UFI to supply oil filter modules and heat exchangers for Renault commercial vehicles

UFI will supply original equipment engine oil filtration modules for the Renault Trafic and Renault Master commercial vehicles equipped with the 2.0-litre Blue dCi engine, after production started in the fourth quarter of 2025. The Italy-based company supplies the automaker with the entire oil module, which houses the filter and heat exchanger in its die-cast aluminium body.

This allows both filtration, and the job of thermal management, achieved by the exchanger. As for production, the various parts that make up the engine oil filtration module for Renault are made in different UFI-owned plants, each of which specialises in the technology of that individual component. Final assembly takes place in a European facility.

UFI’s oil filter modules and heat exchangers: innovation is the word

Among the innovative features of the filters, it’s worth mentioning an unprecedented solution developed for the internal seal between the two sides of the filter, the ‘dirty’ side where the lubricant to be filtered arrives, and the ‘clean’ side downstream of the filter media. The seal, which has the important task of perfectly sealing the oil circuit, required specific development work to define its geometry and the necessary material needed.

The second distinctive feature of the module concerns thermal management, and, in particular, oil bypass, which is necessary to measure the amount of lubricant to be cooled, based on the engine’s operating temperatures. This function is usually performed by a thermostatic valve, which in the UFI module has been replaced by an orifice. This has been correctly calibrated, thanks to complex fluid dynamics simulations that have made it possible to identify the optimal size. This solution has allowed the exchanger to fully meet the manufacturer’s requirements for space reduction. Finally, the oil coolant enters the aluminium body of the module directly, eliminating the need for dedicated pipes.

The Renault engine

The engine, for which the UFI oil filter module is designed, belongs to the latest generation of Renault commercial vehicle powertrains. With a 4-cylinder architecture, 1,997 cubic meter displacement and high-pressure common-rail fuel injection, this highly efficient, low-emission engine is available in several power ratings (105, 130, 150 and 170 hp). It is used in the Trafic and Master 2.0-liter Blue dCi van range, offering significant fuel savings and high overall autonomy.

“This is an important supply contract with one of the world’s leading manufacturers,” said Stefano Gava, CEO of the UFI Group, “with its high volumes and stringent requirements, it once again highlights UFI’s proven know-how, not only in the filtration sector, but also in the field of thermal management, a field in which the company has long established itself as a trusted partner in original equipment for the top players in the automotive market.”