it the best new option “for fleet owners with a bunch of Class 8 trucks on-highway, but within their fleet have a bunch of vans and pick-ups.”

Shell executives also announced several new products to its Rotella portfolio of products, including diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).

“DEF is a product our customers need now,” Arcy said, referring both to on-highway and off-highway users.

For truckers, DEF has been needed with engines using selective catalytic reduction technology to meet federal emissions regulations beginning in 2010. In recent years, its use has become more commonplace for use in pick-up trucks and the off-highway market as well.

Shell said it plans to offer Rotella DEF in 2.5 gallon jugs at retail stories. It has not yet made a decision in offering DEF at the pump or in bulk.

The company also said it was rolling out a line of Rotella oil filters aimed at pickup trucks that meets nearly every diesel model currently on the market. Also coming next month is the Rotella extended life coolant correction fluid and test strips to help ensure the right mix of additives.

[kscarbel2]

Shell: New Engine Oil Categories Making the Grade

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  September 21, 2017

SANTA BARBARA, CA – A new generation of engine oils is in the North American market, passing a battery of tests developed for specific engine brands. But the work of convincing buyers about related features and benefits continues.

The transition from CJ-4 to CK-4 and fuel-efficient FA-4 categories has essentially been seamless, said Dan Arcy, Shell Lubricants’ global OEM technical manager, during a media briefing in California this week. The new formulas, which went by PC-11 during the development process, were officially released in December. The chemistry was driven by ongoing calls for longer drain intervals, better fuel economy, lower emissions, and increasing horsepower.

And these are hardly the engine oils that have flowed through pumps in years gone by.

Oxidation stability had to improve to handle higher under-hood temperatures. When oil oxidizes, it becomes acidic and thickens, Arcy explained. At the very least, that shortens potential oil drain intervals.

Tighter controls on aeration are especially welcome in off-highway applications, where trucks traveling up and down hills tend to suck air into the oil pump, breaking up the all-important layers of lubricant. Shear stability, meanwhile, had to improve to help keep oils from shearing out of grade into lower viscosities.

At this point, he said, manufacturers are all recommending CK-4 engine oils, and many have also increased maximum drain intervals in conjunctino with the new oil, Arcy said. “There’s some caveats" when extending those drains, he noted. "There’s fuel economy requirements. There’s idle requirements.”

Cummins has increased standard drain intervals up to 50,000 miles with CK-4 or FA-4 formulas compared to the 40,000 miles with the CJ-4 that came before them, and will boost intervals up to 80,000 miles with its OilGuard Program. Detroit Diesel has pushed intervals up to 75,000 miles compared to the 50,000 miles with CJ-4. Navistar drains are up to 60,000 miles compared to the 40,000 miles with CJ-4, and pushes to 70,000 miles in approved cases. Paccar drains are up to 75,000 miles with CK-4 formulas, while Volvo and Mack drains are at 55,000 miles with CK-4.

Paccar, Volvo and Mack are the last holdouts in embracing the fuel-efficient formulas, although Arcy expects that could change in 2018. Cummins only allows FA-4 in the 2017 X15, while Detroit Diesels can use it back as far as EPA 2010 models. Navistar offers it as a factory fill on its new A26 engines.

Off-highway applications are not using FA-4 yet either, although Arcy notes that these sectors have a history of lagging behind their on-highway counterparts when it comes to adopting new oils. The fuel-efficient oils are not yet recommended for diesel pickups, either.

Any rollout and approval takes time, but markets around the world are undeniably shifting to fuel-efficient oils. From North American to Europe, users are shifting from 10W-30 to 5W-30 as the grade of choice.

Engine manufacturers have also been able to introduce updated tests that the oil formulations must pass to ensure specific requirements are being met. They've also updated the engines and components on which tests are based. Some of the equipment used to test earlier oil formulas was getting increasingly hard to come by.

Cummins introduced the CES 20086 and CES 20087 tests for its engines, Detroit Diesel has the DFS 93K222 and DFS 93K223 to measure protection against issues like liner scuffing, and there’s also the Volvo VDS-4.5/Mack EO-S-4.5.

