Motor Oil Explained

Motor oil, sometimes called engine oil, keeps automobile engines lubricated, transfers heat and absorbs combustion by-products. Your automobile's owner's manual states which type of oil you should use and how often it should be changed.

Features

Motor oil grades refer to the thickness of the oil, with higher grades indicating thicker oil. The letter W refers to winter or cold grade oil. Since oil becomes thinner at higher temperatures, lower, thinner grades of oil perform better in cold weather. Higher, thicker grades properly lubricate the engine at high temperatures.

Considerations

Some types of motor oil have multiple viscosities. For example, a 10W30 motor oil has a rating of 10 in cold weather and 30 in warmer weather. This allows engines to start easily in cold weather and drive safely in hot weather.

Types

Mineral motor oil is created from natural oil that has been refined. Synthetic oil, in contrast, is manufactured artificially. Semi-synthetic oil is a mix of mineral and synthetic oil. Synthetic oil reduces engine wear and lasts longer than mineral oil, according to Car Bibles.

Fun Fact

Using the recommended grade of motor oil can save you 3 to 5 cents per gallon of gas, according to FuelEconomy.gov.

References

• Car Bibles: The Engine Oil Bible
• AA1Car: Oil Viscosity
• FuelEconomy.gov: Keeping Your Car In Shape

Resources

• EPA: You Dump It, You Drink It