Team P R Reilly, the distributor of North Sea Lubricants and Comma Oil products has warned garages about the dangers of using the incorrect specification of oil and in particular making incorrect assumptions about the use of C3 specs.

Horror stories about damage done to turbos, DPFs and catalytic converters through incorrect oil maintenance are increasingly common in the trade. The once general practice of relying on a single barrel of 10W-40 for use on virtually every vehicle service has had to yield to the discipline of selection by application. This is largely due to modern exhaust after treatment systems based around 3-way catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters that are highly sensitive to unwanted sulphated ash, phosphorous and sulphur, so called SAPS in exhaust gases. It is a problem that was addressed by the European industry body, ACEA, when it introduced the ‘C’ category of reduced or low SAPS oils.

However, even though an oil is legitimately coded C3, it is a mistake to just assume that it will be a suitable fit for every vehicle requiring an ACEA C3 oil. Vehicle manufacturers now demand something very much more bespoke and have their own distinct formulations for the ACEA C3 oils they specify for their engines. It is also the case that ACEA C3 isn’t only used with 5W-30 grades as certain Alfa Romeo and Fiat engines require CEA C3 as a 5W-40 grade.

An ACEA C3 signified oil by itself does not always match vehicle manufacturer specification and with car makers lubricant recommendations now widely written-in as warranty critical requirements it is essential that garages choose the right oil for the job.

Team P R Reilly say the safest way to ensure correct selection is to use an up to date and trustworthy application guide such as those at www.northsealubricants.com or www.commaoil.com. Both offer comprehensive information on a complete range of engine oils, antifreeze and coolants, allowing users to have total confidence in their product selection. 

For more information on North Sea Lubricants & Comma products and offers please contact the Team P R Reilly sales team on 01-832-0006 or email sales@team.ie