High viscosity vs low viscosity how to#

High viscosity vs low viscosity how to#

If you have any questions regarding viscosity grades and selecting the correct viscosity lubricant, please contact your Motor State Distributing sales representative or Driven Racing Oil.What is 'viscosity' and why does it matter for your engine's oil? How do you even know where to find the viscosity rating of your motor oil? Put on your lab coat and follow along to learn how to read an engine oil label and see why it's important for your car's health! Viscosi-what? In return, you will prevent wear, improve fuel economy, and make more horsepower. Using the correct viscosity oil eases starting, reduces friction and slows wear.ДЄrmed with knowledge of viscosity grades, you can now select the right one for your application. Using an oil with a low viscosity can lead to excessive metal to metal contact between moving parts.

Obviously, a 10W-40 is thicker than a 10W-30 at high temperature.ДЄrmed with knowledge of viscosity grades, how can we put it to good use? Remember that using oil with a viscosity that is too high can result in excessive oil temperature and increased drag. The difference between 10W-30 and a 10W-40 is the high temperature viscosity. The viscosity of hot oil is measured using different test parameters than when the oil is cold, so the numbers after the вЂњWвЂќ donвЂ™t relate to the numbers in front of the вЂњWвЂќ. The difference between a 0W-30 and a 10W-30 is indicated by how well each flows at lower temperatures.

Engines that run high operating oil temperatures require higher viscosity oil. Selecting the correct viscosity for an application requires knowing the operating temperature of the oil. Even with a synthetic, however, viscosity changes with temperature. The improved temperature stability of synthetics makes them a better choice for race engines and serious high-performance engines. The synthetic 10W-40 flows easily and still maintains enough viscosity to protect piston skirts and bearings when it gets hot. Using the correct viscosity oil eases starting, reduces friction, and slows wear.ДЇor even more effective start-up protection, use a synthetic 10W-40 instead of a conventional 20W-50.

Obviously, aВ 10W-40 is thicker than a 10W-30 at highВ temperature.ДЄrmed with knowledge of viscosity grades, how can we put it to good use? Remember that using oil with a viscosity that is too high can result in excessive oil temperature and increased drag. The difference between 10W-30 and a 10W-40 isВ the high temperature viscosity. The viscosity of hot oil isВ measured using different test parameters than when the oil is cold, so theВ numbers after the вЂњWвЂќ donвЂ™t relate to the numbers in front of the вЂњWвЂќ. The difference between a 0W-30 and a 10W-30 is indicatedВ by how well each flows at lower temperatures. Multi-grade oils could stay as close to the optimum viscosity over a range of temperatures вЂ“ not too thick when it is cold and not too thin when it is hot. A 10W-30 had the winter cold start flow properties of a 10W and the summer, high-temperature thickness of a 30 grade. A 30 grade oil, thick enough to protect in the heat, was recommended for summer use. A 10W flows well in cold weather, to protect the engine at start up, but itвЂ™s is too thin for use in the summer. Forty years ago, there were winter grades for cold weather and summer grades for warmer weather. A 10W-30 is a multi-grade (two viscosities) motor oil, and as the name implies, it meets more than one grade.

It stands for вЂњWinterвЂќ and that is the key to understanding viscosity grades. Understanding viscosity promotes the ability to reduce wear, improve fuel economy, and make more horsepower.ДЇor starters, in oil nomenclature, вЂњWвЂќ does not stand for вЂњWeightвЂќ. Viscosity is the most important property of a lubricant.