It has never been harder … and in many ways easier, to find the right oil for a vehicle than it is today.
The number of oil specifications has grown largely due to governmental legislation to improve fuel efficiency, whilst also reducing pollution and CO2 creation.
OEM’s have responded by building engines requiring newer specs and oil makers have met these by formulating thinner oils providing as much, if not more, protection than ever.
Penrite are making it easy to find the right product for every application with their 100 per cent Australian based Technical Support Group and the Penrite Product Selector mobile apps and website which are kept up to date with the ever-expanding Australian vehicle car landscape. Penrite appreciates that downtime affects your business and takes pride in the knowledge made available through the Melbourne based technical team who are there to ensure that you get the right advice for every application.
Part of Penrite’s commitment to the Australian workshops and automotive professionals is the Penrite PRO range of Australian made engine oils, a ‘trade focussed’ range developed specifically for workshops, car dealerships and professional vehicle service and repair centres.
The range has been specially blended to meet the oil specifications required by Australian, US, European, Japanese, Asian and Korean manufacturers for petrol, LPG, E10/E85 and diesel fuelled engines.
This range of products covers both modern and classic vehicles, making it easier for your business to service a wider range of vehicles. The range consists of Full Synthetic, Semi Synthetic and Premium Mineral products in 20L, 60L, 205L and larger direct pump-in volumes.
The Pro range features the latest international API and ACEA specifications and selected products are API Licensed for quality assurance and guaranteed performance levels.
Penrite engine oils are formulated using 100 per cent virgin base oils and the highest quality additives which enable lubrication and heat transfer, whilst also providing the engine oil with anti-wear effects, the ability to keep the engine clean and the ability to operate at a range of temperatures from the Australian Alps to the deserts of the outback. These include:
Friction Modifiers – used to reduce internal engine friction and are common in low viscosity oils where fuel economy is important. They affect the frictional properties between two rubbing surfaces to prevent scoring, reduce wear and noise.
Detergents – usually metallic compounds that control deposits and keep engines clean.
- They lift any deposits from the surfaces of the engine and then chemically combine to form a barrier film, which keeps the deposits from coming out of suspension and coagulating.
- Detergents neutralise any acids formed by the combustion of the fuel by chemically reacting with the acids in order to form harmless neutralised compounds.
Dispersants – are usually ashless (non metallic) organic chemicals. They keep contaminants and by-products dispersed in the oil, helping to prevent deposits and sludge from forming.
Oxidation Inhibitors – Reduce oxidation of the oil, helping to reduce oil thickening, which can be caused by wear metals that can enhance the rate of oxidation, glycol contamination (from coolants), thermal degradation and severe soot contamination. If this process is not controlled, the lubricant decomposition will lead to oil thickening, the formation of sludge, varnish, resins and corrosive acids.
Anti-wear Agents – Prevent wear that would otherwise occur when they contact each other. These are sacrificial, decreasing throughout the oil drain interval.
Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors – Prevent rust and corrosive attack on metal surfaces from acids that can build up in oils. They help to neutralise their effects and provide a barrier between the metal surface and these harmful compounds.
Foam Depressants/Air Release Agents – Prevent foam from forming, thereby maintaining a good lubricating film unaffected air bubbles and maintaining the ability of the oil to be pumped effectively.
Pour Point Depressants (PPD) – are used to enable mineral oils to function efficiently at lower temperatures.
Viscosity Index Improvers (VII)
VI Improvers change an oil’s rate of thinning as it heats up, thus improving its ability to lubricate effectively at higher temperatures. They also assist in changing monograde oils into multigrade oils.
So where are engine oils heading? Does all the talk about electrification of the cars and trucks mean that internal combustion engines (ICE) are destined for the recycling heap, with the oils going into them becoming obsolete? In short, no.
Whilst fully electric vehicles are capturing a larger share of new vehicle sales, the more substantive growth has been in hybrid vehicles. It is projected that by 2027, new car sales in Australia will be about 1.064M of which,18 per cent will be hybrid and 11 per cent fully electric.
Even with this relatively strong growth however, the car park in that year will only be comprised of about five per cent hybrid and two per cent electric. The market will therefore continue to rely on IC Engines, including hybrids for a long time to come.
In any case, Penrite has been developing products for this segment since 2015 when ENVIRO+ HYBRID 0W-16 (FULL SYN.) was first introduced with further offerings to come in this space. While working hard to provide Australian solutions during the transition to a more electrified future for vehicles, Penrite has also committed to a range of other initiatives to reduce the impact on our great country including:
Enviro box
The award-winning ENVIRO BOX™, bag-in-a-box concept to the Australian market. These reduce waste and save money and provide easier and more cost-effective waste disposal for workshops.
Recycled packaging
Penrite has developed a sustainability strategy utilising the Australian Packaging Covenant by using recycled plastic in its packaging.
A growing range of Penrite packaging is now composed of 100 per cent recycled, premium quality plastic. Penrite remains committed, as it always has, to using the highest quality 100 per cent virgin base oils and additives throughout its range.
Solar initiative
145kW solar system installed on our major site, with plans to roll this out across the other company-owned sites.
Rainwater tanks
Rainwater collected from the Dandenong South site is plumbed for use on site, with over 30,000 litres collected to date.
From humble beginnings on a St KIlda kitchen stove in 1926, Penrite has become a leader in the Aussie automotive lubricant industry delivering products and services that exceed expectations.
As we look to the future, our commitment to excellence has never been stronger. Penrite thanks the automotive industry and community for their continued support and partnership and we look forward to driving the next century of automotive advancements together.
Here’s to 100 years of Penrite Oil – and many more to come.