New Diesel Engine Oils: Building For the Future
It’s no secret that a modern diesel engine operates more efficiently when lubricated with a good quality high performance oil, which is why the engine oil has become just as important to the commercial road transport and Agri industry as the hardware around it.
Legislative requirements on greenhouse emission reduction are driving original equipment manufacturers the world over to redesign engine technology. As a result of these changes, modern engines are becoming smaller and more fuel efficient with less environmental impact which places greater emphasis on the demands of the oil.
According to global oil specialist Castrol, a modern day diesel engine oil is not only formulated to keep moving metal surfaces cool, clean and lubricated, but also reduce wear and extend engine life in general and reduce oil consumption along the way. Base oils are now much more refined than before and additive packages have been modernised to perform under new conditions.
Castrol has recently upgraded its engine oil range to new more modern additive platforms to comply with the highest and latest industry standards including the American Petroleum Institute (API). API mandated testing has shown continued tightening of specifications, for example specifications for volatility have over the years been narrowed down from 15% in CI-4 and CI-4 Plus, to 13% in CJ-4 and CK-4. This improves performance and previous issues such as oil consumption are unlikely to arise with use of modern oil technology developed to exceed the latest industry specs.
CJ-4 is developed with “low SAPS technology”, which means that CJ-4 classification oils have low sulphated ash, phosphorus and sulphur (1.0% Ash, 0.12% Phosphorus, 0.4% Sulphur).
Modern engine oils are formulated with acid-neutralising additives containing alkaline or base metals. Since ULSD has 97% less sulphur than previous fuel, new engines don’t need as much alkalinity, measured as total base number. So, CJ-4 oils have lower alkalinity, or TBN, than CI-4 Plus oils.
CJ-4 is designed to suspend soot and contamination in finer sizes and greater quantities than the CI-4 Plus. It withstands heat better, improves wear protection, controls deposits, improves oil consumption and has better soot- related viscosity control.
Visit your local CRT store for details of the upgraded range of engine oils.
