A Look at Motor Oil Basics

A Look at Motor Oil Basics
Modern day oils are complex, chemically engineered compounds that have improved upon refined crude oil. Modern oils are designed and chemically manufactured to achieve specific traits and properties necessary for use in current automobiles. But many of the basics of lubricants and lubrication are as important today as they were fifty years ago. To begin with, motor oils must perform some of the same basic functions today as they did years ago. All of these functions are considered when designing any motor oil, whether it will be a synthetic or mineral-based oil.

Permit Easy Starting –
Any motor oil must permit easy engine starting. Viscosity, a measure of an oil’s resistance to flow, is taken into consideration when questioning, whether or not an oil will permit easy starting. An oil’s ability to flow efficiently throughout an engine will be affected by air temperature. Therefore, an oil formulated for winter driving must have a low enough pour point for it to flow to all parts of an engine quickly when started, but also to provide adequate protection once the engine reaches normal operating temperatures.

Lubricate and Prevent Wear -
Motor oils must also lubricate and prevent wear. This can be more of a challenge in temperature extremes. Oil that does not flow well in cold temperatures will leave parts of the engine with no protection, and oil that burns off and becomes too fluid will leave little protection in high temperatures. The goal of an oil is to provide constant full-film lubrication to an engine’s components. This type of lubrication occurs when the moving surfaces are continuously separated by a film of oil. Crankshaft bearings as well as connecting rods, cam-shafts and piston rings normally operate with full-film lubrication. Boundary lubrication occurs when it is moving parts and intermittent metal-to-metal contact results. Additives can greatly reduce the amount of damage that can occur during boundary lubrication. Boundary lubrication conditions always exist during engine starting and often during the operation of a new or rebuilt engine.

Reduce Friction-
Motor oils must reduce friction. Automobile manufacturers recommend oils based on SAE grades according to expected atmospheric conditions.

This helps to ensure adequate but not excessive viscosity at normal operating temperatures. Excessive viscosity can make an engine work harder at moving the oil and therefore lose some of its efficiency and create more heat.

Prevent Rust and Corrosion -
Motor oils must also prevent rust and corrosion. Unburned fuel and soot can mix with water to form sludge and varnish deposits on critical engine parts. Sludge buildup may clog oil passages, which reduces oil flow.Varnish buildup interferes with proper clearances, restricts oil flow and causes vital engine parts to stick and malfunction. The life of an engine depends on an oil’s ability to neutralize the effects of these corrosive substances.

Keep Engines Clean –
Another important feature of any motor oil related to preventing rust and corrosion is the necessity of keeping engine components clean. Sludge and varnish can be controlled with the proper additives.Synthetic can also be affected by foreign imports. You can use a synthetic option to the conventional oil which is used for many diesel trucks, automobiles, buses, earth-moving vehicles, diesel generators and other motors. If the gov’ts and trucking corporations all got involved, we could knock down our oil imports largely.

Lisa Ponce is a teacher who comes from a family of auto mechanics who have owned a fleet of automobile service stations and mechanic shop such as Enco, Texaco and Amoco since the early 1960’s. The Riley family has as a history in working in auto repair shops as far back as the early 1900’s. Lisa Ponce is an independent dealer for Amsoil where you can have a really great education on motor oil.

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