C3 and A5/B5 compatibility with older cars

[OM605]

I must say i have a hard time understanding these ACEA ratings. For a lot of cars i prefer to use a 5W-30 however is has become impossible to source an A3/B4 oil locally or even for a good price on the internet.

What kind of 5W-30 should be used in olders cars ? I am talking 90s/early 00s regular gas engines calling for something like API SG/SH/SL or ACEA A3/B3. Let's take my own car, the C180 as an exemple but this includes various Renaults, PSAs as well as some japanese and american cars.

I will take these two oils as an exemple as they are some of the most popular. What should be used and why ?

Total Quartz INEO Long Life 5W-30

Total Quartz 9000 Future NFC 5W-30

 

[Jetronic]

Get Total quartz 9000 energy. All 3 can run on that without issue and it's not expensive.

 

[OM605]

Originally Posted by Jetronic
Get Total quartz 9000 energy. All 3 can run on that without issue and it's not expensive.


Which oil in particular are you talking about ? I did not find it in 5W-30, i know it exists in 0W-30 but way to expensive.

 

[Kamele0N]

I rember you and your dilema a year ago.....

Since you are from France.....Leclerk has nice oil stash..for cheap ( Its most probably repacked Shell...)

ex Extralube.....a.k.a Tech9 nowadays

5w30 C3 504/507 (see my sig)
or 5w40 (or even in 10w40)

https://www.e-leclerc.com/catalogue/marques-distributeurs/tech9/auto/entretien-auto/huile-moteur/huile-moteur-5w40-diesel-2l-tech9--,41009

https://www.e-leclerc.com/catalogue/marques-distributeurs/tech9/auto/entretien-auto/huile-moteur/huile-moteur-5w30-filtre-a-particules-c3-2l-tech9-,41013

I (personally) would not use oils with HTHS lower than 3.5 in "old" cars.....ie Acea A5/B5 A1/B1...C2...C1

 

[OM605]

Thank you ! Tech9 is usually what i buy when i need a 5W-40, it is Avia oil. So C3 is the closest to A3/B3/B4 ?

 

[Kamele0N]

https://www.oilspecifications.org/acea.php

Look on C3 as on a DPF/GPF oriented version of A3/B4....

Avia? didnt know that.....saw Avia petrol stations when I was driving trough F and D.....dont have them here