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2 FIELD STUDY

testing procedures. The subject truck maintained itsusual operating procedure throughout the test period,and the same driver operated the truck on the sameroute the entire time. AMSOIL used the oil analysisresults from the initial drain interval, the subsequentdrain interval and a thorough teardown and inspectionby an independent, certified International mechanic toevaluate the performance of AMSOIL 15W-40 SyntheticDiesel and Marine Motor Oil.

HEUIThe Navistar DT466 engine employs a hydraulically actu-ated, electronically controlled unit injector (HEUI) systemthat uses engine oil pressure to run the fuel injectors.The HEUI system was designed to produce lower com-bustion noise and reduce hydrocarbon and nitrous oxidelevels during combustion, offering quieter, cleanerdiesel engine operation. HEUI systems feature a vari-able pump (in addition to the oil pump) that pressurizes

the oil according to the fuel injection systems needs,placing a considerable amount of additional strain onengine oil. HEUI systems can raise oil pressure to ashigh as 3,500 psi, creating great potential for shearingand adding significant stress to motor oil that is alreadyoperating in a severe environment. The HEUI systemsreputation for shearing less robust motor oils made theDT466 engine the perfect choice for testing the durabil-ity of AMSOIL Synthetic Heavy Duty Diesel and MarineMotor Oil.

In order to test the performance capabilitiesof AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Heavy Duty

Diesel and Marine Motor Oil (AME),AMSOIL sought a partner with a fleet thatoperated in truly severe conditions. Theperfect match was found in Duluth,Minn.-based Nordic Waste. Nordic Wasteoperates a fleet of 10 International refusehaulers, providing trash and recycling

pickup to residential and commercial cus-tomers in the greater Duluth/Superior, Wis.region. Nordics trucks operate in the bitter cold of sub-zero winters as well as on humid summer days that cantop out at over 90F. In addition, Lake Superiors influ-ence on the areas weather patterns can create extremetemperature swings just miles from the lake, somethingNordics trucks encounter regularly. The companysfleet runs 12 hours a day with frequent stops and red-lined starts, all while hauling up to 22,000 lbs. of refuseand navigating the seriously steep hills of Duluth.

As if the geographic challenges arent enough, per-haps the greatest strain these refuse haulers enginesface is dumping the refuse. This action requires theengine to remain near or above redline throughout theprocess and shakes the truck enough to nearly lift thefront tires off the ground. Nordics trucks dump theircontents twice daily, challenging the oils shear stabilityon a regular basis.

Navistar DT466Nordic Waste was chosen to participate in this studynot only because refuse haulers in general provide asevere operating environment for oil, but also becauseof the particular engine in the companys 2006International 7400 rear-loading truck. Notoriously hardon oil, the Navistar DT466 diesel engine is a 7.6L inline

six-cylinder designed specifically for use in large, com-mercial International trucks. Nordic Waste initiallyinstalled Shell Rotella T 15W-40 (239 hours), and theoil was monitored through oil analysis for the durationof the drain interval. For the subsequent drain interval,Nordic installed AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Heavy DutyDiesel and Marine Motor Oil and monitored the oilsperformance via oil analysis. Both oils shear strengthand TBN retention ability were examined using ASTM

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FIELD STUDY 3

Figure 3 details the accumulation of lead particlesover the drain interval. The condemnation limit for leadcontent is 60 ppm. A sudden spike in lead levels orlevels that approach the condemning limit indicate anabnormal wear situation and can indicate the need todrain the oil. AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil maintained consistently low lead levelsthroughout the 983-hour drain interval.

983-HOUR DRAIN INTERVAL

Used Oil AnalysisWear metal levels were tracked through oil analysis forthe duration of the drain interval. As the results reveal,the AMSOIL diesel oil contained wear metals wellbelow Internationals published condemnation limits,even after more than 900 hours of use.

