In heavy trucks, long distance runs are almost frequent, so the engine must be running smoothly and at full capacity. Choosing the right oil and changing the oil regularly will help the car operate more efficiently and economically. Today, together with ZIC learn some essential information to "choose the right lubricant for heavy truck engines"!

Did you know that car lubricants are not used for heavy trucks?

• Heavy truck engine oils differ from car engine oils from specifications, viscosity, quality lubrication to special protective properties, so they are not interchangeable. Specifically:
• During the operation, heavy-load engines create a lot of dirt, so the used oil often has a lot of detergent and dispersant additives to clean the engine and maintain operation efficiency. Meanwhile, car engine oil is made with thinner oil film and minimized internal additives to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. As a result, they cannot clean or protect heavy-duty engines from wear.
• Heavy trucks use more waste gas treatment systems with complex structures that deal with the large amount of dirty gas generated during operation. The oil used must be compatible with those systems and in accordance with the specifications required by the vehicle manufacturer.
• There are some simple, basic-standard engine oils on the market today that are used for both cars and trucks manufactured in the 1990s and older. Since the emissions standards were not strictly questioned, the engine was not equipped with turbo and exhaust treatment systems, so there was no high requirement for oil. Therefore, ZIC recommends that you choose high quality and specialized oils to protect your engine and minimize your impact on the environment.

Choose the right lubricant for heavy truck engines with ZIC!

To choose the right lubricant you need, you need to understand and rely on the following 3 parameters: SAE, API, ACEA. Specifically:

SAE viscosity grade: the SAE viscosity grade does not indicate product quality, but plays an important role in determining the thinness of the lubricating layer between surfaces. SAE viscosity grade has the form SAE xxWyy. Inside:

• xx relates to the oil's ability to use cold temperatures, the smaller the xx is, the easier it is to use at low temperatures. For example: 0W oil has a freezing temperature lower than 10W, suitable for even cold and frozen countries.
• yy relative to viscosity at 1000C, yy the thicker the lubricating viscosity.

Since the viscosity will vary with temperature, the SAE value is chosen depending on the climatic zone of use and the manufacturer's requirements.
 

API standard: dividing diesel engine oil into grades CA, CB, CC, CD, CD-II, CE, CF, CF-2, CF-4, CG-4, CH-4, CI-4, CJ- 4, PC-11 (CK-4, FA-4). The later quality grades further improve and meet the requirements of both the previous quality grades, except for FA-4, CD-II and CF-2. The FA-4 standard is compatible with only specific engines. Standard CD-II and CF-2 are applicable to 2-stroke (2T) diesel engine.

ACEA standards: dividing heavy truck lubricants into grades: E4, E6, E7, E9. Choosing an ACEA lubricant suitable for a heavy truck must follow the engine manufacturer's requirements.

To choose the right truck engine lubricant, customers need to buy products that meet the SAE, ACEA, API criteria for each vehicle. Each car company will have its own requirements for each criterion, so please refer to the vehicle's manual or from official documents on the internet for the most accurate information.

SK ZIC range of lubricants for heavy duty engines

Did you know that ZIC always has high quality products that fully meet the above standards and are specific for each engine line? With heavy truck engines, ZIC X9000, ZIC X7000, ZIC X5000 and ZIC X3000 are 4 typical products certified by and recommended by major car manufacturers such as Man Truc & Bus AG, Volvo Group Trucks Technology, ...