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What Oil Do I Use For My Car

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What Do The Numbers Mean On The Oil Container

Synthetic Oil vs Conventional Oil – Which Type For Your Car Engine

When you go to buy motor oil, you’ll notice that there’s a code on each container. The numbers relate to the oil’s viscosity in warm and cold temperatures, which is an indicator of how it’ll perform depending on the outside temperature.

Thanks to the hugely varying temperatures in the UK, the oil we put in our cars is different to the oil you’d use in warmer countries. This is why we use the dual numbering system , rather than single-grade varieties used in hot or tropical climates.

Why Should You Invest In A Good Oil Filter

It’s pretty straightforward why you need a good oil filter for your car, the same way you need your kidneys operating at optimum to filter out toxins from your blood efficiently. To put it into better perspective, an effective oil filter:

1. Extends Engine Lifespan

The engine’s motor requires clean oil circulating inside it to run at peak performance. A top-quality oil filter prevents dirt and other contaminants from reaching the engine’s internal parts. This prolongs the engine’s life and power.

2. Protects against Oil Oxidation

Car oil is constantly oxidizing, no matter how good or bad the road conditions you drive in are. Oxidation introduces even more contaminants to the oil, consequently reducing its efficiency. A good oil filter prevents these contaminants from reaching the engine’s internals while protecting the motor against damage.

3. Prevents Engine Heat Spike

Low-quality oil is a common cause of engine overheating. When impurities and dirt in the oil build up, they can wear down the engine and knock down its heat conductivity. A good oil filter keeps the engine components properly lubricated with pure oil, thus preventing the engine from overheating.

Does My Car Need Special Oil Central Avenue Automotive

Feb 11, 2015 Most people know that they should use specific oil to lubricate the engine in their vehicles, but not many know why each car can use different;

Nov 3, 2020 Look for a couple key points: Motor oil viscosity; Performance or industry specifications the oil should meet. The OEM will recommend a motor;

Is it true that older cars must only use conventional oil? No. Do I have to wait until my car reaches 75,000 miles before I can use MaxLife? Valvoline MaxLife;

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Reasons To Quit Asking What Oil To Use In Your Car

It seems, by far, the number one question I get from people who know me and my background is, what engine oil should I use in my car.

Before I dive into the complex oil industry, you need to know a few things about me. For the past 15 years, I have been inside the automotive industry, learning, fixing, and teaching all things about automotive.

During this time, I spent over two years dedicating my studies to engine oil. I am about to tell you that my research is based on a thorough understanding of the subject.

I understand how confusing it can be as a consumer and blasted with confusing marketing. There are dozens of brands competing heavily for your business. On top of that, you have self-proclaimed “car guys” who think they know about oil; most have no clue. Then finally, you have the auto store “pros” who are also basically clueless.

In all reality, just about anyone you talk to about engine oil will tell you what they have been marketed into believing. It is quite sad. How are you, the consumer, ever supposed to know what to get for your car?

Luckily there are ways you can learn and not spend two years doing it. Read my three reasons why you should stop asking about what oil to use in your car, and you should know enough at that point to make a well-informed decision.

For example, if I drive a 2011 Honda Odyssey, my API donut would tell me that I need 0w20 Energy conserving engine oil with an American Petroleum Institue Rating of SN.

Can I Mix Different Types Of Oil

Question: What Oil Is Best For My Car??

Yes, but dont. It is a waste of money. Even if you add full synthetic to conventional oil, you still end up with only the properties of a conventional oil. Synthetic blends are formulated with different additives to better protect an engine against wear, high heat, cold weather and sludge build-up not found in conventional oils.

When choosing a motor oil, consider the type of driving you do. Harsh driving conditions, such as city vs. highway, off-roading or along dusty, dirty roads, require motor oil to work harder and be changed more frequently. Short trips of less than 15 minutes make up the most severe driving conditions. If the engine doesnt reach top operating temperature consistently, it cant burn off water condensation, allowing sludge build-up to form.

Always refer to your owners manual to determine which motor oil is recommended to protect your vehicle. Be sure to dispose of used oil properly.

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Bell 6 Litre Oil Drainer Can

  • Bell 6 Litre Oil Drainer Can, £6.99 from Halfords- buy here

Theres a cheaper dish for less than a fiver, but the fact you can lay this one down and then pour it away later will prove useful.

You can consider flushing the engine to clean it, but often that can leave deposits in your system which can build.

Ideally, the engine oil coming out is only a little brown.

Engine oil starts life golden and turns blacker as it gets older. If you are looking shiny black stuff, youve left it too long between changes.

A Mechanical Oil Filter

A mechanical oil filter uses a filter media made of bulk materials, such as pleated filter paper or cotton waste, to separate contaminants from engine oil. It tends to hinder oil flow as the filter media extracts dirt out of the oil. Mechanical oil filters require regular replacements, where you can either replace the entire filter or the filter media alone.

