The next heavy duty diesel engine oil category represents a crucial progression for our industry.
Ten years. It’s been nearly that long since the first license of the existing API CJ-4 category, the heavy duty (HD) diesel engine oil specification.
Think of the world around us and how countless everyday technologies have advanced since 2006. It might be the phone in our pockets, the cars we drive. The additive chemistry that enables higher-performance lubricant technology is no different-and yet some of our trucks today using API CJ-4 oils may not be using the latest technology.
PC-11 changes this situation in dramatic fashion. We’ve known about its pending arrival for some time, but it’s worth considering the real impact of this major specification upgrade:
- Higher-performing engine oils across the board better enabling new and old engines to achieve peak performance
- Greater fuel economy
PC-11 drives higher performance market-wide
By now it’s becoming well known that PC-11 will be split into two categories: PC-11A, comprising backward-compatible lubricants and traditional HD viscosity grades, and PC-11B, comprising newly applicable lower viscosities. PC-11A and PC-11B lubricants are distinguished by their high temperature high shear (HTHS) viscosity rates; PC-11A lubricants are defined as those with a minimum 3.5 HTHS, while PC-11B lubricants fall between 2.9 and 3.2 HTHS.
But what is sometimes lost in this conversation is just how drastic the change in required performance will be for ALL lubricants-not just the lower viscosities that make up PC-11B. A PC-11A oil is simply better than today’s API CJ-4 counterpart, driven by new technology and verified stringent testing. For all of today’s heavy duty vehicles, there’s every reason to move to PC-11 oils.
Think back to some past category upgrades, where there existed obvious new lubricant needs due to explicit hardware changes. API CI-4 and CI-4 Plus specifically accounted for the addition of EGR valves to HD engines to reduce NOx emissions; API CJ-4 accounted for particulate filters, requiring lubricants to contain lower levels of metal containing components in order to reduce ash. The message was clear: Lubricants not up to standard would be detrimental to new hardware performance.
With PC-11, new engine hardware changes are not as obvious, but they are critical nonetheless. The pursuit of higher fuel economy has driven modern engine advances-engines operate at hotter temperature and incorporate changes such as down speeding for increased efficiency. These changes require advances in lubricant technology (for specific PC-11 test details, read our PC-11 Q&A).
These changes are already happening. By the time PC-11 sees first license-expected near the end of 2016-higher-performing lubricants that meet new criteria will be a necessity for all new engines.
Higher performance means greater complexity
PC-11B ushers in a more complex lubricant landscape for all stakeholders. Today the majority of API CJ-4 lubricants fall into the 15W-40 viscosity grade, but with PC-11 the industry will continue to move toward lower viscosity grades, such as 10W-30 and 5W-30. Additionally, PC-11B will further expand viscosity grades with low HTHS versions of 10W-30 and 5W-30.
For oil marketers, this means the opportunity for specialization and differentiation among product portfolios. For fleet managers, it means the opportunity to select lubricant products that best suit their preference. With greater complexity, though, comes a certain level of market uncertainty. Lacking knowledge of the future, it is unclear which viscosity grades will be utilized the most—and only developing market preference can determine the answer.
In all cases, the modern lubricant requires the right additive chemistry and formulation expertise to meet the higher-performance requirements established by PC-11. In the ten years since API CJ-4, lubricant and additive technology has advanced in a way that this is not only possible, but simply a necessity of marketing a certified product. Indeed, PC-11B allows oil marketers to go beyond required performance with thinner, more fuel-efficient formulations.
PC-11B isn’t the end of the road for fuel economy needs. Lubricant viscosities will continue to trend downward in the years and decades to come as hardware and formulation technology continue to advance. Investment in PC-11B technology now enables oil marketers to prepare themselves for a future where fuel economy only continues to improve.
With higher necessary performance and increased market complexity, it’s important that oil marketers have a partner with expertise in all segments. Through its close involvement in the development of PC-11, Lubrizol has the insight necessary to apply its advanced additive chemistry to robust, marketable, higher-performance lubricants.
For more information about how Lubrizol can help with your PC-11 needs, contact your Lubrizol representative.
