Castrol introduces new lubricant

Castrol Marine has launched its new Castrol TLX Plus, a range of oils specifically formulated to meet the lubrication challenges of today’s demanding medium-speed engines. Castrol Marine launched the new oil to handle the increasingly demanding engine operating conditions. Higher operating temperatures and pressures, combined with smaller sumps and lower oil consumption are placing heavy loads on marine lubricants. These factors can typically result in piston undercrown and ring-belt deposits, and fuel contamination with the lube oil can lead to sludge build-up in the crankcase, unless the lubricant is specially designed to cope with such severe engine conditions.

“Castrol TLX Plus series’ unique additive system provides major performance advantages,” said David Gilmour, recently appointed Managing Director of Castrol Marine. “Castrol TLX Plus series is the best overall performing lubricant for medium-speed marine engines. It offers significant reduction in operating costs for our customers. For vessel operators interested in greater safety margins in their operations, reduced downtime and improved reliability, Castrol TLX Plus series is the ultimate answer.”

According to Castrol Marine, the performance features of Castrol TLX Plus series oils include outstanding cleanliness of the piston undercrown and ringbelt, and excellent performance in the areas of crankcase cleanliness, wear protection, fuel handling and thermal and antioxidation stability.

To fully trial the performance of the product, Castrol Marine?s technical team subjected its TLX Plus series to comprehensive bench and laboratory tests, as well as extensive field evaluations. Engines used in field trials included MAK 6M32, Pielstick 12PC2.6V, MAN L58/64 and Wärtsilä 12V38, operating in various demanding conditions. The tests comprised of over 20,000 hours of in-service evaluation.

Caterpillar MAK tested the improved lubricant in an M43 engine, running at severe high load Condition and, according to MAK, the undercrown was spotlessly clean with no deposit. They commented “The result is remarkable because typically some deposits are expected and always seen on other oils previously, even when running at less severe conditions”. Extremely successful results were found during the test of Castrol TLX Plus on a DFDS A/S Scandinavian Seaways passenger ferry. “In particular, we are very pleased that very good undercrown cleanliness was seen and that the piston ring cleanliness was outstanding. These results were obtained despite the low lubricating oil consumption during the field test?” said DFDS A/S.

Leading four-stroke engine manufacturers including Rolls-Royce Bergen, Wärtsilä, MAN

B&W, Caterpillar MAK and Pielstick as well as makers of ancillary equipment such as Valmet Gears and Blohm & Voss has approved Castrol TLX Plus. The Castrol TLX Plus series will be available in over 700 ports in 75 countries worldwide.