How to Check Genuine SERVO Oil: Fake Lubricant Identification Guide
By the PCG Technical Desk · Updated 27 September 2026
Why counterfeit lubricant is a plant risk
Re-filled or counterfeit industrial oil usually looks right but doesn't perform. A re-labelled general-purpose oil in a hydraulic drum can cause pump wear, valve sticking and varnish. A wrong gear oil can pit a gearbox within months. The risk is highest when buying from unknown traders, when a price looks far below the market, or when urgent buyers purchase from whoever has stock.
Checks before you buy
- Buy from an authorised channel. Ask the seller to confirm their IndianOil authorisation. PCG Business Solutions is an authorised institutional stockist for 7 Karnataka districts (about us).
- Insist on a GST tax invoice showing the exact grade name, pack size and quantity. Informal cash sales without invoices are a warning sign.
- Be wary of prices far below the market for the same grade and pack.
Checks when the product arrives
- Seals and caps: intact, not scratched, re-crimped or glued. Drums should not show signs of re-opening around the bung.
- Printing and labels: clear, correctly spelt grade names (compare with IndianOil's product names), no stickers over the original print, and no mismatch between drum and label.
- Batch details: batch/lot number and date legible and consistent with the invoice or batch documents supplied.
- Condition: no rust, repainting or dents that suggest a re-used drum.
- Oil appearance: if you open a sample, colour and odour should match previous genuine supplies. Unusual sediment, water or haziness is a red flag.
If you suspect a fake
- Don't use it. Quarantine and photograph the pack, seal, label and batch number.
- Keep a sealed sample for testing. A lab can compare viscosity, flash point and other properties against the grade's published limits (for example the IOCL limits printed on our SERVO System 68 page).
- Report it to the seller and to IndianOil through its official customer channels.
How PCG protects supply
We supply genuine IndianOil SERVO products in sealed packs, with a GST invoice and product documentation, from our own Bidadi and Tumakuru stock points. Ask for batch documents with your order.
Recommended SERVO grades
FAQs
Buy from IndianOil or an authorised stockist against a GST invoice. Then check that seals are intact, printing is clean, grade names are correct and batch details match your documents.
Packaging security features vary by pack and time. Check the current pack with the seller or IndianOil. The dependable safeguard is to buy from an authorised channel with an invoice.
