Holidays are sometimes the only time during the year when we attach a caravan to the car. Is this a sufficient reason to invest in a better oil or at least an oil change in the engine and transmission?
The problem highlighted by TotalEnergies arises when the weight of the trailer approaches the upper limits of the car's capabilities, and the driver has hundreds of kilometers to cover, including mountainous routes. An additional challenge will be the high air temperature.
Different types, different requirements
However, it can be said that in any case—if technically possible—an additional oil change before (or just after) a difficult holiday trip will not hurt. In the case of some types of transmissions, it is even recommended.
Such a recommendation arises from the fact that automatic transmissions tend to overheat when towing heavy trailers. They also cause the cooperating elements to wear out faster.
The oil interacting with the friction plates heats up locally and temporarily to extreme temperatures. These factors negatively affect the oil, changing its chemical and frictional properties and contaminating it. And that's why TotalEnergies recommends changing the oil.
You can often hear and see that the transmission is „getting tired”
The driver may notice that the transmission has clear problems selecting the right range, causing it to „nervously” shift gears higher and lower as if it couldn't find the right gear. Sometimes the solution is to limit the gear range by one or two (many users forget that they have such a function in their car).
If the newer transmission has electronic communication with the trailer—detecting its presence—the transmission usually changes gears a little later and keeps the engine at higher revs. In both cases, however, the driver may notice that the transmission is „getting tired.”
Automated transmission wear
Even if the clutch burns out during the trip, it does not affect the condition of the oil. TotalEnergies offers modern oils for this type of transmission with a relatively low viscosity (e.g., 75W), providing low dynamic resistance, excellent cooling, and special additives to protect the synchronizers. These oils also have high heat resistance (up to 180°C).
An example of this type of oil is TRANSMISSION GEAR 9 FE 75W.
ZWear of classic automatic transmissions
In these types of transmissions, the oil is particularly exposed to temperature increases and mechanical contamination. The oils used in such transmissions are highly advanced because they must have appropriate friction modifiers to provide a high coefficient of dynamic friction for quick gear changes and a high coefficient of static friction to avoid slipping.
TotalEnergies oils in this class have low viscosity, adequate friction and strength parameters, good anti-wear properties, and special EP additives that react with the surface of metals.
An example of oil for the latest types of automatic machines is FLUIDMATIC DVI MV.
Wear of continuously variable CVT transmissions
If they do not recognize the additional load and keep the engine in a low "economical" range, their wear will be significantly faster. TotalEnergies aims to protect the chain or belt and bevels. This oil provides excellent friction properties to minimize loss and slippage on the chain/belt and is compatible with a wide range of materials used in the production of chains, belts, and pulleys.
TotalEnergies oil example: FLUIDMATIC CVT MV.
Wear of dual-clutch transmissions
In transmissions with wet clutches, these clutches work in oil and are slightly more durable.
In transmissions with dry clutches, there is no oil in the clutch assembly. Oil change is necessary for wet clutches; negligence in this matter drastically reduces the life of clutches. TotalEnergies recommends changing the oil in dual-clutch transmissions with wet clutches every 60-80 thousand km.
Journeys with a trailer, which expose the clutches to faster wear, are an additional factor that shortens the life of the oil due to the wear of special friction additives. TotalEnergies oils for wet clutch dual-clutch transmissions have optimal friction properties and protect synchronizers.
An example of oil for dual-clutch transmissions with oil-based clutches is FLUIDMATIC DCT MV.
The main factors that degrade transmission oil when towing heavy trailers are high temperatures and oil contamination with „filings” generated by the transmission elements that wear out under overload. "Filings" is in quotation marks because they can be metal particles or particles from clutch or belt friction elements in CVT transmissions. For this reason, those who enjoy traveling with their own mobile home should consider an additional oil change in their transmission and ensure that it is a top-shelf oil that meets the appropriate specifications of the transmission manufacturer".
Andrzej Husiatyński, Technical Department of TotalEnergies Marketing Polska.
About TotalEnergies Marketing Polska:
TotalEnergies Marketing Polska has been operating in Poland since 1992 and has an established position on the engine oil market. It offers products of two well-known brands TotalEnergies and Elf. Since 2008, TotalEnergies also offers bitumen products and is present in the market of industrial special fluids. The company has also been operating on the fuel sales market since 2009. In 2021, TotalEnergies opened the first car washes and launched a project to create a charging network for electric vehicles.
About the TotalEnergies Marketing Services:
TotalEnergies Marketing Services offers its professional and private customers a wide range of energy products and services - petroleum products, biofuels, charging and related services for electric vehicles, road and marine gas - to support their mobility and help them reduce their carbon footprint. Every day, over 8 million customers visit our 16,000 service stations around the world. Number four in the world in lubricants, we design and market high-performance products for the automotive, industrial and marine sectors. In order to best respond to the needs of our B2B customers, we deploy our sales force, our international logistics network and our diverse offer. We operate in 107 countries, where our 31,000 employees are close to all our customers.
About TotalEnergies:
TotalEnergies is a multi-energy company with a global reach that produces and sells energy: crude oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewable energy sources and electricity. More than 100,000 of our employees strive to make energy cheaper, cleaner, reliable and available to as many customers as possible. Operating in more than 130 countries, TotalEnergies puts sustainability in all its aspects at the heart of its projects and activities to contribute to people's well-being.
Contact TotalEnergies:
Bartosz Cyran | bartosz.cyran@proautomotive.pl | +48 662 454 679.
Legal Notice:
The terms „TotalEnergies”, „TotalEnergies Company” or „Company” in this document are used to refer to TotalEnergies SE and consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Similarly, the words „we”, „us” and „our” may also be used to refer to these entities or their employees. Entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly holds shares are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE is not responsible for the actions or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a range of economic data and assumptions made in the particular economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove inaccurate in the future and are subject to many risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries undertakes to publicly update any information or forward-looking statements, objectives or trends contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information regarding risk factors that may affect the financial results or operations of TotalEnergies is contained in the most recent Registration Document, the French version of which has been filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) and in Form 20-F filed with US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)O TotalEnergies Marketing Polska.
