Are You My Type? Motor Oil Types
The Importance of Oil Changes
One of the most important things you can do for your vehicle is getting regular oil changes. Your car will run better and longer with a sufficient amount of clean lubricant to lubricate the moving engine parts, absorb heat, and suspend debris that might corrode the metal components. But did you know there are different types of motor oil? No, this isn’t “type” as in the old dating question, “Are you my type?” There are different varieties of motor oil. For more information about what’s best for your transportation or to get a great oil change at the place where customers become friends, visit Dynamic Automotive in Frederick, Maryland.
Oil Options
Whether you service your auto yourself or bring it to our certified technicians for attention, it helps understand the various engine lubricant options. That will help you determine what’s most appropriate for your vehicle. First, let’s review the four major oil categories: conventional, full synthetic, synthetic blend, and high mileage. As the term implies, conventional oil is derived from natural crude. It works great for engines that aren’t extremely high mileage, have been used under normal driving conditions, and are reasonably new year models (i.e., the engine in most cars on the road). Deemed as having a homogeneous composition, full synthetic is engineered to have the same size molecules throughout. This is different from conventional oil’s heterogeneous molecules–of varying sizes. It also has wear- and rust-combative chemical additives.
Synthetic oil is able to provide higher viscosity, the measure of how well lubricant pours at room temperature. The higher the viscosity, the better the protection for moving parts because all the moving parts are better coated. Also, this variety is less likely to break down prematurely, so the risk of engine sludge forming is reduced. Synthetic oil tends to be the first choice of commercial drivers who haul heavy loads and/or drive long distances. Unfortunately, full synthetic oil is expensive. Therefore, the synthetic blend is the go-to for some motorists. It has a number of the same benefits as its costlier counterpart, but it’s less expensive. It’s a mix of conventional and full synthetic along with some additives. Finally, antique car owners and drivers of older daily use models gravitate toward high mileage oil for its protective ability against dried or leaky seals.
Labeling
Each engine lubricant container bears markings to provide consumers with more information about the product. Three of the letters you’ll see are SAE. This stands for Society of Automotive Engineers, the group responsible for standardizing the oil. You’ll also notice a W and another number, W, and two more digits to indicate winter viscosity. For more help deciphering, “label” Dynamic Automotive in Frederick, MD, as your one-stop-shop for oil changes.
