How to spot fake Shell Helix motor oil

Have a nice day, dear motorist! In our article you will learn about how unscrupulous manufacturers of machine oil deceive ordinary people and how you can protect yourself from this deception. And you will also be able to understand how to expose (literally) the producers of bad oil. But first, we will talk about the dangers of low-quality fuel.

Counterfeit car oil can cause a lot of damage, not only in terms of wasted purchases, but also in jeopardizing the vehicle's engine, its repair, and even possible replacement. Therefore, it is important to be able to distinguish original Shell oil from counterfeits by indirect signs even before purchase.

Be careful, because counterfeit engine oil can harm your car.

About Shell

The British-Dutch company Shell is one of the flagships of the modern lubricants market.
Over its more than century-long history, it has achieved popularity all over the world. Motor and transmission oils from Shell have long become synonymous with quality and reliability. The Russian market is supplied with motor oils for passenger cars, trucks, heavy construction, mining, agricultural machinery, railway and aviation transport, as well as transmission oils.

Where is Shell oil produced for distribution in Russia? It is produced in the European Union countries, as well as at the Russian plant in the city of Torzhok.

Product range

Shell Helix motor oils are divided into synthetic and semi-synthetic. Synthetics are made from raw materials with high-quality additives to achieve the maximum level of efficiency. The following popular Shell Helix motor oils are considered synthetic products:

1. “Ultra” with PurePlus technology:

• ECT C2/C3 0W-30;
• ECT C3 5W-30;
• 0W-40;
• 5W-30;
• 5W-40;
• Diesel 5W-40.

2.HX8:

• 0W-30;
• A5B5 5W-30;
• ECT 5W-30;
• Synthetic 5W-30;
• Synthetic 5W-40.

3. High Mileage.

Semi-synthetics use both artificially created and mineral elements.

The Shell Helix catalog contains the following popular semi-synthetic motor oils:

1. HX7 5W-30.
2. HX7 5W-40.
3. HX7 10W-40.
4. HX7 Diesel 10W-40.

Lid

Inspection of the cover must begin with inspection of the appearance. The original must not have:

• cracks;
• traces of an autopsy;
• divorces;
• air bubbles;
• influx;
• casting defects;
• inclusions.

Interspersed

The fixing ring of the branded Shell Helix has a small gap relative to the canister. In fakes, it either fits too tightly or dangles loosely. There are counterfeits even with a couple of security seals.

Original fixing ring

Security seal on a fake

The scammer cover may come off along with the retaining ring. With genuine Shell Helix, the protective seal always breaks completely.

Comparison of removed covers

Official Shell Product Verification System

To combat counterfeit goods, which cause damage not only economically, but also in terms of the prestige of the company, an authentication system was developed.

Since March 2016, Shell has approved the application of special holograms with QR codes, by which the authenticity of the product can be verified using a mobile application on smartphones. The hologram has multi-level protection.

The sticker on the lid of the canister contains a hologram that changes color when tilted at a certain angle and when liquid hits it. Below there is a four-digit number and the manufacturer's barcode. By peeling off the top layer of the sticker, the consumer gains access to a QR code for scanning with a smartphone, a 16-digit identification code (the last 4 digits of which must match the value on the top sticker). Below is the address of a website that helps distinguish fake oil from the original one. The verification code used in the latest generation products guarantees the originality of Shell motor oil, since counterfeiting this element is extremely difficult and unprofitable for dishonest sellers.

Protective sticker

There is a single or double sticker on the cover of the branded Shell Helix. The lowest-grade fakes do not have it. Therefore, if there is no sticker on the cover, then it is better to avoid such lubricant.

Even the presence of a label does not guarantee the authenticity of the oil. To check the brand sticker, the brand used special protection. Therefore, you must follow the instructions below.

1. Look at the large numbers on the sticker. They must duplicate the last characters of the barcode. The numbers on the branded sticker are white. White numbers
2. Wet your finger with water. Wetting the finger
3. Moisten the white numbers. They will change color to red. If this does not happen, then the oil is fake.

