Any vehicle owner knows that lubricants are vital to the correct operation of your engine; in particular they reduce wear.
Oil role
Any vehicle owner knows that lubricants are vital to the correct operation of your engine; in particular they reduce wear. But it also has other, less well-known functions:
Cools hot areas of an engine and moving parts
Reduces friction: A lubricant helps to improve engine efficiency and helps to reduce fuel consumption
Protects mechanical parts against wear and corrosion: guaranteeing long life and efficiency of the engine
Keeps the engine clean: it helps to guarantee long engine life and helps to keep all engine parts in a good and clean condition, while evacuating any impurities to the oil filter and through oil changes
Probably the most important property of oil lubricant is the absolute viscosity, which is a measure of the force required to move one layer of the oil film over the other.
motor oil change
Probably the most important property of oil lubricant is the absolute viscosity, which is a measure of the force required to move one layer of the oil film over the other. If the viscosity is too low, a protecting oil film is not formed between the parts. With high viscosity too much power is required to shear the oil film, and the flow of oil through the engine is retarded. Viscosity tends to decrease as temperature increases. Viscosity index (VI) is a number that indicates the resistance of an oil to changes in viscosity with temperature. The smaller the change in viscosity with temperature, the higher the viscosity index of the oil.
Standards and industrial organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), JASO (Japanese Automotive Standard Organization) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) establish specific norms to manage lubricant characteristics and performances.
Professional car repair
Standards and industrial organizations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API), the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), JASO (Japanese Automotive Standard Organization) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) establish specific norms to manage lubricant characteristics and performances. Each norm defines technical requirements, physical properties (such as viscosity), engine test results, and other criteria for the formulation of lubricants and oils. Our ELF lubricants comply with and follow all of the major norms, standards and classifications in effect.
If you search the recommended oil for your vehicle, we'll recommend you thanks to our Lube Advisors, the best ELF oil lubricant adapted for your model of vehicle (either best oil for cars, best oil for motorcycles or best oil for trucks).
If you search the recommended oil for your vehicle, we'll recommend you thanks to our Lube Advisors, the best ELF oil lubricant adapted for your model of vehicle (either best oil for cars, best oil for motorcycles or best oil for trucks).
14 countries currently offer Lube advisors: you just have to enter the brand and model of vehicle and you'll discover the ELF lubricants specifically dedicated for your car, motorbike or truck. Our vehicle database is considerably more extensive than most of our competitors.
You are probably looking for the best oil for your engine right? Elf has the perfect range for you: EVOLUTION FULL TECH engine oils. These engine oils are a guarantee of performance, made of last generation technology, dedicated for recent car models and for demanding technical requirements.
We recommend you after the EVOLUTION FULL TECH oils as well as our EVOLUTION 900 engine oils: high protection and ultimate performance, dedicated for recent car models and for demanding technical requirements.
If you are looking for where to buy oil or where can I buy motor oil, here is the place!
You can have a look to our maps where you can find the nearest outlet. Because we know how important it is for you to know where you can purchase our products, we are providing you a solution to find a distributor.
There are three types of engine oil/3 types of motor oil: minerals oils, semi-synthetic oils and synthetic oils.
There are three types of engine oil/3 types of motor oil:
Oil types - Mineral oils
They are obtained from base oils directly extracted from crude oil and then enriched with chemical additives in order to improve their overall performance.
They are perfectly well-suited to everyday trips or journeys outside of the urban environment at reasonable speeds.
Motor types - Semi-synthetic oils
They are a blend of mineral oils and synthetic-based oils. They are perfectly well-suited to normal usage in urban environments or high-speed driving for all types of vehicles.
These oils are highly resistant to oxidation and can be recommended for extreme temperature conditions.
Engine oil types - Synthetic oils
They are obtained through numerous refining processes or in laboratories using high-quality additives. Synthesizing oils in this way has many benefits: the result is a high-performance lubricant that extends the life of your engine, improves engine protection, increases the intervals between oil changes and reduces friction – thus lowering fuel consumption. Sometimes, 4 types of car oil are mentioned: mineral, synthetic based or semi-synthetic, synthetic technology, and 100% synthetic.
