One of the most important things you can do for your car is to
use the right type of oil. You already know that the purpose of motor
oil is to lubricate the various parts of the engine. It reduces engine
wear, makes the car run more smoothly, and even increases gas mileage.
But, perhaps you thought that all oil was created equal. It's all pumped out of the ground and ends up in barrels, right?
The truth is that there are many different kinds of engine oils, and the one you use in your car will depend on a number of factors, such as the age of the engine, its specifications, and the type of weather you drive your car in.
Old engines
Old car engines need lubrication, primarily, to keep the metal parts from rubbing together. Engines that have many miles on them, however, can contain a lot of sludge in the bottom.
Some motor oils have been designed specifically to deal with this problem and even claim to remove it offending material circulating in it altogether.
High spec engines
High-performance car engines, the sort found in the most expensive sports cars, demand that best oil available. Quite often the engines are very large and run at much higher rpm than ordinary cars. That means that the oil has to retain its lubricative qualities even at very high temperatures.
The clearances between engine parts are often much smaller, too. And so a thinner oil has to be used in order for it to be able to lubricate all of the parts, regardless of how little space there is between them.
Weather
Believe it or not, weather can have an effect on your car engine's oil.
When the air temperature is high, the engine oil can get hotter, faster. When oil is hot, it is unable to coat the engine parts as well because it's also thinner. And so an oil that responds better to higher temperatures is often used.
Conversely, it colder climates, a thinner oil is used. That's so that the engine can still be lubricated effectively.
Oil thickens when it gets old, and in really cold weather, it can cease to be a lubricant simply because it won't flow enough to cover the metal parts.
Either extreme can cause a lot of damage to a car engine.
Your manual is always the best source of information about which oil is best for your car.
But, perhaps you thought that all oil was created equal. It's all pumped out of the ground and ends up in barrels, right?
The truth is that there are many different kinds of engine oils, and the one you use in your car will depend on a number of factors, such as the age of the engine, its specifications, and the type of weather you drive your car in.
Old engines
Old car engines need lubrication, primarily, to keep the metal parts from rubbing together. Engines that have many miles on them, however, can contain a lot of sludge in the bottom.
Some motor oils have been designed specifically to deal with this problem and even claim to remove it offending material circulating in it altogether.
High spec engines
High-performance car engines, the sort found in the most expensive sports cars, demand that best oil available. Quite often the engines are very large and run at much higher rpm than ordinary cars. That means that the oil has to retain its lubricative qualities even at very high temperatures.
The clearances between engine parts are often much smaller, too. And so a thinner oil has to be used in order for it to be able to lubricate all of the parts, regardless of how little space there is between them.
Weather
Believe it or not, weather can have an effect on your car engine's oil.
When the air temperature is high, the engine oil can get hotter, faster. When oil is hot, it is unable to coat the engine parts as well because it's also thinner. And so an oil that responds better to higher temperatures is often used.
Conversely, it colder climates, a thinner oil is used. That's so that the engine can still be lubricated effectively.
Oil thickens when it gets old, and in really cold weather, it can cease to be a lubricant simply because it won't flow enough to cover the metal parts.
Either extreme can cause a lot of damage to a car engine.
Your manual is always the best source of information about which oil is best for your car.
