Motor Oil Info

How are multigrade oil made? Some exist naturally. For example, many synthetic oil base stocks have sufficient viscosity stability to qualify as multigrade oils. For mineral base oil , it is another story. They are created by first selecting a base stock that possesses the desired low-temperature properties. To that stock, chemical compounds known as viscosity index improvers are added. These viscosity index improvers minimize the thinning of the oil as temperatures increase. This allows the lighter base stock to now also meet the higher temperature requirements.

Multigrade oils offer the best of both worlds. They provide low-temperature fluidity as well as the high-temperature stability required for operation in a changing environment.

When selecting a lubricant, there are three basic rules of thumb to consider. 1 – The lower the starting and/ or operating temperture, the lighter or thinner the selected oil should be. The higher the starting or operating temperature, the heavier or thicker the selected oil should be.

2 – The higher the load a component is subjected to, the heavier or thicker the oil should be. The lighter the load a component is subjected to, the lighter or thinner the oil should be.

3 – The faster the operating speed for a piece of equipment, the lighter or thinner the oil should be. The slower the operating speed for a piece of equipment, the heavier or thicker the oil should be.