Engine oil types | Motor Oils | Automobile | Techwithteams

Types of Engine Oil / Motor Oil

There are many physical and chemical properties in liquids like lubricant oils. For a better understanding, basic knowledge about the below properties of oils is important.

1.Viscosity

Viscosity can be defined as the internal resistance to flow and change in shape of the fluids.

2.Thermal Stability

Thermal stability is the ability of lubricants to resist breakdown at high temperatures

There are 4 main types of motor oil.

1. Conventional Motor Oil

Conventional oil is derived from refined crude. Greatest advantage of this is economically good, costing up to 10% less than synthetic oil. While some say that's because this type of oil has “drawbacks” that could affect longevity, maintenance, and operation, that's not the full picture.

2. Synthetic Motor Oil

Synthetic oil is a lubricant oil consisting of artificially modified chemical compounds or synthesized chemical compounds. Synthetic lubricants are manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than crude oil.

3.Synthetic Blend Motor Oil

Synthetic blend oil is a mix of synthetic base stocks and conventional motor oils. Because of the added synthetic base stock, you're going to get more performance and protection than you would by using a conventional oil alone.

4. High-Mileage Motor Oil

High-mileage motor oil can help to reduce oil consumption, smoke and emissions from older engines. High mileage oil also works to minimize leaks and oil seepage in engines. While you could use high mileage oil in a younger car without harming it, the issues that high mileage oil addresses usually don't appear in vehicles with fewer than 75,000 miles.

Oil Numbering System

This numbering system for motor oils has been introduced by SAE (Society of Automobile Engineers)

As an example, let's consider 5W - 30

Meaning of 5W : At the cold stage (0 C) this type engine oils act as SAE 5 type engine oils.

Meaning of 30 : At the hot stage (100 C) this type engine oils act as SAE 30 type engine oils.

This type (with hot and cold specifications) engine oils are named as multi grade engine oils. Other type is single grade engine oil and it has specifications at only hot stage.