When you realize you are nearly out of oil, you may not always of the luxury of time to stop and wait for an oil change. Running into the first gas station or automotive part shop, you think you will just grab some oil, only to see you have a variety of options; selecting synthetic or conventional and then a range of numbers and letters of 5w-30, 10w-40 and SAE 40. Now overwhelmed, you simply want to go to bed and call it a day, but with responsibility nagging at you, that isn’t a real option. Today, we at Bernie’s Towing Service would like to the viscosity grades and what they mean to help you get the right oil.
Why Do Cars Need Oil to Run?
To help cut down on friction and wear, motor oil lubricates engine components. Friction contributes to the increase of excessive heating and deterioration, causing the engine parts to slow down. In order for the parts to slide past one another the motor oil creates a small barrier or film between them. An increase in efficiency, power and performance stems from the slippery portions. A properly lubricated motor with the right oil reduces the fuel consumption as well. Oil continues to drip when the engine isn’t running. A lot of the engine’s wear comes from the startup because the less lubricant on the engine, the more friction is produced; expediting the wear.
Engine Oil Grades & Viscosity Index
Viscosity grades are the primary difference between basic oil. The measurement of how quickly the oil flows through your engine is known as viscosity. A higher viscosity grade would run more slowly through the engine components because the thicker or higher viscosity oils take longer to flow; which then indicates SAE 30 moves faster than SAE 60 as an example. To maximize the level of protection to your engine oils with a higher viscosity provide more lubrication. To initially cover the engine components after vehicle start up these oils can take longer to cover the parts however; a minor setback as start up will cause greater wear on your engine than the general running of the engine. To minimize the amount of dry running, oil with a lower viscosity, which provides a quicker flow of oil to cover the engine components, is ideal, but during normal running of the engine lower viscosity oils provide less lubrication. Keep in mind that few oils react differently in different temperatures and these oils are designed with two numbers in its viscosity grade; they include 5W-30 or 10W-40, they are examples of these types of oils that you are familiar with. For an example, let’s take a closer look at 5W-30. Seeing a number with the “W” represents the oils reaction to colder temperatures which is when the engine is running a while versus when it has been running awhile. A very low W viscosity grade allows a quick flow of oil when the vehicle is first started. Because the components are quickly coated in the engine, there is less dry rubbing. The lubricant becomes more sufficient as the temperature of the oil increase, making thicker.
Towing & Roadside Assistance Services in Elmwood Park, Evanston, Dolton & Greater Chicago, Illinois
If you still have doubts as to which oil is better used in your vehicle, consult or manual. If the manual is not with you, call in the experts of Bernie’s Towing Service with our roadside service to ensure your oil is current. If the oil is completely dry, do not operate the vehicle, you can cause excessive and costly damages, instead let our Bernie’s Towing Service driver tow you vehicle to a mechanic where you can get the right and ensure the engine and motor did not take a hit. Contact us whenever you need towing or roadside assistance.