Actually, nearly all lubricants contain additives (from 10 to 30%), whether the oils are synthetic or petroleum based. Engine oil additives are chemical compounds that improve the lubricant performance of base oil (or oil "base stock").
Laboratory chemicals
Looking for information on additives for lubricants / lubricating oil additives?
Engine lubricants and additives, what's the difference?
Actually, nearly all lubricants contain additives (from 10 to 30%), whether the oils are synthetic or petroleum based. Engine oil additives are chemical compounds that improve the lubricant performance of base oil (or oil "base stock").
Motor oil additives have three basic roles:
Enhance existing base oil properties with antioxidants, corrosion inhibitors, anti-foam agents and demulsifying agents.
Suppress undesirable base oil properties with pour-point depressants and viscosity index (VI) improvers.
Impart new properties to base oils with extreme pressure (EP) additives, detergents, metal deactivators and tackiness agents.
What are best oil additives? What is the best engine oil additive?
We won't go into an engine oil additives reviews but we'll mention only the most important motor oil additives:
Oil stabilizers and viscosity modifiers are often said to be the best engine oil additives: they help the oil last longer and in a sense they are "restore engine additives"
You've probably heard of extreme wear additives as best motor oil additives : they improve or extend the oil's extreme pressure protection capacity.
What is engine additive/ Motor additive?
Engine oil additives reduce engine wear and increase fuel efficiency.
Best fuel additives:
We recommend you to use the additives (either diesel additives or petrol additives) of ACS, our engine oil additives manufacturer. Please visit www.acs.total.com
Nope. All that is indicated by the coloration of your oil when you check it is that your oil is doing its job properly. That job partially involves removing and capturing contaminants and deposits from the engine’s moving parts.
Does oil go bad?
Is black or dark oil bad? Does it mean that I’m in need of an oil change?
Nope. All that is indicated by the coloration of your oil when you check it is that your oil is doing its job properly. That job partially involves removing and capturing contaminants and deposits from the engine’s moving parts. Contaminants will color the oil, but certainly don’t indicate that it’s time for a change.
Does motor oil expire?
Engine oils have an expiry date after which the performance levels that they offer can no longer be guaranteed. The high heat and stress of operation for thousands of miles can actually oxidize the oil, causing it to thicken and lose its ability to move around your engine. Additionally, the contaminant-bearing part of oil will become less effective as it continues to pick up more and more engine debris. Get it changed regularly to make sure that doesn’t happen.
You are probably wondering if you can still use cans of oil which seems old: the oil is usable as long as it is sealed, stored in a cool dry location and no water or dirt has gotten in the bottles.
Ways to reduce your day-to-day fuel consumption: Use our ELF Fuel Economy (FE) lubricants, check your tyre pressure on a regular basis (once a month)...
Check your tyre pressure on a regular basis (once a month).
Opt for a smoother driving style, avoiding rapid acceleration and braking whenever possible.
Avoid using air-conditioning whenever possible.
Car share in order to minimize your impact on the environment and reduce traffic congestion.
Change into a higher gear as soon as it is safe to do so.
Use cruise control on motorways in order to reduce the impact of accelerating and braking on your fuel consumption.
How to get motorcycle fuel economy?
Limit your speed: you get better fuel economy when you cruise at lower speeds. Peak fuel economy typically occurs at 30-35 mph. Fuel economy at 70 mph is typically about 20% higher than at 80 mph. We thus recommend you to upshift as soon as possible and always use the highest gear that will do the job, whether cruising at a steady speed or passing.
Minimize brakes: a high rate of acceleration is not a problem as long as you upshift early. What really hurts fuel economy is the use of your brakes. Brakes destroy forward momentum by turning it into heat; restoring that lost momentum requires more fuel to be burned. Get off the throttle early when approaching a crossroads at which you must stop to minimize the use of your brakes.
Minimize frontal area: install windscreens, luggage, and auxiliary lights in a manner that minimizes the effect on frontal area.
