Finding the Right Oil for Modern Times

Choosing the right oil for a modern vehicle is now more complicated than ever with manufacturers requesting different grades and specifications as well as approved oils to maintain performance, fuel economy and preserve new vehicle warranties.

These different specifications require different chemistries and therefore you can have multiple specifications of oil that have the same viscosity.

An example of different oils with the same viscosity can be found by using European ACEA specifications.

The current sequence means you could have up to seven different passenger car and light duty commercial oils with the same viscosity, but different specifications. Add in manufacturer specifications and/or approvals and suddenly this can climb even higher.

This is confusing for distributors, retailers, consumers and service personnel alike when choosing the correct oil for a vehicle.

Service, worskshop and repair centres also need economies of scale, so they don’t want to be carrying large volumes of different types of engine oils – this is costly and ties up money in inventory that could be used elsewhere in their business.

As such, modern vehicle service and repair centres want products that can cover as many vehicle specification requirements as possible, including oils that can be used in both petrol and diesel engines.

They also want the oils to meet manufacturer requirements, fuel economy claims, emission requirements and to preserve vehicle warranties for their customers.

The situation is also an issue for retailers, as their shelves are not elastic and carrying a huge range does not necessarily mean they can cover every scenario for their customers.

Penrite explains that modern engines have different needs to their predecessors in terms of lubrication.

Multi-cams and multi-valves have replaced pushrods, fuel injection has replaced carburettors on petrol engines and common rail has replaced direct injection on diesel engines. At the same time the use of turbo charging and supercharging has placed increased requirement levels of protection, cleanliness and emission compliance on the lubricant.

Modern specification engine oils with their lower viscosity need to last longer, stay in grade for longer, prevent wear and corrosion, resist oxidisation, aid fuel economy, prevent LSPI (Low Speed Pre-Ignition) and leave less turbo charger and engine deposits than previous oil specifications.

In the last 10 years, Penrite explains that Australia has seen a significant change in the make up of the Australian Car Park as well as an increase in the amount of diesel engined passenger car and light duty commercial vehicles taking to the road.

The increase in sales of SUVs has contributed to them now surpassing passenger cars in sales, with Australia’s two biggest selling vehicles for the last three years being the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger which are both predominantly diesel powered.

This increase in the amount of diesel powered vehicles on Australian roads over the last 10 years, has seen the need for an expanded specification range of oils to cover modern turbo charged, common rail engines that are fitted with exhaust after treatment systems such as DPFs (Diesel Particulate Filters).

The demise of the Australian big petrol powered car also continues with small and mid sized passenger cars now being the top sellers in the category. These vehicles also require modern lubricants that assist the vehicle to meet its regulatory compliances. Petrol engined vehicles are now also being fitted with GPDs (Gasoline Particle Filters) as well as catalytic converters.

Both petrol and diesel powered vehicles are trending toward lower viscosity, fuel efficient and emission friendly type lubricants. Popular modern oil specification types with manufacturers are oils that meet API SN/SM, ILSAC GF-4/GF-5 and/or ACEA C3 or C2 specifications.

So what does all of this mean? Penrite say that essentially, it means having one oil that meets all criteria is not, at the moment, a reality.

In a time where oil varieties are expanding with new specifications and multitudes of new products to cover these applications, Penrite says it has been able to develop an oil – Penrite Enviro+ C3 5W-30 – which can satisfy the needs of many while also reducing inventory for the trade.

Penrite’s Enviro+ C3 5W-30 is a full synthetic SAE 5W-30 Mid SAPS (Sulphated Ash Phosphorus and Sulphur) engine oil that meets European ACEA C3 and ACEA C2 specifications as well as US API SN.

Penrite says its unique formulation gives it the protection of an ACEA C3 oil with the fuel savings of an ACEA C2 oil.

It may also be used where fuel economy, long life grades such as ACEA A5/B5 is needed and where petrol grades API SN, API SM or API SL and ILSAC grades GF-4 or GF-5 fuel economy specifications are required.

Enviro+ C3 5W-30 is Mercedes Benz Approved to MB-Approval 229.52 and can be used where BMW Longlife’04, GMW 16177, Chrysler MS- 11106 and Ford M2C946-A is required.

It can be used in both Petrol and Diesel engines and is compatible with after treatment systems such as DPFs (Diesel Particulate Filters), GPFs (Gasoline Particle Filters) and is safe for modern catalysts on petrol or diesel engines.

Enviro + C3 5W-30 is available in sizes from one litre to 205 litre including in the innovative and environmentally friendly Enviro-Box packaging, another Penrite innovation for Australia.

To find out whether Enviro+ C3 is suitable for your vehicle, visit the Penrite Product Selector at www. penriteoil.com.au/product-selector or call the Penrite Technical Help Line on 1300 736 748.

Penrite’s Enviro+ engine oils are its Low and Mid SAPS range of products for modern, fuel efficient, low emission engines.

To see the full range, go to www.penriteoil.com.au/products/brands/enviro+