Figure 1 displays the accumulation of copper wear

particles in AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and Marine MotorOil over 983 hours. Due to the extreme environmentcreated by the HEUI system, the condemning limit forcopper levels in the DT466 engine is 60 parts per mil-lion (ppm). The HEUI systems tendency to cause oilshearing thins out lesser oils at normal operating tem-peratures and increases the likelihood for abnormalengine wear. As the results demonstrate, AMSOIL15W-40 Synthetic Diesel Oil provided outstandingshear stability for the duration of the 983-hour draininterval.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

10 81 180 234 394 506 617 780 929 983

Hours of Service

PartsPerMillion

Copper Levels

2 2 13

5 4 46 7 7

Condemning Limit

Figure 1

0

50

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10 81 180 234 394 506 617 780 929 983

Hours of Servic e

PartsPerMillion

Iron Levels

26 23 2331 30 32

43

73

92 89

Condemning Limit

Figure 2

0

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10 81 180 234 394 506 617 780 929 983

Hours of Service

PartsPerMillion

Lead Levels

12

3 36

31 1

5 5 5

Condemning Limit

Figure 3

8

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0 100 200 400 600 800 1000

Hours of Servic e

ASTM D-445

cSt

6ISCOSITY#

March 200 8 Test Results

Figure 4

Figure 2 charts the rate at which iron wear particlesdeveloped. Once again, the extraordinary demand theengines HEUI system places on engine oil results in alow condemnation limit of 200 ppm of iron. Even after983 hours of use, AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil contained less than 100 ppm of iron.

Maximum DurabilityAMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and Marine MotorOil maintained exceptional lubrication properties for theduration of the 983-hour drain interval. It maintainedviscosity better than Shell Rotella T did, measuring12.33 centistokes (cSt) when drained. Shell Rotella T,on the other hand, measured 10.17 cSt after its 239-hour oil drain interval. AMSOIL Diesel Oil demonstratedsuperior shear stability over an extended drain interval,even in severe service.

Figure 4 shows kinematic viscosity of Shell Rotella

T and AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oilfor the duration of their respective drain intervals. Thetrend line for a high-quality motor oil should remainrelatively flat for the entire service period. AMSOIL15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oil showsa stable trend over the extended service period, wellbeyond the OEM-recommended drain interval.

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4 FIELD STUDY

Reduced WearFigure 7 shows one of the cylinder liners from theDT466 in Nordics truck. Lubrication is essential for thebore to remain operational. If sufficient lubrication is notprovided, excess heat may cause thermal expansion,which can force the cylinder out of round and signifi-cantly increase the potential for wear. After nearly8,000 hours of operation, the OEM cross-hatch patternin the cylinder is still evident, demonstrating the oilsexcellent wear control in spite of the extreme shaking,jarring and revving the motor is subjected to on a dailybasis. Though it is slight, the most wear occurred at thetop dead center of piston movement, where there isonly light oil film lubrication. Figure 8 shows top and

bottom bore measurements along with the OEM spec-ifications. Measurements for the sixth cylinder wereunavailable as International Truck retained that samplefor their records.

Superior Corrosion ProtectionAn oils ability to maintain corrosion protection through-out its service life is measured by Total Base Number(TBN). AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil is formulated with a high 12 TBN to ensurecorrosion protection from combustion blow-by andexhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for the life of the oil.The oil displayed excellent TBN retention ability for theentire 983-hour drain interval.

Figure 5 shows TBN results for AMSOIL 15W-40Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oil and Shell RotellaT for the duration of their respective drain intervals.TBN levels and hours of service have an inverse rela-tionship; as hours increase, TBN decreases. It is impor-tant that the slope of the TBN trend line is gradual andspans the life of the lubricant. A sharp downward trendindicates diminished protection, which, if notaddressed, can result in piston deposits and ring stick-ing. The performance of AMSOIL in the TBN test is inline with how a high-quality oil should perform. It main-tains TBN levels to effectively neutralize acidic by-products of combustion and keep engine components

free of deposits and corrosion.

