THE KNOWLEDGE

Using the wrong engine oil can have big consequences. Modern engines are built to very different design philosophies and increasingly tight tolerances, and an incorrect oil can block filters, poison catalysts, and even cause oil starvation. It’s vital that the owner checks the vehicle manual and uses the correct oil for the car. Castrol’s technical expert Pawel Mastalerek sat down to answer the most important questions about vehicle oil.

Is oil compatibility dictated by viscosity alone?

Different oil specifications will need different chemistries to reach the performance required. Some engines run at a higher temperature and need extra antioxidants and detergents to prevent oil breakdown and piston deposits. Others have exhaust after-treatment devices to reduce emissions, which will need lower levels of some additives to prevent blocking or poisoning. That’s why it’s vital that the right specification of oil for the vehicle is used. If you’re unsure, the Castrol Oil Selector on the Castrol website provides personalised product recommendations.

How can garages with limited storage space or businesses that want to streamline their setup continue to deliver for customers?

Combi-products that combine many of the key industry and OEM specifications can help reduce the number of oils required. If you can identify the key specifications and viscosity grades that customers need, then they can keep larger drums of those in stock. Garages can contact the Castrol workshop team with specific challenges and Castrol will work with them to get the balance right.

Will engine oils become more bespoke as the industry looks to reduce CO2?

Thinner oils will help automotive manufacturers decrease carbon emissions. OEMs have historically utilised technologies such as smaller engines, direct-injection and turbocharging, which put challenges on lubricants, such as avoiding low speed pre-ignition. We need to work closely with OEMs to develop the oils they need, which is why Castrol continues to collaborate with its OEM partners, including Ford, Jaguar, Honda, Land Rover, Volvo and Renault, to develop fluids that meet the automotive industry’s evolving demands.

Newer vehicles include a number of advanced technologies to reduce emissions. What would happen if a car was filled with the incorrect oil? An oil with the wrong viscosity could increase engine wear, and oil starvation issues can rapidly lead to catastrophic engine failure. That’s bad news. The simple fact is that thicker oils in newer engines will reduce the fuel efficiency of the engine and may also cause oil supply issues.

Older oils with a higher Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur (SAPS) content and higher levels of additives can block filters and poison catalysts, shortening exhaust after-treatment device longevity. They could even cause the vehicle to fail air quality or roadworthiness checks. Specifically, gasoline particulate filters will be prematurely blocked if older SAPS oils are used instead of the correct oils.

How does the shift to increased ethanol content in petrol affect the engine oil, and do technicians need to change their approach?

It’s a fact of life that bioethanol levels are increasing in petrol as higher levels of renewable fuels are required, but this isn’t a new occurrence. We know that E10 is widely used in Europe, so car manufacturers are aware of the issue and have developed compatible engines. European oil sequences and OEM specifications have included compatibility for E10 and beyond for some time now. It means that you can be confident that any modern highquality engine oil will be suitable for use with E10 petrol.

There’s a lot of talk about the impact of higher levels of ethanol on older vehicles. How are Castrol’s oil formulations upgraded to help cope with this change?

Castrol is at the forefront of technological development, introducing new products and upgrading products to meet the latest specifications. New technologies are introduced into oils designed for older vehicles, but it’s possible because many OEMs include ‘back-compatibility’ in their specification design. This is where the new specification is also suitable to be used in older vehicles.

Are engine oil flushes always necessary? Are there situations where they can cause more harm than good? There’s no denying that an oil-based engine flush can be an effective remedy for neglected engines, or engines that have otherwise experienced a build-up of sludge. But there’s a caveat: Solventbased flushing products can damage seals and may cause permanent oil leaks, which is why Castrol doesn’t recommend them. A better approach is to ensure regular maintenance and use a high quality engine oil as a preventative measure.

A new product recently launched by Castrol, Engine Shampoo, is a pre-oil change treatment that contains a solvent-free Powerful Cleaning Agent (PCA) additive to deliver a deep clean without the possible negative effects. Castrol Engine Shampoo helps to maintain engine power and efficiency by dissolving and flushing out sludge during the oil-change process.