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In order to meet the U.S. EPA's 2007 on-highway emission standards for particulate and NOx, all diesel engines will require diesel particulate fi lters (DPFs) and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and will utilize ultra-low sulfur fuel. As this will be the fi rst time that all on-highway diesel engines will employ DPFs combined with ultra-low-sulfur fuel, the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) requested that a new oil category be developed to provide compatibility with DPFs in the exhaust system, as well as engine durability for both new and pre-2007 engines. This paper reviews the development of this new oil category called API CJ-4, which was introduced in October 2006. This diesel engine oil category is the fi rst in the U.S. which limits the oil's sulfated ash, phosphorus, and sulfur in order to insure adequate service life of the DPF. The API CJ-4 oil category includes 9 fired engine tests and 6 bench tests.

In order to meet the U.S. EPA's 2007 on-highway emission standards for particulate and NOx, all diesel engines will require diesel particulate fi lters (DPFs) and cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and will utilize ultra-low sulfur fuel. As this will be the first time that all on-highway diesel engines will employ DPFs combined with ultra-low-sulfur fuel, the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) requested that a new oil category be developed to provide compatibility with DPFs in the exhaust system, as well as engine durability for both new and legacy engines. This paper reviews the development of this new oil category called API CJ-4, which will be introduced in October 2006. This diesel engine oil category is the first in the U.S. which limits the oil's sulfated ash, phosphorus, and sulfur in order to insure adequate service life of the DPF. The API CJ-4 oil category includes 9 fi red engine tests and 6 bench tests.

This oil category was driven by two new cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) engine tests operating with 15% EGR, with used oil soot levels at the end of the test ranging from 6 to 9%. These tests are the Mack T-10 and Cummins M11 EGR, which address ring, cylinder liner, bearing, and valve train wear; filter plugging, and sludge. In addition to these two new EGR tests, there is a Caterpillar single-cylinder test without EGR which measures piston deposits and oil consumption control using an articulated piston. This test is called the Caterpillar 1R and is included in the existing Global DHD-1 specification. In total, the API CI-4 category includes eight fired-engine tests and seven bench tests covering all the engine oil parameters. The new bench tests include a seal compatibility test for fresh oils and a low temperature pumpability test for used oils containing 5% soot. This paper provides a review of the all the tests, matrix results, and limits for this new oil category.

Fleet customers demand reduced operating costs. This necessitates the development of engine oils which can provide maximum fuel economy and extended oil drains, while still maintaining engine durability. This is particularly important in diesel engines produced since October 1998. These engines use retarded timing to meet EPA's emission requirements and, as a consequence in some cases, generate high soot levels in the engine oil. Extended oil drains in 1995 Caterpillar 3406E and 1996 Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines found no statistical difference in fuel economy or wear between a synthetic SAE 5W-40 and an SAE 15W-40 using API Group II base stocks. Both oils had the same API CG-4/SJ quality level. Soot levels at oil drains of 40,000-50,000 miles (64,372 - 80,465 km) ranged from 0.5-1.2%.

With the drive to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy, fuel injection pressures have increased. This has increased Hertzian stresses on the roller follower cam system to the point that cam lobe contact fatigue failure has become the “Achilles heel” of diesel engine durability in the 1990s. Contact fatigue failures have occurred on both injector lobes and the exhaust and inlet lobes. This is particularly the case in fleets with frequent engine shut downs and starts, stop-go service and in some line-haul fleets. This paper describes field service cam failures across several engine types and applications. In our experience supporting fleet customers in cam failure analysis, we found that a combination of ten critical independent variables must be correct in order to prevent cam lobe contact fatigue failures. These variables are each discussed separately.

Given more frequent engine shutdowns to save fuel, rising soot levels due to emission requirements, and the demands of the customer for extended oil drains, we must still ensure prompt oil pumpability for both fresh and used oils. To develop oils which meet these requirements, we used two Cummins M-11 tests. The first assessed the fresh oil's pumpability times to the oil gallery, turbocharger, cam roller follower and rocker shaft at -15°C (+5°F). In the second, we used the Cummins M-11 test from the API CH-4 category to generate 9% soot levels in end of test oils. These used oils were then evaluated in MRV TP-1 and Scanning Brookfield for low temperature pumpability. As an adjunct to the above study, we compared an SAE 5W-40 synthetic to SAE 15W-40 oils in regard to wear and fuel economy. These field tests were conducted in line-haul trucks operating in North America with Detroit Diesel Series 60 and Caterpillar 3406E engines.

Bearing capability of one million miles has been demonstrated in line-haul truck operations with Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Caterpillar and Mack Truck engines. Bearing failure analysis helped to define the requirements for long service bearings, in terms of the appropriate oil and bearing quality, and proper maintenance practice. Surface science instrumentation was used for failure analysis, since visual observations alone cannot provide a definitive answer. This paper should help prevent bearing failures in the future and enable others to identify the failure mode correctly and quickly.

In order to meet EPA's emission requirements for 1999 diesel engines, soot levels in the crankcase oil will increase significantly due to retarded timing to lower NOx. This study uses the Cummins M11 engine at soot levels up to 9% in the crankcase oil to demonstrate how oils can be formulated to prevent valve train wear, extend filter life, and maintain oil pumpability. The study includes the oil formulation development and the evaluation of API CG-4/SJ oils at 4.5% soot and API CH-4/SJ oils at 9% soot. In addition it includes X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) for surface film analysis and Surface Optical Profilometry and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the valve train valve-bridges and rocker pads to determine the mechanism of failure. The oil's low temperature rheology as it affects oil pumpability is defined by Mini Rotary Viscometer (MRV TP-1), Scanning Brookfield Test (SBT), and Cold Cranking Simulator (CCS).

This paper reviews ASTM's work in developing the new API CH-4 diesel engine oil category for 1998. It focuses in particular on three new engine tests - Cummins M-11, Mack T-9, and Caterpillar 1P - which are juxtaposed on existing engine and bench tests in the API CG-4/CF-4 categories. These new tests ensure increased engine durability, while operating at high temperatures and high levels of soot in the crankcase. The high soot levelsMP expected in 1998 emission-controlled engines are a result of retarded fuel injection timing used to lower NOx, combined with high top-ring piston locations used to minimize particulate. API CH-4 is the most robust API diesel engine oil category ever developed. It improves the quality of diesel engine oils for both existing and new engines, using both low and normal fuel sulfur levels. In addition, it will allow a more flexible approach to oil drain intervals, in accordance with the recommendations of the individual engine manufacturers.