ROUTINE ENGINE TEARDOWNAt approximately 8,000 hours of use, Nordic Wastebrought its International 7400 refuse hauler to certifiedInternational Truck mechanic Dan Lee for a routineteardown. Lee, who specializes in the DT466 engine,examined the pistons, rings, wrist pins and bearings,while the top and bottom cylinder (bore) diameterswere measured by PDQ Engine and Machine inDuluth, Minn.

Deposit-FreeFigure 6shows the subject trucks valvetrain. Thevalvetrain is typically prone to varnish and sludgedeposits on non-moving parts and valve springs.Sludge and varnish buildup appears as a thick, darkresidue. Many times, sludge is baked into a hard-to-remove carbonaceous consistency associated withan engine lubricant being overloaded with insolubles.AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oils robustadditive package and high TBN kept the DT466 cylin-der head and valvetrain free of deposits and sludge.

4

5

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8

9

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13

0 100 200 400 600 800 1000

Hours of Service

ASTM D-2896

TBN

Total Base Number

March 2008 Test Results

Figure 5

Figure 6

steedinene,,

-thles.ustlin-.

Figure 7

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FIELD STUDY 5

Piston cleanliness in this engine was representativeof an engine that had accumulated far fewer hours. Infact, Lee indicated that each piston was suitable forcontinued use. AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel andMarine Motor Oil resisted oxidation and volatility toallow minimal carbon deposit development betweencompression rings, on the crown and inside the ringland area. Conventional lubricants can allow undesiredcarbon buildup in these areas, which can cause piston

ring sticking and unnecessary wear. After nearly 8,000hours of service, the piston rings and skirts in Nordicstruck measured within OEM specifications for a newDT466 engine.

Figure 8 shows the top and intermediate piston ringmeasurements. Piston rings are measured by determin-ing the gap in each ring. As piston rings experiencewear, additional room for ring expansion is created,widening the ring gap. Lower measurements equate toless wear, yet any measurement within OEM specifica-tions is equivalent to rings when new. All of the toppiston rings were still within International specificationlimits for new engines, with an average measurementof 0.015 inches. All of the intermediate rings but onemeasured 0.074 inches, which is within Internationalspecifications. Since all of the other rings had identicalmeasurements, it is possible that the ring that was outof specified limits had been so since it was installed.Figure 9 shows ring locations.

Figure 10shows Lee measuring a piston skirt inorder to determine the amount of wear that had

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Top Bore Bottom Bore Top Ring Intermediate Ring Piston Skirt Wrist Pin

OEM Spec 4.590 - 4.591 4.590 - 4.591 0.014 - 0.026 0.065 - 0.075 4.584 - 4.586 1.8249 - 1.8251Part Set A 4.5915 4.5905 0.016 0.074 4.585 1.826

Part Set B 4.5905 4.590 0.015 0.074 4.585 1.825

Part Set C 4.591 4.590 0.018 0.082 4.585 1.825

Part Set D 4.591 4.590 0.015 0.074 4.585 1.825

Part Set E 4.591 4.5905 0.014 0.074 4.585 1.825

Figure 8

occurred. Skirt measurements are determined by mea-suring the outer diameter of the piston, halfway betweenthe crown (top) and base. The diameters of each pistonskirt from Nordics truck were identical, measuring4.585 inches (seeFigure 8). The piston skirts showedno measurable wear and were within Internationalspecifications for a new DT466 engine.

Figure 11 shows an example of the piston skirt andcrown from Nordics DT466. Lee indicated that pistoncleanliness was similar to engines that had accumulatedsignificantly less hours and were suitable for continueduse. None of the pistons showed any signs of abnormalor visual wear.

Top Ring

Int. Ring

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6 FIELD STUDY

Figure 12 shows one of the wrist pins from Nordicstruck. Extreme force in the combustion chamber trans-fers the load directly to the wrist pin, creating the needfor a durable, shear-stable oil in order to prohibit metal-to-metal contact. The wrist pins from the Nordic Wastetruck measured within OEM specifications. No flat-spotting occurred and, even after daily severe serviceover extended drain intervals, the wrist pins measure-ments were similar to when originally pressed into the

piston by the engine manufacturer. (See Figure 8 formeasurements.) Higher measurements equate to lesswear because as wear occurs, wrist pin diameters arereduced. AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and Marine MotorOils superior film strengthdelivered exceptional protec-tion in this severe environ-ment, effectively preventingcomponent wear.