Minimize weight
Maintain proper tire pressures: always keep your tires properly inflated.
Water in car engine? Water should never be allowed to get into the oil in your engine or gearbox. Otherwise, it will result in significant foaming, dramatically reducing the product's lubrication properties.
Water drop
If you found water in oil car , this water engine car section is for you!
Water in car engine? Water should never be allowed to get into the oil in your engine or gearbox. Otherwise, it will result in significant foaming, dramatically reducing the product's lubrication properties.
Water in the engine - Water can get into your oil sump in two ways:
Water in car - Water condensation in cold air or combustion gases: this phenomenon is extremely rare and only occurs at specific temperatures.
Water in the oil - Coolant leak due to non-watertight seal (cylinder head gasket, etc.). If this happens, there is a leak and water is getting into the oil.
Water in motor oil can cause serious damage to your engine – the oil will be denatured and no longer effectively cooled.
Is coolant the same as antifreeze ? Is antifreeze the same as coolant?
Anti-freeze has the same purpose as coolant, but it is even more resistant to the cold. These higher performance levels should be sought in places with extreme weather conditions.
Antifreeze
What is the difference between coolant and anti-freeze?
Is coolant the same as antifreeze ? Is antifreeze the same as coolant?
Anti-freeze has the same purpose as coolant, but it is even more resistant to the cold. These higher performance levels should be sought in places with extreme weather conditions.
What is coolant? What is antifreeze?
Discover below the car coolant functions:
The purpose of coolants is to control the temperatures of fluids and various engine parts in all weather conditions. What is a coolant? Coolant is a fluid. Coolant fluid is a special fluid with additives, because it needs to remain liquid at very low temperatures (below 0°C), but must not evaporate at very high-temperatures (above 100°C). Coolant for cars also needs to have anti-corrosive properties in order to protect the metallic surfaces of the engine's various parts.
What is coolant used for? Another of its less well-known purposes is to keep your vehicle's passenger compartment warm
During operation, a little oil is always burned – it evaporates off hot surfaces in the combustion chamber.
We therefore recommend that you keep an eye on your vehicle's oil level and top it up if necessary.
Flammable pictogram
During operation, a little oil is always burned – it evaporates off hot surfaces in the combustion chamber.
We therefore recommend that you keep an eye on your vehicle's oil level and top it up if necessary.
Where does come from burning oil?
However, excessive oil consumption is a possibility and may arise from a number of issues, such as worn piston rings, a damaged valve stem seal, etc.
How does appear burning oil car?
This may result in blue or white colored smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe.
Engine burning oil emergency procedure
If your car is burning oil, we recommend that you contact your repair centre quickly and that you keep an eye on the oil level and top it up very frequently in order to avoid risking any further damage due to lack of lubrication.
Synthetic oils are a blend of fluids and additives that accentuate certain properties (anti-wear, anti-pollution, anti-corrosion, etc.), and are appropriate for the most demanding and high-performance engines, and for extreme conditions (high temperatures, high pressure).
blend fluids
Synthetic oils are a blend of fluids and additives that accentuate certain properties (anti-wear, anti-pollution, anti-corrosion, etc.), and are appropriate for the most demanding and high-performance engines, and for extreme conditions (high temperatures, high pressure).
Synthetic oils provide far superior performance in terms of use and lifetime than mineral oils.
Before diving into the benefits of different oil categories, let’s sum-up main oil advantages: reduction of friction and wear, equipment protection...
Oil
Advantages of oil
Before diving into the benefits of different oil categories, let’s sum-up main oil advantages:
Reduction of friction and wear
Equipment protection
Temperature Control
Life Span, efficiency and reliability of engine components
The benefits of oil change are numerous for your vehicle: it should run more smoothly, and last for much longer.
Synthetic oil vs regular oil : is synthetic oil better than regular oil?
