Evolving fuel efficiency and regulatory standards are requiring vehicles to burn less energy and reduce emissions. One of the tactics used to address these requirements is the strategic selection of engine oil. The harder your engine works, the more fuel it has to burn to compensate for the energy lost through heat and friction.
When this loss of fuel persists over years of driving, it adds up to a significant financial loss. The right oil will reduce friction by optimally lubricating contact points so that components don't require as much energy to run smoothly. CITGO Senior Product Specialist, Steven Bowles, reveals how CITGO® CITGARD® 700 Synthetic Blend Heavy Duty Engine Oil SAE 10W-30 is helping both on and off-road vehicles conserve fuel, save costs and meet efficiency demands.
Viscosity is one of the most important properties of an engine oil. Basically, viscosity is how thick or thin the oil is and how easily it flows. Lower-viscosity engine oils are thinner and flow more easily than higher-viscosity oils.
During operation, it takes less energy for an engine to pump low-viscosity oils than high-viscosity oils. Picture two swimmers racing each other, and one is swimming in water and the other is swimming in honey. Which swimmer is going to have a harder time and spend more energy? The one swimming in the thicker fluid. The key to engine oil is that it has to be the right viscosity to maintain an effective fluid film between parts, but not too thick of a film to cause energy loss.
CITGO has a Guaranteed Efficiency Program (GEP) that guarantees a fleet at least a 1.5% increase in fuel efficiency, up to 3% when switching from a 15W-40 engine oil to one of our CITGARD 700, 800 or 1000 Heavy Duty Engine Oils (10W-30 or 5W-30). We have many fleets that have participated in this program and achieved these results or higher.
With regards to Green House Gases (GHG), namely CO2, the main way to reduce CO2 emissions is to burn less fuel (increase fuel economy). CITGARD 700 10W-30, CITGARD 800 10W-30 and CITGARD 1000 5W-30 help increase fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. The entire CITGARD Engine oil line helps keep engines clean and running efficiently, which can help reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions.
All the additives in CITGARD Heavy Duty Engine Oils help contribute to fuel economy since engine oil formulations require a well-balanced formula. If you over-treat in one area such as anti-wear, another area such as corrosion protection may suffer. That is a major reason why after-treatment additives are not recommended, since they tend to focus on one additive area and can alter the balanced engine oil chemistry.
CITGARD Heavy Duty Engine Oils do have excellent anti-wear protection - which protects engine components and helps keep the engine running longer, and antioxidants - which keep the oil from oxidizing and thickening up, allowing fuel economy benefits to be maintained throughout the oil drain interval.
CITGARD Heavy Duty Engine Oils also have a high Total Base Number (TBN) - which helps neutralize acids produced during combustion and a balanced detergent package with both Calcium and Magnesium detergents - which keeps parts clean and the engine running efficiently.
API currently has two heavy-duty engine oil categories, CK-4 oils, which are backward compatible and can be used in both newer and older engines, and FA-4 oils, which are typically for newer (2017 or later) engines but can be used for some older engines depending on the engine manufacturer.
It is always best to check your owner's manual to determine the appropriate engine oil. Most over-the-road trucks are currently factory-filled with either CK-4 or FA-4 10W-30, depending on the manufacturer. Off-Road manufacturers tend to fill with either CK-4 10W-30 or 15W-40.
If recommended by the manufacturer, 10W-30 engine oils can also save fuel in off-road applications.
CITGO has performed testing and field trials where results showed the wear metal levels with CITGARD 700 10W-30 are well below condemning limits even at drain intervals of 60,000 - 90,000 miles or more.
We have field trial data with a fleet that used the CITGARD 700 MFE 10W-30 (FA-4) on a truck that went 850,000 miles at 75,000-mile drain intervals and the parts looked terrific when the engine was examined.
As mentioned earlier, it's not just the wear protection, but the engine formula as a whole that provides for a clean, efficient engine. We have data that shows new oil with a 2% fuel economy improvement and the aged in-service oil at 50,000 miles still maintaining close to the same fuel economy.
Brundage Bone, the largest concrete pumping company in the United States, was able to save 2 - 2.5% annual fuel cost savings after switching from a 15W-40 engine oil to CITGARD 700 10W-30.
This is a good example of a fleet that's not an over-the-road fleet that is also able to save money by switching to CITGARD 700 10W-30. We have several over-the-road fleets that are averaging around 2 - 3% fuel efficiency.
Also, Foodliner®/Quest Liner®, one of the largest bulk food grade and specialty chemical carriers in the United States extended their oil drain intervals to 90,000 miles when they transitioned to CITGARD 700 MFE 10W-30.
Although much can be done to improve fuel efficiency (maintain your tire pressure, avoid excessive idling, etc.), switching to a lower-viscosity engine oil like CITGARD 700 10W-30 is one of the easiest tactics. Formulated to provide an optimal barrier between engine components, you can average 2 - 3% annual fuel cost savings while reducing emissions and maintaining the health of your engine.
For more information on the entire CITGARD Heavy Duty Engine Oil product line, visit CITGO Lubes Engine Oils.