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Motor Oil & Other Product Faq

Whether you have questions pertaining to motor oil performance, synthetic oils or how to recycle your used oil, you can get the answers youre looking for below. First, narrow the options down by choosing the closest-related category to your question.

Oil Types, Weights & Viscosity FAQ

Is it ok to switch motor oil weights, for example, from a 5W-20 to a 10W-30?

It depends. Some vehicle manufacturers provide a range of recommended motor oil viscosity grades based on the outside temperature in which the car is driven. Other manufacturers recommend the use of only one motor oil viscosity grade. For best engine performance, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations found in your vehicles owners manual.

Is it ok to use 5W-30 in a car if the owner’s manual calls for 5W-20?

Valvoline does not recommend doing this. Using a heavier grade than recommended may cause decrease in fuel economy, higher engine loads and eventually shortened engine life. Using a lighter grade than recommended may result in excessive mechanical wear and reduced engine life. For maximum engine performance, follow the recommended motor oil viscosity and maintenance schedule provided in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

What does the “w” in a grade of motor oil stand for?

Is thicker oil better?

When does it make sense to use straight weight oil versus a multigrade oil ?

Is switching types of motor oil harmful to my vehicle’s engine?

Is it true that older cars must only use conventional oil?

Engine Ticking In Cold Weather

Never Use This Type of Engine Oil Additive in Your Car

If you use too thin of a motor oil for the conditions, you may hear your engine making a ticking noise. This will usually be the loudest right after starting up and gradually decreasing after driving around for a bit.

This happens because the wrong weight of engine oil can do a poor job of coating and lubricating all engine components. What you are hearing is metal components such as valves and valve lifters hitting against other metal. Temporarily switching to a different oil viscosity may cure the problem.

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Why Does A Car Even Need Oil

If it wasnt for oil, a car engine would melt within minutes of being started.

Friction is the one-word answer here: The metal parts in an engine rub against each other at incredibly high speed and that creates friction which in turn creates heat.

Rub your hands together quickly and youll experience this very science.

If it wasnt for oil reducing that friction, a car engine would melt within minutes of being started.

What Do Oil Numbers Mean

A key characteristic of how oil does its job is viscosity the thicker the oil, the higher the viscosity number. Thinner is oils move around components more easily, especially at start up. Thicker oils provide better protection at high temperatures, but because the engine has to work harder to move oil around the components, theres a cost in higher fuel consumption. Multigrade oil works at both ends of the scale, giving you better overall protection than a single grade oil. This is where we come to the letters and numbers.

  • SAE a standard rating determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. There are also other standards that are becoming common.
  • Number before the W refers to the viscosity of the oil in colder/winter conditions
  • Number after the W viscosity at normal engine operating temperature, approximately 100 degrees centigrade

For example: SAE 30 – This is a single grade oil and it has a viscosity of 30 in when cold and at normal operating temperature.

For example: SAE 20W50 – This is a multi-grade oil and it has a viscosity of 20 in when cold, and as it warms up it reaches 50 at normal operating temperature.

Types of Oil: There are mineral based oils, synthetic oils and a mixture of the two. Synthetics are better because they handle demanding conditions for longer without breaking down.

Additives: There will be a range of additives in the oil. They do various jobs like suspending contaminants, keeping parts clean and inhibiting corrosion.

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Do I Need A Synthetic Oil Filter For Synthetic Oil

Yes, especially if the engine was delivered full of synthetic oil from the manufacturer. Standard cellulose oil filter media only works in a pinch for just a little while. However, a hybrid or synthetic filter media will hold up and last through the longer service life of synthetic oils.

That being said, it’s important to play it safe and adhere to manufacturer guidelines for oil and filter.

Best Oil Filter Brand To Keep Your Car Engine Healthy

How Often Should I Get My Car
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As oil runs through an engine, it naturally picks up debris, metal particles and other contaminants. Over time, the oil is bound to get increasingly dirtier; hence it gradually loses its ability to clean and lubricate your engine, eventually leading to permanent damage. That means you need a reliable unit from the best oil filter brand to clean your oil and keep your car purring like it’s still brand new.

If oil is the lifeblood that keeps your engine running, it only follows that the oil filter is the kidneys. Changing your oil and filter regularly makes all the difference between an engine that runs clean for several hundreds of thousands of miles and one that is sludged up to the brim with broken metal bits. In other words, engine oil is what keep’s your vehicle’s engine ticking smoothly, like a well-oiled machine -as they say.

Unfortunately, not all oil filters are created equal. So, we’ve filtered out the inferior ones and put together a comprehensive guide on the best oil filter brand, plus their respective top products.

