As I have noted in previous columns, all of us at Fleet Maintenance work diligently to provide the most insightful and timely editorial, along with exclusive content and resources on our website: VehicleServicePros.com. Our objective is two-fold. To continually give our subscribers/readers the detailed, relevant information needed:
- To keep their vehicles operating with the greatest efficiency and minimal downtime.
- To improve their personal performance.
Along with keeping our fingers on the pulse of the industry through active involvement, we regularly survey readers to help plan our editorial. In addition to allowing us to evaluate individual articles, columns and departments, we use reader surveys to measure response to general and/or specific areas of interest.
Puzzlement
Fleet Maintenance recently conducted a reader survey on engine oil. One of the observations that came out of this study was that for the most part, there is a lack of understanding about the new American Petroleum Institute (API) specification for heavy duty engine oils that will replace the current API CJ-4 oil specification and provide improved performance features. This new generation of engine oils – currently known as PC (Proposed Category)-11 – is expected sometime next year.
The API CJ-4 oil spec was launched nearly 10 years ago.
A main reason for PC-11 is that changing federal regulations to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions is causing engine manufacturers to create new, cleaner and more fuel-efficient diesel engines. This, in turn, is requiring a new generation of higher performing diesel engine oils for better wear protection, less emissions and improved fuel economy.
The PC-11 engine oils, which will eventually replace CJ-4 engine oils, will come in two separate and distinct sub-categories: one to meet evolving market needs – PC-11B, and a second to provide a backwards compatibility – PC-11A.
PC-11A oils will be a direct replacement for API CJ-4 oils, and will be available in the same viscosity grades and oil types – conventional, full synthetic and synthetic blend.
PC-11B oils will be distinctly different than current CJ-4 oils. They are intended for Model Year 2017 and newer engines specifically designed to take advantage of the oil’s lower viscosity for fuel efficiency. These oils may have some limited backwards compatibility.
Into the Fleet
A question in our oil survey asked participants how they would introduce the new generation oils into their fleet. Surprisingly, 55 percent of the respondents answered: “I am not aware of PC-11 oil and have not started planning yet. (See accompanying chart.)
Survey questions that gauged participants’ understanding of the backwards compatibility of PC-11A and PC-11B oils revealed that 70 percent of the respondents did not grasp this concept.
Additional Results
Here were some other findings from the oil study:
- Engine oil brand – Top five reasons for selecting a particular brand of motor oil (see accompany chart):
1. Engine protection.
2. Brand reputation.
3. Price.
4. Performance.
5. Previous experience.
- Synthetics – 42 percent of respondents use synthetic motor oils; 58 percent do not. 82 percent use synthetic transmission fluids. 72 percent use synthetic differential greases.
- Oil analysis – Of those surveyed that do engine oil analysis, 32 percent conduct them at every oil change, 21 percent when there is an issue, 14 percent occasionally and 5 percent when extending service intervals. 27 percent never do an analysis.
- Engine oil supplement – 27 percent have considered using an engine oil supplement; 73 percent have not.
Be Assured
Fleet Maintenance will continue to provide you with the vital information, wide-ranging curriculum and best practices you need to more effectively perform your roles in purchasing and maintaining a safe, efficient and profitable fleet, and to help you keep your professional development continuing.
Fleet Maintenance remains the only publication to do so. We are: All maintenance, All management, All vehicle classes, All the time.
We welcome your input, thoughts and ideas.