You’ll discover below the different types of oils:
Mineral oil is most commonly called as regular oil. These oils are produced by untreated mineral refining (Group I)
Semi-synthetic oils or synthetic-based oils are a blend of oils produced by untreated mineral refining (Group I) and composed of oils produced by mineral refining with chemical treatment (Group III)
Using “synthetic oil” terminology can be sometimes confusing as it might concern 2 different categories.
Synthetic technology oils are oils produced by mineral refining with chemical treatment (Group III)
100% synthetic oils are oils with 100% synthetic molecules (Group IV and V) without any mineral refining
Is synthetic oil better?
Why is synthetic oil better ? Compared to regular oil, synthetic oil has many advantages:
It flows easier in cold weather, therefore no loss of prime when the oil is cold. Also, it is highly resistant to viscosity breakdown (the ability of the oil to flow easily in all temps) from heat, friction, chemical contaminants.
How many miles on synthetic oil ? How often do you change synthetic oil? Synthetic oil change frequency is lower than regular oil change frequency. Indeed, there are longer change intervals for synthetic oils: 7,500 to 10,000 miles between oil changes (compared to 3,000 for mineral oil). How long between synthetic oil changes at most? Synthetic oil change intervals are sometimes said to be up to 25K miles between changes. However, we would not advice going that long! On the other hand, synthetic oil can have as well a few drawbacks.
It flows easily, therefore synthetic oil is not recommended for use on high mileage engines and in new engines during the break-in period because it is slippery and it limits the wearing of new mating parts within the engine.
You understand probably better now why synthetic oil is better. Nevertheless, a synthetic oil change cost is twice as much as conventional oil. However it lasts longer, so the actual cost increase is closer to 50 - 60 percent. Switching to synthetic oil might be more expensive but with a higher return on investment on the long term.
Synthetic oils benefits:
Why use synthetic oil? Benefits of synthetic oil are numerous:
Better low- and high-temperature viscosity performance at service temperature extremes.
Better viscosity index (VI).
Better chemical and shear stability.
Decreased evaporative loss.
Resistance to oxidation, thermal breakdown, and oil sludge problems.
Possibility to extended drain intervals, with the environmental benefit of less used oil waste generated.
Improved fuel economy in certain engine configurations.
Better lubrication during extreme cold weather starts.
Possibly a longer engine life.
Superior protection against "ash" and other deposit formation in engine hot spots (in particular in turbochargers and superchargers) for less oil burnoff and reduced chances of damaging oil passageway clogging.
Increased horsepower and torque due to less initial drag on engine.
Last benefit among the advantages of synthetic oil : Improved Fuel Economy (FE).
It mainly depends on the vehicle. Some vehicles/drive cycles are harder on oils then others. We recommend you to check your service manual.
oil flow
When to change oil ?
It mainly depends on the vehicle. Some vehicles/drive cycles are harder on oils then others. We recommend you to check your service manual.
What is the oil change interval for synthetic oils vs regular oils?
You can run a conventional oil 5K miles but you should be able to run a synthetic oil 7500 to 10000 miles (synthetic oil change intervals are longer).
A tip on how often change synthetic oil? To help you know if it’s time for you to change your synthetic oil, you can have a look to the color of the oil: caramel or dark caramel looking is fine but if it is pretty dark to black, change it out.
Trust us: it's worth checking your car oil is at an optimum level. If you do so, your car will thank you!
man checking oil
Trust us: it's worth checking your car oil is at an optimum level. If you do so, your car will thank you!
Why checking your oil?
Oil check does not only help improving your engine's performance, it also increases your car's life expectancy.
Remember to check the oil level and make it a habit before every long journey.
By checking oil,
Also be sure to choose the right oil, as this is important for your engine's resilience and performance.
Benefits of maintaining an optimal oil level:
Increase your engine's efficiency and reduce the fuel consumption.
Reduce premature wear of engine components.
Prevent the formation of deposits and limit the development of corrosion.
Reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Your car's oil consumption depends on many factors:
The type of vehicle you own.
Your driving style and where you usually drive (city, roads, highways).
The mechanical condition of your engine.
Weather conditions.