Shell Helix products are as well protected as branded lubricants from Motul, Mobile, Toyota, Elf, Zeke and Idemitsu brands. This confirms the presence of another protection. It is implemented using the image of a drop.

In the original, the image of a drop changes its color depending on the angle. A green tint is required. The fake is not able to change color. Some counterfeit products vary in color from dark red to brown.

Another check will require an ultraviolet lamp. Under its light, part of the label changes color.

Original Shell Helix oil has a double sticker or label with writing on both sides. There is a unique individual serial number. You can check it using the brand's official website. If you do not want to enter 16 digits, you can use the specified QR code as your smartphone.

If the unique code has been checked multiple times, information about this will be displayed. In this case, the chance that the oil being tested is a fake is 99%. Fraudsters often print the same branded serial number.

The main signs of a fake, based on the appearance of the packaging:

1. Fake containers are slightly larger in volume
2. The place of mold casting is noticeable
3. No "not for food" sign
4. Fake containers are slightly larger in volume
5. The place of mold casting is noticeable
6. No "not for food" sign

There is shagreen on the plastic of the canister. The fakes also have an “orange peel” appearance. The originals also have shagreen, but a smoother surface, unlike the counterfeit.

Shagreen on fake and original

Best before date

This information is printed on the bottom of the back of the canister. In addition to the oil production date, the manufacturer's code is also indicated. Notice how they are applied:

• the inscription should not be erased or blurred;

Blurred numbers on fake canisters

• all the dots from which the numbers are made must be the same size and at the same distance from each other. In fakes, the dots are of different diameters and often touch each other ;

Original canister

You just need to look at the manufacturing date to form your opinion about the product.

By the way, read this article too: Online check of engine oil using a barcode

Characteristics

Shell Helix engine oil, regardless of type, has the following characteristics:

Shell helix ultra 5w40 specification

1. prevents clogging of the power unit,
2. carries out instant uniform distribution of the protective film over structural elements during engine startup,
3. prevents premature wear of parts,
4. prolongs the life of the motor,
5. reduces fuel consumption,
6. increases the interval between technical inspections of the “iron friend”,
7. relevant for power units of any type.

Let's look at the main technical properties of both Shell lines.

If stored properly, engine oil will have an average shelf life of five years. But in order for Shell Helix semi-synthetics to retain its basic properties, the room where it is stored must be maintained at room temperature and an average level of humidity. Otherwise the oil will become unusable.

Rules for replacing fuel and lubricants

Changing the engine oil

When changing Shell oil, you should adhere to the following rules:

• Before filling in a purchased lubricant that differs from the previous one in technical characteristics and manufacturer, it is necessary to flush the engine.
• Each replacement of engine lubrication must be accompanied by replacement of the oil filter.
• When filling the oil, it is necessary to control its level inside the engine with an oil dipstick - the liquid level should be halfway between the min and max marks.
• If the liquid stains the valve cover or other automotive parts, it is necessary to clean the surface from contamination. Otherwise, while the engine is running, the oil will begin to evaporate and smoke.

In order to prolong the operation of the engine, do not forget to regularly check the oil level. If the amount of working fluid is small, a protective film will not form on all components, resulting in severe wear of the mechanisms.

Methods for identifying fake Liqui Moly oils from original ones

Every car owner understands that the duration, uninterrupted operation and reliability of the engine directly depends on the quality of the engine oil. Therefore, you need to carefully select the manufacturer, navigate the required characteristics, and choose a lubricant based on the regulations of the plant where your car was produced.

Liqui Moly oils are among the best motor fluids in the world. These are compounds of the highest quality produced by a German company. They quickly gained popularity and are actively used for filling oil crankcases on many cars of European, American and Asian companies.

