Fleet Maintenance 1220 - 19

At the same time, a fleet comprising a comparable mix of newer and older vehicles could
face some challenges. " If the fleet wanted to use
FA-4 in its newer vehicles, but its older vehicles
couldn't accept it, the fleet would face the prospect of having to inventory two different oils, "
Mandelbaum points out. " Most fleets prefer to
inventory a single engine oil because it's a lot
easier to manage. "
Even if the transition to an FA-4 oil is a bit of
a stretch for the time being, a fleet could still
consider the use of a lower-viscosity CK-4 oil.
Fleets should consult their oil suppliers to help
identify products that align with their specific
needs and business objectives.

The trend toward lower viscosity

FA-4 is a lower-viscosity oil, generally a 10W-30.
According to Dan Arcy, OEM technology manager
at Shell Lubricants, new heavy duty trucks are
now filled with 10W-30 at the factory, and 10W-30
is gaining popularity as the preferred viscosity
for fleets. " We've essentially gone from a heavier,
more viscous product to a thinner product, " Arcy
says. " The great thing is that there has been no
compromise in durability. "
James Booth, commercial sector manager at
Chevron, agrees. " 10W-30 has represented 100
percent of the U.S. HD OEM factory fill viscosity
of choice since 2012, and we see it representing
approximately 60 percent for large fleets. However,
15W-40 remains the dominant viscosity grade in
the market, " Booth says.
Paul Cigala, CVL applications engineer for
ExxonMobil Fuels and Lubricants, offers an explanation as to why.
" It's kind of scary to say in the year 2020, but
15W-40 still dominates the market for heavy
duty truck engines, " Cigala says. " That's really
around the mindset of, 'My great-grandfather used
15W-40 and never had any problems, so don't fix
it if it isn't broken.' "

" We've essentially
gone from a
heavier, more
viscous product to
a thinner product. "
Dan Arcy, OEM technology
manager at Shell Lubricants

The problem with that line of thinking is that
innovation and continuous improvement cannot
be embraced. There are some impactful benefits
of switching to a low-viscosity oil when practical.
" Today's new engines are really built around
low viscosity, and low viscosity equates to
[improved] fuel economy, " Cigala says. " That's why
we are starting to see a shift, especially among
the larger fleets. "

According to Cigala, it has become clear that
switching from a 15W-40 to a 10W-30 will result
in a 1 to 1.5 percent improvement in fuel economy. Then, going from a CK-4 10W-30 to an FA-4
10W-30 will result in another 0.5 to 1 percent
improvement.
The question for a mixed fleet is: When am I able
to leverage these newer, lower-viscosity engine
oil formulations?
CK-4 oils are designed to be backwards-compatible, meaning they can safely be used in older
engines. FA-4 oils, on the other hand, have limited
backwards compatibility. That is why FA-4 oils
haven't gained the kind of traction the oil suppliers and truck OEMs had anticipated.
" Detroit Diesel has been one of the early adopters
of FA-4 oils, " Cigala points out. " They actually factory fill with FA-4. If you happen to be a fleet with a
lot of DD Series engines, you're in that sweet spot
that can take advantage of a FA-4 oil right now. "
On the other hand, if you happen to be a mixed
fleet with several older vehicles, the concept of
backwards compatibility can be a major obstacle. Additionally, auxiliary power unit (APU) and
reefer manufacturers have yet to offer approval
or guidance around the use of FA-4 oils.

»Mobil Delvac Extreme FE is a
synthetic 10W-30 FA-4 engine oil.
Photo courtesy of ExxonMobil

Tips on transitioning
to newer oils
There is a new Technology & Maintenance Council
(TMC) Recommended Practice (RP) in development to help fleets transition to new, lower-viscosity oils. Cigala is helping lead that effort. If all
goes according to schedule, it should be published
in fall 2021.
A primary objective of this new RP is to help
fleets understand which types of engine oils can
be used in which makes and models. It's also
important for mixed fleets to understand which
oils can be used in certain types of engines.
" Legislation, incentives, and fuel prices have
driven the industry to seek alternative fuels,
resulting in an upturn in mixed fleet operations
that include diesel, gasoline, and natural gas
engines, " says Darryl Purificati, OEM technical
liaison at Petro-Canada Lubricants. " The variation
in fuel types makes maintenance more complex
for technicians, and generally means that the
workshop must stock a variety of lubricants to
cater to each type of engine. "
Fortunately, some lubricant manufacturers
have been developing products that address
this challenge.
Petro-Canada's Duron Geo LD is specially
formulated for the high combustion temperatures in natural gas engines. Offered as either a
15W-40 or 10W-30, this oil is also ideal for heavy
duty diesel and gas engines.
Shell's Rotella T4 NG Plus 15W-40 is specially
formulated for diesel, gasoline, and natural gas
engines. Although it isn't a low-viscosity oil, Arcy
says this product still helps a fleet consolidate the
number of oils it needs in its shop to service a wide
range of engine types.
Fleets need to be particularly vigilant with any
oil they are choosing for natural gas engines. As
Chevron's Booth points out, API has not set an

»DURON GEO LD is a synthetic CK-4/SN
engine oil designed for use in natural gas,
diesel, and gasoline engines. It is available as
a low-viscosity 10W-30 as well as a 15W-40.
Photo courtesy of Petro-Canada

»Guardol ECT is a 10W-30 CK-4 oil from Phillips
66. Guardol FE is a 10W-30 FA-4 oil. To help
mixed fleets better utilize an FA-4 oil, Phillips
66 extends the Guardol FE product quality
guarantee to several late-model vehicles.
Photo courtesy of Phillips 66

»Shell Rotella T4
NG Plus is a 15W-40
engine oil designed
for use with natural
gas, diesel, and
gasoline engines.
Photo courtesy of Shell

December 2020 | FleetMaintenance.com

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Fleet Maintenance 1220

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Fleet Maintenance 1220