New API Diesel Engine Oil Categories Arrive Dec. 1st

API has developed two visually different API Service Symbol Donuts so that consumers can distinguish between the two new categories of oils. Image: API

The American Petroleum Institute's new diesel engine oil-service categories, API CK-4 and FA-4, will begin appearing in the marketplace on December 1.

New API Donuts denoting the categories will appear on licensed products and marketing materials allowing consumers to identify oils meeting CK-4 or FA-4, which are expected to be recommended in new owner's manuals and by engine manufacturers.

The new specifications were designed to address the varying needs of engine technologies in aging, new, and in-use on- and off-highway applications to help diesel engine manufacturers meet stringent emissions and fule-mileage requirements.

“December 1 is an industry milestone as it marks the first day new API CK-4 and FA-4 engine oils can be marketed and sold on retail shelves or in bulk,” said Kevin Ferrick, senior manager of API's Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System. “The time between approval of the categories last winter and the first licensing on December 1 gave large, medium, and small oil marketers the ability to test their new formulations and ready them for market. This signals the culmination of almost nine years of cross-industry collaboration in the development of the new standards.”

API CK-4 oils will replace current API CJ-4 engine oils and will be backwards-compatible for most applications for which engine manufacturers currently recommend CJ-4. The new CK-4 oils will provide a number of improvements over CJ-4, including improved shear stability, oxidation resistance, and aeration control.

API FA-4 oils will provide similar improvements over CJ-4 oils, but it is important to note that FA-4 oils are only intended for use in newer on-highway diesel engines.

FA-4 oils will have limited or no backwards compatibility with on- and off-highway diesel engines for which engine manufacturers have recommended ...Read the rest of this story

Truck Tonnage Down Slightly in October

Source: ATA

The American Trucking Associations' advanced seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index contracted by 0.3% in October, following a 6.3% drop during September.

In October, the index equaled 131.6, down from 131.9 in September and was well below the all-time high reading of 144 in February of this year. Compared to October 2015, the index shrank by 0.9%, the second straight year-over-year decline. However, year-to-date, compared to 2015, tonnage was actually up 2.5%.

“Retail sales, housing starts, and even factory output all improved in October, which is a good sign,” said Bob Costello, ATA chief economist. “Most importantly, there has been considerable progress made in clearing out excess stocks throughout the supply chain. While that correction is still ongoing, there has been enough improvement that the negative drag on tonnage shouldn't be as large going forward.”

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by fleets before being seasonally adjusted, equaled 138.2, which was 1.9% above the previous month at 135.6.

“While seasonally adjusted tonnage fell, meaning the not seasonally adjusted gain wasn't as large as expected, the bottom of the current tonnage cycle should be near,” said Costello. “There are some recent trends that suggest truck freight should improve, albeit gradually, soon.”

Related: Economic Growth Springs Back to Life

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Truck tonnage shrinks in October

The American Trucking Associations (ATA) for-hire truck tonnage index contracted 0.3% in October, following a revised 6.3% drop during September though year-to-date tonnage is up 2.5% overall compared to the same stretch in 2015.

Yet Bob Costello, ATA's chief economist, expressed confidence in a statement that the industry should be near the bottom of the current tonnage cycle

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Mercedes-Benz Van Upfitter Program Now Underway

Photo of Mercedes-Benz Metris Worker courtesy of MBUSA.

Mercedes-Benz's MasterSolutions upfitter program has launched for Metris and Sprinter vans to provide common equipment packages for fleets through a Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner dealer.

Mercedes-Benz first announced the MasterSolutions program in July, when it unveiled plans to expand its South Carolina van plant to meet increasing demand.

With the program, fleets can order full-size Sprinter or mid-size Metris cargo and passenger vans with equipment from Auto Truck Group, Knapheide, or Smartliner. The upfitters can install shelves, racks, cab chassis bodies or refrigeration units. Auto Truck Group has invested in a new ship-through facility near the Daimler Vans Assembly Plant in Ladson, S.C.

Mercedes-Benz is also expanding its more affordable Worker models of the Sprinter and Metris models. The company has also expanded its MasterUpfitter program, which grants highly qualified upfitters access to 3D engineering data, technical updates and detailed technical seminars.

Related: Mercedes-Benz Expands Van Offerings, Adds Ship-Thru

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Detroit DT12 automated manual transmission now offers PTO option

Detroit Diesel Corporation and its component brand Detroit announced the availability of a power take-off (PTO) option for its automated manual transmission, the Detroit DT12.

Both the Direct Drive and Over Drive DT12 transmissions are available for order with a proprietary rear mounted PTO on original Freightliner Cascadia models with or without the Evolution aerodynamic package, and Western Star 5700XE models. This option is scheduled to be available for the new Freightliner Cascadia on Jan. 1, 2018.

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Diesel prices continue to fall, down 2.2 cents

The average U.S. retail pump price for diesel fell 2.2 cents in the Nov. 21 report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), to $2.421 per gallon. That's 2.4 cents cheaper than this time last year.

Every region saw a price decline, paced by the Rocky Mountains, where a gallon was 3.7 cents cheaper ($2.455), and California, down 3.3 cents ($2.804).

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