Engines need oil to run well. Engine oil helps keep the parts of the engine moving smoothly by reducing friction and protecting the parts from wear. It also helps keep the engine from getting too hot and removes dirt and debris to keep everything working properly.
If the oil level gets too low, the engine can have big problems. Without enough oil, parts rub against each other too much, causing heat and wear. This can make the engine not work as well, overheat, or even break down completely.
Let’s dive into it!
Role of Engine Oil
Oil is really important for keeping an engine running smoothly. It helps parts like the crankshaft, pistons, and valves move without rubbing against each other too much. This way, the engine parts can slide past each other easily without getting damaged.
Oil also helps keep the engine cool. When the engine runs, it gets hot, and the oil helps absorb that heat and carry it away from the important parts. If there isn’t enough oil, the engine can overheat, which might make parts warp or even stop working.
It also helps clean the engine. Over time, tiny bits of dirt and other junk can build up inside. The oil traps these particles and holds them in a filter, so they don’t mess up the engine.
Decoding Engine Oil Grades
You’ve probably seen numbers like 5W-30 or 15W-40 on engine oil bottles. These are oil grades, and they are important because the right oil helps your engine run smoothly and last longer.
Engine oil is like a helper for your car’s engine – it keeps all the parts moving without grinding against each other, cools the engine down, and protects it from damage. But with so many different oil grades out there, it can be tricky to know which one to pick.
Let’s break down what these numbers mean and how to choose the best oil for your car.
What are the Engine Oil Grades
Engine oil comes in different grades, which tell us how thick or thin the oil is. This is important for the engine to work properly. The thickness of the oil is called viscosity, and it shows how easily the oil can flow.
- Thin oils, or low-viscosity oils, are easy to flow and work best when it’s cold outside.
- Thicker oils, or high-viscosity oils, are better for hot weather because they don’t thin out too much in the heat.
Having the right viscosity is important because it helps the oil protect the engine parts. It creates a layer that reduces friction and helps keep the engine from getting damaged.
Understanding the Numbers
Engine oil comes with labels like 5W-30 or 10W-40. These numbers and letters give us important clues about how the oil works in different temperatures.
The First Number (like 5W or 10W)
This first number, followed by the letter “W” for winter, tells us how the oil behaves in cold weather. The smaller the number, the thinner the oil is, which helps it flow more easily in cold temperatures. When it’s cold outside, the oil can move through the engine better, helping the engine start up smoothly.
The Second Number (like 30 or 40)
The second number tells us how thick the oil is when the engine gets hot. This happens after the engine has been running for a while. A higher number means the oil is thicker and can handle higher temperatures without breaking down. So, thicker oil helps protect the engine when it’s hot.
Multi-Grade Oils
Multigrade engine oils are made with special ingredients that help them keep the right thickness, or viscosity, across a wide range of temperatures.
Most oils today are “multi-grade,” which means they can work well in both cold and hot weather.
For example, a 5W-30 oil is thin enough to work well when it’s cold, helping the engine start easily. But when the engine heats up, the oil stays thick enough to protect the engine parts and keep them from wearing out.
This makes multi-grade oils great for all seasons!
Common Oil Grades
Learn about the most common oil grades. This knowledge will help you make smart choices when taking care of your vehicle.
0W-20
0W-20 is one of the thinnest oils available. It helps the engine parts move smoothly and reduces friction, which makes the engine last longer and saves fuel. This oil is usually recommended for newer cars and can also be used in SUVs, light trucks, and vans.
5W-30
5W-30 is a flexible oil that works well in both cold and hot weather. It’s used in a lot of different vehicles, like sedans, SUVs, and light trucks because it gives good protection and performance in different conditions.
10W-30
10W-30 is a bit thicker than 5W-30 when it’s cold. It’s a good choice for older vehicles or ones that get very hot while driving. It helps protect the engine in many different driving situations.
15W-40
15W-40 is often used in big diesel trucks and other heavy vehicles, like those used for work. It’s also used in high-performance engines. This oil works great in hot weather and doesn’t thin out as easily as other oils when the temperature rises.
4 Types of Engine Oil
There are different types of engine oils to choose from:
Conventional Oil
Conventional motor oils are made from crude oil, which is found underground. They are a good choice for older cars or vehicles with simple engines that haven’t been driven too much.
These oils give basic protection for the engine, and they are usually the cheapest option. However, you’ll need to change the oil more often than with synthetic oils because they don’t last as long.
Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oils are made in a lab using special chemicals. They are stronger and perform better than conventional oils, especially in extreme temperatures.
Synthetic oil helps keep the engine running smoothly, reduces wear and tear, and can go longer between oil changes.