Figure 13 shows the bear-ings from Nordics DT466engine. No copper lining ordiscoloration was evident onthe bearings, proving that

very little wear occurred. Theywere very clean and showedinsignificant levels of pitting inthe bearing surface. Accordingto Lee, each bearing was ingood condition and showedwear levels consistent withthose of a light-duty enginereceiving four times as manyoil changes.

The lack of copper show-ing on the bearings provesminimal wear has occurred,

said Lee. For the hours on this unit, these bearingslook very good. If it werent for the routine maintenanceinterval requiring replacement, these bearings are stillin good enough condition to be reused. Lee attributedthe minor wear on the bearings to break-in wear whenthe engine was new. What little wear was evident onthe bearings was from engine break-in and the bearingslook far better than many I have seen, said Lee. Enginebearings cannot be measured without the piston rodsand end caps, which were put back into the engineprior to Lees inspection.

Figure 13

Figure 12

USE OF AMSOIL SYNTHETIC

DIESEL OIL SAVES MONEY

Nordics Experience WithConventional OilsBetween the unique climate and geographic chal-lenges, the HEUI system, constant use of the truckshydraulic applications and regular near-redline opera-tion, Nordic Wastes trucks provide a serious challengefor any motor oil. In fact, it was Nordics search for anoil that could withstand the punishment doled out byits vehicles every day that led the company toAMSOIL.

With the big hills, high heat and extreme cold wework in, nothing has performed better, said NordicWaste Owner Brian Johnson. Johnson noted thatNordic Waste had installed other diesel oils in its trucksbut none were able to provide the level of protectionoffered by AMSOIL. Prior to discovering AMSOIL, theconventional lubricants Nordic used would shear outof viscosity-grade rapidly and need to be changed atapproximately 200 hours of service. Upon switching to

AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and Marine MotorOil, Nordic Waste increased the average drain intervalfor its trucks from approximately 200 hours to nearly1,000 hours.

Extreme-Temperature PerformanceThe extreme temperatures faced in the Duluth/Superiorregion place great strain on Nordics fleet. Winter tem-peratures dropping below -30F are not unusual, socold starts and hydraulic functions are especially sen-sitive areas for Nordic Waste.

Cold starts were a primary concern for us, saidJohnson. Even though we use block heaters in thewinter, you never know when you might come to work

and find that the breaker tripped or a driver forgot toplug in the truck the previous evening. Nordics driversbegin their day around 3:30 a.m., so there is no timefor troubleshooting or engine repairs prior to beginningtheir routes. The cold-start issues plagued NordicWaste for nearly six months out of every year, until thecompany switched to AMSOIL products.

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FIELD STUDY 7

With conventional lubricants, when trucks werentplugged in, starting would be difficult, if even possible,and even if the trucks turned over, engine protectionwould be minimal because no oil pressure would appearon the gauge, said Johnson. The test trucks operator,Wayne Carlson, noticed the difference with AMSOILSynthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oil right away. Thetruck has excellent performance in winter, said Carlson.It fires right up without being plugged in and there is

instant oil pressure with AMSOIL. In trucks I have drivenusing conventional lubricants, it could take more thana minute to build any oil pressure when cold, providinglittle engine protection. AMSOIL 15W-40 SyntheticDiesel and Marine Motor Oil is formulated to provideexceptional cold-temperature performance. Its cold-flow properties have saved Nordic Waste time andmoney, and delivered peace of mind with the knowl-edge that the companys trucks will start on even thecoldest winter morning.

AMSOIL Diesel Oil Saves MoneyUse of AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil, along with oil analysis, has allowed Nordic

Waste to extend its trucks oil drain intervals to nearly1,000 hours four times the length of service possiblewhen using Shell Rotella T. Nordics trucks are well-protected, so they stay out of the shop and on the road.