One of the most noteworthy of the new testing requirements came from Ford, which only months before the rollout of the new oil category asked for phosphorous levels to be capped at 1,000 parts per million -– measured in a specification known as WSS-M2C171-F1 -– because of valvetrain wear noticed in its 6.7L engines. Those engines are also found in applications up to Class 7 and even the lower end of Class 8.

“Phosphorous is just one of the components that can be used as an anti-wear component,” Arcy explained. In Europe, maximum limits have been set at 800 parts per million. But the Ford engine, which features 32 push rods, is relatively complex, Arcy says.

The engine tests alone aren't the only way the new oils continue to be tested. Shell itself has stressed that it is field testing the new oils in 350 vehicles.

“It’s real-world experience. You can’t beat that in terms of determining performance,” said Matthew Urbanak, heavy duty engine oil project leader. Since 2011 the company has amassed 60 million test miles on CK-4 formulations, and 50 million miles of tests involving the High Temperature High Shear (HTHS) formulas required by FA-4 specifications. Fourteen engines running on CK-4 prototypes have been torn down, along with 19 engines running FA-4.

“We’re not seeing the wear concern. We’re able to formulate these products and meet comparable wear protection we see with CK-4,” Urbanak said.

Unwanted levels of soot, lead and oil consumption are all dropping. In the process, Total Base Number (TBN) and Total Acid Number (TAN) measures are becoming less relevant, Urbanak explained. “We’re not seeing strong acids in the oil anymore.”

Then there are the potential fuel economy gains being realized with FA-4 oils. Shell, says Jason Brown, global technology manager for heavy-duty engine oils, is proving those benefits in real-world tests that reflect all driving conditions.

Measuring real fuel economy gains is no small task, however. “You’ve got to take real-world cycles,” Brown said. The World Harmonized Stationary Cycle is like on-highway driving. The World Harmonized Transient Cycle (Cold Start) reflects urban driving in cold-start conditions, sometimes cooling the engine below 0 Fahrenheit. And the World Harmonized Transient Cycle reflects urban driving in average temperature conditions to reflect stop-and-go driving like a UPS truck.

Shell is currently running a third-party fuel economy trial in Germany. It will run one in Texas, and has completed another test series in China. “We’re talking about different OEMs, different engines, different operating conditions,” Brown said.

Shifting from a CK-4 10W-30 to an FA-4 10W-30 will boost fuel economy about 0.5%. A 5W30 FA-4 performs 3.19% better than a 10W-40 in combined urban and highway driving cycles, Shell added.

The push for oils to support improved fuel economy is not about to end anytime soon, either.

“This is going to remain a big, big topic going forward,” Brown said of the push to reduce greenhouse gases. “It’s about those engines running more efficiently, it’s about getting them to run more effectively.”

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[kscarbel2]

Shell's New Oil Works for Mixed Diesel and Gas Fleets

Heavy Duty Trucking (HDT)  /  September 21, 2017

Shell Rotella's T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30 full synthetic oil is designed for versatility, meeting the API CK-4 specification for Class 8 Trucks as well as API SN specification for gasoline trucks and vans.

The oil is aimed at owners of mixed fleets with Class 6-8 diesel trucks and gasoline powered pickup trucks and vans. To do this, Shell designed and tested the T6 MV 5W-30 for needed wear, oxidation and depsoit control needed in modern commercial diesel engines while also exceeding the requirements for the API SN performance category of gasoline engines.

“With Shell Rotella T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30, it is now possible for hard working fleets or businesses that run diesel and gasoline powered engines to carry a single oil that offers numerous benefits,” said Megan Pino, Shell Rotella global brand manager. “The full synthetic oil has been engineered to provide protection under the most severe engine conditions for both diesel and gasoline engines.”

