Engine oil, or motor oil, is an important fluid that keeps car engines lubricated and running properly. There are a lot of different types of oil available, and different weights. In this article, we’ll explain what oil weight is, why it matters, and how you can find the best weight for your car.
Different Types of Oil
Before we get into the nitty gritty of oil weights, let’s talk about the three most common types of oil. There’s conventional, synthetic, and synthetic blend.
Conventional Oil—Conventional oil is the oil that comes from refined crude oil. It is petroleum based.
Synthetic Oil—Synthetic oil uses a higher quality distilled version of crude oil and various chemicals that are meant to enhance vehicle performance and remove impurities from the oil. Synthetic oil can last longer than conventional oil.
Synthetic Blend Oil—Synthetic blend is a combination of conventional and synthetic oil. It’s often cheaper than purely synthetic oil and gives some of the best benefits. Synthetic blend can last a bit longer than conventional oil and may not last as long as synthetic oil.
What is oil weight?
Oil weight sounds a bit weird. It doesn’t refer to the actual weight of the oil, but rather the oil’s viscosity (thickness). Viscosity determines how quickly or slowly an oil will flow through an engine. Think of it like this: water has a low viscosity. It can pour over things quickly. Honey, on the other hand, has a high viscosity. It’s thick and it pours slowly. Oil weights vary between viscosities that are similar to water all the way to viscosities that are similar to honey.
How can you determine an oil’s viscosity?
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is an international organization that created a standardized rating system to measure oil viscosity or oil weight. There are ratings for single weight oils and multi-weight oils. A single weight oil rating will often include the SAE designation and a number (ex. SAE 30). The number represents an engine’s normal operating temperature.
Oils are naturally thinner in the heat and thicker in the cold. Lower viscosity oils will pour and flow more easily in winter months. They may, however, become too thin to protect an engine in the heat. On the other hand, higher viscosity oils can provide better protection in the heat because they will flow fine at higher temperatures, but they may flow too slowly in the cold and fail to provide proper lubrication.
Because oil viscosity can vary depending on the temperature, multi-weight oils were developed to provide adequate flow in multiple temperatures. An SAE multi-weight oil rating will include a number, a “W”, a hyphen, and another number (10W-30). The first number refers to the oil’s flow in cold temperatures. The “W” stands for winter. And the second number refers to the oil’s flow in higher temperatures.
What type of oil should you use?
Most vehicles are designed with a certain oil weight in mind. Your vehicle’s owner’s manual should list the best weight for your car. It may even provide a range of oils depending on the climate in which you will be driving.
Call Restored Auto, LLC for your next oil change.
If you need an oil change, call Restored Auto, LLC. Our technicians are happy to help you maintain your car with regular, scheduled oil changes, tire rotations, PA Safety and Emissions inspections, and more. Call us today to schedule an appointment.