Shell Product Names and Grades Explained
Shell has an extensive product catalog for lubricants and greases, however this means that there are a bewildering array of different product names, grades and options to choose from. It is especially difficult when Shell change the names of their products and the grading system, so you often find that machine manuals from 20-30 years ago specify oils that are no longer available, or have been renamed. The following information should be used as a guide only and not a recommendation to purchase any type or grade of oil for your application.
The Product Name
Shell Product Names are made up of the following components.
Shell <Name> <Tier> <Suffix> <Grade> <Applications/Conditions> <NLGI>
For example : Shell Morlina S2 B 220
- Name = Morlina
- Tier = S2
- Suffix = B
- Grade = 220
- Applications/Conditions = Conditions applicable for greases only
- NLGI = NLGI applicable for greases only
Name
Shell used to have a massive array of product names, but they have attempted to standardise them, and now the name usually falls under one of the following (Some specialist oils still have their own brand name). Click on the link to access Shells product Brochure for more detailed information on each product.
- Shell Gadus - Grease - Shell Gadus Brochure
- Shell Tellus - Hydraulic Oil - Shell Tellus Brochure
- Shell Omala - Gear Oil - Shell Omala Brochure
- Shell Corena - Compressor Oil - Shell Corena Brochure
- Shell Refrigeration - Air Conditioning Oil - Shell Refrigeration Brochure
- Shell Tonna - Slideway Oil - Shell Tonna S2 Brochure - Shell Tonna S3 Brochure
- Shell Morlina - Bearing and Circulation Oil - Shell Morlina Brochure
- Shell Spirax - Gear, Axle and Transmission Oil - Shell Spirax Brochure
- Shell Turbo - Turbine Oil - Shell Turbo Brochure
- Shell Mysella - Stationary Gas Engine Oil - Shell Mysella Brochure
- Shell Diala - Electrical Oil - Shell Diala Brochure
Tier
This field generally denotes the quality of the oil, the higher number being better. The Tier will be in the range S1 to S6. The actual meaning of each tier will depend on the Name as follows.
| Name | S1 | S2 | S3 | S4 | S5 | S6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Gadus | Mineral Based | Mineral Based | Mineral Based | Semi Synthetic | Fully Synthetic | N/A |
| Shell Tellus (Shell Hydraulic) | Entry Tier - Basic performance | Mainline Tier - General Purpose Industrial Applications | Premium Tier - Improved Protection | Advanced Tier - Synthetic | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Omala | Entry Tier - General Purpose Industrial Applications | Mainline Tier - Extra Protection | Premium Tier - Special Applications, Extreme Load | Advanced Tier - Synthetic | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Corena | N/A | Mainline Tier - Standard Applications | Premium Tier - Long Life, High Efficiency | Advanced Tier - Synthetic, Severe Applications | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Refrigeration | N/A | Mainline Tier - Mineral Oil | N/A | Advanced Tier - Synthetic, AB/POE | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Tonna | N/A | Mainline Tier - Standard Applications | Premium Tier - Long Life, High Efficiency | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Morlina | N/A | Mainline Tier - Standard Applications | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Spirax | N/A | Mainline Tier - Standard Applications | Premium Tier - Designed for OEMs | Premium Tier - Versatile applications | N/A | Advanced Tier - Synthetic, Exceptional Performance |
| Shell Turbo | N/A | N/A | N/A | Advanced Tier - Extended Life, Enhanced Efficiency | N/A | N/A |
| Shell Mysella | N/A | Entry Tier - Standard Applications | Mainline Tier - Extra Protection | N/A | Premium Tier - Extended Life, Extra Protection | N/A |
| Shell Diala | N/A | Mainline Tier - Reliable Performance | Premium Tier - Extra Performance | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Suffix
Shell Gadus
The Suffix denotes the thickener type used
- T = Extreme-temperature performance using Shell polyurea thickeners
- V = Versatile, multipurpose application using lithium and lithium complex thickeners
- A = Thickeners for wet (aqueous) conditions
- U = Unusual non-melting thickeners or other applications
Shell Tellus
- A = Water Tolerant (LHV type fluids)
- E = Energy Saving, High Efficiency
- M = Manufacturing/machine factory applications (HM type fluids)
- V = Versatile Applications (HV type fluids)
- X = Extra/Extreme Performance
Shell Omala
- E = Energy Saving, High Efficiency
- G = Gears Spur and Helical
- W = Worm Drive
- X = Extra/Extreme Performance
Shell Corena
- P = High pressure/reciprocating (piston) air compressors
- R = Rotary vane and screw air compressors
Shell Refrigeration
- A = Mineral Oil
- F = POE Oil
- V = AB Oil
Shell Tonna
- M = Manufacturing/machine factory applications
Shell Morlina
- B = Bearings
- L = Low Load
Shell Spirax
- A = Axle
- ATF = Automatic transmission fluid
- D = Daimler/Dexron
- E = Energy efficiency
- G = Gear
- HD = Heavy duty
- LS = Limited slip
- M = (Low) maintenance
- M = Mercon/MAN
- U = Allison
- V = Voith
- X = Multi-vehicle/multi-OEM
- Z = ZF
Shell Mysella
- A = Axle
- N = Natural Gas
- S = Sour Gas
- Z = Zero or very low ash
Shell Diala
- G = Gas absorbing
- I = Conforms to IEC specifications
- U = Uninhibited
- X = Fully inhibited
- Z = Insulating oil
Grade
This is a number that denotes the ISO Viscosity Grade. More information on Viscosity Grades can be obtained here.
Applications/Conditions
Shell Gadus
The conditions denote the following
- C = Coloured grease
- D = Contains solids, suitable for shock-load conditions
- OG = Open gear
- Q = Noise-dampening (quiet) applications
NLGI
This is the NLGI Consistency of the grease.
For more information see this Wikipedia article