Picking the Right Oil for Natural Gas Engines

Picking the Right Oil for Natural Gas Engines

Did you know that natural gas engines require oils with different properties than diesel engine oil?

Using diesel engine oil in a natural gas engine will cause valve torching, piston scuffing and a reduction of spark plug life. In other words, a whole lot of bad stuff. Oils with high ash content may cause valve and/or piston damage which leads to excessive oil consumption and catalyst degradation. You can avoid all this bad stuff by following all engine OEM recommendations and requirements when choosing the correct engine oil.

Verify that the oil packaging label contains applicable specifications. Always use the normal recommended oil for a new or rebuilt engine as special “break-in” oils should never be used. Natural gas engine oil does not turn dark or appear as dirty as diesel oil. So also be sure to follow OEM-recommended oil change intervals when determining service requirements.