Fuels and lubricants

We all need to find ways to improve fuel efficiency. That’s why Shell Canada injects an exclusive, proprietary deposit control additive into our gasoline at the point of distribution. Our additive actually exceeds standards set by the Canadian General Standards Board.

Investing in quality fuels

Our global research and investment is designed to help us create a new generation of more efficient fuels, as well as finding ways to improve our current products. The goal is a new generation of fuels designed both for a new generation of engines and to meet a concern for the impact of all vehicles, new and old, on our environment.

The formula behind the formulations

To develop more efficient fuels, our global research and development teams first look into the heart of the engine, to examine the causes of friction and inefficiency, which affect performance.

The basic operating principle of a gasoline engine is quite simple. Gasoline is drawn from the fuel tank by the fuel pump, and carried through a fuel injector or carburetor, which allows the fuel to atomize or vaporize, and feeds it along with a measured quantity of air from the intake manifold into the engine cylinders.

The engine: Turning air and fuel into power

The job of the engine is to convert the chemical energy stored in the fuel into work — in other words, into operation of the vehicle.

In most engines the air-fuel mixture is allowed into the cylinder by an intake valve so it can be burned in a controlled fashion, creating a tremendous force which pushes a piston in the cylinder downward.

Four strokes at a time

Virtually all vehicles work on the four-stroke cycle. During the intake stroke, the piston moves downward while the air-fuel mixture is drawn in from the top through the intake valve. The piston then reverses direction, moving upward in the compression stroke to compress the fuel.

Next comes the power stroke, created when 30,000 or more volts of electricity from the spark plug ignites the compressed air-fuel mixture to release its energy and drive the piston back downward.

The cycle ends with the exhaust stroke, when the piston travels back to the top of the cylinder, pushing the exhaust gases out through the exhaust valve. When the piston reaches the top of the cylinder it’s ready to begin the four-stroke cycle again.

Enormous power

At the bottom of the piston, a piston rod connects to a crankshaft, converting the up-and-down motion of the piston into rotary motion. At an average 3,000 revolutions per minute (RPM), each piston makes 100 strokes (one up, one down) per second.

The pistons racing up and down in the cylinder generate friction as they suck in fuel and air. In addition, a build up of deposits caused by some lower quality fuels can also reduce performance by compromising combustion.

Shell fuel formulations can help to reduce engine friction, as well as limiting the buildup of deposits left around the valves. Together these improvements are designed to help fuel economy. Use of quality lubricants is also essential for similar reasons.

Tested from city to open road

Shell’s global fuel development isn’t just confined to the laboratory. Formulations are also tested on the open road, using global technical knowledge gained by Shell International from developing race fuel exclusively for the  Ferrari Formula One team.

Improving fuels for the environment

Engine efficiency helps reduce carbon dioxide output, as vehicles that burn less fuel will generally create lower carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition, helping our customers to be more economical in their fuel consumption helps reduce our dependence on oil, conserving fossil fuels for future generations.

Shell V-Power™ Gasoline: Meet Shell Canada’s premium grade gasoline

Consumer research has told us that our premium customers are busy, active consumers who want a fuel that enhances their driving experience, helps their vehicle to perform at its best, protects their vehicles and gives them a carefree driving experience where they feel they are always in control.

We’ve developed a unique fuel to target these requirements: Shell V-Power is our premium gasoline available at Shell stations across Canada.

Engine-cleaning power

Shell V-Power gasoline helps clean your engine as you drive. Its unique fuel formulation is designed to help remove power-robbing deposits from the engine allowing it to run smoother and to help improve performance.

Tests have shown that, on average, Shell V-Power gasoline is able to remove more than 50 per cent of existing deposits on intake valves in as little as five fill-ups.

Power when you need it

The cleaning properties of Shell V-Power gasoline help most vehicles operate better by reducing intake system deposits. Shell V-Power gasoline contains a special formulation that helps an engine's ability to deliver power when it is needed.

Because it's a Shell fuel, you know you can trust its quality, and that it will deliver the performance you can expect from it.

Designed for Canada

Shell V-Power gasoline is formulated for Canadian driving conditions and acts on the entire intake system to help clean those areas with repeated fill-ups.

