Motor Oils & Lubricants Copyright AA1Car Without various oils and
lubricants,no vehicle will go very far. The engine needs motor oil to lubricate
and cool the bearings,pistons,rings,cylinders and other moving parts. The motor
oil you use should meet the viscosity and service ratings recommended in your
vehicle owner's manual. Most engines today are factory-filled with 5W-20 because
5W-20 improves cold starting,fuel economy and allows the oil to reach critical
upper valvetrain components in overhead cam engines more quickly than heavier
viscosity oils Launch
X431 Diagun. Some European cars specify 0W-20. Most vehicle manufacturers
also approve 5W-30 and 10W-30 for year-round driving. But heavier grades such as
20W-40,20W-50,straight 30W,etc. are formulated for higher temperatures and
loads,and are too thick for cold weather driving. Using a heavier viscosity oil
in a late mode vehicle with variable valve timing may adversely affect the
operation of the cam phasers and set a trouble code. So follow the viscosity
recommendations in your owners manual. What Type of Motor Oil Should You Use?
There are three basic types of motor oil: conventional,synthetic and synthetic
blends. Conventional mineral oils are refined from crude stock and treated with
additives such as detergents,viscosity improvers,anti-wear agents and
corrosion,oxidation and foam inhibitors to improve their performance. Many
conventional motors oils today such as 5W-20 actually contain high quality base
oils similar to those used in synthetic products.Using algorithyms based on laboratory and field
testing,the oil reminder system calculates how much oil life has been used and
how much is left. Under ideal operating conditions,the oil change light may not
come on for up to 10,000 miles or more on some vehicles - but that's under ideal
operating conditions only. Many vehicles operate under"severe service"conditions
in regular city traffic Car Diagnostic
Tool. Severe service includes short-trip driving (seven miles or
less,especially during cold weather),extended idling,towing a trailer or driving
in dusty conditions. What's more,the oil life monitor estimate is based on using
a high quality oil - which may be a full synthetic or a blend,not a low quality
mineral oil that may not go the distance. According to the American Petroleum
Institute (API),over 20% of 1800 oil samples taken from quick lube bulk tanks
around the . are mislabeled or fail to meet viscosity or performance
requirements! The most commonly recommended interval for changing the oil and
filter is still every 3,000 miles or three months if you do a lot of short trip
cold weather driving,or you drive an older high mielage (over 100,000 miles)
vehicle. If you drive a newer low mileage vehicle,and do a lot of highway
driving,you can go 5,000 miles or six months with a high quality conventional or
synthetic motor oil. Many auto makers today recommend 7,500 mile oil change
intervals,which is okay for newer low mileage vehicles using a high quality oil
that don't spend a lot of time idling. But on some applications (notably certain
Chrysler and Toyota engines),stretching the oil change interval to 7,500 miles
has resulted in engine sluding problems and expensive engine repairs. Just
remember that opil life depends not only on miles and driving conditions but the
type of oil used. Synthetic motor oils last longer than conventional motor
oils,so the higher cost can be justified with longer oil change intervals. Some
suppliers of synthetic oils claim their products can go up to 20,000 miles or
more between changes. We would NOT recommend trying to go that long without and
oil change in spite of what they claim. The best advice is to follow the service
guidelines in your owners manual. CV joints require their own type of
grease (never ordinary chassis grease),but U-joints can typically operate just
fine with chassis grease or multi-purpose grease. Wheel bearings always require
a high temperature grease. Other special lubricants that may be required for
certain jobs include: moly-based brake grease for lubricating calipers and shoe
pads;silicone brake grease for lubricating caliper and wheel cylinder pistons
and seals;white lithium grease for lubricating door hinges,cables and other
sliding mechanisms;dielectric grease for lubricating and protecting spark plug
boots and electrical connectors;and anti-seize for spark plugs,oxygen sensors
and fasteners.
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