ACEA C3

[moribundman]

From http://www.motul.de/i/prd/ccmc.htm:
ACEA C3 is a new oil spec, especially for vehicles with variable service display and EURO IV-gas motors and diesel motors with soot particle filter.


The Motul site shows 3 quality levels for ACEA spec oils:

- Lower Level: A1, A2, B1, B2
- Medium Level: A3, A4, B3, B4, C3
- Highest Level: A5, B5, C1, C2


Seems odd that they'd consider A5 to be on a higher level than A3. It's also odd that while the numbers for A and B oils progress from smaller numbers to larger numbers, the new C oils go the other way! Does this mean those warped ACAE brains will eventually come out with a C0 spec? What a mess!

 

[bulwnkl]

I get a 404 not found error on that link.

Oh, wait, I see. I need to get rid of the trailing colon.

Anyway, that is odd. The site correctly says A1/B1 is just sort of the "base," fuel economy oil spec with HTHS viscosity of 2.9-3.5, A5/B5 is long-drain fuel economy oil w/HTHS between 2.9-3.5, and A3 A4/B3 B4 is long-drain with HTHS over 3.5 and higher shear-stability. So I agree it's quite odd that Motul would say A5/B5 is the "highest" level of performance.

 

[moribundman]

Sorry about the trailing colon. Here is the proper link: http://www.motul.de/i/prd/ccmc.htm

I suspect that the "highest level of performance" has an emphasis on the oil being environmetally friendly as can be while providing adequate protection. I think I'd stick with A3 spec oil.

I wonder how C3 oils will perform in an engine that calls for A3 spec oil. Does anybody know whether C3 spec oils work only in the latest engines that make possibly use of exotic materials and coatings, be they ceramics, NIKASIL, or ALUSIL, etc, or if C3 spec oils can be used without detrimetal effects in all engines that call for an A3 spec oil? Due to the low SAPS properties, C3 may offer substantially longer cat and O2 sensor life, while reducing deposits further.