Car tuning tips and mods.

Choosing the correct grade of oil is important. If this is too thick the oil will not lubricate the engine properly with a resulting drop in oil pressure effectively creating dry spots and engine wear will be increased.

Thinner performance oils will never really reach their optimum viscosity in a standard low performance engine so again engine wear will be caused and on some higher mileage engines we have noted that the thin synthetic oils seep through piston rings causing blue smoke, so as you can see it is essential to choose the right grade of oil.

So which is the correct grade and type of oil to use in your car?

Most manufacturers recommend a specific grade of oil but sadly the SAE number is only a small part of the issue and two oils with the same number can perform dramatically differently. You should, however, be guided by the manufacturers handbook, especially if they have an approved oil type.

Performance car forums, like TorqueCars have specialist technical forums that give advice on which oils to use for your car.

It has been reported that use of incorrect oil types, especially in turbo applications (where oil is effectively baked in a hot turbo when the engine is shut off) can cause sludge to build up. This sludge then blocks the oil ways resulting in a drop of oil pressure and engine failure.

Engine oils have a number of additives that enhance the viscosity, prevent corrosion and prevent or reduce the risk of combustion of engine oil. These additives are critical to the quality of the oil and is the primary reason why you should always get a good quality engine oil.

There are (primarily) 3 types of oil mineral oil, which is derived from refined crude oil, fully synthetic which is a blend of chemicals and polymers designed and engineered to lubricate the engine and  then there is a semi synthetic which is a blend of the two.

You will get what you pay for and it is worth getting a good quality oil of the correct grade. Ask a good oil supplier for assistance in choosing and oil and stick with that brand for top ups.

Don’t get too hung up on oil grades as most multigrade oils are suitable for modern cars. As oils heat up they become more runny, the aim is to get an oil that can cope with a cold start in a frosty day and then go on to fully lubricate a hot engine. The aim is to maintain the flow rate of oil as it gets hotter it gets thinner until it fails to fully protect the metal surfaces.

A base cold start oil (the first SAE number) of 5w or 10w is more than adequate for most people in most areas, in fact you only need to consider lower figures than this in extremely cold environments.

The second figure is todo with the working temperatures of the oil. A 40 is generally adequete for most engines operating at normal temperatures. On track days, heavy driving and in high performance engines,  the heat build up can be extremely high. In this case using an oil with an SAE rating of 50 makes more sense.

It is worth noting here that Diesel engines run at much lower temperatures than the Petrol equivalents and as such have completely different lubrication requirements.

If you allow your engine to warm up properly before driving it hard you are giving the oil an opportunity to reach an effective operating temperature. This becomes even more important in winter months. Sadly though we see many drivers using high RPM on cold engines! Then they wonder why they are faced with an expensive engine repair bill.

Oil changes are best performed on an annual basis or more frequently for high mileage and performance car drivers. Long life oils are available but we feel safer knowing that the oil and filter have been changed each year.

Related posts:

1. How to do an oil change An oil change is one of the best maintenance tasks you can perform. Regular changes of oil will prolong the...