Comparison of motor oils by type and purpose

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Engine oil performs a number of important functions in the vehicle system. It is extremely important to choose the composition recommended by the engine manufacturer. There are many varieties of motor oils. They differ in a lot of parameters. To understand what qualities the composition has, you need to consider a comparison of motor oils. Their classification and features will be discussed further.

Functions of motor oils

Before you compare motor oils, you need to pay attention to the function of these compounds. Their main purpose is to protect the engine from premature wear. This is achieved due to the formation of an oil film on the moving structural elements. It is very thin, yet durable. If the oil is selected incorrectly, this film breaks, dry spots appear on the rubbing surfaces. Mechanisms stop sliding. Friction force and, accordingly, mechanical wear increase.

Oils intended formotor, eliminate gaps, gaps in the cylinder-piston group. This ensures the correct operation of the engine.

The use of the right oil in the system allows you to extend the life of the motor. Maintenance will need to be done much less frequently.

The motor may become very hot during operation. Thanks to special additives that are part of the oil, it is possible to efficiently remove heat from the mechanisms. This reduces the overall load on the system.

When comparing engine oil tolerances provided by global engineering companies, one important requirement can be noted. The system should not produce a large amount of exhaust gases. The amount of toxins in the development should be minimal. To do this, the composition of the oil includes special substances. They keep the metal elements clean, preventing the accumulation of dirt, soot, etc. At the same time, all impurities and particles are collected by the lubricant and held in suspension inside it. This property complies with current standards.

Another important function that lubricants perform in an engine is to prevent corrosion.

When using special products that meet all the requirements of motor manufacturers, high power, traction characteristics of the system are provided. This is only possible when using oil with optimal parameters.

Comparison of oils by fuel type and base

One of the maincharacteristics is the fuel on which the car runs, and the basis of lubrication. With this indicator, you need to start comparing engine oils. Diesel and gasoline engines differ in some features of their work, so they choose the appropriate compositions for them. The difference lies primarily in the amount of detergent additives. There are more of these components in diesel oils. For gasoline engines, the amount of detergent additives will be less.

Another important indicator of lubricant products for the engine is the type of its base. There are three main types of oils:

• mineral;
• synthetic;
• semi-synthetic or hydrocracked.

Mineral oils are the cheapest type of lubricant. This composition is made from oil. These products do not contain any additives. In the engines of modern cars, this option is rarely used. This is a rather viscous type of lubricant, it cannot provide reliable system protection under high load conditions.

But for old-style cars with a high mileage engine, this type of engine oil is indispensable. Other varieties can seep through microcracks and backlash in the system. You have to keep adding oil. Mineral oils do not leak from the system, ensuring its quality service.

Synthetic motor oils are made from artificial components. Each molecule of this composition has the same size. When comparing synthetic motor oils with mineralcompositions, it is worth noting that this is a more fluid material. It quickly spreads in the system, is able to provide high-quality protection for a new type of motor both under extreme loads and at low temperatures.

The composition of synthetics includes special additives that improve the quality of the motor. This is an almost universal type of motor oil, which is highly functional. Such lubricants are suitable for most modern engines. The disadvantage of synthetics is its high price. But on the other hand, lubricant replacement will need to be carried out much less frequently than when using mineral compounds.

Semi-synthetics include the qualities of both oils. These are products that have the qualities of both mineral and synthetic compounds. Most often used in modern engines with high mileage. The cost of semi-synthetics is lower than synthetics, but higher than mineral lubricants.

Comparison of SAE oils

The next step is to compare the viscosity of motor oils. This is easiest to do according to the classification of the SAE standard. In our country, he is well known to motorists. Therefore, the viscosity index is determined using this classification.

SAE stands for Society of Automotive Engineers. It originated in the USA. This standard proposes to classify automotive lubricants by viscosity. This takes into account the fluidity index, on the basis of which a conclusion is made about the quality of the lubricant product.

To present to the consumerviscosity characteristics, the temperature range is indicated on the packaging. These frames indicate the conditions under which the oil is used. In this case, the engine will be able to start without heating. This characteristic is indicated by numbers. The higher the index, the greater the viscosity of the composition. There are 11 categories in total.

Existing engine oils differ in the season during which it can be applied. They can be summer, winter or all-season. The last of these options is used more often than others. In this case, the driver does not need to completely change the oil in the system when cold weather sets in. In this case, there are two components in the marking of the lubricant, for example, 5W40. A comparison of motor oils based on this feature allows you to choose the best option for the existing type of climate.

Multigrade oils comparison

Motor oils cannot have a viscosity grade greater than 60. Gear lubricants have these characteristics. There are 5 summer and 6 winter categories of oils. Summer trains have only a numerical designation. They can range from 20 to 60. This indicator shows how viscous the grease is, as well as how it reacts to warming up.

Winter varieties of oils are marked with the letter "W". This indicator reveals information at what temperature below zero the viscosity of the composition will meet the requirements of the motor manufacturer.

All-season varieties have both varieties of characteristics in their marking. For example, comparingmotor oils 5W40, 0W20, 10W40, it can be noted that for a cold climate in the northern regions, 0W20 oil is more suitable. For southern regions, choose 10W40.

It is worth saying that when comparing engine oils 0W40, 10W40, 5W30, one can distinguish the most resistant to cold or heat lubricant. The winter indicator characterizes at what temperature the lubricant can quickly spread through the system. This is necessary so that the engine starts even in cold weather without problems.

