​Shell Lubricants Announces Shell Rotella Portfolio To Meet API CK-4 And FA-4 Categories

Houston, TX… Shell Lubricants has introduced a new portfolio of Shell Rotella heavy duty diesel engine oils. New Shell ROTELLA® T4 Triple Protection 15W-40 and 10W-30 along with Shell ROTELLA® T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 are formulated to meet the specification criteria for the new API CK-4 service category for diesel engine oil. They are the most technologically advanced Shell Rotella engine oils ever and also offer the protection required by diesel engine manufacturers. New Shell Rotella API FA-4 oils will be available later this year.

“We have been working on the new CK-4 and FA-4 specifications of heavy duty engine oils for more than five years, keeping in mind that meeting the new specifications was simply a starting point for Shell ROTELLA®,” said Chris Guerrero, global heavy-duty diesel engine oil Brand Marketing Manager. “Our real destination was to create our most technically advanced, hardest working products to date. These oils have been tested over millions of miles and thousands of hours on the road and in the field. They are proven to work just as hard as the folks who use them, in both newer and older equipment. And with our updated portfolio structure, choosing the right Rotella oil has never been easier."

Oil technology and engine technology go hand in hand. Changing regulatory limits challenge engine manufacturers to reduce emissions. As engine manufacturers create a new generation of lower CO2, more fuel-efficient diesel engines, they need a new generation of higher-performing diesel engine oils to protect them.

Shell Rotella Ladder of Protection

Iconic Shell ROTELLA® T Triple Protection is now Shell ROTELLA® T4 Triple Protection as it takes its place in the new Rotella portfolio which provides a ladder of protection for diesel engines. For advanced synthetic engine oil needs, Shell ROTELLA® T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 has been reengineered as well. Both of these engine oils will be on retail shelves soon. They will not show the API CK-4 donut until December 1, 2016, which is the date of first license for CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils.

Shell ROTELLA® T5 Ultra [Synthetic Blend] 10W-30, which will meet the API FA-4 specification, will be introduced in December. It is designed for improved fuel economy versus ROTELLA® CK-4 oils while offering equivalent wear protection to CK-4 products. Shell ROTELLA® T5 Synthetic Blend 15W-40, Shell ROTELLA® T6 Full Synthetic 5W-40 will also be reformulated to meet CK-4 specifications.

Selecting the proper Shell ROTELLA® engine oil for a truck or equipment will be easy. If it was built prior to 2016, whether it is on- or off-highway, choose CK-4 oil which directly replaces CJ-4 oils. For a 2017 on-highway vehicle; check with the manufacturer before changing the oil for the first time and if they allow a FA-4 oil, choose Shell ROTELLA® T5 Ultra 10W-30. Shell ROTELLA® will also be introducing a Shell ROTELLA T6 Multi-Vehicle 5W-30 which will meet API CK-4 and API SN standards allowing its use in both diesel and gasoline engines.

“The Shell ROTELLA® portfolio will have new bottles and labels that evolve from the current offering, said Guerrero. “Our goal was to protect the recognizable look of our bottles while simplifying the naming and developing a strong label design to help our customers select the proper Rotella product to meet their needs.”

The logical naming structure of T4 to T5 to T6 and the Triple Protection identifier makes each engine oil easy to identify. Shell ROTELLA® T4 products will maintain their white bottle, Shell ROTELLA® T5 Synthetic Blend products will maintain their silver color and Shell ROTELLA® T6 Full Synthetic products will continue in blue bottles. The bottles retain a much-preferred two-handled design for easy pouring and the thinner dimension fits easily on retail shelves, in a shop or truck. Shell ROTELLA® bottles will be available in one-gallon and quart sizes.

CK-4 and FA-4 Background

The new API CK-4 and FA-4 categories are driven by changes in engine technology to meet emissions, renewable fuel and fuel economy standards for reduced CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the new specification refreshes test limits in response to changes in engine hardware and operating condition. The last heavy-duty engine oil category, CJ-4, was introduced in 2006 and since that time, several engine tests need upgrading and older test hardware has become unavailable.

•CK-4 oils will replace today’s lubricants and will be completely backwards compatible with all current engines. They will be designed with improved oxidation resistance, shear stability and aeration control.

•FA-4 oils include lower viscosity grades designed for next-generation diesel engines to help maximize fuel economy without sacrificing engine protection. These oils will have limited backwards compatibility because some older engines were not designed to operate with lower viscosity grades.