To go further, you can have a look to the following advice per type of oil:
Checking cars’ oil level helps prevent faults and most importantly avoids mechanical damage which may – in the short-or mid-term – prevent your vehicle from running smoothly.
man checking oil
Checking cars’ oil level helps prevent faults and most importantly avoids mechanical damage which may – in the short-or mid-term – prevent your vehicle from running smoothly.
Before you begin:
The manufacturer's service manual will tell you how often you should check your engine's oil level, as well as what type of oil you should use.
Caution! If you have to top up your engine's oil, it is very important that you use the product recommended in your user guide.
The vehicle's manual will show you where the oil gauge is on your engine.
Make sure the engine has been switched off for at least 2 minutes so that the oil is "resting" and at the bottom of the sump.
Check that your car is on a stable and horizontal surface in order to ensure that you get a good reading.
Get a cloth or a roll of paper towel.
How to check the level:
Open the engine’s bonnet and locate the engine oil gauge or dipstick (this is usually a brightly-colored ring or hook).
Pull on this hook in order to remove the stem in its entirety. Then wipe it with the cloth and insert it back into the gauge.
Pull out the stem once again and look at where the mark left by the oil is. This is your engine's oil level. You should also see the two lines or marks for ensuring that oil levels are between the minimum and maximum levels.
Your engine's oil level should be between the "minimum" and the "maximum" lines on the gauge.
How to put oil in your car?
Never put more than the "maximum" quantity of oil – doing so may damage your engine and its oil-tight seal.
Similarly, the level should never be below the "minimum" line so as to ensure optimum lubrication at all times and avoid engine wear.
If the level is below the "minimum" line, you must top up your oil immediately.
If you think that the level is too close to the "minimum" line, it is advisable (although not obligatory) to top up the oil.
Transmission oil is a mixture of base oil and additives with very good anti-wear and anti-scoring properties and good stability to thermal oxidation. Manual transmissions use a variety of oils: regular motor oil, heavyweight hypoid gear oil or even automatic transmission fluid in some cases. Your owner's manual will tell you what your transmission calls for.
Transmission oil is a mixture of base oil and additives with very good anti-wear and anti-scoring properties and good stability to thermal oxidation. Manual transmissions use a variety of oils: regular motor oil, heavyweight hypoid gear oil or even automatic transmission fluid in some cases. Your owner's manual will tell you what your transmission calls for.
What does transmission fluid do?
The key function of transmission oil is to lubricate hypoid gears in manual and automatic transmissions for cars and trucks.
Did you know?
Our transmission range for manual gearboxes is TRANSELF
It's important to regularly check the transmission fluid level between service intervals. Letting your car run low on transmission fluid can cause the transmission to shift improperly - or even not at all. It also can harm the internal parts of your transmission, which will not be properly lubricated. Unfortunately, you may not hear any noises or have other clues that your transmission is low on fluid, until it's too late.
How to check the manual transmission fluid level?
Checking transmission fluid is actually not so easy to do: indeed, the gearbox is not easily accessible without equipment and there is no straightforward system – such as an engine oil gauge – for determining oil levels.
Checking the transmission fluid level requires working under the hood of your car with the engine running. This can be very dangerous if you aren’t careful. You should therefore contact your garage mechanic in order to have it checked. They will have equipment for checking oil levels and topping it up if necessary.
If, however, you still wish to carry out this operation yourself, here is our advice:
To be done before the beginning of your transmission fluid check:
Get a cloth or a roll of paper towel.
Refer to your service manual to find out what transmission fluid your gearbox requires and how frequently it should be changed. The manual will also tell you where the filling cap is located.
Where is the transmission fluid dipstick?
On some cars, it is easy to mistake the transmission dipstick for the crankcase oil dipstick, so make sure you are clear on the location of your transmission.Look towards the back of the engine, near the firewall. This is where the transmission is located on most cars with rear-wheel drive.On cars with front-wheel drive, the transmission dipstick is usually located in the front of the engine, connected to the transaxle.