Learn more about all of our fuels

You can learn more about Shell Canada’s fuels including Shell V-Power premium grade gasoline, our Shell Bronze regular grade and Shell Silver mid-grade gasolines, and about our diesel fuels including our Shell V-Power Diesel elsewhere on this website.

Research in action

You can also see the results of a global fuel research project in action – see the Shell Fuel Economy World Record Challenge section of this website for details.

™ Trademark of Shell Canada Limited. Used under license by Shell Canada Products.

Motor oil is essential to the life of vehicle engines. Without oil, your car engine might not survive very long after it carries you out of your driveway. Filling your engine with the appropriate motor oil can help protect your engine from wear and tear, can reduce carbon emissions into the environment, and can save you money by improving fuel efficiency.

The right oil will protect your engine from friction, corrosion and wear, assist cooling, keep moving parts clean and functioning properly and aid proper sealing. The right oil will do all this - and minimize viscous drag that reduces mileage.

So, what is the right oil for your engine?

One of the first things you see on the label of a bottle of oil is a group of numbers such as 10W-30. These multigrade numbers refer to the oil's viscosity, or thickness.

The first number ("10" in this case) tells us how well the oil will flow when it is cold, and if it will stay thin enough for easy starts on cold mornings, particularly in winter. The "W" simply stands for “Winter”.  The second number ("30" in our example) indicates how well the oil will maintain its thickness at high temperatures, particularly once the engine has warmed up.

The lower the numbers are, the thinner the oil will be, so a 5W-20 oil is thinner than a 10W-30 oil at both low and high temperatures.

The thick and thin of it

Thinner oils are more efficient because they flow faster in the engine and create less friction. This means less power is used to pump oil around the engine and so less fuel is used. Therefore, simply moving from a 10W-30 to 5W-30 oil could help deliver fuel economy  if that change falls within the approved range for your vehicle.

It’s extremely important that you check the correct viscosity of motor oil for your car in your owner's manual, as using an inappropriately low viscosity grade could damage your engine.

Quality motor oils improve fuel efficiency

Using a lubricant meeting the vehicle manufacturer's recommended specifications can improve fuel efficiency by 1-2%*.

Look for the “Energy Conserving” indicator

In addition, higher quality motor oils can also help your engine operate more efficiently.
 

Your vehicle owner's manual will tell you which multigrade motor oil to use, and it may differ for summer and winter driving. The best oils for fuel economy carry the label “Energy Conserving” and can improve fuel efficiency by up to 2.7%.**

Shell motor oil development

In the search for better and better mileage, car makers are specifying lighter and lighter engine oils. It's then up to engine oil manufacturers like Shell to make oils that are light enough to minimize drag, while providing a thick enough film of oil to prevent metal-to-metal friction in the engine. Of course, some oil companies do this better than others.

Engine oil must be designed to flow at very low temperatures, so that during startups, cold engine parts aren't turning without oil. In some cases, some oil can get so thick in cold weather that it prevents the engine from achieving the cranking speed it needs to start.

Meeting the evaporation challenge

At the same time, oil must be formulated to resist evaporation at high temperatures, so that it doesn't tend to boil away when your engine is running at peak loads. Preventing evaporation is also critical because of problems created by oil loss. The more oil that evaporates, the less is left to circulate and perform various lubricant functions.

To meet these challenges, modern additive technology gives today's lighter oils the protection capability previously associated only with thicker, higher-viscosity oils. Additives also help to keep the engine clean and prevent formation of detrimental sludge and varnish. But even the best additives can't make your oil last forever.

Regular oil changes are essential

Eventually, all motor oils degrade,  forming carbon or sludge deposits that build up in your engine and reduce your vehicle’s efficiency. The ability of the oil and filter to deal with oil and additive degradation and wear debris is exhausted, and the oil and filter need to be changed. If oil goes too long without changing, its essential performance characteristics degrade. And that's when the life expectancy of your engine begins to slide.

Many car makers recommend changing oil based on their shorter, severe-service recommendations. Every 5,000 kilometres (3,000 miles) or three months is a good rule of thumb.

The Shell Guarantee

We believe Shell Lubricants are the very best available, and we back them with a no compromise Guarantee:

Shell will restore any piece of equipment to full specification performance when damaged due to the failure of our lubricants. We will guarantee the performance of our lubricants when used in accordance with Shell's recommendations and manufacturer's requirements and specifications.

