Today’s engines are smaller, lighter and produce more horsepower per cubic inch than ever before and yet hold less oil volume, stressing the engines oil to the maximum.
So what qualities does motor oil need to have to be able to survive these conditions and still provide proper protection? As they say, “the devil really is in the details” when it comes to a properly formulated motor oil. Hop over here to buy the best quality motor oil
We’ll start with issues dealing with viscosity. Good motor oil must be able to maintain a constant viscosity when exposed to temperature changes. It is also very important that the oil be able to maintain its proper viscosity for the entire duration of its intended drain interval.
A oils pour point tells you how well it handles cold temperatures without gelling (solidifying). Oils that contain too much paraffin; a wax found in petroleum motor oils tend to gel at low temperatures.
Oils with poorly designed additives or low quality viscosity index improvers will also have this problem. Modern engines have tight tolerances’ and need an engine oil to flow quickly at low temperatures to minimize wear at start up.
Tip: Look for oils that have low pour points. The Pour Point Test determines the lowest temperature at which a lubricant flows. The lower a lubricant’s pour point, the better protection it provides in low-temperature service.
At high temperatures and pressures, motor oil must be able to resist shearing forces. The condition known as shear is where the oil is literally torn apart on the molecular level causing it to drop out of its proper viscosity range (example: a 40wt oil shearing into the 30wt range).