ACEA C3-16

ACEA C3 oils are Top Tier lower SAPS¹ lubricants. They are designed for use in high performance gasoline and light duty diesel engines where advanced aftertreatment systems such as Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs) and Three Way Catalysts (TWC) are used.

ACEA C3 oils are typically SAE 5W-30 or SAE 5W-40 based on API Group III base oils.

The main physical and chemical requirements for ACEA C3 are shown below:

Requirement	Method	Unit	Limit
HTHS viscosity	CEC L-36-A-90	cP	≥ 3.5
Sulphated Ash	ASTM D874	%wt	≤ 0.8
Phosphorus	ASTM D5185	%wt	≥ 0.070 and ≤ 0.090
Sulphur	ASTM D5185	%wt	≤ 0.3
Evaporation loss (NOACK)	CEC L-40-A-93	%	≤ 13
Total Base Number	ASTM D2896	mgKOH/g	≥ 6.0

Note 1 : SAPS refers to Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur, the levels of which are often restricted in the latest performance specifications.

ACEA C3 was first introduced into the ACEA Oil Sequences in 2004 and has seen a number of changes since its introduction, most recently in the ACEA 2016 update.

For ACEA 2016 a number of additional changes to the requirements for ACEA C3 have been made. The inclusion of the new OM646LA BIO engine test and CEC L-109 Biodiesel Oxidation Test shows the increasing importance of biodiesel in the marketplace. Additionally, the new DV6 engine test, as a replacement for the DV4 test along with the PSA EP6 engine test highlights the increased piston cleanliness and soot handling requirements of ACEA 2016.

The changes for ACEA 2016 are summarised below:

Test	Change for ACEA 2016
CEC L-112	New seals materials for oil elastomer compatibility
CEC L-109	Biodiesel Oxidation test added to replace GFC-LU-43A-11.
CEC L-106	DV6 Oil dispersion at medium temperature now compulsory, replaced DV4.
CEC L-111-16	PSA EP6 piston cleanliness test added
CEC L038-94	TU3M scuffing test removed
CEC L-088-02	TU5JP-L4 high temperature deposits test removed
Daimler M271 Evo	Black Sludge test added (Required once available)
CEC L-104-16	OM646LA BIO Effects of Biodiesel test added

For a deeper dive into specifications, see the Lubrizol Ready Reference Guide, the industry's go-to resource for understanding fuel and lubricant performance principles and requirements.