FAQ
It is essential to follow these recommendations in order to avoid risks for the reliability and durability of the mechanical components and post-treatment systems and thus preserve the vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.
To find the right oil for your engine, we provide our “Find my oil” service on our website.
Kinematic viscosity (expressed in mm2/s or Centistokes) represents the ability of a fluid to flow at a given temperature. The more viscous a fluid, the slower it will flow,
The kinematic viscosity of a fluid decreases when the temperature increases, there are several viscosity grades to characterize an engine oil (SAE J300): a cold grade which precedes a letter W (Winter) and a hot grade after the W ( example: SAE 0W-30).
The lower the cold grade (scale 0W to 25W), the easier the cold start will be, which will allow rapid engine lubrication.
The lower the hot grade (scale 8 to 60) the more the lubricant will contribute to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Conversely, a high viscosity grade when hot promotes a good thickness of the oil film and therefore better protection of the engine’s mechanical components. The current market trend is towards hot and cold fluid grades (0W-16)
Standards are used to classify lubricants based on quality and performance.
ACEA standards (Association of European Automobile Manufacturers)
ACEA standards define performance levels for lubricants.
ACEA Ax/ By: Light gasoline and diesel engines for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and light commercial vehicles.
ACEA Cx: Gasoline and Diesel engines equipped with exhaust gas treatment systems (catalysts, FAP/DPF – Particle filters-SCR-EGR)
ACEA E: Heavy-duty diesel engine for utility vehicles.
Examples: ACEA A3/B4 (mixed oil)
ACEA C3 (Diesel engine with DPF).
API standards (American Petroleum Institute)
Organization that defines classifications for lubricants on the North American market
API SX: (Service) for gasoline engines
API CX: (Commercial) for Diesel engines
JASO standards (Japanese Automotive Standards Organization.)
Japanese organization that establishes standards for petroleum products.
For motorcycle and scooter engines: JASO MAX
For public works machinery engines: JADO DHx
ILSAC Standards
International Committee for Standardization and Approval of North American & Japanese Manufacturers
ILSAC GF-1 to ILSAC GF-6: these standards are based on API SX standards plus specific “fuel economy” tests.
In addition to these international specifications, there are manufacturer standards based on physico-chemical and engine tests.
Examples: MB 229.52, (Mercedes-Benz); VW 504.00/507.00 (Volkswagen)…
There are 3 families of lubricant depending on the nature of the base oil:
Mineral oils formulated from base oils obtained from the refining of crude oil. They are found in the formulation of engine oils (grade 15W-40; 20W-40; 20W-50) transmission oils (grade 80W-90; 85W-140..) industrial oils (hydraulic, reducers, gears, etc.) )
Synthetic oils formulated from bases resulting from chemical synthesis or molecular recombination. These base oils give these formulations better properties in terms of volatility, thermal and oxidation resistance and better viscosity stability as a function of temperature. For all these reasons, synthetic oils allow an extension of oil change intervals compared to mineral oils. They are found in the latest generation engine oils (5W-40, 0W-20, 0W-16, etc.) transmission oils (75W-90, 75W-140, certain ATF oils, etc.) and long-lasting industrial oils lifetime.
Semi-synthetic oils are derived from a mixture of mineral and synthetic base oils (at least 10%); which gives them intermediate properties (ex: 10W-40 ACEA A3/B4)