Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/642741
Shawn Whitacre, senior staff engineer of engine oil technology for Chevron Lu- bricants, 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 emerging emissions regulations," says Whitacre, who also chairs the ASTM Heavy-Duty Engine Oil Classifi cation Panel. The last round of emissions regulations, which culminated in 2010, focused on nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate mat- ter, while the new standards set to become more stringent next year target carbon dioxide (CO2) and other GHG. "Add a whole host of engine design changes that will enter the market in 2017, and the need for a more modern engine oil becomes obvious," he says. Whitacre says the biggest single perfor- mance improvement the new oils will offer will involve oxidation control – the ability of the oil to withstand high temperatures for long periods of time without breaking down. This new characteristic ultimately may create opportunities for longer oil- change intervals in fl eet operations. According to Whitacre, heavy-duty diesel engine OEMs recognize there are two main oil components that impact long change intervals: Total Base Number Depletion and the Oxidation Number. "There used to be a third consideration – soot levels in the engine," he says. "That is becoming less important as diesel exhaust emissions systems have improved." Fleets used to have to drain oil because pre-2010 engines produced a lot of soot due to increased exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). But soot control has been ad- dressed by improvements in CJ-4 oils and the advent of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. "Modern diesel engines today are a lot cleaner in that regard," Whitacre says. Details on 2017 engines are few at the moment, but Whitacre says they generally will run from 5 to 15 degrees hotter than today's engines. "OEMs have really stressed that the new oil have the ability to stand up to hotter temperatures," he says. "We're not talking large temperature increases, but it is very important to carefully balance all the heat transfer that goes on in these engines, and that puts a bigger demand on the oil itself. We have to make sure that when the new oil gets hot, it doesn't break down." Also, much work has been done to make certain the new oils will work with preexisting engine systems. "PC-11 brings no new fi ltration requirements from en- gine manufacturers or oil suppliers," says Jonathan Sheumaker, technical adviser for liquid fi ltration research and technology at Cummins Filtration. "The media and technology we have today will work with PC-11 oils," he says. "There should be no impact on the fi lter, although a lower-viscosity oil should 14 www.FlatbedTruckingJobs.com March 2016 PRODUCT PROFILE Shell showed off the durability of 'thinner' oil in this engine teardown demonstration last year.