Oil Changes: Everything You Need To Know About Motor Oil

Oil Changes: Everything You Need To Know About Motor Oil

| By: Christian Brothers Automotive

Why you need to change your car’s engine oil: Oil is critical to the smooth running of your engine. It lubricates all of the moving parts of your engine from the main bearings to the valves to the crankshaft. Over time, motor oil becomes less effective due to constant exposure to heat, moisture and air. The oil oxidizes and results in thickening, sludge and deposit formation that leads to engine corrosion.

The parts that are involved in moving oil through your engine: The oil pan underneath the engine is the reservoir that holds your car’s motor oil until the oil pump creates the pressure that propels it into your system. Once the oil has finished lubricating the engine, it drains back down into the oil pan where it starts the lubrication cycle all over. Not only does the oil make a circuit through almost every part of the engine, it also passes through the oil filter. The oil filter traps debris and dirt that can damage your engine.

The different kinds of motor oil: When you get an oil change in West Frisco TX, the technician will probably recommend a type of motor oil for your car – conventional, synthetic blend or full synthetic. Conventional motor oil is refined from petroleum products and has some additives that are designed to protect your engine. It is generally less expensive than other types of motor oils. Synthetic blend oil is essentially conventional oil with a percentage of full synthetic oil added. It offers better protection than conventional oil from high engine temperatures and heavier engine loads. Full synthetic oil provides your car with the highest level of protection. Chemically-engineered additives in synthetic oil means that your car’s motor will suffer less wear, corrosion from deposits and stress from heat.

The different grades of motor oil: Bottles of motor oil have SAE grades on them – 10W40, 5W30, etc. These grades are determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers and are a rating of the viscosity of the oil. The “W” stands for winter and the number preceding the W tells you how easily the oil will flow in low temperatures. The lower the first number, the less it will thicken in the cold. The number after the W is the summer grade or the viscosity of the oil at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher the second number, the less the oil will thin out in the heat.

Christian Brothers Automotive – West Frisco
8110 FM 423
Frisco, TX 75034

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