ChevronTexaco Meets New Caterpillar Engine Oil Specification

Furthering its heavy-duty engine oil leadership position, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants today announced its North America heavy-duty engine oils are compliant with the new ECF-1 specification from Caterpillar.
Caterpillar announced the new specification would become effective on June 1, 2003. Furthermore, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants is moving towards ECF-1 formulations worldwide to meet Caterpillar’s new specification. Diesel engine oils meeting ECF-1 are intended for use in all Caterpillar diesel engines worldwide (with the exception of 3600 Series and MAK) including new low emissions engines currently being produced.
ECF-1 defines an engine oil that will provide excellent soot control, acid neutralization capability, maximum thermal stability, and wear control while minimizing diesel engine piston deposits. Engine oils conforming to the ECF-1 requirements must meet the qualifications of API CH-4 or CI-4 performance categories and additional requirements for optimum performance and durability of all diesel engines.
“ChevronTexaco is committed to providing its global customers with products and services that meet or exceed industry regulations,” said Jim McGeehan, global manager of engine oil technology, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants. “Once again, we have demonstrated commitment to our customers, who, regardless of geography, will have the best products available for their fleet of Caterpillar equipped vehicles.”
As a leading developer and supplier of heavy-duty lubricants and coolants, ChevronTexaco Global Lubricants has been conducting tests cooperatively with Caterpillar during the development of the ECF-1 specification.
With the exception of Caterpillar, heavy-duty engine builders employ cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) to meet new EPA NOx emission standards that went into effect in October 2002. Caterpillar has developed a proprietary technology known as “Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology”, or ACERT(TM). Unlike engines equipped with EGR, ACERT(TM) systems lower NOx within the cylinder and use an oxidation catalyst for soluble organic fractions (SOF) such as unburned fuel and oil.
The ECF-1 specification assures proper performance in Caterpillar’s ACERT engines, allowing the new engine/emissions systems to operate at acceptable durability, drain interval, and reliability levels.
In addition to meeting ECF-1, all of ChevronTexaco’s heavy-duty multigrade engine oils continue to meet the highest performance requirements for EGR and previous generation diesel engines.