But first…

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The Best Motor Oil In Every Category 2021 Truecar Blog

Feb 18, 2021 How often should I change my oil? by our editorial staff of car enthusiasts, and anything you buy through our links may earn TrueCar a;

Stop worrying what kind of oil you need. Quaker States oil selector helps you choose the correct motor oil, transmission fluid and more for your car or;

Whether you opt for 5w30 or 10w30 for your gasoline engine, when you go to purchase the oil youll be faced with another decision should you buy synthetic oil;

Jul 7, 2020 The absolute best way to make the right choice is to consult the owners handbook in your cars glovebox. Inside that document will be all the;

Jun 29, 2019 Synthetic oil, once found mostly in high-performance cars, Ive been a journalist for decades, and I got my love of cars from growing up;

What Are Synthetic Oils Made From

Full synthetic motor oil uses the highest possible quality base oil as a starting point, but the industry specifics are a bit murky. Aside from the base oil, synthetic motor oil often incorporates additives to create the final product. Even though no two brand’s synthetic oils are equal, full synthetics still provide better protection than conventional oils or synthetic blends.

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Monitor Your Engine Oil

The easiest way to make sure the oil you put in your classic car is doing its job is to monitor it carefully. Hopefully you are already changing the oil at the recommended intervals, but you should check the condition of the oil between changes as well.

Does the oil look clean and clear a month after the last oil change, or are there dissolved particles and pieces of dirt? If the oil is not staying clean between oil changes, you need to look for a better brand. High quality engine oil is essential no matter what your driveand your classic car deserves the best.

Choosing The Right Engine Oil

How to Change the Oil in Your Car (the Right Way)

From our experts · Should I Fix Up or Trade Up My Old Car? · 100,000-Mile Maintenance Costs for Top-Selling Cars · 5 Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop;

Oct 2, 2020 You should check the labels on the motor oil before buying. API uses two symbols- API donut and API certification starburst.

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How Frequently Should I Replace The Oil Filter

It depends on the manufacturer’s recommendation. Most advise replacing your oil filter every time you change your oil, say every 7,500-10,000 miles. Some older engines may require filter replacement with every 3,000-mile oil change. All in all, replacing the oil filter whenever you change the oil gives you the cleanest and most efficient engine possible.

It’s also critical to note that you should never put used oil back in.

Why Is Viscosity So Important

Viscosity refers to a fluids resistance to flow. The higher the viscosity, the more slowly it flows. Honey, for example, has a higher viscosity than water.

Viscosity is the most important property of motor oil. Your engine was built to use a motor oil of a specific viscosity. Today, 5W-30 is the most widely recommended oil viscosity. The 5W rating refers to the oils viscosity when its cold . The 30 rating refers to the oils viscosity when its hot .

Oil thickens when its cold . Alternatively, it thins when its hot .

If you use an oil that thickens too much in the cold, the oil wont circulate throughout the engine as readily, leading to wear. If you use an oil that thins too much when its hot, it can fail to keep metal engine components separated during operation, also leading to wear.

You can see the importance of using the correct viscosity of oil in your car. Thats why its always printed clearly on the product label.

I should note that some OEMs allow you to use different viscosities of oil depending on ambient conditions. For example, you can use 5W-30 motor oil during the winter and switch to 10W-30 in summer. Thats because, as mentioned, lower-viscosity oils flow better in the cold for easier starts and better startup protection.

In these cases, we recommend using the lowest recommended viscosity during winter.

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C Magnetic Oil Filter

Since most particulates are made of metal, magnetic oil filters use magnets to pull them out of your engine oil. They can suspend ferromagnetic particles, thus capturing them as oil flows through the filters.

One of their biggest perks is that the collected contaminants and particles are collected neatly on the surface of the magnets. They are also comparatively easy to clean and replace. That being said, the use of magnets does pose some potential problems with the engine.

Which Oil Should I Use For My Car

Oil How do I know if my carâs oil needs to be changed ...

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There’s no substitute for reading your owner’s manual. It will list what type of oil the automaker recommends for your car. It may also recommend different oil depending on whether you live in a hot or cold climate. The most important thing is to use oil that’s the right thickness, or viscosity, for your car’s engine.

Also Know, can I use 5w30 instead of 5w40? If you are racking your brain to choose between 5w30 and 5w40, we recommend you go with 5w30. However, if it is too expensive or not available for use, you can always go with the 5w40, which is just as good and will not cause any damage to the engine parts.

In this way, does my car need synthetic oil?

Check your owner’s manual to determine whether you vehicle requires synthetic oil. Most newer cars require synthetic oil but older cars should run just fine with a conventional oil unless your car has over 75,000 miles on it, in which case a high-mileage oil is recommended.

Which engine oil is best?

Our pick for the best motor oil is Mobil 1 High Mileage 5W-30 Motor Oil – 5 Quart. It’s one of the best synthetic oils for high-mileage vehicles, reduces leaks, and minimizes sludge buildup. For a less expensive option, consider the Valvoline High Mileage Synthetic Blend Motor Oil.

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