Truck Parts and Service | Heavy Duty Trucking, Aftermarket, Service Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/700851
13 Cover Story The new oils represent the fi rst change to the heavy-duty diesel engine oil market in a decade, and the fi rst time two new engine oils have been simultaneously released since 1994. With changes like that, ques- tions abound, and Truck Parts & Service has done its best to have as many as possible answered by the industry's experts. Why did trucking need new diesel engine oil? The development of CK-4 and FA-4 can be traced back to 2010, when the Environmental Protec- tion Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffi c Safety Admin- istration (NHTSA) announced plans to introduce Federal regula- tions in the trucking industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mandate fuel economy improvements. In designing new technology to meet those future regulations, engine manufacturers determined the industry's current oil (CJ-4) was falling short in some key areas and making it diffi cult for them to reach the proposed standards. So they reached out to the oil industry for help. "The engine manufacturers came to us. They wanted to pro- pose a new standard," says Kevin Ferrick, senior manager, Global Industry Services – Engine Oil at the American Petroleum Institute (API). The Institute relayed the request to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Clas- sifi cation Panel — API certifi es new oil categories but it does not develop them — which accepted the manufacturers' request and Proposed Category 11 (PC-11) was formed. Who develops a new oil category? All new diesel engine oil cat- egories are developed through industry cooperation. For PC-11, the task was given to the Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classifi cation Panel. Filled with engine OEM and oil marketer representatives and supported by API, the panel fi rst met to address PC-11 nearly fi ve years ago. Chevron's Jim McGeehan, then Shawn Whitacre (after McGeehan retired), handled the committee's chairman duties. Whitacre, Chevron's senior staff engineer of engine oil technology, says early committee discussions focused on determin- ing from OEMs the areas where the industry's current oil was lacking, and the particular aspects that needed to be improved. Over time these issues were parsed into a few key needs — improved oxi- dation and shear stability, better aeration protection, lower viscos- ity grade products — and each representative returned to their respective companies for research and development. It was during this time that API approved two manufacturer- submitted tests to be used by oil marketers to meet the PC-11 performance requirements. "We carry forward tests from each previous category. There weren't a lot of new require- ments," says Ferrick. How long does it take to develop a new oil? As mentioned above, the new oils entering the market in December have been in the works for nearly fi ve years. That time is split fairly evenly between category develop- ment, laboratory development and W W W . T R U C K P A R T S A N D S E R V I C E . C O M J u l y 2 0 1 6 | T R U C K P A R T S & S E R V I C E T he North American medium- and heavy-duty trucking industry will receive an early Christmas present this year with the introduction of two new diesel engine oils, CK-4 and FA-4, on Dec. 1, 2016. year with the introduction of