But such demand also provokes another common problem. We are talking about counterfeits present on the lubricants market. Buyers of Liqui Moly products also encounter them. To protect yourself from counterfeit lubricants, you should learn to distinguish between the original and the fake. It's not that difficult if you show a little patience and care.

What is fake car oil made of?

Fake auto oil is generally a mixture of industrial lubricant with cheaper lubricant of poor quality for trucks. With all this, the viscosity index of the oil is only approximately adjusted to the characteristics of the original product. Shell Helix Ultra is most often counterfeited, since this oil is famous for its popularity and quality among consumers. In addition, on the market you can come across used oil, which is simply reconstituted and presented as standard. Such a lubricant either does not contain the necessary additives at all, or additives are present, but in very low concentrations. And yet, additives take up approximately 10% of the total quantity, but at the same time make up more of the cost. In this regard, it is not surprising that by making counterfeits, fraudsters seek to save money, in particular on additives.

Differences between different types

The following features of different types of Shell Helix oils are highlighted:

1. "Ultra". Contains an additive package that protects the motor from sludge. Motor oil increases engine power, reduces operating noise and vibration, and protects the internal combustion engine from oxidation products.
2. HX8 Fluid lubricant, low viscosity. The lubricating film is resistant to oxidizing products. The lubricant instantly creates a film during a cold start of the engine and protects it under increased loads.
3. HX7 can only be used in gasoline engines. Includes many paraffin and sulfur elements, which significantly increases engine performance. Resistant to oxidation products, protects the engine under high loads.
4. HX6 Makes the engine operate silently, prevents deposits from forming and protects against oxidative products. Lubrication reduces fuel consumption.
5. HX50 Reduces fuel costs, cleans the engine, and is consumed slowly. The lubricant is resistant to oxidative processes.
6. HX3 The best option for cars with high mileage. It cleans the engine well of old oil and prolongs the life of the car. Can be used in any season.

Video: Shell motor oil, how to choose?

Rules for participation in the program

In order to become a member of the loyalty program, you need to receive and register a Shell Clubsmart card the next time you visit a gas station. After activating your card, you will receive 50 welcome bonus points. Points accumulate on your card every time you scan or purchase goods and fuel at the Shell gas station network.

How to accumulate bonuses?

After creating your account on the official website, the first 200 bonus points are credited to the card. These points are further accumulated:

• When purchasing fuel according to the scheme.
• When purchasing products at a gas station store, 40 rubles = 1 point.
• When purchasing products in a cafe, 40 rubles = 2 points.

Some products have a personal equivalent in bonuses, information about which can be obtained from gas station employees.

Card activation on www.shellsmart.com

After activating the card online via the Internet within 5 days after the first use of the card, you will receive an additional 200 rubles to your account. You can register in the following ways:

1. Fill out the form offline the next time you visit a Shell gas station. You will then receive a message to your email containing a link to confirm and complete the registration process.
2. Using the Internet, on the official website, for this you need:

• On the main page, click on the “LoginRegistration” button.
• In the pop-up window, click on the “Registration” button.
• Enter your data in the appropriate fields, namely:

1. Your loyalty card number.
2. Last name, first name and patronymic.
3. Your date of birth.
4. What's your gender.
5. Actual residential address.

Fields marked with * are required.

• Please check your email address and phone number carefully. Correctness is necessary to be able to inform you about promotions and gifts.
• Create and specify a password, as well as re-enter it. If you suddenly forget your password, you can recover it using the password recovery form.
• Read the privacy policy and loyalty program rules and check the box.
• ABOUT
• Click on the red “Next” button and complete the registration process.

How to check points on the card?

You can see the number of points accumulated on your loyalty card in several ways:

• By looking at the information in your personal account.
• Having studied the information from the receipt, after paying at the gas station.
• By calling the hotline: 8-800-770-04-55.
• Contact the cashier at the gas station before paying.

What can you spend your points on?

You can spend points on one of the gifts; the full list is on the official website in your personal account. If the product item is in stock at the gas station, then you can exchange bonus points for the product. You can also order any gift you like on the website and receive it in 2 weeks. You can choose any gas station convenient for you to pick up your gift.

