3/26/2023 0 Comments Oil viscosity explained![]() ![]() The viscosity of oil varies with changes in temperature – thinner when hot, thicker when cold.Īlthough oil must flow at cold temperatures to lubricate the engine at startup, it must also remain thick enough to protect the engine at high operating temperatures. Viscosity refers to the oil’s resistance to flow and is the most important property of an oil. Thicker oils flow more slowly, like honey. The lower the viscosity, the faster the oil flows, like water. Viscosity is a motor oil’s most important property. Their versatility and pure, uniform molecular structures impart properties that provide better friction-reduction, optimum fuel efficiency, maximum film strength and extreme-temperature performance conventional lubricants just can’t touch.Ĭheck out this post for the definitive guide on synthetic vs. As such, they contain no contaminants or molecules that don’t serve a designed purpose. Synthetic base oils, on the other hand, are highly engineered to include only beneficial molecules. The oil refining process separates the various types of molecules in the oil by weight, leaving molecules similar in weight but dissimilar in structure, reducing performance. Contaminating elements such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and metal components such as nickel or vanadium are inherent to crude oil and cannot be completely removed through the refining process. Petroleum (or conventional) base oils are refined from crude oil. Motor oil base oils can be composed of 1) petroleum, 2) chemically synthesized materials or 3) a combination of synthetics and petroleum (called semi-synthetic or synthetic blend). ![]() They lubricate internal moving parts, absorb heat and seal the piston rings. The base oils comprise the largest portion of the oil. Think of coffee as an analogy – the base oil is the water and the additive package are the coffee beans. The two work in tandem to produce the final product you put in your engine. Motor oil contains two fundamental components: base oils and additives. ![]()
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