These oils are often recommended for high-performance cars or luxury vehicles. They are also great for cars that are driven in very hot or very cold conditions, but they do cost more than conventional oils.
Synthetic Blend Oil
Synthetic blend oils are a mix of both conventional and synthetic oils. They give you some of the benefits of synthetic oil, like better protection and performance, but they are less expensive. This makes synthetic blend oils a great option for people who want good performance without spending too much money.
High-Mileage Oil
High-mileage oils are made especially for vehicles that have driven over 75,000 miles. These oils have special ingredients that help reduce oil leaks and stop the engine from using too much oil.
They also help keep the engine seals in good shape. If you have an older car that has small oil leaks or is burning more oil than usual, high-mileage oil is a good choice to help protect the engine.
What Type of Damage Can Caused by Low Oil Level
Here you go:
Bearing Failure
Bearings are important parts inside an engine that help other parts, like the crankshaft and camshaft, spin smoothly.
If there’s not enough oil to keep them lubricated, the bearings can get stuck or even break. If a bearing fails, it can cause serious damage to the engine, sometimes making it necessary to rebuild or replace the entire engine.
Scratched Cylinder Walls
Oil helps protect the engine by reducing friction between the piston rings and the walls of the cylinders. If there isn’t enough oil, the piston rings can start to scratch and damage the cylinder walls.
This causes the engine to lose power and can make it use more oil. It also makes the engine less efficient, which means it won’t run as well as it should.
Damaged Camshaft
The camshaft is an important part that controls when the engine’s valves open and close.
If there’s not enough oil to keep it lubricated, the camshaft can wear out too quickly. When this happens, the engine might have problems like misfiring, rough idling, using more fuel, and losing power.
Keeping the oil levels right is important to help the camshaft work properly and keep the engine running smoothly.
How to Diagnose Low Oil Levels
Low oil levels can cause serious damage to your engine, but it’s not too hard to find out if that’s the problem. If you check your oil regularly and watch out for warning signs, you can catch the issue before it causes big damage.
Using Dipstick
One of the easiest ways to check your oil is by using the dipstick. The dipstick is a long, thin metal stick that you pull out of the engine to see how much oil is inside. Be sure the engine is cool before you check, so you get an accurate reading. If the oil level is low, you should add more oil or change it.
Checking Oil Pressure
Besides checking the oil level, it’s also important to keep an eye on the oil pressure. The oil pressure shows how well the oil is moving through the engine. If the pressure drops, it could mean there’s a problem with the oil pump, the oil filter, or the oil level itself.
If you notice a drop in oil pressure, it’s important to fix the problem right away so the engine doesn’t get damaged in the future.
How to Keep Oil Levels Just Right?
If the oil levels in an engine get too low, it can cause a lot of damage. When there’s not enough oil, parts of the engine can start rubbing together, causing extra heat and wear.
This can lead to serious problems, like overheating, parts getting damaged, or even parts like bearings or camshafts breaking.
But if you keep an eye on the oil, change it regularly, and fix any leaks right away, you can prevent these big problems and save money on expensive repairs or replacing parts.
It’s also helpful to use the right tools to keep track of oil changes. For example, oil change software that can help you manage oil changes and keep things running smoothly.
With the right tools, you can make sure cars stay on schedule and keep customers happy.
Choosing the Right Engine Oil for Different Vehicles
Picking the right engine oil isn’t just about choosing the right grade; you also need to think about what your vehicle needs. Every car is different, and using the right oil is important for keeping the engine working well and lasting a long time.
Check the Manufacturer’s Recommendations
The best place to start is by looking at your vehicle’s owner’s manual.
The manual will tell you the exact engine oil grade the manufacturer recommends for your car. This is important because the right oil will match the engine’s design and help it perform at its best. Following the recommendations also makes sure you don’t have problems with your warranty later on.
Special Considerations for High-Performance and Luxury Vehicles
High-performance cars and luxury vehicles often have special needs when it comes to engine oil. These cars are built to work harder and run at higher temperatures than regular cars.
That means they need oils that can handle the heat and protect the engine parts better. Synthetic oils, which are made to perform at higher temperatures and give better protection, are usually the best choice for these types of vehicles.
Using the right oil helps keep these cars running smoothly for a long time.
Wrapping Up!
Knowing about engine oil grades is important for keeping a vehicle running well. Choosing the right oil grade and type helps make sure the engine runs smoothly and lasts a long time. When you pick the right oil, you help the engine work efficiently, saving both time and money on repairs. This knowledge is really useful for making smart choices when taking care of vehicles and keeping them in good shape for a long time.