The oil contains Shell's Triple Protection Plus technology, combining additives and synthetic base oils to protect against wear, deposits, and oil breakdown, while also offering better fuel economy with it's lower viscosity. T6 MV 5W-30 oil demonstrated strong oxidation resistance in the Volvo T-13 oxidation  test, according to Shell, controlling acid build up, preventing oil thickening, and exceeding the API CK-4 limits for oxidation. 

The T6 MV 5W-30 Full Synthetic oil is designed to work better at low temperature oil flow when compared to Shell's own T4 Triple Protection 15W-40. Through testing, Shell says the T6 MV 5W-30 oil had better cold cranking properties and low temperature pumpability than the T4 oil at -30 and -35 degrees Celcius, respectively. 

"I think we've been able to demonstrate that there's no loss in performance, in durability, between having our 15W-40 T4 Triple Protection compared to our T6 MV 5W-30," said Jason Brown, global technology manager for heavy duty diesel engine oils at Shell. "Starting with that baseline [in performance], the T6 itself offers many benefits in and above a 15W-40. That level of viscosity change is opening a window to fuel efficiency that you don't have at 15W-40, which is cost savings. This is dollars that you can keep in your pocket."

Shell also announced the T5 Ultra 10W-30 synthetic blend diesel engine oil, which meets the API FA-4 service category for 2017 diesel engines. The low viscosity oil has been formulated to offer better fuel economy and improved high and low temperature performance while meeting the reuqirments for many low emissions engines beginning in 2017.

“Shell Rotella T5 Ultra 10W-30 synthetic blend is designed for next-generation on-road diesel engines to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection,” said Pino. “It is designed to provide protection that adapts to driving conditions and is formulated to minimize oil consumption and protect exhaust catalysts and particulate filters.”

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[kscarbel2]

New engine oils, now recommended by all OEMs, show extended drain intervals, better fuel economy

James Jaillet, Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ)  /  September 20, 2017

he trucking industry’s transition to a new generation of engine oils, which began last December, has gone smoothly, say top engineers for Shell Rotella. All major North American engine makers are recommending use of the new lubricants, dubbed CK-4 and FA-4 oils, for their equipment, says Dan Arcy, OEM Technical Manager for Shell Rotella. The oils have also prompted all North American engine makers to extend recommended drain intervals.

What’s more, all but two heavy-duty diesel engine makers are recommending for current-model engines the use of FA-4 oils, the so-called low-viscosity oils that are intended for use in modern engines to boost fuel economy and cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

Arcy, along with Shell’s head of field testing Matt Urbanak, offered an update on the implementation of the new CK-4 and FA-4 oils in a press event held in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Sept. 20.

Paccar, maker of Paccar MX engines and owner of Peterbilt and Kenworth, is not yet recommending FA-4 oils in their current model-year engines, Arcy says. Likewise, Mack and Volvo are not recommending use of FA-4 either. However, Paccar, Volvo and Mack are all recommending use of CK-4 oils for their current model-year equipment, Arcy says.

Cummins recommends use of FA-4 oils in 2017-model X15 engines and newer. Navistar also recommends use of FA-4 oils for its new A26 engine and uses FA-4 oils as the factory fill lubricant. Detroit not only recommends use of FA-4 oils in its current-model heavy-duty engines, but for model-year 2010 and later engines.

The new generation of engine oils had been in development for five years before licensing and deployment began in December 2016. The two new oil categories replaced the former CJ-4 category, which had been in use for nearly 10 years.

Engine makers requested the new category in 2011, spurring the American Petroleum Institute, along with oil marketers, truck manufacturers and chemical companies, to develop standards and testing protocol for the new oils. Manufacturers sought the new lubricants as a means to extend drain intervals, improve fuel economy and reduce diesel engine emissions.

The result, CK-4 and FA-4 lubricants, improve oil oxidation stability, boost shear stability and reduce oil aeration, Arcy says. These changes help engine oils last longer and better protect equipment.

CK-4 oils have spurred longer drain intervals, with all North American engine makers extending recommended drain intervals due to the implementation of CK-4 oils.