This warranty applies to all original manufacturer's equipment. The Shell guarantee is in addition to the OEM's own warranty, and does not alter nor invalidate it.

More information

Find more information about Shell Canada lubricants.

Find specifications for Shell Canada lubricants.

If you need more advice in choosing the right oil for your vehicle, check your owner's manual or speak to your vehicle dealer or manufacturer, who can advise on recommended lubricants.

* Estimates for fuel savings from sensible driving are based
   on studies and literature reviews performed by Energy and
   Environmental Analysis, Inc., Washington, DC.
**  Natural Resources Canada Office of Energy Efficiency
Auto$mart Thinking program

Tailoring fuels and lubricants to meet the needs of motorists has been the task of Shell’s researchers around the world for more than a century. Shell International has consistently been at the forefront of fuels and lubricants technology, pioneering new formulations and helping deliver fuel economy.

Shell’s global scientists take advantage of state-of-the-art computing, laboratory equipment and testing facilities that enable them to develop new fuels, then scrutinize how they perform in the laboratory and on the road.

Simulations and formulations

Computer simulations are now used in the first stages of formulation development. In addition, sophisticated chassis dynamometers - “rolling roads’” - and drive train testing facilities enable scientists to examine how fuels perform in the engine, with the gearbox and other important components.

Shell’s global engine and vehicle testing teams are also skilled at putting formulations through millions of kilometres of “real world” road testing in a range of vehicles, driving environments and climatic conditions.
 

By combining this innovative technology with real on-the-road tests, Shell has been able to develop products designed for fuel efficiency, as well as helping to lower the overall quantities of vehicle exhaust emissions.

The extreme fuel laboratory

Globally, Shell also puts developmental fuels to the ultimate test, pushing formulations to the limit on the racetrack.

Our successful relationship with Shell International and the  Ferrari Formula One team, plus truck, motorcycling and rally racing, has helped to develop a focused determination in new fuels development.

Diesel fuel joins the laboratory

In the diesel fuel field, Shell International has also announced a major new arrangement with Audi Sport, to develop the world's first ever diesel-powered Audi sports prototype capable of winning the famous 24 Heures du Mans race (Le Mans).

The new Audi R10 TDI has already written motorsport history in its first outing in March, 2006: Dindo Capello (Italy), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland) won the 12-hour race at Sebring, Florida, achieving the first ever victory of a diesel powered sports car.

Going further on a litre of fuel

Since 1985, Shell International has been working in many countries with young people at school and University, challenging them to build the world’s most fuel efficient vehicle. The Shell International Eco-marathon - opens in new window demonstrates how technology can be used to dramatically improve fuel economy. 217 teams from 18 countries took part in the 2004 competition, with the winning vehicle travelling 3,410km on just a single litre of fuel.

We are not aware of any other brand that invests more time and resources specifically developing new fuels designed for fuel economy. Our global testing procedures are routinely scrutinised by leaders in vehicle engineering, such as Ricardo Engineering.

Shell International’s global findings are also widely published in the industry, not least in successive studies published by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) which demonstrate the positive effect that Shell fuels can have on fuel economy.

In the modern world of Formula One, intelligent thinking is as important to the success of a team as the fastest driver or the most powerful car.

Some say that races are won and lost in the pit lane, but for Ferrari, races can be won by a competitive strategy that enables them to stay on track longer, while competitors have to pit for fresh fuel. 

Staying on track for longer

Ferrari’s ability to run longer than the opposition before the first pit stops at some Grand Prix races has proven to be a strategic advantage in gaining track position. It’s simply about going further on their Shell fuel than the rest of the pack.

While Formula One’s primary focus is about flat-out performance, Shell International’s global researchers have also been working with Ferrari to develop fuels that deliver that crucial extra lap or two. As such, Shell fuel characteristics have become a key ingredient in Ferrari’s top-secret strategy for each Formula One race.

Fuelling the passion

Shell International’s special V-Power F1ULG58 and 59 formulations, used exclusively by Ferrari in 2004, were developed to deliver fuel efficiency while still maintaining the same performance characteristics of Shell’s race-winning fuels from the previous year.

The good news for motorists is that the lessons Shell learns from the Ferrari Formula One relationship translate directly into our global fuels technology. The development work carried out by Shell International and Ferrari has created fuel formulations specifically optimized for high performance and fuel economy.