I receive a lot of questions regarding oil and the least understood part is the number system used to rate oils. Oil weight, or viscosity, refers to how thick or thin the oil is. The temperature requirements set for oil by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) is 0 degrees F (low) and 210 degrees F (high). This leaves them still wondering what the viscosity numbers really mean on a bottle of motor oil. Simply put, viscosity is the oil's resistance to flow or, for the layman, an oil's speed of flow as measured through a device known as a viscometer. The thicker (higher viscosity) of an oil, the slower it will flow. So, those numbers on a quart of oil? They refer to oil viscosity, based on a scale established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (which is where the “SAE” comes from). What the numbers actually stand for: The oil viscosity (or thickness) is measured in Centistokes. ‘Centistokes’ are named after the Victorian engineer Sir George Stokes, who timed ball bearings as they sank through oil to get this measurement (the modern equipment used to test oil viscosity is a bit more complex nowadays……). Edmunds explains what the numbers on motor oil mean, and how to select the best one for your car. EDMUNDS VIDEO http://www.Edmunds.com is a car-shopping web
What Do the Numbers Mean? Most cars and trucks on the road today use multi- grade oil. Both 5w30 and 10w30 are multi-grade products. This means they are 2 Aug 2019 Every oil container has a series of numbers on it with the letter “W” in the middle of them. Some examples of this include 10W30, 5W20, 5W30, The difference in the viscosity is the reason you see multiple numbers on grades, such as 5W-30. The number preceding the W is a measurement of the oil's flow at 7 Sep 2012 What does 10W30 Grade Motor Oil Mean? You see those cryptic combinations of letters and numbers on motor oil bottles everywhere. What do
Two letters that stand alone on the oil can label represent the engine type and the detergent additive. These are codes such as SE or CD, for example. S indicates What's written on your oil bottle, and what does it mean? This post may seem like going back to basics but I'm constantly surprised by the number of people who
24 Apr 2018 Number on motor oil? If yes, do you know what it means? Would you like to? Well , keep reading. What Is The SAE? 23 Jan 2008 What's written on your oil bottle and what does it mean? The lower the “W” number the better the oils cold temperature/cold start performance. 14 Aug 2017 Legally, the term “synthetic” has a pretty loose definition. An oil's group number is dependent on the base oil properties used to derive it. That means even without additives, you could have a 5W-30 motor oil, and then
What do the SAE numbers on a container of motor oil mean? To properly performance of motor oils is the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In 1911 the. As engines become more sophisticated so has the oil that goes in them. Some engines Two numbers mean the oil is a multigrade, tested at two temperatures. What do the numbers on the front of the bottle mean? A. The viscosity numbers are divided into low temperature (0,5,10,15,20W) and high temperature (20,30, An oil's ability to deal with heat and friction is the key, and synthetic oil does a better job. What do the numbers and the "W" mean? W does not stand for weight,