Experts say that the main wear of the motor occurs at the time of start. In winter, due to insufficient oil viscosity, dry spots may appear on metal rubbing surfaces. Because of this, they begin to wear out many times faster. Only an oil with the appropriate viscosity grade can protect mechanisms from premature failure.

When comparing 10W-40 motor oils with other popular varieties, it is worth noting that this composition will ensure proper operation of the engine in warm climates. So, when heated, a more viscous oil will not become too liquid. Otherwise, it will drain into the crankcase, and dry spots will remain on the parts and mechanisms. Therefore, oils with a higher viscosity level are produced for warm climatic zones.

API oil comparison

After comparing engine oils 5W30, 5W40, 0W20 and other varieties, you can choose the optimal viscosity grade. But there are other standards that define other qualities of the lubricant. One of them is the API. This standard wasdeveloped by the American Petroleum Institute. It is quite widespread, and distinguishes 2 types of oils:

• Category Service - the marking contains the letter "S". This category includes oils for passenger cars or light commercial vehicles. They must be equipped with gasoline four-stroke engines.
• Category Commercial - there is a letter "C" in the marking. These are lubricants for trucks, agricultural machinery, road construction machines, which are equipped with a diesel engine.

When comparing the characteristics of motor oils in accordance with this standard, it should be noted that the further the second letter, which is used in the marking, the greater the requirements put forward to lubricant products. Now there are only 10 S classes and 11 C classes.

The most advanced oil in the industry today is labeled SL.

The classification of lubricants for vehicles with a diesel engine is based on the same principle. Here, after the letter marking, numbers may also be present. If it is 2, then the oil is for a two-stroke engine, and 4 is for a four-stroke. To date, the most advanced product in this group is CI-4.

Some manufacturers make generic type lubricants. They are suitable for both petrol and diesel engines. In this case, double labeling is used to indicate the properties of the product. For example, it could be SG/CD.

It is worth noting that if you spendcomparison of engine oils by parameters, then not all products meet the requirements of the presented standard. If the packaging indicates the marking of the corresponding group, you need to ask for a certificate of conformity. Otherwise, this is explained by the manufacturer's unscrupulous approach to providing information to the consumer.

ACEA oil comparison

In the process of comparing motor oils, one more standard can be named that determines the quality of the lubricant. ACEA is regulated by the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers.

It used to have a limited scope. But today the standard is used in the manufacture of oils not only in Europe, but throughout the world. According to him, there are 3 main categories of lubricants:

• Class A / B - oil for gasoline and diesel engines of passenger cars or light commercial vehicles.
• Class C is a lubricant designed for modern gasoline and diesel engines that meets the highest modern environmental requirements.
• Class E - for heavy duty trucks with a diesel engine.

ILSAC Standard

You can also compare motor oils according to the ILSAC standard. It was developed by the International Committee of the Association of Automobile Manufacturers of Japan and America. Therefore, the presented standard is focused mainly on the markets of these countries. According to this classification, all motor oils are divided into 5 groups. Eachof which there is a letter designation GF. Next to the letters are numbers from 1 to 5. The most modern class in this standard is GF-5. GF-6 is currently being developed.

The label shown indicates the following oils:

• GF-1 - obsolete, rarely used now.
• GF-2 - standard introduced in 1996.
• GF-3 - adopted in 2001.
• GF-4 - Designed in 2004.
• GF-5 - Introduced in 2010.

To meet the requirements of today's ILSAC standards, the oil must be energy efficient, provide a high degree of protection against various deposits and premature wear. The compounds must also be compatible with the emission control system.

Manufacturer comparison

Lubricants on the market today can vary in quality depending on the brand. To choose the best option, you need to compare engine oils from Lukoil, Mobil, Shell, etc.

Today, many domestic and foreign manufacturers supply similar products. To compare their products, you need to consider the rating of modern brands of oils, the most popular in the Russian Federation:

1. Mobil. This is an American brand, whose products are manufactured in many countries of the world. Oils meet the requirements of most modern manufacturers of both passenger and sports vehicles.
2. Shell. Anglo-Dutch corporation known throughout the world.
3. Liqui Moly. This is a brand of a German corporation,which is one of the best in the whole world. These oils are especially popular with sports and luxury car owners.
4. Castrol. In our country, the brand is popular due to the optimal price-quality ratio.
5. Lukoil. A domestic company that has certified its products according to the API standard. At the same time, the cost of products is an order of magnitude less than that of foreign brands.

Comparison of real and declared indicators

Often unscrupulous manufacturers overestimate the characteristics of their lubricant products. Therefore, special tests are carried out in special laboratories. The actual qualities of the oil are compared with the indicators indicated by the manufacturer. This allows you to draw conclusions about the actual quality of the lubricant.

So, in the course of laboratory tests, the change in viscosity with increasing and decreasing temperature, the washing characteristics of the composition, as well as their resistance to the formation of acids, are checked. The test also evaluates how long a lubricant can last before the structure begins to delaminate.

Research results

According to the results of quality checks of lubricants that were carried out in the laboratory, it was found that the declared indicators correspond to the real characteristics of such oils as Mobil, Shell, Castrol. Steel products have larger or smaller discrepancies.