At a drain, the choice between different types of oil puzzled! How to choose? What are the criteria to be taken into account?
Little reminder
Your engine to run properly must be permanently lubricated, the role of engine oil. This has Lubricating main objectives are to reduce friction between moving parts and thus limit the sources of which have significant wear because of your mechanical engineering cool engine fluid movement and protect the internal surfaces of mechanics against corrosion to maintain the cleanliness of the engine; promote the tightness of the pistons. This means that engine oil is vital in the daily functioning of a self!
What oil to choose?
The criteria for selecting engine oil rather than another are mainly based on the use that is made mostly of the car.
For pipes mainly urban, semi-synthetic oil is recommended. Indeed, frequent reboots and small trips do not spare mechanics. This oil twice as expensive to purchase further protects the engine and when the engine is cold but also when it is hot. Used only in town, it is also advisable to increase the frequency of garbage.
To conduct intensive, synthetic oil is recommended. This type of oil high-end ensures the best results of lubrication and therefore protection mechanics.
To conduct road that do not require too much effort sudden mechanical (change of speed, reboots, etc.), a mineral oil enough. Less fluid that synthetic oils or semi-synthetic, suffice it easy to lubricate and protect your mechanics.
Viscosity index
Once you’ve determined the type of oil you need, the second criterion for choosing a particular relies on the oil viscosity index (the ability to flow). A significant viscosity means better lubrication of all parts of the engine. This index makes two basic facts:
- The first digit (15W as example) indicates the viscosity of the oil cold symbolized by the W which means winter in English. The higher the index and less oil are flowing. In other words, if you live in the mountains or in a cold area, you should opt for a coefficient closest to 0 to give your oil as effectively as necessary to difficult starts in winter. Indeed, very fluid oil will not need to reach a high temperature lubricant to be. If you live in an area hot, you can quite get away with the oil index 15 (less fluid).
- The second number (40 as example) indicates the viscosity of engine oil to warm. The higher the figure is high lubrication will be more effective at high temperatures. Unlike the first figure, if you live in cold area you can do everything to opt for a coefficient of 30 to be ample. As against, if you live in a warm region, it is recommended to push index up 50 per save your mechanics mounted temperature.
Note: A car with the old mechanical tired will have to be helped by an oil with a viscosity index as high as possible.
To protect your engine and optimize its operation, the oil must be checked and replaced regularly (every 7500 km for diesel vehicles, all 10000 km for petrol vehicles). The frequency of emptying also depends greatly on the state of mechanics. A car with high mileage that always rolls in town for example often spends in the garage. Knowing that the frequency of garbage varies depending on the manufacturer and use that (it was his vehicle it is important to regularly check the level and state of its oil for more security. Given the progress of recent years both drives as lubrication, the gap between two trashes tends to grow on newer models. Even if your car does not roll very little, you need to drain at least once a year.
In addition to the renewal of the oil, it is advisable to replace the oil filter every two oil changes. This obviously has a cost, but taking care of your car regularly, you prolong its life accordingly. Moreover, changing the oil filter your engine pollutes less.
Prices vary according emptying providers around 30 euros for a conventional mineral oil to nearly 50 euros for a drawdown in oil synthesis.
Tip: If you make yourself emptying your engine, do not throw waste oil anywhere; give it to the nearest garage that will capitalize on it.
Additives or Not
To effectively fight against premature aging of the engine or where the miles accumulate meter, it is possible to add to the engine oil additives.
The main advantages of these products are that they reduce engine wear and help its lubrication. They also reduce oil consumption by restoring the proper functioning of the engine. The engine is quieter, the flow of oil is cold is much improved and suddenly the engine wear is drastically reduced. These additives on the market can be preventive, curative or even stop-leak for some of them.
Attention, however, these additives are not miracle products! If your engine has a very high mileage, it does not find a second youth! At best it will keep its characteristics of the additive before! Before coming to these ends, it is recommended (but not required) to proceed from time to time the addition of protective products that have the effect of extending the healthy mechanical.
Why Change Your Motor Oil?
Motor oil is one of the most important fluids in your car’s engine. A high quality oil must:
- Lubricate: This is motor oil’s most important job: to prevent wear and scuffing of engine parts by coating every moving part with a protective film that reduces friction.
- Clean: It is essential that your motor oil cleans your engine, as well. Soot, ash, acids and moisture form sludge and resins that can become baked onto engine parts and prevent normal performance and result in wear.
- Seal: Your motor oil coats the uneven surfaces with a film that is about .001 inch thick. It’s not much, but it’s enough of a seal to prevent loss of power in your engine.
- Cool: Only 60 percent of your engine’s cooling job is achieved by water or air. The rest is cooled by motor oil.
Despite advances in motor oil technology, no oil will perform indefinitely. Motor oil becomes contaminated with combustion by-products, dirt and water vapor, causing its chemical additives to wear out. Most people drive under conditions more rigorous than mere freeway driving (for example, stop and go driving, dusty conditions and high temperatures). These require more frequent oil changes.
Regular oil changes lead to longer engine life. For maximum engine life, Q Lube recommends changing your oil and filter every three months or 3,000 miles.