"Buyer's Guide: Oils and Lubricants"

Description: How to buy the right oil for your car?

Newest Review: ... as wide range multigrade oils have a lot of polymers and these can break down and cause problems. Another code to look for is an API service rating. For petrol engines, these start with an F, and for diesel engines, they start with a C. The second letter in the code gives the grading. The further through the alphabet the better. For instance SJ is the latest rating for an oil for a petrol ... more

... engine and you could use it in any petrol engine. SF oil is of a lower quality, and is not likely to be suitable for cars built after 1988. These codes are explained in more detail here: http://www.api.org/programs_services/qua lity/oilguide.pdf ...more

Read Reviews for "Buyer's Guide: Oils and L...

"Buyer's Guide: Oils and Lubricants": lubrication education (735 words)
by - written on 14/08/01 (Very useful, 990 readings)
Rating:

Oil has a number of different functions: lubrication, corrosion protection, cooling, and contaminant transfer. There needs to be a compromise between all the functions. The first thing to consider is the viscosity of the oil. If the oil is too viscous, then it will stay sat at the bottom of your engine. If its not viscous enough, then it will form too thin a coating. There is another factor is the viscosity decreases as the oil heats up. A multigrade oil gets around this by mixing a thin oil with a polymer. When the oil is cold, the polymer is coiled up and lets the oil flow freely. When it is hot, the polymer unwinds and counteracts the decrease in viscosity ... Read the complete review

Read 1 review

Write a review