Some developments on the lubrication front. It isn’t due out in the market anytime soon, but it does show how going thin can achieve better fuel consumption.
It’s a 0W-10 ultra low viscosity concept engine lubricant developed by Shell, in collaboration with Gordon Murray Design, and in field use has shown up to a 6.5% improvement in fuel efficiency, a very tangible step up from the usual 2.5% gained in typical fuel economy lubricant development programmes.
GMD’s T.25 city car provided the test bed for the concept oil, which obtained the 6.5% urban cycle figure based on repeated testing with NEDC-based parameters at an independent laboratory in a series of chassis dynamometer tests – in a combined cycle, testing yielded a 4.6% improvement. The concept lubricant was pitted against a a typical European midtier product, a 10W-30 weight oil.
In field use, the T.25 – utilising the 0W-10 oil – won the award for the most economic small, passenger internal-combustion engine vehicle in the RAC Future Car Challenge last year, achieving 96 mpg in the process.
Not that it’s all just all to do with passenger cars, the being more efficient bit. In the area of commercial transportation, the benefits from better lube are evident too. In a field test very recently, nine identical trucks were monitored over 55,000 km, with four using Shell Rimula R6 LME and five, a 10W-40 reference.
The company says that the trucks running on its Rimula R6 LME obtained a 2% reduction in fuel consumption, which works out to an equivalent of over 1,000 litres of fuel per truck per year.
With changes in legislation and new emission standards afoot, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions isn’t just something to be left just to automakers. Granted, a 0W-10 viscosity oil isn’t likely be for every vehicle when it arrives, and arguably not here what with our climate conditions, but it does showcase how you can lean out things and squeeze out more, as would be the case.
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my car requires 5w30, recently i used a 10w40 and can really see the diff in fuel consumption especially in urban driving. I lose about 30km for a 20 litre fill with the thicker oil, hope oil manufacturers includes more 5w30 in their products..
Suzuki Genuine Oil is 5w30. You can get at any Suzuki Authorized Service Dealer. and the price is cheaper from other brands.
Perodua Oil also got W30 because small engines need thinner oil, if you’re on a budget or need a quick fix like I do while waiting for that elusive oil shipment I take Perodua… abis cerita.
0W10 already exists, but are labelled as “racing oil”, and even so usually used during qualifying only. Super thin…
esso brought in (to Msia) their 0W10 uniflo lub about 15 years ago (cant remember exact year). even on a brand new engine, the oil ‘evaporates’ drastically after about 1000kms of driving… and therefore their demise, at least on Msian shore (not sure about other countries).
Sudah lama x lihat that Uniflo thing… been ages, and yes they tend to evaporate rather fast. Royal Purple has the same issue on 0w20.
I am driving e46 318i 2003, and my mechanic suggest me to use 0W-40. Had been using it eversince, downside, I noticed that I need to top-up about half a liter every 1000km mark. Upside, performance was excellent, not to mention fuel saving. But remember the price of the engine oil is not cheap too. It can easily burn rm200++ for 4 liter bottle. and oh… limited choice of brand… -_-# but 0W-10??? wow…….
Mukhriz, its the number after W that denotes Viscosity, 40 isn’t a thin oil. I’m using 0W20, the lower the number after the W means it thinner. In this case mine is like water and your’s would be described as molasses as far as Viscosity goes.
I’ve been using Royal Purple and Amsoil 0w20. I feel Amsoil is better, yes a lower visco oil gives better fuel economy on the downside, you tend to drive faster and harder. So back to square one. All my 3 cars are on 0w20 from the Swift, which clocks now 30,000KM, a Saga SE 7,000KM and a Perodua Kancil 40,000KM to my Optra which clocks 220,000KM. I don’t get my oil here but get it shipped from a fren in Singapore. 4L below RM200 ok la, OCI 35,000 Miles but I still do it at 8,000KM-9,000KM
Actually you can get Amsoil in Malaysia at about the same pricing as in Singapore. I bought from Mayalab (www.mayalab.com.sg). They are selling quite a number of varieties at pretty affordable pricing.