Extend Engine Life!

Your engine’s essential component is engine oil. Why is there so little information available about engine oil? We are here to help (somewhat).

Engine oil is to a car’s engine what blood is for us. It plays a variety of roles inside an engine. The most important are reducing friction and cooling down.

We all know how important it can be to change your engine oil regularly.

The Science Behind Engine Oils

It is possible that you have seen an oil bottle with the following text: ’15W50′, ’20W40′, or another similar format.

These aren’t just random numbers and words, but clever science is behind them.

This is the SAE grading scale that is applied to engine oil. This is the reading that describes the viscosity, which refers to the fluid’s ability to resist deformation caused by stress, wear, and tear. Viscosity is simply the thickness of the oil.

High viscosity fluids will be thicker than low viscosity oils.

Now that you have all the definitions, it is easy to understand the basics. When the engine is cold, the oil in the engine is highly viscous. This means that the oil is thick and firm.
However, oil that has been used infrequently can develop a low viscosity, which means it is thinned and fragile.

Cold starting an engine means that you start with a dense or heavy engine oi. The same oil will become runny if it is subjected to friction-induced heat.

Explaining Engine Oil Grades

Let’s take a closer look.

We all know that engine oil is graded keeping viscosity under control. This is indicated with the familiar “XWXX.”

Let’s take 20W50 as an example.

Here 20 is the rating of the oil at the temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (imperial), or 17.8 degrees Celsius in metric. This means the oil must have a maximum viscosity/flow at a low temperature. The number “W” after the number is for Winter.

The oil’s cold performance/cold start performance is better if the “W” number is lower.

A 20W50 oil must be within certain viscosity limits at high temperatures of 100degC. The lower the number, then the thinner the oil. For example, a 30 oil is thinner at 100degC than a 50 oil.

API may also be written on the bottles. This stands for American Petroleum Institute. The API rating of an oil is the oil’s performance rating (e.g. SM for petrol, CF for diesel).

ACEA, a European industry body made up European vehicle manufacturers, is similar. The ACEA rating for oil includes the oil’s performance rating (e.g. A3/B3, C3).

JASO, or Japanese Automotive Standards Organization, is the grading system specifically designed for motorcycle engine oil.

Types Of Engine Oils

Before you buy any oil, you need to know what oil your Hatchback Sedan, SUV, or SUV uses.

Understanding the components of your car is crucial. This is what will make sure that it runs smoothly, efficiently, and is slick.

We now know the basics of engine oil. Let’s take a look at some of the forms it comes in. Engine oil can be divided into three types depending on its ingredients and purity.

Mineral Oil

The genesis of modern oils is believed to be mineral oil. Mineral oils are refined petroleum oils that are subject to treatment to allow them to work at a wide temperature range. They are also significantly less expensive than the other types of oils.

Today, mineral oils are used in older motorcycles and vehicles.

Mineral oil has the biggest disadvantage: They offer very little to no protection against friction-induced heat and lubrication. They also perform poorly in cold temperatures and are more prone to breakdown when used at high temperatures.

Mineral oil is also more expensive to replace as they are only good for a maximum of 5000 km.

Semi-Synthetic Oil

This is one diplomatic oil. It is right between Full Synthetic and Mineral oil. Semi-Synthetic oil, as it is often called, offers both the affordability and performance of synthetic.
Semi-synthetic oils offer up to three times as much protection as mineral oils.

Semi-synthetic oil also known as synthetic oil or synthetic blend oil is a mixture of natural engine oil and mineral oil that enhances its properties without increasing the price. Synthetic oil can be added to improve its viscosity, wear resistance and resistance to higher temperatures and stress. Synthetic-blend motor oils may also perform better at lower temperatures than those made from mineral oils.

Semi-synthetics are not as protective as full synthetics.

Full Synthetic Oil

Engine oil technology at the cutting edge. Full synthetic oil provides excellent protection and improves fuel efficiency.

To make synthetic oils more superior than their counterparts, they are subject to extensive laboratory treatment. This involves reducing the mineral oil to its most basic molecules. This helps to remove unwanted substances and impurities. Synthetic oil molecules are very uniform in size and shape, which provides superior lubrication. Full synthetic oils function optimally at low and high temperatures or under extreme stress.

Synthetic motor oil manufacturing is a complex and expensive process. This makes them extremely costly.

What Engine Oil is Right for Your Car?

You should follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for motor oil.

Automobile manufacturers invest a lot of money in research and development to determine the type and grade oil that the engine needs. This is done to ensure the engine runs smoothly and delivers the highest fuel efficiency.