Why is their different types of oils for your vehicles and how do you know which one to put?

Question

I know which kind of oil for my car, but I was just curious and wanted a more in depth answer about why their is different types and what it means with the 5w or 10w...Just interested in that sort of thing, thanks

Answer 1

depends on the manufacturer and where you live (cold climate vs hot climate). the first number stands for oil viscosity (thickness) when the engine is cold (before the first start up in the a.m. basically) the lower the number the thinner the oil (the "5" in 5w20 for example). and the second number is the oil viscosity when the engine reaches normal operating temperatures (the "20" in 5w20 ). basically with this type of oil, the engine will have no problems starting cold when the oil is thin (aka the "5") and when it warms up the oil gets thicker to properly coat all the high spinning, heat expanded engine parts (aka the "20"). a colder climate car would have a 10w40 for example and a southern climate car would have a 5w20, and then whatever is rec commended by the manufacturer. most cars use this "dual viscosity" oil to better suit modern engines rather than the old all around SAE 30 type (where "30" in SAE 30 is the oil viscosity at all temperatures, not so good for modern engines with tight engine bearing clearances). 10w30 is generally considered safe for most climates in the u.s.

Answer 2

At one time, oil came in single weights, with 30 weight being the most common. Problem was in the winter the 30 weight was a bit thick, so manufacturers suggested a lighter weight oil for winter use, 10 or 20 weight. Then through the magic of chemistry they came up with multi-weight oils. 5 / 30 for example means "This acts like 5 weight when it's cold, but in hot temperatures it acts, and protects, like 30 weight." The bigger the number, the thicker the oil, and the smaller the thinner. 5 weight would be like water, with 40 weight like molasses. Not literally, but that will give you a pretty good mental picture.

Answer 3

its the thickness of the oil and how it performs at extreme temp ... a 5w oil is very light and works good in cold winter so it doesnt get like molasses ... a 40w oil is heavy and avoids thinning in summer high heat ... a 10-40 type oils is supposedly "multipurpose" and good for cold and hot .. what it boils down to is use a good namebrand oil of the weight recommended by the manufacturer because thats what the motor was designed for and to get proper oiling the weight must be correct to flow throuhg the internal orifices ryt and "splash" correctly to oil internal parts ...

Answer 4

Your car uses two different types of oils. A lubricating oil: That is the 5w20 that you put in the engine (w stands for winter thickness) It's purpose is to make the internal engine parts slippery. The other type of oil is called Hydraulic oil. It is used in your power steering, brakes, and transmission (each of these has slightly different properties designed around their uses). Hydraulic oil is used because unlike other oils, it won't compress under pressure.

Answer 5

Well, what ever you do, do not use Pennzoil. That is some nasty stuff, and does even nastier stuff to your car. I have seen oil pans full of chunks of a tar/charcoal blobs from vehicles that ran Pennzoil. I honestly don't know how they stay in business.

I prefer the 10w40w (combination weight oil) myself. They recommend lower weight oil in winter and cold driving months. Heavier weight in warmer months.

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