Aftermarket July/August 2022 Issue

W ith cars changing, lubricants are changing too, but making sure your customers’ cars are properly lubricated is still crucial. On the increasingly specific nature of engine oils, Castrol Technical Expert Pawel Mastalerek said: “Automotive manufacturers are under pressure to deliver mobility solutions with decreasing carbon emissions which can be helped by thinner oils. As a result, OEMs are deploying engines that deliver lower CO2 emissions. OEMs have historically utilised technologies such as smaller engines, gasoline direct injection and turbocharging, which put challenges on lubricants such as formulating to avoid low speed pre-ignition.” Pawel continued: “If an oil of the wrong viscosity is used in an engine that wasn’t designed for it, then the levels of engine wear can increase, and it can cause oil starvation issues that can rapidly lead to catastrophic engine failure. Thicker oils in newer engines will reduce the fuel efficiency of the engine, and may also cause oil supply issues. Using older high SAPS (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulfur) oils, with higher levels of additives, can block filters and poison catalysts and will shorten the life of exhaust after- treatment devices, and may even cause the vehicle to fail air quality or road-worthiness checks. Pawel added: “Using standard-drain oils in extended- drain, or severe duty applications, may mean that the life of the oil is depleted before the vehicle is due for a service. This can cause sludge, deposits and irreversible engine wear. GPFs will be prematurely blocked if older high-SAPS oils are used instead of the correctly specified oils.” According to David Kaiser, Head of Research and Development at LIQUI MOLY, the free LIQUI MOLY Oil Guide helps workshops to avoid errors and costly complaints that usually follow: “It used to be so easy in the old days when the same 10W-40 oil was suitable for almost all vehicles. However, these times are long gone. Nowadays, well over 50 motor oil specifications are available just for cars. What used to be a universal lubricant has become a liquid spare part that must accurately match the respective engine. If this is not the case, the consequences may range from a formation of oil sludge, significantly increased wear, issues with exhaust gas aftertreatment systems and major engine damage. If workshops use the wrong oil, this will not only be embarrassing and raise doubts about their professionalism, but it may also lead to expensive complaints.” David continued: “But how can we avoid these issues when even professionals find it difficult to keep track of the plethora of specifications and standards, approvals, and recommendations? It's very simple thanks to the free LIQUI MOLY Oil Guide.” To obtain a list of suitable engine oils, transmission oils, radiator antifreeze and many more products, enter the customer vehicle's license plate at: www.liqui-moly.com On how garages should operate in this complex new reality, Colin Cottrell, Marketing Director at LKQ Euro Car Parts said: “Oils and lubricants play a key role in 42 AFTERMARKET JULY/AUGUST 2022 OIL AND LUBES www.aftermarketonline.net LUBRICATE TO ACCUMULATE Find out how oils and lubes can help you just as you help your customers maintaining vehicle performance and health. As well as helping to ensure that components can operate smoothly and with minimal friction, oils help to keep engines clean, and work alongside other fluids like antifreeze to manage vehicles’ temperature. Some ADAS systems, such as intelligent adaptive cruise control and traffic jam assist, rely on having precisely the right levels and types of oil and fluid in their system. Failure to change these fluids on time and with the correct product can cause a malfunction. It’s important you understand exactly which lubricants and liquids are needed to service the vehicles that come through your doors.” Broader selection Shifts in the car parc have complicated the issue, as Colin observed: “Until fairly recently, the UK car parc was made up primarily of vehicles with similar engines and transmission systems, requiring a core selection of oils. Today, it’s a different story. Kick-started by the widespread adoption of diesel vehicles in the early 2000s, and the more stringent emissions targets that came with them, there is now a huge variety of different engine types on the road. “The use of DPFs meant that new, synthetic oil grades were introduced to reflect this updated configuration. The introduction of full- and mild-hybrids brought yet more changes, because their much smaller engines work far harder and deliver a higher-level output. Oils and lubricants have become bespoke parts in themselves, unique to different vehicle makes and models. “We’re encouraging garages to shift from the old norm of bulk-buying a few, large drums of oil, to ordering a broader selection in smaller quantities. This small change will not bring extra cost, as garages will still hold the same overall volume of product. But it will allow them greater flexibility when servicing different vehicles throughout the day, and means they can uphold the highest standards of service, with an extensive enough range to suit the engine of each and every one. “ Above: Gulf Formula EFE 0w20