It is not a secret for any driver that motor oil is one of the essential liquids for the car. It allows the lubrication of engine components so that they do not cause significant engine failures in time, caused by friction while driving.
Because a good engine oil makes the difference, it’s important to know how to choose a quality product that delivers safety and continuity in the long run. Choosing the right fluid is not the hardest thing in the world, but you need to know the answer to just a few fundamental questions before buying a new engine oil to avoid car repair in the future.
1. What type of oil do I buy?
You know very well that you cannot buy any type of motor oil just based on quantity and price. The factors that determine the extraordinary efficiency of this liquid once it enters the engine circuit are many, from the correct viscosity of the engine oil to the type of fuel you use at full. If until some years ago there were universal liquids, engine oil manufacturers began to market specific liquids.
A diesel engine reaches a temperature of 315 ° C or more, while a gasoline engine can only reach a 160 ° C threshold. Depending on these temperatures, engine fluids specific to each fuel work very well, so that the parts are lubricated correctly, even at the highest temperatures.
2. How long does it last?
These intervals are usually converted in mileage, so the exchange of the oil can be done at 10,000, 15,000 or even 20,000 kilometers. If such a replacement is not carried out in time, you risk that the oil-protecting film will no longer cover the engine components, and this is no more than a faster erosion, higher costs, extra head. See more here.
3. A more expensive oil is also better?
Absolutely! Accurately as for every car parts, and in the case of engine oil, the quality is provided by the advantages that this product contributes to the proper functioning of the engine. It should be remembered that more expensive chemical compounds are included in the component of a high-quality chemical compound, which offers a longer lifetime of this liquid by keeping the initial color and viscosity on the packaging for longer. Also, a more expensive engine oil performs well, both at low temperatures and at high temperatures.
There is a wide range of available engine oil options, and when you look at the specifications, you will be faced with what appears a random number of letters, numbers and, worst, they are the same as those on another bottle that is identical. The entirely different prices will make you wonder if there’s anything else you should know.
Most oils are made from a petroleum-based hydrocarbon petroleum base with additives that improve properties. A conventional oil is made up of hydrocarbons having between 18 and 34 carbon atoms per molecule.
The most important feature of the engine oil is to maintain a proper viscosity, low enough to run through the engine, but dense enough to remain as a film over the metallic parts. However, the thickness of the oil varies, depending on the temperature. It is measured by a universal index that tells us between the temperatures that keep that lubricant unchanged. Briefly, when an index is higher, the viscosity is better maintained at temperature differences.
Oil can be classified according to 2 criteria: component and viscosity. Depending on the element, engine oil can be three types: mineral, synthetic and semi-synthetic.
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Understanding the viscosity of engine oil
Large numbers on an oil container such as Castrol 5w30 or Castrol 5w40 refer to its viscosity or, in other words, to the “fluidity” of the oil: thin oil has a low thickness, while the thick oil has high depth. By making a parallel with other products, for example, beer has a low viscosity, while molasses have a high viscosity.
Mineral oil is a total oil based on alkali extracted from oil, which is, in fact, a kind of crude oil distilled under certain conditions. This kind of oil is the cheapest on the market because it does not use so many ingredients in its manufacture and does not keep its packaging specifications on time.