The Petroleum Quality Institute of America receives emails and phone calls nearly every day from consumers, marketers, blenders, and a number of others with questions about lubricant quality, performance, and other lubricant related issues on their minds. Whereas PQIA makes every effort to answer these questions, we take a pass on some because they are either outside the scope of PQIA’s mission or beyond our domain expertise. Understanding, however, that some of the questions are asked quite frequently, PQIA thought it would be of value to put them out to the industry for consideration. The following question, capturing the comments of others we hear from, is the first of this type and we welcome hearing from knowledgeable industry members about their thoughts on the question below. Let us know what you think
On the Minds of the Consumer
Updated Ford Motor Company CK-4/FA-4 Ford Position Statement
Comments:
September 7, 2018 – As an active professional in the lubricants business, in my opinion, there is no evidence that there are any widespread issues with the Ford 6.7L diesel or any other old or new diesel engines they use in their vehicles. Ford seems to have approved the vast majority of CK-4 engine oils submitted to them. It would seem that marketers who have shown the right information to Ford to demonstrate that their oils should work in both old and new engines have been granted approval. There are some prominent oils omitted from the list, but it would seem that Ford has not approved them because they have not brought data to definitively show they would not be an issue, not that Ford has determined that the oil will definitively not perform. These are oils with lower phosphorus levels/or technologies that have not had the long field service that appear to be of concern to Ford. There is no easy way to field test older engines and demonstrate that oils at less than 1000PPM phosphorus will work or not work in the field and Ford has apparently done this out of extreme caution. It is understood that Ford is also working to develop its own test to help build its confidence in the performance of the newer engine oil technologies and facilitate approvals. I would also note that Ford recently approved the use of API FA-4 on its newest small diesels without any special requirements, but of course these are new engines designed to handle lower viscosity and can be field tested.
Note: The views and opinions expressed in “Mining the Minds in the Lubricants Industry” do not necessarily reflect those of the PQIA, its supporters, or its members.
