Engine oil helps prevent metal surfaces in your engine from grinding together due to friction. It also holds all the dirt generated by fuel combustion and friction in suspension…and it keeps all moving parts coated in oil. Engine oil also prevents oxidation at high temperatures by limiting exposure to oxygen. Therefore using good (or suitable) engine oil will help maintain the condition of your car engine.
To buy suitable engine oil for your car, let’s first understand a little basic about engine oil…
Types of Engine Oil
There are 3 different types of engine oil – Mineral Oil, Semi-Synthetic Oil and Synthetic Oil.
Mineral oil is based from distillation of crude oil while pure synthetic oil is derived from the re-construction of polymers in a lab. Pure synthetic oil is used exclusively for heavily loaded high performance engines and the cost of manufacturing these are way beyond the budget of consumers. Semi-synthetic is a blend of mineral oil and synthetic oil.
The synthetic engine oils that we use (like Mobil 1) are actually derived from a mineral oil refraction process. The product of this process is stable synthetic oil that’s less likely to react with other compounds. Thus synthetic oils are able to lubricate without the shortcomings of mineral oil.
Viscosity Ratings
Your car’s user manual will indicate the range of engine oil you should use. And you would have seen some numbers like “10W-30” But what do the numbers mean?
The number to the left of the letter “W”, meaning winter, is the viscosity of the oil at a low temperature while the number to the right of letter “W” refers to the viscosity of oil at a high temperature. Without going into too much detail, this is known as multi-viscosity oil.
The multi-viscosity behavior is achieved by mixing some viscosity modifier additive into the oil. As the oil warms up, the modifier produces a thickening effect.
So how on earth do I know which viscosity number to buy?
Alright…you got me…let me explain.
In cooler climate regions (with perpetual winter), use low viscosity oil like 5W-30. In temperate regions (like where the rest of world lives), use 10W-40 oils. And in hot regions (like those who live near the equator), buy 15W-50 engine oil. Of course this is just a guide to give you a clearer picture of what these numbers mean. Always follow the recommendation of your car’s user manual.
Engine Oil Brands
Here’s a list of engine oil brands that you can choose from…some of the brands are well known while several others are unheard of:
Caltex
Carlube
Castrol
Conoco
Delphi
Duckhams
ELF
ESSO
FK Massimo
Fuchs
Greddy
Idemitsu
KIC
Liqui Moly
Mobil
Motul
Mugen
OWS
Pennzoil
Prestone
Redline
REV 1
Shell
Shogun
Singapore Petroleum Company
Texas
Toho
Torco
Total
TRD
Unil Opal
United Oil
XREV
The best bet is to buy from the major brands because these companies are more obligated to ensure a minimum standard and to implement good quality control in the production of their products. And most workshops carry the major brands…therefore if you really have to visit another workshop for maintenance, they’ll have a brand that you’re already comfortable using.
Changing Your Engine Oil
Most car manufacturers will recommend drivers to change their engine oil every 5,000 to 10,000 kilometers. This is the easiest way for car manufacturers to communicate how often their cars need an oil change…but…contrary to popular belief, oil degradation depends on a variety of factors unrelated to mileage. Therefore to make things simple, if you happen to observe that your engine oil is dark and black, it’s time to change it.
The most convenient way to change your engine oil is to get your mechanic to change them during your car servicing appointments.
Yet if you have to change the engine oil yourself, the easiest way is to get yourself a Pela Pump so that you can avoid all the mess and inconvenience related to oil handling. And it saves you much time and frustration if you’re changing the engine oil yourself for the first time.
Notes:
If you’ve been using mineral oil in your engine for a long time (like years), don’t switch to synthetic oil immediately. It’s safer to transit by using semi-synthetic first. This is because synthetic engine oil can dislodge the deposits from mineral oils and leave them floating around your engine.
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