Registration of a personal account

Registering a new personal account for a loyalty program user can be done in several ways:

1. Your personal account will be generated automatically if you indicated your email address when filling out the form at the gas station. A message will be sent to your email containing a link to activate your personal account. On the page that opens, you will need to enter a password, after which you will gain access to your personal account.
2. If you did not specify an email address, then to register your personal account you must:

• Go to shellsnart.com.
• Select LoginRegistration.
• Enter your card number and valid email address.
• Specify a password.

Login to your Shell Club Smart personal account

In order to log into your personal account, you must:

• Click on the field labeled LoginRegister.
• Enter the 17-digit number of your card.
• Enter the password you wrote during registration.
• Click on the button to confirm that you are not a robot.
• Click on the “Login” button.

You can use your email address as a login, and you can also change your login in the “Change Credentials” field.

Personal account features

Using your personal account, the cardholder has the opportunity to:

• Monitor the status of your bonus account.
• Change personal information in the application form.
• Exchange bonus points for gifts.
• Track the history of accumulation and write-off of bonuses.
• Monitor the status of your orders.

Visual inspection

The first thing you need to do - and train yourself to do constantly - is to carefully study the label and the canister itself right in the car shop.

Manufacturers of counterfeit products do not always pay due attention to the packaging of their product: the plastic may be of poor quality, grainy, loose, with sagging and uneven seams, and the sticker itself may be dull, pixelated or blurry, often with spelling errors, and sometimes without indicating important information at all .

Some manufacturers of original motor oils apply holograms and special codes to each unit of their products, which can be entered on the official website or called to the hotline operator to verify its authenticity.

If everything is in order with the appearance of the canister, the check can be continued only after opening the canister.

Comparison table of fake and original

SAE classification

The classification of Shell Helix oils involves the use of the generally accepted viscosity system SAE J300. It is used by all manufacturers of fuels and lubricants. Let us decipher, for example, the designation “5W40”.

The letter “W” means that the lubricant can be used in low temperature conditions. The number “5” indicates that it can be used at temperatures not lower than -30 degrees (35 is subtracted from 5). The last figure characterizes the maximum viscosity at the operating temperature of the engine. The higher this number, the more viscous the lubricant is.

Reasons for the emergence of counterfeit products

It is always necessary to check the originality of the oils used. Motor oils are a persistent dispute among a certain category of residents of the country; high-quality liquid lubricants are quite expensive and this leads to the temptation to produce counterfeit products. We can safely say that most buyers, without knowing it, purchase counterfeit lubricants, thereby causing irreparable damage to the car.

We’ll talk about how to distinguish counterfeit motor oil in this material.

Label

The manufacturer has endowed some areas of the front label of its product with reflective properties. This is the area on top of the oil name, as well as a picture of the engine piston. If you approach them at a sufficient distance, you can easily see fingers, items of clothing, and a face. On counterfeit samples, the same areas of the labels will show only some shadows. They just sparkle a little, but don't really reflect anything .

Reflective sticker

The back label is not as bright as the front label . It is a gray sticker. In the original, the color is distributed unevenly throughout the label, forming transitions. In a fake, the color of the sticker is darker and completely uniform.

Back sticker for original and fake

What is inside?

The color of the lubricant can help in establishing the truth.

A clear sign of questionable origin of the oil is turbidity and too dark a color. In fact, the color of motor oil is not strictly regulated. It depends on the pigments used by the manufacturer and can range from ocher to brown. However, an important sign of genuine oil is its transparency and characteristic amber-yellow hue.

After comparing the color, you need to evaluate the structure of the liquid.

The presence of small impurities and heterogeneity can literally be felt by rubbing a drop of oil between your fingers. Another way is to pour a small amount of oil into a separate transparent container and let it sit. In 10-15 minutes, low-quality oil will begin to separate, and all foreign particles will be visible to the naked eye.

