Low Viscosity Oils Provide Strong Engine Protection and Help with Cold Operating Conditions

Engine oil is the lifeblood of your truck’s engine, providing the protection and performance that it needs. Oil also helps to reduce harmful emissions and increase fuel economy savings. Many of these benefits have come about as diesel engine oil has needed to match the rapid pace of advancements in engine technology.

Changes to engines has been driven by emission legislation which has led to greater efficiency and reliability. Some of the technology in modern diesel engines that help them operate more efficiently and help reduce harmful CO2 emissions include:

  • High pressure, common-rail injection systems that improve combustion efficiency
  • Advances in turbocharger technology that increase power output
  • Exhaust gas recirculation or EGR, recirculates some of the engine's exhaust gas back to the engine cylinders to reduce NOx emissions.

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

Government regulations have made fuel economy a critical factor when engine manufacturers are designing engines. These engine changes place more stress on the oil, which must lubricate, cool, clean and protect over long oil-drain intervals. Engine oil can help to achieve an engine’s full potential for fuel economy without compromising the durability of engine parts. As engine manufacturers create cleaner, more fuel-efficient diesel engines, they require higher-performing low viscosity diesel engine oils to protect them.

Low viscosity oils are designed to provide strong engine protection, better fuel economy performance and low temperature flow. One of the most versatile oils is SAE 10W-30 which can often be used in place of SAE 15W-40 oil because it is suitable for a wide range of diesel engine applications.

Shell Rotella T5 10W-30 Synthetic Blend, with its wide range of specifications and approvals from many of the world’s leading engine makers, is an excellent choice for on-highway fleets, construction, agriculture and diesel pick-up trucks, including high-power vehicles where resistance to increased heat and stress is required.

The oil also excels at low temperature oil flow through an engine. Compared to 15W-40 oil, Shell Rotella T5 Synthetic Blend 10W-30 has cold cranking capabilities to -13°F / -25° C and low temperature pumpability to -30?C. That means it reaches critical engine parts faster in cold temperatures, to minimize engine wear and make hard work easier in harsh environments. Reliability counts when you need to get to work on a cold morning, need to pick up a load and get it delivered or get to a job site.

In addition to 10W-30 oil, a 5W-40 oil like Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 Full Synthetic also provides quicker flow through the engine in winter or any time of year. It’s perfect for cold weather driving and can offer up to a 1.5% fuel economy benefit compared to 15W-40 heavy duty engine oils. Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 Full Synthetic has cold cranking capabilities to – 29° F / -34° C.

For extreme cold in the northern United States and Canada, you can go even lower. Shell Rotella T6 0W-40 Full Synthetic oil is designed to provide highly responsive performance in extreme low temperature climates. It is formulated to provide effective flow to critical engine parts under extreme low temperature conditions. Shell Rotella T6 SAE 0W-40 provides the best low temperature performance in the Shell Rotella portfolio with cold cranking capabilities to - 60° F / -51° C.

Low viscosity engine oils provide the ability to operate in all types of weather and operating conditions while offering the engine protection and durability required. They also offer superior engine cleanliness and a fuel economy benefit.

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