What's the deal with Engine Oil?

What's the deal with Engine Oil?

​​What is motor oil, anyway?

​Motor oil, engine oil, or engine lubricant is any one of various substances that consist of base oils enhanced with various additives such as:

-Antiwear additives - forms protective layer on metal to reduce friction

-Detergents - prevents rust in the engine

-Dispersants - prevent sludge and other deposits from forming

​-Antifoam agents - prevents foaming when oil is agitated

-Viscosity index improvers - (Multi-grade oils) causes viscosity to change less with different temperatures

​

Basically, motor oil lubricates the moving parts of your engine to reduce friction and wear.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are primary functions of motor oil?

• Flow & protect the engine during start-up

• Keep engine surfaces clean

• Prevent engine wear

• Reduce heat

• Seal piston to cylinder wall gaps

Multiple Choice

Each of the following is an engine lubrication system function except:

• cleans inside of engine

• helps cool engine parts

• prevents heat transfer

• increases fuel economy

Multiple Choice

Oil additives are used to prevent:

• deposits

• foaming

• oxidation (rust)

• All choices are correct

​Whoa Whoa Whoa... conventional? Fully Synthetic? What does that mean?

Conventional oil (mineral oil) is made using fossil fuels/crude oil/petroleum. Advantage much cheaper.

​

Full Synthetic oil is mostly made from crude oil but has been highly processed into something considered to be an artificial lubricant. Advantages of Synthetic:

-​Contains fewer impurities

-Resist sludge and deposit formation.

-Better lubrication especially at cold

temperatures

​**Disadvantage: High Price

​So I just have to make sure there is oil in my engine, right?

​​Not exactly. In order for your vehicle to remain in proper working order, you must change the oil in your engine periodically. How often you need to do this is dependent upon several factors.

​

Conventional oil - change your oil every 3,000 miles or every 3 months, whichever comes first.

​

Full synthetic oil, it can be stretched to somewhere between 5,000-8,000 miles, although pushing the limits can be risky.

​I heard about this thing called "Synthetic Blend"

​

A synthetic Blend means there is a mixture of petroleum based engine oil with some synthetic oil.

​

​

​*Synthetic Blend is better than

​conventional but not as good as

​Full Synthetic

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between synthetic oil and conventional oil?

• Synthetic is man-made and conventional is natural.

• Synthetic has additives and conventional does not.

• Synthetic is more refined than conventional.

​Severe vs Normal Driving

​Most people drive under Severe conditions and don't realize it.

​

​​-Trips less than 4 miles

​-Trips less than 10 miles in below freezing temperatures

​-Engine consistently runs at low speeds

​-Drive in dusty conditions

​-Regular towing heavy loads

​-Very hot or cold weather

​

​These conditions mean you need to change oil sooner than normal

Multiple Choice

Engine oil should be changed as soon as it looks dirty.

• True

• False

Multiple Select

Which of the following conditions make you a severe driver?

• Towing a trailer

• Short Trips or stop/go traffic

• Highway driving

• Dusty/dirty conditions

• Cold weather

​Okay, so I know my car needs synthetic oil. So I just need to ask for a bottle of synthetic oil, right?

​Every engine has a specific capacity (amount) of oil and a specified SAE and API Rating.

​

Some may require 5 quarts of 5w-30 or 6 quarts of 0w-20. It all depends on what you drive!

Say what?​

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) assigns a viscosity number, Viscosity is a lubricant’s resistance to flow. (“how thick it is”)

​

​​The higher the number, the thicker or

slower flowing it is, which changes the

nature of how it coats internal engine

components and protects against heat

and friction.

​Continued...

​You’ve probably noticed that most bottles of oil actually have two numbers on them, separated by a “w.” These are called multigrade oils, for both cold and hot temperatures.

The “w” stands for winter and indicates that the lubricant in question has a different viscosity, or

different flow characteristics,

based on temperature.

​SAE Grades

​SAE = Society of Automotive Engineers

​

​10W = The “W” means winter and the

oil is tested at -30 C (-22F)

​

​SAE 10W-30 = The “30” is the

viscosity measured at 100 C (212 F)

Multiple Choice

A motor oil rated 5W - 30 will flow better than an oil rated 0W - 20 at cold temperatures.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The "W" in 0W-20 stands for

• Winter

• Weight

• Nothing

• Word

Multiple Choice

Oil "viscosity" refers to a motor oil's

• fluidity

• thickness

• flow ability

• All choices are correct

​Why does my engine oil need to be changed?

​Engine oil is a mixture of a base oil and additives. Over time the additives wear out/break down.

​

Plus, dirt and other contaminants enter from the outside environment and the combustion reaction in the engine.

Multiple Choice

How should you determine what engine oil to use?

• Consult the owner's manual

• The most expensive option

• Use the thinnest option available

• Use the thickest option for the most protection

Multiple Choice

Does the base oil or the additives in oil wear out?

• Base oil

• Additives

Multiple Select

What causes oil contamination? (select all that apply)

• the combustion process

• the environment outside the vehicle

• temperature

• age of the engine

Multiple Choice

Okay, so I know my car needs synthetic oil. So I just need to ask for a bottle of synthetic oil, right?

(CHECK ALL CORRECT ANSWERS)

• You're exactly right!

• No, every engine requires a specific engine oil with a SAE Rating (grade) like 0W-20

• All motor oil is the same and you can put anyone of them in

Multiple Select

CHECK all that apply: What could happen if you fail to change your vehicle's oil regularly?

• Engine seizure

• Sludge in your engine

• You'll end up spending a lot more money on repairs of your vehicle

• All choices are correct

Multiple Choice

What is the standard operating temperature for most engines? This number is the basis of oil weight classification.

• 210 F

• 100 F

• 500 F

• 32 F

Multiple Select

CHECK ALL THAT APPLY: What are the main types of motor oil?

• Full Synthetic

• Conventional

• Synthetic Blend

• Crude oil

• Petroleum