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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Preparations for the introduction of PC-12 category engine oils are complete, according to the , an engine oil manufacturer and a truck maker.

PC-12 is intended to improve fuel economy and extend service life through greater heat tolerance/oil drain interval extension, improved aftertreatment performance, protection against liner scuffing plus lower viscosity.

Representatives of the API, Shell Rotella and Traton provided an update on progress toward the launch of PC-12 in 2027 at American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition.

API said March 15 that PC-12 had been formally approved and will be incorporated into API 1509, the Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System document.

PC-12 will replace the API CK-4 and FA-4 categories of engine oils.

“We’re ready for first licensing as we sit through a one-year mandatory API waiting period,” said Bill O’Ryan, API director of engine oil licensing and certification system.

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“PC-12 right now is really on the final step. We have cleared all of the preliminary hurdles. The technology demonstration period has ended, all of the ballots through ASTM and API lubricants group have all passed. The standards for API service category CL4 and FB4 have passed and are now going to be implemented into the API 1509 engine oil standard,” said O’Ryan.

“It is beneficial technically for modern engines. It will offer improvements that we’re looking for in areas of durability, oxidation control, wear protection, and so those improvements will be important for today’s engines and tomorrow’s engines,” said Heather DeBaun, Traton R&D vehicle fluids technical specialist.

DeBaun said truck makers were mostly seeking improved oxidation performance and elastomer compatibility.

International Motors parent company Traton in July unveiled plans to merge its global research and development operations under one umbrella.

The 9,000 R&D employees of the individual Scania, MAN, International Motors and Volkswagen Truck & Bus subsidiaries will team up with a further 3,000 colleagues until now working for the parent company, it said at the time. International has about 3,000 R&D staff in North America.

PC-12 development began in January 2022 as a precursor to the launch of lower-emission 2027 model year engines at the request of truck makers and Cummins.

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International said in January that plans for EPA 2027 configurations of its S13 powertrain were moving ahead at full steam.

API developed the engine oil in partnership with its members, the Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association and the American Chemistry Council.

“PC-12” is an abbreviation for “Proposed Category 12,” representing the 12th oil category developed by the API. It is set to be the first heavy-duty engine oil category introduced since the CK-4 and FA-4 categories in 2017.

CK-4 and FA-4 oils are a lower-viscosity formulation and better fit for 10W-30 weight oils typically used by newer engines, offering higher fuel economy.

PC-12 is set to be released in two service categories and will not be how fleets know the oil. One will be FB-4 for lower-viscosity oils, such as 10W-30 and below. It will be compatible for newer engines designed to use FA-4 engine oils. The second will be CL-4, and it will be compatible with older engines, which will help smaller fleets and owner-operators. CL-4 will be used for higher-viscosity oils, such as 15W-40 or 10W-30.

15W-40 remains the most popular choice. Engines rolling off production lines until now were designed with 10W-30 in mind.

Shell Rotella’s PC-12 oils have accumulated 8 million miles to date on the road in engines and over 12,000 hours on the off-highway side, said Karin Haumann, Shell Global Solutions OEM technical services manager.

“In preparation for PC-12 being available, fleets can look at what their current products that are in their fleet, the trucks that they have, what they can use, what’s recommended, and what future products that they’ll be purchasing if they’re able to,” Haumann said. "What are the recommendations? Can they use the products? And then decide what works best for their fleet with the products that are available.”