ACEA A5/B5 or just A5?

[Nick519]

Hi, new to the forums, but I just bought a 2013 Volvo XC90 (3.2L gasoline engine) and the oil spec calls for "ACEA A5/B5". Based on my (very limited) research, A5 is for gasoline engines, whereas B5 is for diesel, and (in certain markets) Volvo sells both gasoline and diesel versions of the XC90.

So my question is this - do I need to find an oil tested to ACEA A5 AND B5, or just A5?

Thanks!

 

[Quattro Pete]

These two specs go together, so any oil you find that carries ACEA A5 spec will also list the B5 spec. I have never seen an oil that only listed A5 and not B5.

 

[Nick519]

Thanks for the reply! I'm new to the euro car world (mostly driven Honda and Subaru in the past, which seem like the oil spec is pretty... basic), so I started checking some leftover oil jugs I had in the garage, and at least one of them (can't remember which for sure, but I think it was Valvoline Synpower) just listed A5...

I'll check again when I get home. Maybe it also has to do with timing? That jug may be a couple years old...

 

[Quattro Pete]

According to ACEA, if I'm not mistaken, these are combined A/B categories, and should be labeled as such.

https://www.acea.be/uploads/publications/2012_ACEA_Oil_Sequences.pdf

Some oil companies just don't know what they're doing, but that's nothing new.

 

[supercity]

ACEA A5/B5 is one specification not two. Historically they were separate but not since 2004.

 

[jdavis]

Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5w-30 are A5/B5 as far as I know. You can get the 5 gallon jugs at Walmart.