Cummins extended engine oil drain intervals to 50,000 miles, from 40,000. Navistar extended their drain intervals to 60,000 miles, from 40,000. Detroit now recommends drain intervals of 75,000 miles, from 50,000. Paccar increased its interval by 15,000 miles, to 75,000.

Arcy says the oils’ improvements in oxidation stability was the key to extending drain intervals. Oxidation causes oils to become acidic and thicken, thereby limiting its ability to protect engines over time.

Shell also says use of FA-4 oils can improve fuel economy by as much as 2.8 percent.

In recent years, Shell has conducted more than 60 million miles of real-world tests with CK-4 oils, says Urbanak. The company partnered with fleets and OEMs to conduct the tests. Shell has performed more than 50 million miles of real-world testing with FA-4 oils, Urbanak says.

The company has conducted more than 30 engine teardowns, following running the oils for hundreds of thousands of miles in each of those engines. The results showed no drop-off in engine protection qualities from prior-generation oils, says Urbanak.

In fact, CK-4 and FA-4 oils showed improvements in several areas. In addition to better fuel economy and emissions reductions, the tests also showed reduced soot and lead levels in oils, as well as a reduction in engine oil consumption, Urbanak says.

[BillyT]

Ksb, I've been using Rotella t 15 w40 oil in every vehicle we own since 1977except my wife's two Corollas,03 and 2012 respectively,as they called for 10 w30 and 0w 20.For them I  used Castrol, and Castrol Edge. I also used rotella t in all my lawn equipment which generally calls for straight 30. I began using Rotella on the recommendation of my owner operator, diesel mechanic cousin, as it met Cummins,mack and military, the most stringent requirements at the time! Looks like ill be switching to the new synthetic Rotella!

[kscarbel2]

9 hours ago, BillyT said:

Ksb, I've been using Rotella t 15 w40 oil in every vehicle we own since 1977except my wife's two Corollas,03 and 2012 respectively,as they called for 10 w30 and 0w 20.For them I  used Castrol, and Castrol Edge. I also used rotella t in all my lawn equipment which generally calls for straight 30. I began using Rotella on the recommendation of my owner operator, diesel mechanic cousin, as it met Cummins,mack and military, the most stringent requirements at the time! Looks like ill be switching to the new synthetic Rotella!

Years ago (seems like only yesterday), Lindsay Drydene (Drydene Oil) himself told me, speaking of their 15W40 "Dieselall" product aimed at companies who wanted one product for all their diesel and gasoline machinery/vehicles, that the additives used in a diesel engine-applicable oil are far harsher than those of a gasoline engine-specific oil. Consequently, those extra cleansing additives in 15W40 for the diesel requirement will reduce the life of a gasoline engine. He recommended I use his gasoline engine-purpose intended oils in my cars.

[HeavyGunner]

It’s amazing the oil change intervals on trucks now days. We change our oil every 1000 hours in our trucks per DD recommendation with Synthetic 05-40w which works out to 35-40k miles on average. 

Edited September 23, 2017 by HeavyGunner

[BillyT]

Ksb, I am not qualified to question Mr Drydene's opinion (I remember his name, thought he only made additives!), but I have never had a gasoline engine fail while using Rotella T and have found the lifters and valve train of every Rotella equipped engine to be spotless! That however may be the result of the harsh additives Mr Drydene mentioned!

[kscarbel2]

9 hours ago, BillyT said:

Ksb, I am not qualified to question Mr Drydene's opinion (I remember his name, thought he only made additives!), but I have never had a gasoline engine fail while using Rotella T and have found the lifters and valve train of every Rotella equipped engine to be spotless! That however may be the result of the harsh additives Mr Drydene mentioned!

Drydene Oil, founded in 1893 in Baltimore, sold out to foreign aggressor Castrol (UK) in 1991.

This is a pre-Castrol can of Dieselall.

 

[blackdog2]

Shell is back in Conn. they bought the old Exxon terminal they had a bigger terminal in Bridgeport ct with a partner no partner this time a lot more stations popping up  .

[kscarbel2]