WHat does motor oil do?
Motor oil has several very important jobs to perform. The most well know job of motor oil is to lubricate the engine components. Whether you have a 2 cycle or a 4 cycle engine, it requires oil to keep everything moving. Without oil the metal parts inside the engine will touch together, causing wear and at high speeds the metals can even become "welded" together resulting in a stuck or seized engine.
Viscosity
The viscosity, or weight of the oil is one of the most important features of an oil. This is most commonly referred to as the "thickness" of the oil. Viscosity is a way to measure the resistance to flow. Essentially a higher viscosity is a thicker oil that does not flow as easily.
What do the numbers mean? Most modern motor oils will be a multi-weight oil consisting of two ratings (ex. 10W-30)
First we are going to talk about the second number, the 30. The second number is the most important number as it is a viscosity rating at operating temperature (100 Degrees Celsius.) A 10W-30 motor oil will perform like a 30 weight oil at 100*C. The second number is important because the engine spends most of its time at operating temperature. A lubricant that is not thick enough at this temperature may not adequately protect the engine which could result in engine damage. A lubricant with a viscosity that is to high will also cause problems. If the oil is to thick, the oil pump may not be able to effectively pump the oil around the engine and the oil may not be able to reach components or bearings with tight clearances, starving the engine of oil causing damage. This makes it important to use the weight of oil that the engine manufacturer recommends.
What does the 10W mean? The W actually stands for "Winter" So the first number is an indicator of how the oil will perform at low temperatures (40 Degrees Celsius.) This rating is still very important, particularly in colder weather conditions.
What do the numbers mean? Most modern motor oils will be a multi-weight oil consisting of two ratings (ex. 10W-30)
First we are going to talk about the second number, the 30. The second number is the most important number as it is a viscosity rating at operating temperature (100 Degrees Celsius.) A 10W-30 motor oil will perform like a 30 weight oil at 100*C. The second number is important because the engine spends most of its time at operating temperature. A lubricant that is not thick enough at this temperature may not adequately protect the engine which could result in engine damage. A lubricant with a viscosity that is to high will also cause problems. If the oil is to thick, the oil pump may not be able to effectively pump the oil around the engine and the oil may not be able to reach components or bearings with tight clearances, starving the engine of oil causing damage. This makes it important to use the weight of oil that the engine manufacturer recommends.
What does the 10W mean? The W actually stands for "Winter" So the first number is an indicator of how the oil will perform at low temperatures (40 Degrees Celsius.) This rating is still very important, particularly in colder weather conditions.
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