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Motor oil is the LIFE BLOOD of an engine and the most important aspect of preventive maintenance regarding engine longevity.
Motor oil is essential for your automobile with the mission
of combating metal-on-metal friction and heat.
Oil also fights against the soot, exhaust, and unburned fuel that sneak
past the piston rings and into the crankcase.
Without motor oil, your car cannot function.
Checking Your Oil
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Open the hood and look for dipstick labeled
œoil
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Pull the dipstick out, wipe it off, and stick it
back in the tube
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Pull it out once more, this is an accurate
reading of how much oil is in the engine
-
Most dipsticks will have markings for both
œfull and œquart low
-
Check oil when the car has not moved in a while
so that the oil settles into the oil pan
-
You can check the oil while the car is still
hot, just be sure not to touch the engine
-
Always check your oil level prior to any long
distance trips
Oil Change
-
A safe interval for oil changes is every 3000
miles if using standard (non-synthetic oil) however, you should refer to your
owner™s manual for specific requirements for your vehicle as different makes
and models are engineered differently
-
Severe driving such as in extreme heat or cold
temperatures, in dusty conditions, with much stop and go driving, towing or
mountainous travel puts more stress on the engine and engine oil and requires
more frequent oil changes than standard driving.
- Educate yourself on the benefits of synthetic oils. Synthetics are more expensive, however they may be your best option, depending on your driving habits and conditions and they will extend the time between oil changes.
Oil Labels
An example type of motor oil is 5W-30. Since this oil has two numbers, it is multi-grade
oil (where polymers have been added to
give the oil different weights/thicknesses at different temperatures) and
therefore it has two viscosities. The
lowest number represents the œcold weather viscosity and the higher number
represents the viscosity of the oil at operating temperature. Viscosity can be thought of as the œthickness
of the oil and the higher the number, the œthicker the oil. Both synthetic and conventional oils use these
labels.
-
5 “ lowest viscosity rating in cold weather (oil
is thinner in cold weather)
-
30 “ highest viscosity rating at operating
temperature
-
W “ stands for Winter just reaffirming that the
first number represents the viscosity at low temperatures
- All motor oils will begin with SAE which stands for Society of Automotive Engineers, the organization that sets viscosity standards
Benefits of Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil is more expensive but it does have some benefits over conventional oil:
-
Improved lubrication “ synthetic oils have added
lubricants
-
Better stability “ synthetic oils are created to
maintain their viscosity for longer periods of time and at higher temperatures
-
Reduced breakdown “ synthetic oils are less
likely to break down and can last as much as THREE time longer which means they
do not have to be changed as often
-
Fewer deposits “ synthetic oils are less likely
to create deposits or œsludge that can wear down an engine.