Engine oil is one of the most essential requirements for the proper functioning of the vehicle. According to the engine type and conditions, car owners can use different car engine oil types. Moreover, there are different types of oil grades for your engine to run smoothly.
In this guide, we will discover different car engine oil types and grades that will help you choose the right one for your vehicle.
IMPORTANCE OF ENGINE OIL
Engine oil has multiple advantages as it helps in the following functions:
- Cleaning the contaminants from the engine to enhance the performance
- Reduces the friction, so that all parts move smoothly
- Neutralises acids produced during combustion
- Protects the engine components from rust and corrosion
Using the wrong engine oil can cause various effects in engine performance, oil leakage and fuel efficiency. Therefore, this guide will help you with choosing the right engine oil type so you can always enjoy a smooth drive with a good engine performance.
CAR ENGINE OIL TYPES EXPLAINED
There are mainly four different types of engine oil with different viscosity and quality levels. Following are the car engine oil types:
- Mineral oil
- Synthetic oil
- Semi-synthetic oil
- High-performance oil
MINERAL OIL
The mineral oil is prepared from crude oil and used in older engines. This type of engine oil is not compatible with extreme temperature conditions because of no artificial additives in it. However, mineral oil is the least expensive of all the car engine oil types.
SYNTHETIC OIL
The natural oils are enhanced with additives to provide better performance. Synthetic oil is one of the finest car engine oil types. This type of engine oil provides a better flow on ignition start-up where most of the wear and tear of parts occur. Moreover, the reduction process in synthetic oils is better than the mineral base oils due to the addition of chemicals such as antioxidants. The synthetic engine oil type provides the following advantages:
- Five times better cleansing than the mineral one
- More reliable for modern vehicle engines
- Performs better than the mineral base oils in extreme temperature conditions
Synthetic oil has a low viscosity that gives it a better flow. Moreover, it is less affected by the temperature change, for instance, in high temperatures its flow and viscosity is retained and in low temperatures, it doesn’t become thick and provides a better flow.
SEMI-SYNTHETIC OIL
This type of car engine oil is a mixture of mineral and synthetic oil. Semi-synthetic engine oil provides better performance in low and high temperature conditions because of its mixture. However, fuel economy can become an issue if you keep using semi-synthetic oil instead of fully-synthetic one, but there are also the following advantages of semi-synthetic oil:
- Better engine performance than mineral oil because of the low viscosity
- It is more cost-effective than the fully synthetic oil
HIGH PERFORMANCE OIL
High performance motor oil is commonly used in sports and racing cars. This is one of the car engine oil types enhanced with extra high performance additives. The high performance oil provides the following advantages to the vehicle engine:
- Six times better cleaning performance
- Maximises the life of engine by reducing wear and tear
- Protects the engine exhaust equipment from harmful chemicals
- Optimises the fuel efficiency as it provides better performance at 5W-30 grade than the 5W-20 grade of synthetic oil
This was all about different car engine oil types. Let’s find out about the engine oil grades:
UNDERSTANDING ENGINE OIL GRADES
There are different types of oil grades used in engines. These engine oil grades have a meaning, for instance, a 5W-30 engine oil grade means that the oil has a viscosity of 5 at the cold-start and will achieve its normal viscosity of 30 when the engine gets to its normal temperature. Similarly, a 0W-40 oil grade means that when you start the engine the viscosity of oil is zero but it will achieve a viscosity of 40 when the engine operates at its normal temperature.
HOW TO PICK THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL TYPES?
For choosing the right engine oil type one must consider the owner’s manual for the car’s model and engine specifications. After vehicle’s specifications, there are following things to consider to choose the right engine oil type and grade:
- Temperature and conditions of the environment in which you will be driving your car
- Check car oil type and grade and choose according to the driving environment and car model
- Watch out for the labels on the engine oil bottles, there are acronyms such as API, ACEA or ILSAC meaning that the engine oil type meets the standards.
Engine oil provides many benefits and it is important that you choose the one of the right car engine oil types for better engine performance and reduction of noises and corrosion. Therefore, when you buy a used car in the UAE, make sure that you choose the right motor oil according to the engine conditions and always avoid engine oil myths.
Stay tuned to your favourite auto blog in the UAE and find more information about automotive products, parts and repairs.
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