Shell Rotella has a new website, WhatisPC11.com, to help educate people about the next generation of diesel engine oils known as API Proposed Category 11 (PC-11).

The website is designed to be a resource for topics such as the fundamentals of PC-11, impending changes, testing updates, and how it is expected to affect new, current and older engines when the category replaces API CJ-4 engine oils by 2017.

“PC-11 is a constantly developing specification and new information is available regularly to guide the industry through the expected changes,” said Kate Faucher, global marketing projects lead for Shell Lubricants. “The new Shell Rotella interactive PC-11 website will serve as a resource for fleets, owner/operators and anyone driving a diesel-powered pickup truck or operating equipment to learn more about PC-11 and how it will affect their business.”

WhatisPC11.com shares the journey of the creation of PC-11, why a new oil standard is necessary, and how new lower-viscosity oils are being developed.

Unlike past categories that are backward compatible with the previous category, the new category will have two subcategories, one that is backward compatible to older engines and one that will work with upcoming engine designs.

“With two subcategories and new engine hardware tests, there will be lots of questions about how the oils will be formulated and which oil should be used for different applications,” said Dan Arcy, OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants.

WhatisPC11.com will cover the following topics and more:

• Why a new engine oil specification is needed

• How the two subcategories are different and will be distinguished in the marketplace

• What PC-11 will mean for fleets, owner-operators, construction, agriculture and diesel pickup trucks

• Changes to diesel engine technology

• The type of testing done to make PC-11 a reality

• How Shell Lubricants is developing its new Shell Rotella PC-11 heavy duty engine oils

The new API PC-11 category is being driven by changes in engine technology to meet emissions, renewable fuel and fuel economy standards for reduced CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions.  In addition, changes in engine hardware and operating conditions that better represent new engine technology in the marketplace since the last heavy-duty engine oil category was introduced in 2006.  Several engine tests need upgrading and older test hardware is expected to become unavailable. When the new PC-11 is first licensable, it will have been almost 10 years since the current category was introduced.