There are numerous types of car oil available on the market, and each type is intended for a specific purpose. Understanding the basics, such as additives and viscosity, will help you determine how to choose car oil.
What are oil additives?
Refiners mix in different additives to the oil to help it keep the car engine cool and clean. Oil additives account for up to 25 percent of the oil’s cost.
What are oil classification codes?
These are codes on the label of the oil bottle that will tell you whether the product is obsolete or not, and if it’s suitable to be used in your vehicle. The American Petroleum Institute (API) uses a two-letter code for service classification of engine oils for passenger cars. Codes SA through SH indicate that the oil product is already obsolete or formulated for use in vehicles that were built from the 1920 to 1996. Codes SJ through SN are the codes for current motor oil.
What are viscosity ratings?
Viscosity determines how well the oil flows. It is used to identify and rate engine oil. There are two types of engine oil available: multi-viscosity and single-viscosity oils. Practically all vehicles are designed to use multi-viscosity oil.
A lower viscosity rating would mean thinner oil that flows easier. Look in your car’s manual to determine the correct viscosity of oil for your vehicle.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you on how to choose car oil that is right for your vehicle:
– What type of motor oil are you currently using? Is your car running well on this oil? If so, then there’s no need for you to change brands.
– What is the car manufacturer’s recommended kind of oil according to the owner’s manual? If the warranty on your new vehicle has not yet expired, using oil other than the recommended one may void the warranty.
– How old is your car? If you’ve been using single-weight oil on an old vehicle, don’t switch to multi-viscosity oil. The sludge that has built up over the years of using single-weight oil, most of which doesn’t have detergent, will become loose and will mess up your car when you suddenly start using multi-viscosity oil, which has detergent in it.
– Do you live in an area where there is extreme climate, either very hot or very cold? Does the temperature where you live change radically? If so, use multi-weight oil that works in a range of temperatures.
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