Usage:
The emission regulations imposed by the US Federal Government require the sulfur in the fuel for on-highway diesel engines be reduced from the 0.5 percent level to 0.05 percent as defined in the ASTM D975 Fuel Specification. The ASTM D975-92 Specification now includes 5 grades of fuel:
- Low sulfur No. 1-D
- Low sulfur No. 2-D
- No. 1-D
- No. 2-D
- No. 4-D
- Low sulfur No. 2-D
The fuel sulfur in the No. 2-D fuel from the US refineries has been running about 0.25 percent to 0.30 percent for the last few years. Therefore, the sulfur in fuel for on-highway usage will be reduced from this value to the new lower value of 0.05 percent. This low sulfur fuel will be required to be available in the field for engine usage by October 1, 1993 in the USA. At present, low sulfur fuel will be in Canada in the 1995-96 time frame. The latest information is that 0.20 percent sulfur fuel will be imposed in Europe in October, 1994 and 0.05 percent in October 1996. The 0.05 percent sulfur fuel will be mandated in Japan in October, 1997. There are no immediate plans for the rest of the world to initiate any low sulfur fuel.
The energy content of the low sulfur fuel will not change from the higher sulfur level fuel previously used. The data available from Caterpillar engines from the field and from lab testing does not indicate any wear difference with low sulfur fuel. Therefore, fuel consumption and engine operation with low sulfur fuel should not differ from operation with the normal sulfur fuels which have been used.
The USA higher sulfur fuel will have a coloring which will distinguish it from the low sulfur fuel. The USA No. 1-D, No. 2-D and No. 4-D fuels are required to contain a sufficient amount of blue dye (1, 4-dialkyl amino anthraquinone) so its presence is apparent. Some of the fuels may contain an initial coloring which will change the blue dye to a bluish-green color.
The low sulfur fuels will be sold in the USA market place starting on or before October 1, 1993. Therefore, what Caterpillar engine crankcase oils should be used with this new fuel?
- *The present Caterpillar recommendation is API CF-4 performance oil and will continue to be API CF-4 for the low sulfur fuels.
- *Any Caterpillar precombustion chamber (PC) and older direct injected (DI) engines that have been using API CD or CE oils should upgrade to API CF-4 oils with the low sulfur fuel. Limited engine test data indicates the API CD and CE oil formulations may produce more top ring groove and piston top land deposits than the API CF-4 oil formulations with low sulfur fuel.
- *A new oil category is now under development which will be an upgrade in oil performance beyond API CF-4. This new oil will be a replacement for CF-4 when it becomes effective.
- *Any Caterpillar precombustion chamber (PC) and older direct injected (DI) engines that have been using API CD or CE oils should upgrade to API CF-4 oils with the low sulfur fuel. Limited engine test data indicates the API CD and CE oil formulations may produce more top ring groove and piston top land deposits than the API CF-4 oil formulations with low sulfur fuel.
In summary, the use of a low sulfur fuel in emission regulated engine applications will not produce any significant effects or changes in the oil requirements, API CF-4 is recommended. The older Caterpillar engines, which may have continued to use API CD and CE oils, should start the use of API CF-4 oil with the low sulfur fuels. Newer oil formulations are under development to replace the API CF-4 oils for additional performance improvements. The engines which continue to used the "normal" (0.5 percent or less) sulfur level fuels will continue to use the same oils as in the past, mostly API CF-4 for all Caterpillar engines except the 3600 Family of Engines. (Refer to Caterpillar Publications "Caterpillar Machine Lubricant Recommendations," SEBU6250 and "Caterpillar Engine And Marine Lubricant Recommendations," SEBU6251 for all these oil recommendations.)