PLEASE READ CAREFULLY - Potential Warranty Issues!
It now appears that Fiat have changed both the Oil specification and replacement schedule for the MultiAir II 1.4L Turbo engine as fitted to the 500X and some later Alfa Models.
The TwinAir engine I believe has always required the DIGITEK 0W-30 C2 oil but the change interval has been reduced to 9K miles (approx.) The new MultiAir II changes from a 5W-40 to a 0W-30 C2 (not a C3 and not a C2/C3).
So being the owner of a new 500X I wanted to research what 0W-30 C2 oils are on the market that could be used and found the results interesting and very confusing given that I do know a little bit about oils.
The manufacturer's factory fit oil is:
(Petronas) Selenia Digitek Pure Energy meeting specifications Fiat 9.55535-GS1 or MS.90048 and characteristics 0W-30 ACEA C2 / API SN
Possible alternatives in the research are as below:
Castrol Edge 0W-30 C3 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval approval
Castrol Edge Professional H C2 0W-30 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval (Approved for and available at Honda dealers)
Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 ACEA C2/C3 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval
Shell Helix Ultra ECT C2/C3 listed Fiat 955535.GS1 & Fiat 955535.DS1 (meets requirements) but I guess no formal approval.
This is the technical bit (see below for ACEA C2 & C3 details)
My specific concern is can an oil which claims to meet C2 and C3 ACEA ratings be safely used in place of a C2 only rated oil?
So I then consulted technical support and Texaco, Mobil and Shell
o Texaco with their C3 oil said they would not recommend using it!
o Mobil with their C2/C3 oil said they would not recommend using it!
o Shell with their C2/C3 oil said they meet/exceed Fiats GS-1 requirements so usage is OK
It seems to me that given all the above the TwinAir/MultiAir system is *VERY* sensitive to oil cleanliness AND lubrication ability and Fiat have gone to specific attempts to ensure both of these, change intervals (and more) parameters are strictly adhered to.
I now have a query out with a specialist petro chem additive company (not the after market type of products but the specialists who research and develop the chemical additives that are used during oil formulation and manufacturing to make the base oil perform to all the various international and manufacturer standards). When/if I hear back from them I'll let you know.
ACEA C2/C3 details
----------------------
ACEA C2 Stable, stay-in-grade oil intended for use as catalyst compatible oil in vehicles with DPF and TWC in high performance car and light van diesel and gasoline engines designed to be capable of using low friction, low viscosity oils with a minimum HTHS viscosity of 2.9mPa.s. These oils will increase the DPF and TWC life and maintain the vehicles fuel economy. Warning: these oils are unsuitable for use in some engines. Consult owner manual or handbook if in doubt.
ACEA C3 Stable, stay-in-grade oil intended for use as catalyst compatible oil in vehicles with DPF and TWC in high performance car and light van diesel and gasoline engines, with a minimum HTHS viscosity of 3.5mPa.s. These oils will increase the DPF and TWC life. Warning: these oils are unsuitable for use in some engines. Consult owner manual or handbook if in doubt.
NOTE! Other performance differences/factors also change between C2 and C3 specification oil
It now appears that Fiat have changed both the Oil specification and replacement schedule for the MultiAir II 1.4L Turbo engine as fitted to the 500X and some later Alfa Models.
The TwinAir engine I believe has always required the DIGITEK 0W-30 C2 oil but the change interval has been reduced to 9K miles (approx.) The new MultiAir II changes from a 5W-40 to a 0W-30 C2 (not a C3 and not a C2/C3).
So being the owner of a new 500X I wanted to research what 0W-30 C2 oils are on the market that could be used and found the results interesting and very confusing given that I do know a little bit about oils.
The manufacturer's factory fit oil is:
(Petronas) Selenia Digitek Pure Energy meeting specifications Fiat 9.55535-GS1 or MS.90048 and characteristics 0W-30 ACEA C2 / API SN
Possible alternatives in the research are as below:
Castrol Edge 0W-30 C3 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval approval
Castrol Edge Professional H C2 0W-30 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval (Approved for and available at Honda dealers)
Mobil 1 ESP 0W-30 ACEA C2/C3 but no Fiat 9.55535-GS1 approval
Shell Helix Ultra ECT C2/C3 listed Fiat 955535.GS1 & Fiat 955535.DS1 (meets requirements) but I guess no formal approval.
This is the technical bit (see below for ACEA C2 & C3 details)
My specific concern is can an oil which claims to meet C2 and C3 ACEA ratings be safely used in place of a C2 only rated oil?
So I then consulted technical support and Texaco, Mobil and Shell
o Texaco with their C3 oil said they would not recommend using it!
o Mobil with their C2/C3 oil said they would not recommend using it!
o Shell with their C2/C3 oil said they meet/exceed Fiats GS-1 requirements so usage is OK
It seems to me that given all the above the TwinAir/MultiAir system is *VERY* sensitive to oil cleanliness AND lubrication ability and Fiat have gone to specific attempts to ensure both of these, change intervals (and more) parameters are strictly adhered to.
I now have a query out with a specialist petro chem additive company (not the after market type of products but the specialists who research and develop the chemical additives that are used during oil formulation and manufacturing to make the base oil perform to all the various international and manufacturer standards). When/if I hear back from them I'll let you know.
ACEA C2/C3 details
----------------------
ACEA C2 Stable, stay-in-grade oil intended for use as catalyst compatible oil in vehicles with DPF and TWC in high performance car and light van diesel and gasoline engines designed to be capable of using low friction, low viscosity oils with a minimum HTHS viscosity of 2.9mPa.s. These oils will increase the DPF and TWC life and maintain the vehicles fuel economy. Warning: these oils are unsuitable for use in some engines. Consult owner manual or handbook if in doubt.
ACEA C3 Stable, stay-in-grade oil intended for use as catalyst compatible oil in vehicles with DPF and TWC in high performance car and light van diesel and gasoline engines, with a minimum HTHS viscosity of 3.5mPa.s. These oils will increase the DPF and TWC life. Warning: these oils are unsuitable for use in some engines. Consult owner manual or handbook if in doubt.
NOTE! Other performance differences/factors also change between C2 and C3 specification oil
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