Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/642741
PRODUCT 12 www.FlatbedTruckingJobs.com March 2016 W ith less than a year to go before licensing is scheduled to begin, a much clearer portrait of the new engine oil category that will enter the market in conjunction with new federal emissions guidelines has emerged. The new oil – designated PC-11 or "Pro- posed Category 11" by the Diesel Engine Oil Advisory Panel – has been scheduled for its fi rst licensing in December. Accord- ing to Dan Arcy, global OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants, additional details also have been nailed down. There will be two new categories within PC-11's overall framework. "The commit- tee really wanted to keep things as simple as possible for our customers," Arcy says. "It seemed logical to us to simply build on the old CJ-4 classifi cation with the new oils." During PC-11's development, the com- mittee divided the new oil into two differ- ent formulations: One for older (pre-2017) engines, and a second thinner formulation that will be spec'd for Phase II GHG diesel engines. Using this approach, PC-11A – the for- mulation that will replace SAE 40 weight oils – will be classifi ed as CK-4. "This is a logical designation that will make it easier for fl eets and 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 and 30 weight oils, will be designated as FA-4. The Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classifi ca- tion Panel cast its fi nal ballots on the new oil last month in Austin, Texas, with an eye toward fi nalizing all of its aspects before the American Petroleum Institute issues fi nalized specifi cations in anticipation of a licensing date of Dec. 1, 2016. Meanwhile, fl eet testing – in addition to the 22 million test miles the industry already has logged with the new oil – will continue, Arcy says. Also, packaging guide- lines 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 where the trucking industry has been forced to deal with seemingly unend- ing waves of regulations, a new oil category may seem like piling on to beleaguered technicians and fl eet managers. But it's been almost 10 years since a new heavy-duty oil category was released. PROFILE Next-gen oil will offer improvements for engines old and new