Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/725427
34 commercial carrier journal | september 2016 A slick transition Switching to CK-4 and FA-4 will be painless, experts say BY JASON CANNON L icensing and distribution begins in December for two new PC-11 heavy-duty diesel engine oils, giving fleet and maintenance personnel and truck owners less than three months to decide how each fits into their operation. Capping a five-year development program, the new oils – CK-4 and FA-4 – hit the market Dec. 1. Kevin Ferrick, manager of global industry services certification programs for the Ameri- can Petroleum Institute, says it's critical for fleets and owner-op- erators to make sure they're using the correct engine oil blend in their equipment. CK-4 oils, a replacement for CJ-4 oils currently on the market, will be fully backward-compatible with diesel engines currently using CJ-4. FA-4 features a lower viscosity and will be recom- mended almost exclusively for 2017 and newer model-year engines. The new-generation oil blends are expected to improve fuel economy and also could lead to engine-wear benefits. Shawn Whitacre, Chevron Delo's senior staff engineer and chairman of the ASTM Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classification Panel, says that for most customers, the transition to the next generation of oil will be painless – if not unnoticeable. "Overall, this can be a very seamless transition that will allow you to take advantage of the performance benefits of the next-generation products," Whitacre says. "The new oils can be handled just like today's oils, though it is always advisable to check with your oil supplier about any specific handling and safety considerations." This summer, Shell Lubricants began bottling and shipping CK-4 formulations to the marketplace. However, since it cannot be licensed as CK-4 until Dec. 1, the blend is being licensed as CJ-4. "Those bottles will have a label change Dec. 1 and will start claiming CK-4," says Dan Arcy, the company's global OEM technical manager. Since CK-4 oils offer improved engine oxidation, oil shear- ing and oil aeration, and also better counteract soot-related oil degradation, customers getting the new formulation are getting a better performing blend, Arcy says – even though the label still will say CJ-4 for the next 60-plus days. Ferrick says FA-4 oil, the blend slated for use in new engines, has been proven to protect engines as just well as CK-4 and CJ-4 despite its lower viscosity, while also offering the same improved performance and engine-life benefits as CK-4. Shell has more than 40 million miles of on-highway testing on the new oils, Arcy says. ExxonMobil adds more than 1.5 million miles of testing each month through its fleet partners, says Paul Ci- gala, the company's applications engineer for commercial vehicles. Backward-compatible CK-4 oils will be offered in all of the same viscosity grades as today's CJ-4 oils, Whitacre says. How- ever, Arcy recommends avoiding mixing CK-4 and CJ-4 oils for fleets that buy in bulk. While there won't be any negative outcomes as a result of the mixture, the lower-performing CJ-4 will hinder the CK-4's per- formance potential depending on the ratio of the mix, Arcy says. "The result would still perform better than CJ-4 alone, but not to the maximum performance of pure CK-4," he says. "No one should be concerned about [having] the wrong product if they're going to CK-4 from CJ-4." As is the case any time you transition to a new type of lubricant, changes in some of the typical oil analysis proper- ties – including normal levels of certain additive metals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus – might be noted, Whitacre says. "Depending on viscosity grade selection, you might see a change in the typical viscosity at [212 degrees Fahrenheit]," he says. in focus: PC-11 OILS Capping a five-year development program, two new PC-11 heavy-duty diesel engine oils – CK-4 and FA-4 – hit the market Dec. 1. Which oil do I need? CJ-4: What is currently on the shelf and has been in use for nearly 10 years. CK-4: The new direct replacement for CJ-4. If you buy CJ-4 today, you will buy CK-4 in December. FA-4: New oil for new model-year engines. Will not be recommended for pre-2017 engines.