Maintaining the condition of your car for a longer period of time requires continuous effort and money. Investing in a good quality, suitable engine oil from the initial stage of car usage will help you to keep your car’s engine safe and stable for an extended period. A typical car engine oil includes heat exchange, aids in the cleaning process, improves vehicle fuel economy, minimizes deposit formation and wear, and controls the formation of acids and sludge. All of these lead to reduced friction in the engine’s moving parts, helping along the process of engine power delivery.
When we consider the automobile market, almost every car manufacturer is focused on designing engines that run at optimum performance while providing the best fuel efficiency and emission levels. Their task is formidable, as almost all oil quality characteristics are interrelated. For oil to meet all the manufacturers’ requirements, it must contain several different classes of additives to enhance its performance ability. In this context, Lubricant manufacturers in UAE become significant by producing high-quality engine oils that meet and exceed the diverse requirements of car manufacturers and the stringent performance standards.
Car engine oils can be very confusing. Your car’s manual can be of very good help when it comes to selecting a suitable engine oil. But, in some cases, the manual may not be of much help regarding the type of oil to use as they may not cover all options. It may just specify an oil that may not be the best for a contemporary engine. For example, modern engines utilize various technologies like fuel injection, variable valve timing, supercharging, and most of them are equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation system to reduce engine emissions. Therefore, understanding the type of your car’s engine will also help you to choose a suitable car engine oil.
But with so many options and brands available, choosing a specific one will be overwhelming. This blog will help you to understand what to look for when selecting an engine oil, to ensure your car’s engine runs smoothly and efficiently.
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SELECTING THE BEST ENGINE OIL FOR YOUR CAR
As we mentioned before, engine oil has a variety of functions. Without the help of special additives that perform all these functions, engine oil performs no life-lengthening duties within the engine, making its choice of a very important maintenance function.
You have a myriad of options when it comes to selecting an engine oil for your car. So, before identifying which is the best for your particular vehicle, you should know the different types of engine oil and their uses. Then you may consider different aspects, such as if you want synthetic or conventional, with the viscosity recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle. Also, it must be indicated that diesel engines require specific diesel engine oil, and this is not the same type of oil that is used in conventional petrol engines.
Aside from the types and requirements, you also need to check about the brand, API qualifications, and driving conditions while choosing the engine oil for your car.
Consult Your Owner’s Manual
The most important thing about your car and its oil requirements can be found in the owner’s manual. For example, getting to know the oil rating and the recommended viscosity of your car engine oil. The car owner’s manual will help you in finding a suitable lubricant manufacturer. It is important to follow them to maximize the performance of your engine and protect the different mechanisms, extend the life of your engine and reduce the number of oil changes, minimize the number of pollutants coming from the engine, and lower fuel consumption. Car manufacturers work with the oil industry to determine what are the best lubricants for their vehicles. These lubricants have to take into account climate, gas stations, fuel, and engine type available in the different countries and regions.
Formulating a lubricant also takes several complex procedures and requirements. Even when you visit a lubricant supplier to buy engine oil, it is important to let them know the features of your car’s engine and its requirements including viscosity range. Once lubricant manufacturers know what you are looking for, it is easier to get it.
Consider Your Driving Conditions
Only you know where and whatever conditions you’re going to drive your car. Stop-and-go driving (city, in-town driving), hauling, hot weather, hot or cold short trips, and periods of prolonged idling can lead to sludge deposition in engines. For severe service – which includes more than 50% stop-and-go driving, using a premium quality oil expressly labeled “For Stop-and-Go City Driving” or “for Severe Service” will be the best option. The presence of special additives in this engine oil will help to prevent sludge deposition in your car’s engine.
And when we consider climatic conditions, using heavy-duty engine oil in hot weather can improve the lubrication of your engine. However, if the car is operated in cold weather, you will need to change to a lighter oil than summer or you might encounter starting difficulties. Even though, using too light of an engine oil can cause engine damage because the oil can lose viscosity due to the intense heat of the engine’s operation.
Choose the Right Viscosity
The viscosity requirement of engine oil depends on the temperature when you start the engine and the temperature of the operation. Viscosity decreases as the temperature increases. Since we are not aware of the temperature change inside the engine, we need to select an engine oil that can work perfectly under the lowest yet possible temperature and the highest yet possible temperature range.
For instance, if you select a SAE 10W-40 rating engine oil, its winter viscosity is excellent because it has an SAE 10 viscosity, which provides enough thinness in flow during lower temperatures. Viscosity at high temperatures will be SAE 40, which means the engine oil is thick enough to provide better film strength and maintain separation between moving parts under combustion.
API Certification
API certification means that the oil meets the standards of the American Petroleum Institute. As we know, all of the lubricants, including engine oils are made up of a range of different compounds such as base oils, additives, and thickeners. Each has a different set of physical properties. Between the 1930s and the 1990s, the changes in engines far outstripped the technological advancements in the development of motor oils. Therefore, almost all oils were subjected to the breakdown in the sludge and potentially engine failure until the API made any adjustments to oil categories.
Generally, the current standards are SJ, SJ/CF, and CF-4 or SG/CD for 4-stroke engines, SG/CD for two-stroke high-speed engines, and SG/CD for turbo engines. And SL is the latest quality. When you select the engine oil for your car, you can choose from these API certifications according to your car’s engine type.
Brand Reputation
Aside from engine requirements and quality certifications, it is important to check the brand reputation of your engine oil. A renowned brand can guarantee the quality of the product they’re supplying. To select an established and reputed lubricants company brand from the millions of options available, you can look up customer reviews and online ratings. The end user testimonials and reviews will give you a clear idea about the reputation of the brand. Also, checking the industry awards and brand history will help you to confirm the reliability of the specific brand.
In short, choosing the right engine oil for your vehicle takes a lot of time and work. Due to the abundance of options, it can still be confusing in the end. If it feels so confusing, you can seek advice from an industry expert on which oil to use in what climate and with the type of driving that you do. However, keep in mind that the oil should also meet or exceed the specific manufacturer’s requirements for your car. The wrong oil can completely damage your car’s engine and void your warranty by not following the manufacturer’s guidelines. Also, try to invest a little more amount for a high-performance synthetic oil. Synthetic oil can reduce your car’s friction and improve fuel mileage compared to traditional oils. Spending a little more on initial investment, following the above-mentioned guidelines, and taking time to choose the right choice for your car can keep you from costly repairs and keep your engine in good condition.