We experience less downtime and have seen reduc-tions in costs associated with engine overhauls andreplacement parts, said Johnson. Refuse haulers arevery expensive, so maintaining spare trucks is not afford-able for a small company. Operating with a minimalnumber of trucks requires maximum uptime to ensurecustomers are serviced properly. By delivering superiorprotection over extended drain intervals and improvingengine reliability, AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil provides Nordic Waste consistent depend-ability and reduced maintenance (increased uptime).Increased uptime has helped Nordic Waste maintain anaccurate schedule and provide excellent customer ser-vice trucks are more readily available for routes whenthey arent in the shop for service. In addition to improv-ing the companys operations, extended drain intervalssave Nordic a considerable amount of money annually.

We buy significantly less oil, fewer filters and weexperience lower labor costs, said Johnson. Our big-gest savings have been the reduced number of engineoverhauls and replacement parts.

Use of AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and Marine

Money Saved by Using AMSOIL* AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic

Shell Rotella T Diesel and Marine Motor Oil

Annual Hours 2,500 2,500Oil Drain Interval (Hours) 250 900Oil Changes Per Year 10 3Cost Per Gallon $16.45 $36.05Cost Per Oil Change (7.5 Gal.) $123.38 $270.38Annual Cost Per Truck $1,233.75 $811.13Annual Savings $422.62 Per Truck

Figure 14

Motor Oil saves Nordic Waste thousands of dollars inoil alone, in addition to reduced expenses for labor,filters and waste oil and used filter disposal.Figure 14shows the annual savings realized by converting onetruck to AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil. The oil is installed in all 10 of Nordic Wastestrucks, providing an annual savings of $4,226.20* inoil costs alone.

Environmental BenefitsUse of AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil helps Nordic Waste reduce its environmentalimpact, something thats important to a company thatprovides recycling services. Nordics extended drainintervals have reduced the amount of oil the companydisposes of by up to 75 percent. In addition, AMSOILSynthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oils superior ther-mal resistance helps it effectively resist volatilization(burn-off) better than conventional oils. This truckhardly ever consumes any oil; less than one quart peroil change, which is very good compared to oils in othertrucks I have driven, said Carlson.

ConclusionAMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oilprovides superior performance in the harsh environmentfaced by refuse haulers. Through oil analysis, NordicWaste has been able to safely extend the oil drain inter-vals in the companys fleet to more than four times thedrain interval possible using Shell Rotella T. In this fieldstudy, AMSOIL Synthetic Diesel and Marine Motor Oildemonstrated excellent wear protection for the entire983-hour drain interval. Its TBN retention was excellent,it provided exceptional corrosion protection and mini-mized sludge formation, as evidenced by the absenceof corrosive areas or sludge buildup on engine compo-nents during the routine teardown. AMSOIL Synthetic

Diesel and Marine Motor Oil prevented soot-thickening,resisted oxidation and minimized wear. It also maintainedproper viscosity for the duration of the 983-hour draininterval in spite of the severe operating environment andHEUI injection system. Adversely, Shell Rotella T 15W-40sheared out of viscosity-grade rapidly, requiring an oilchange after only 239 hours of service. Nordic Wastesuse of AMSOIL 15W-40 Synthetic Diesel and MarineMotor Oil has improved the fleets performance andlongevity, and reduced the companys maintenancecosts. AMSOIL saves Nordic Waste a significant amountof money annually.

*November 2011 suggested retail pricing.

AMSOIL accounts buy at wholesale pricing, saving even more.

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With AMSOIL, we bu

less oil, fewer filters,

experience lower

labor costs and save

engine overhauls and

replacement parts.

Brian John

Owner, Nordic Wa

In the two years Ive been riding with

AMSOIL, Ive never experienced a single

engine problem.

Wayne Carlson

Operator, Nordic Waste

AMSOIL products and Dealership information are

available from your local AMSOIL Dealer.

AMSOIL INC., 925 Tower Ave., Superior, WI 54880 (715) 392-7101 Fax: (715) 392-5225, (715) 392-5267 Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2012 G2695 1/12