Wärtsilä Advice Confirms Castrol Concerns on Single Oils
Castrol Marine said it has welcomed new guidance from Wärtsilä that undermines claims that mid-range base number (BN) oils represent a single cylinder oil solution for marine two-stroke engines. The advice confirms Castrol’s long-held concerns that using mid-range BN cylinder oils with higher sulphur fuels when slow steaming could lead to cold corrosion. The engine major has withdrawn approval for mid-range (50-60BN) cylinder oils when used with many marine engines running on Heavy Fuel Oil of above 2.5% sulphur content. New ‘letters of no objection’ to suppliers limit use of mid-range BN oils on all “Wärtsilä RTA, RT-fl ex and W-X engines as well as Sulzer two-stroke engines” to HFO whose sulphur content is “in the range 0.5<S<2.5 mass %”.
Castrol Goes Further on Cylinder Lubricant Choice
Drawing on OEM reports and its own engine performance tests, Castrol Marine has strengthened its conviction that optimum performance, when slow steaming, can only be achieved by having a range of cylinder oils available for the customer. content and low feed-rates. to those vessels regularly slow steaming, to ensure piston ring packs and liners remain in excellent condition. “The idea of a single, mid range cylinder oil solution for all vessels as sulphur limits are reduced may be seductive…