Online services for selecting car oils

To select Shell oil by car brand, you can use specialized online services:

1. Shell website service. For the convenience of car enthusiasts, the company has created a special catalog with a filter. Using it, you can instantly obtain a list of motor oils recommended for filling into a car with the appropriate parameters:

• car category (truck, passenger car, moped);
• automaker;
• model;
• type of motor.

2. Starlube. First you need to select a car class. After this, you need to indicate the make, model and type of the machine. Then you need to select the type of motor installed in the vehicle.

3. Autoklad. The user selects the vehicle category, its make, model, modification. Then he determines for which machine unit it is necessary to find lubricant. Using the right selected motor oil from Shell will allow you to increase the efficiency of your engine. You can save fuel during long trips. If a suitable lubricant is poured into the engine, ride comfort increases, since the level of vibration is reduced, and the power unit operates almost silently. You can select oil for your vehicle through one of the above online services.

Video: How to distinguish original Shell products from counterfeit ones by looking at the canister - a tedious but detailed video of a seller in a car store

Shell card activation

If you activate online via the Internet, within 5 days after its first use, 200 bonuses will be credited to your account, they will arrive within 7 days.
Activation can be performed in the following ways:

1. Fill out the form directly when visiting a Shell gas station. After this, a message will be sent to the email address you specified containing the address of a link that you should follow to confirm the correctness of your personal data, create a password and complete the registration process.

2. Using the Internet at www.shellsmart.com, for this you will need:

• On the main page of the site, click on the window labeled “Login/Registration”;
• At the bottom of the pop-up window, click on “Registration”;
• Enter your data in the appropriate fields:

1. Card number;
2. Full Name;
3. Date of Birth;
4. Floor;
5. Address.

Fields marked with * are required;

• Carefully check the correctness of the specified mobile and email numbers. mail addresses, this is necessary to inform about the delivery of gifts;
• Create and enter a password and re-enter it. If you forget your password, you can restore access to the service using the Question – Answer function located below;
• Confirm that you have read the privacy policy and agree to the company's terms and conditions;
• ABOUT;
• Complete the registration process by clicking on the red button labeled “Next”.

The resulting account opens access to the accumulation of points in exchange for money spent.

Activate card by phone

If for some reason you cannot activate the discount card yourself, then there is an option to activate the bonus card using your phone. You need to call the hotline at number 5 9, on weekdays from 9.00 to 19.00. If you call at another time, you can leave a voice message and you will be contacted.

Reviews

Sergey, Audi A6

I think not all motor oils attract the attention of racing professionals. I periodically read about their new products and developments; in many components they are ahead of the rest. This approach is trustworthy.

Anton, Subaru Outback V

I see no point in saving on things like motor oil, especially if the new car is expensive. For me, Shell Helix has no competition. Yes, I'll pay more than I would have paid for its equivalents, but it's definitely worth it.

Konstantin, Mazda 6

I live in the Urals, before switching to Shell oil I had problems starting the engine in winter. Now this has become much easier. I also noticed that the car started moving smoother. Overall satisfied with the product

Changes of the year

Since September 2022, canisters with a seal made of aluminum have been available. What alarmed buyers. We found out - the original canisters.

The oil, produced in the fall of 2022, comes with an aluminum seal. Glue is applied between the lid and the seal.

On the left is the original from 2017 (under the lid, glue is visible on the aluminum protective seal). On the right is a fake.

The tear-off ring has changed. The tear line was moved exactly in the middle and the distance between the lid and the tear ring was slightly increased. Below are the lids of original Shell oil cans. One will be released until 2022, the second will be produced from 2022 (the tear-off ring has become narrower, the tear boundary has become more visible and runs exactly in the middle of the lower skirt of the lid).

Both photos show the original oil. On top of the new model (2017). The bottom photo is until 2022.

The distinctive features of sagging, roughness of the lids on new canisters (from 2022) are not relevant.

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