Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/625735
COMMERCIAL CARRIER JOURNAL | JANUARY 2016 45 technicians to identify the oil as the correct choice for older engines that currently run on CJ-4 blends," Arcy says. PC-11B, which will replace some SAE 30-weight oils, will be designated as FA-4. The Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Clas- sification Panel cast its final ballots on the new oil last month in Austin, Texas, with an eye toward finalizing all of its aspects before API issues fi- nalized specifications in anticipation of a licensing date of Dec. 1. Meanwhile, fleet testing – in addi- tion to the 22 million test miles the industry already has logged with the new oil – will continue, Arcy says. Also, packaging guidelines will be fi- nalized ahead of getting the product into the marketplace early next year in time for 2017-compliant engines that also will be entering the market. Driving changes In an era in which the trucking industry has been forced to deal with seemingly unending waves of regulations, a new oil category may seem like piling on to beleaguered technicians and fleet managers. But it's been almost 10 years since a new heavy-duty oil category was released. Shawn Whitacre, senior staff engineer of engine oil technology for Chevron Lubricants, says the industry is long overdue for a more modern oil to enter the market to address the many changes that have taken place over the past decade. "The main driver behind the PC-11 category has been new and emerg- ing emissions regulations," says Whitacre, who also chairs the ASTM Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classifica- tion Panel. The last round of emissions regula- tions, which culminated in 2010, focused on nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, while the new standards set to become more strin- PC-11 at a glance • First new heavy-duty engine oil cate- gory in 10 years. • PC-11 oils will be first available Dec. 1. • Two types of PC-11 oils will be intro- duced: PC-11A, which will have the official designation CK-4; and PC-11B, which will have the official designa- tion FA-4. • PC-11A (CK-4) oils will replace today's lubricants and will be completely backwards-compatible with all cur- rent vehicles. They will be designed with improved oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control. • PC-11B (FA-4) oils will meet these new requirements and include lower-viscosity grades designed for next-generation diesel engines to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection. These oils will have limited backwards com- patibility because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower-viscosity grades. • The improved performance for both PC-11A (CK-4) and PC-11B (FA-4) will be the same. The split in the category will define viscosity grades. PC-11 oils, the rst new heavy-duty engine oil category in 10 years, will be rst available Dec. 1.