Tear Down of Detroit Diesel DD15 To See effect of Shell Lubricant’s New PC-11

A massive amount of lab work goes into formulating a new heavy-duty diesel engine oil, every prototype oil goes through extensive field trials.

Below is pictures of the tear down of the detroit diesel DD15 to see effect of shell lubricant’s new PC-11 lube oil, done by Howard Hill.
Shell Lubricants has put about 40-million miles on some 450 vehicles to field test its oil for the upcoming PC-11 category. PC-11 is a new standard for lube oils coming from the American Petroleum Institute. The oils that meet that criteria are expected to be available late next year.

Howard Hill, heavy duty engine oil field trial engineer, Shell Lubricants, explains what he looks for in terms of wear or scuffing on piston rings.

The API’s PC-11 category is going to be a split category, with a high viscosity “A” version, and a low viscosity “B” version. It is anticipated that off-road equipment and older trucks will spec the use of PC-11A, whereas newer on-road trucks will use the PC-11B to gain fuel economy advantages.

Tearing down Detroit Diesel DD15
All the parts are laid down for inspection, cylinder liners are on the floor
picture 2: DD15 pistons tear down
Visible marks are expected what you don’t want to see are displaced metals

In early June, we had the opportunity to look at an engine teardown conducted by Shell Lubricants on a 2011/12 Freightliner Cascadia truck running a Detroit Diesel DD15 engine. The 475-horsepower DD15 has the latest emissions technology—selective catalytic reduction and a diesel particulate filter. This particular engine typically pulled about 76,000 pounds with a fuel economy of six to seven miles per gallon and registered about 20 percent idle time. Oil drain intervals averaged about 55,000 miles.
The work was performed by Howard Hill, heavy-duty engine oil field trial engineer, Shell Lubricants, and his team. Hill has conducted several hundred inspections for heavy duty engines during his 37 years with Shell. Hill looks for wear and deposits on every part of the engine touched by the lube oil, including:
Carbon and lacquer deposits on the piston rings, lands and underside
Ring face condition and sticking
Deposits on intake and exhaust valves
Wear and polish on camshaft, connecting rods and main bearings
Wear and polish on cylinder liners
Sludge in the oil pan, valve deck, rocker arms and rocker covers
Wear on the valve bridges and tips, rocker buttons, bushings and shafts, camshaft lobes and followers, and piston pin bushings
Wear and deposits on turbochargers.

Tear down of DD15
Hill inspects the internals of a rocker bushing, every thing was thoroughly inspected
Tear Down of DD15
camshafts are giving close examination and should not show excessive wear or polish, all metal to metal touch-points inspected
Tearing down DD15
These are rings and main bearing in perfect order, no wear noticed
Tearing down DD15
Hill explains the engine tear down process he just did
Tearing down DD15
Pistons are give exceptional close inspection with a magnifying lens
Tearing down DD15
each part is broken down into its smallest sub-assembly and throughly cleaned before inspection

In previous field trials Shell says it had found no discernable wear difference between its 15W-40 and its low viscosity 10W-30 oils. On the Freightliner Cascadia, the field trials ran a low high temp/high shear oil for the first 600,000 miles and then switched to a experimental PC-11B prototype for the next 200,000 miles. Of particular interest to Shell was the performance of the additive package in the experimental PC-11B prototype oil.
The end result says Shell is that low high temp/high shear oils can maintain durability, even with the latest emissions technology, a 10 percent extended oil drain interval and significant mileage.
Take a look at our photo gallery of the teardown of this Detroit Diesel above. Keep in mind that some visible wear is normal. What Hill says he looks for primarily are any places where metal to metal contact has displaced metal on one or both the parts. On this teardown Hill says he saw none and adds that it’s one of the best looking engines he’s ever seen for this stage in its life.
– See more: equipment world

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