Buy 15W-40 engine oil

15W-40 is the workhorse among multigrade oils: HGVs, tractors, plant machinery, stationary engines and older diesel cars. Robust, unfazed by heavy soot loading and available in bulk packs up to the 208 litre drum - for fleets and farms on request beyond that too.

Where 15W-40 belongs

The 15 before the W means this oil takes longer to get everywhere in hard frost. In return it carries load exceptionally well at operating temperature and tolerates running hours under load of the kind that are normal in commercial vehicles and agricultural machinery.

Typical uses:

  • HGVs and buses with engines of older emissions stages
  • tractors, combine harvesters, construction and municipal machinery
  • stationary engines and standby generators
  • older diesel cars and vans without a particulate filter

The second reason for this grade is soot tolerance. Diesels with high exhaust gas recirculation carry a lot of soot into the oil; the additive packages of the heavy-duty 15W-40 oils are designed to hold it in suspension instead of letting it settle.

Approvals in the commercial vehicle sector

Different abbreviations count here than on cars. Instead of the ACEA A/B and C classes it is the E classes, and the manufacturers have numbers of their own:

  • ACEA E7 - the standard for engines up to Euro V, high soot tolerance
  • ACEA E9 - for engines with a diesel particulate filter, low ash (Low SAPS in the commercial vehicle sense)
  • API CI-4 and CJ-4 - international diesel performance classes
  • MB-Approval 228.3, MAN M 3275, Volvo VDS-3, Renault RLD-2 and similar manufacturer approvals
  • for agricultural machinery, additionally the engine makers' specifications (John Deere, Deutz, Perkins)

Important on commercial vehicles with a particulate filter: there it has to be E9 or an expressly low-ash approval, not the older E7 oil.

Pack sizes and planning your consumption

An oil change on a commercial vehicle moves different quantities: 20 to 40 litres per vehicle is normal. That is why 15W-40 is the grade that most often goes out of here in 20 litre cans and in 60 and 208 litre drums. For fleets with a regular requirement, the drum works out clearly cheaper than cans.

Plan filters, seals and disposal in as well: the oil filter belongs to every change, and we take back free of charge the quantity of used oil you bought from us (used oil disposal) - including the oily waste that an oil change produces.

For older cars

15W-40 has its place on cars as well: diesels without a particulate filter, high mileage, no long-life interval. Choosing between 15W-40 and 10W-40 is in practice a decision about cold-start behaviour - 10W-40 is more pleasant in winter, 15W-40 a little more stable in heat and under load.

Frequently asked questions

Is 15W-40 suitable for winter?

In a northern European climate yes, but with a caveat: in hard frost the oil goes stiff, oil pressure builds later and starting puts more strain on the starter and the bearings. If you do a lot of cold starts in winter, 10W-40 or a 5W oil serves you better - provided the manufacturer approves it.

Can I use HGV oil in a car?

Only if the approvals fit. Many 15W-40 oils carry both commercial vehicle and car approvals (ACEA E7 and A3/B4). A pure commercial vehicle oil with no car approval does not belong in a car engine - and in none with a particulate filter, unless it is low ash.

What is the difference between ACEA E7 and E9?

E9 is low ash and designed for engines with a diesel particulate filter; E7 has higher additive levels with no ash limit and suits engines without a filter. In a vehicle with a DPF, E7 oil shortens the service life of the filter.

How much oil does an HGV oil change need?

Depending on the engine, 20 to 40 litres, and more on large commercial vehicle engines. From two vehicles a year the drum works out cheaper than cans; for a regular requirement we quote on request.