Have you ever thought why there is a need of oil? What functions does oil perform? Which oil is good for the engine? If not, then think now because oil really plays an essential role in the working of the engine.

Don’t just swing your eyes to and fro while pouring oil in your car engine, swing your mind also. Try to get deep into the functional aspect and think how the car engine will work if you don’t pour oil into it. There are some significant theories on oil that can help you learn the nature, grade, functions and types of engine oil. Below is the brief descriptions which will assist you to judge oil better.

Oil Viscosity

You must be aware of the viscosity reading printed on the oil cans. The reading is something like 10W50 or 20W50, dictating the measure of oil’s resistance to flowing. Do you know what does ‘W’ stands for? The alphabet ‘W’ here means ‘winter’, don’t confuse it with ‘watt’ or ‘weight’.

The viscosity changes with temperature. For car engines, lower the viscosity better is the performance. At higher temperature, oil becomes thin and circulates faster through the various components of the engine. Too low viscosity will also not work because that allows metal between the engine components to contact. At colder temperatures, oil viscosity increases and oil becomes thick, thereby making it tough to force down the lubricant.

Functions of Engine Oil

Engine oil has a primary function of protecting metal surfaces in the engine from grinding together. During the process, oil helps in reducing the friction between the components, thereby minimizing heat, noise and wear of the engine. Oil also helps in transferring extra heat to the cooling system and cleaning the engine by dissolving and filtering dirt and deposits. Its too aid to prevent mixing of combustion gases.