How do you check transmission fluid – Step 1:
Park your car on a horizontal, stable surface. Disengage the clutch and apply the handbrake. Make sure the engine has been switched off for at least 2 minutes so that the oil is "resting" and at the bottom of the sump. If your car has been used for more than 30 minutes, allow the engine to rest for a few minutes so that the transmission fluid can cool down. This is important for your safety, as well as ensuring that the results are not biased.
How to check your transmission fluid – Step 2:
Refer to your service manual to in order to locate the gearbox's filling cap and find out what type of spanner you need in order to unscrew it.
How to check transmission oil – Step 3:
Open the filling cap and check transmission fluid level: it should be just beneath the cap. Given that there is no gauge, you may use a metal stem or screwdriver in order to probe the oil level and find out how high it is in the sump.
Note: the oil may also overflow. If this happens, then it is at the right level. Quickly replace the cap.
You can use a syringe to take an oil sample for analysis. However, we recommend that you get a professional to carry this out. Remember to screw the filling cap back on in accordance with the instructions in the user manual.
Manual transmission fluid top up
In order to top up the oil, you have to locate and unscrew the filling cap.
We recommend that you use a syringe or a special pump in order to gradually insert fresh oil into the gearbox sump.
Keep checking the oil level as described above in order to ensure that it does not overflow.
It is advisable to check the state of the brake fluid every 10,000 km. As a general rule, brake fluid should be replaced every 50,000 km (or every 2 years).
brake fluid change
It is advisable to check the state of the brake fluid every 10,000 km. As a general rule, brake fluid should be replaced every 50,000 km (or every 2 years).
Your vehicle's service manual will give you more precise information about how frequently the brake fluid should be checked and changed and what type of fluid should be used.
If you find anything out of the ordinary, contact your usual garage.
Checking brake fluid recommendations: as brake fluid is a hazardous fluid, we recommend you to bring the used cans to a toxic waste center for disposal.
Before you begin:
Refer to your service manual in order to locate the brake fluid reservoir. Its location depends on the type of car you have. The brake booster is on the driver’s side of your vehicle, usually up near the firewall. Just in front of that, sitting on and connected to the brake master cylinder, is the brake fluid reservoir, usually a plastic canister like the one shown here. Older vehicles don’t have a plastic reservoir; instead, the master cylinder is a little metal box with a lid that you must remove to check the fluid level.
Make sure that your car is on a stable and horizontal surface.
Ensure that the engine is cold – i.e., switched off – before taking a reading.
How to check the brake fluid level:
The brake fluid container is made of transparent plastic so you can directly check its level by looking at it.
Visually check the fluid's level. It should never be below the "minimum" level. Your brake fluid should not get used up when your vehicle is in use.
So if the level falls, it means that there is a leak in your circuit.
In this case, we recommend that you go to your garage mechanic immediately so that they can find the leak.
This will avoid problems braking and prevent serious risks for both you and other motorists.
The manufacturer's service manual will tell you how often you should check your engine's oil level, what type of oil you should use and how frequently you should change it.
motorcycle oil check
When should I do a motorcycle oil change?
The manufacturer's service manual will tell you how often you should check your engine's oil level, what type of oil you should use and how frequently you should change it.
How to know when to change oil?
As a general rule, engine oil should be changed every 3700 miles or so, as great demands are made of it. However, depending on your driving style, you may have to change it more or less often. For example, if you make lots of short journeys, engine oil performance will deteriorate, because condensed droplets of fuel will get into it. Similarly, if you do not use your motorcycle very often, or if you use it intensively, engine oil quality may be reduced depending on the types of lubricant that you use.
How often to change synthetic oil ?
The rule of thumb is 3000 miles between changes, but with synthetic oil you can go as far as 5000 miles.
Regularly changing your car's engine oil and filter is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running well. Over time, your oil will break down and your filter will become clogged with contaminants.
Regularly changing your car's engine oil and filter is one of the most important things you can do to keep your car running well. Over time, your oil will break down and your filter will become clogged with contaminants.
Changing your oil is both easy and inexpensive, so the sooner you change the oil in your car if it needs it, the better.Changing your oil regularly helps to extend your engine and keep your car running smoothly.
