Motor Oil a Slippery Slope

February 22nd, 2018

Why are there different types of motor oil?

 

Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing.

When you used to get an oil change you would just look in the manual and see what weight the manufacturer recommended for your vehicle.  It was that easy!  Now when you get an oil change you have the option of choosing the type of oil you would like to use as well.  So what are the different types and how do you choose the correct type?  This depends on the type of engine and may depend on the mileage that is on your vehicle.

First let’s start with conventional oil.  This is usually standard motor oil recommended by  most manufacturers.  Carmakers will specify a 5w-20 or 5w30 oil for use in lower temperatures and offer 10w-30 as an alternative in higher temperature areas.  When using this oil it is important to change the oil and filter as recommended by the manufacturer.

Another type of oil is full synthetic oil.  This oil is used for high tech engines such as sport cars or higher end luxury cars.  Synthetic oils are more superior and have longer lasting performance.  The oil is chemically engineered and works better in extreme high temperatures and flows better at low temperatures.  This oil is more expensive and not always necessary for most vehicles.

Synthetic blend oil is a mixture of conventional oil and synthetic oil which adds extra resistance to oxidation.  This oil is usually used in vehicles such as SUVs and pickups because they offer better protection for heavier loads and higher temperatures.  This oil is a little more expensive than conventional and a lot less expensive than full synthetic.

High mileage oil is for exactly what it sounds like.  This oil is made for vehicles that have high miles on them.  This oil contains additives such as seal conditioners that are used to expand and increase the life of the seals within the engine. This oil was designed to be used with vehicles that have over 75,000 miles.

As you can see the different types of oils are manufactured to be specific to the type of engine, type of use, and the amount of mileage.  If you find yourself needing a licensed maintenance company to maintain your vehicles, feel free to contact SafeSourcing.  We can gather all the necessary information for you and help you decide which company meets your needs.  If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help you, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

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