Lexington, NC. - As part of a reorganized and expanded “portfolio” of heavy-duty engine oils, Shell Lubricants introduced an all-new synthetic blend CJ-4 product and a reformulated full synthetic under its Shell Rotella brand name at a press conference held at the Richard Childress Racing facilities here. Both heavy-duty oils have been engineered to provide improved fuel economy while retaining wear characteristics equal to Rotella’s mineral oil engine lubricants, according to Dan Arcy, Shell Lubricants’ OEM technical manager.
The revamped Rotella line now includes five oils, all featuring Shell’s proprietary “Energized Protection” technology, which uses “adaptive molecules” that respond to the changing demands as oil moves through a heavy-duty diesel engine, according to Mark Reed, global brand manager for Shell Rotella
Shell Rotella 1 is a straight-grade oil offered in SAE 10W, 30, 40 and 50. Shell Rotella T3 is a CJ-4 oil designed for fleet applications and available in 15W-40 and 10W-30 grades. Shell Rotella T, also a CJ-4 oil, continues in the middle of the lubricant line with the same grades as T3 and a claimed 22% reduction in engine wear.
Moving up the line, the new Shell Rotella T5 is a synthetic blend in 10W-30 and 10W-40 grades. Initial testing in medium-duty trucks has shown a 1.6% improvement in fuel economy for the new blend in 10W-30 grade, and should provide similar fuel economy performance in heavy-duty engines, Arcy told Fleet Owner.
Intended for extreme conditions, Shell Rotella T6 (5W-40) fully synthetic oil combines excellent low-temperature performance with improved fuel economy, Arcy said. Reformulated from the company’s previous 5W-40 synthetic heavy-duty lube, T6 testing has also shown a 34% improvement in wear protection, he added.
Like the Shell Rotella multi-grade mineral oils, the two synthetic products are CJ-4 oils designed for compatibility with diesel particulate filters and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. They will both be available on Oct. 1.
In conjunction with its reorganization of the Shell Rotella line, the company announced that it will phase out its earlier API CI-4 standard lubricants by the end of the year. It also announced that its Shell Rimula, Pennzoil Long Life and Quaker State HDX products will be renamed and folded into the Shell Rotella product lineup in the first quarter of 2010.
