motor oil can be found in the craziest places: on the shelves of the local hardware store up to the weekly market on the village square. The oil of a private brand or with an insignificant label is usually more economical than that of a large manufacturer such as BP, ExxonMobil or Shell. But which engine oil is the best?
Engine Oil provides lubrication and has a protective effect. It allows the power unit to perform optimally. Without the lubricating effect, an engine functions less well and fuel consumption increases.
despite being called oil, the product in the vial has little to do with the crude oil being pumped out of the ground. As with gasoline, with engine oil, an extensive process of refining precedes it before it disappears into the engine block.
because engine oil should not only contribute to performance but also help to meet emission requirements, the product contains numerous chemical additives. These are also called additives. Think of antioxidants and anti-corrosion agents.
cheap refueling nearby different products ,different specifications
which oil you need is in the service book. You should pay attention to the number-letter combination on the vial, such as 5W-30 or 5W-40. That says something about the so-called viscosity of the oil, or its thickness. The number after the W indicates the difference with the thickness of oil once the engine is at operating temperature.
in the case of the mentioned combinations (5W-30 or 5W-40), the oil is as thick as the engine is cold, but the 5W-30 is somewhat thinner once the engine is at operating temperature. For example, if you drive very sporty, then you are better off with the ultimately slightly thicker 5W-40.
you will often see that the bottles of brands such as Shell and those of hardware store Gamma – to name but an example – both have the same number-letter combination. So you can be sure that, for example, there is actually 5W-30 oil in it, but that does not mean that the oils meet the same specifications.
“the automotive industry has strict rules regarding the requirements for oil and what is allowed in it. These demands come either from the car manufacturers themselves or from umbrella trade associations such as ACEA and its American counterpart API,” says consultant Trevor Gauntlett, who has been active in the oil and chemical industry for thirty years.
this is also the point that explains the price difference between the products of oil companies and the other vials. Gauntlett: “for oil companies, motor oil is one of the core products. For a hardware store or supermarket, it is an afterthought. That’s why oil companies invest in things like research and quality control. This entails additional costs, but also a bit of certainty: the product does what it promises.”
See Also: Why Good engine oil is so important for your car “your engine tastes the difference”
due to the requirements of car manufacturers, you will also be able to read on the labels things like “recommended for” or “approved for”. There is a substantial difference between that, since recommended does not mean the same as approved. This can cause problems if, for example, the engine freezes and it turns out that there was oil in it without the correct specification. This may affect your warranty.
this does not mean that an engine oil from the construction market cannot meet the same specifications as a product from BP. However, Gauntlett wonders if buying cheap oil is the right way to save. “If you put the price of 5 liters of good quality engine oil against the value of your car, then I would not want to risk that investment with a savings of maybe 15 euros per year.”
Gauntlett prefers to compare engine oil with a cup of coffee. “Its content usually consists of water, coffee and sometimes extras such as sugar, a sweet or other flavor enhancers. Engine oil is the same. In addition, you can immediately taste the difference between instant coffee and a good quality espresso. Or between coffee milk and regular milk. Your engine also tastes such differences.”
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