Some of us confuse about what should we use for our engine oil because a lot of specification listed there. We should not confuse because it help us to pick up the most suitable oil for our car engine. What we need is just to understand what is the meaning of the specification. Here are several things that can become reference. You must know the characteristics of your car such as the engine specification and the environment in which you usually drive your car (temperature, climate, dust, etc).Viscosity-Grade was the measurement of the viscosity and the lubricant capacity to flow on the certain temperature, this is the most important priority in choosing oil. The identification code of oil is "SAE" letter, abbreviation from Society of Automotive Engineers. The figure that followed behind shows the level of the viscosity of this oil, SAE 40 or SAE 10W-40. The thick the oil, The bigger the figure that followed the oil code. Whereas the W letter that is after the beginning figure, was the abbreviation from winter.
SAE 10W-40, meant this oil had viscosity level of SAE 10 for the cold temperature (with such condition, the oil will give the optimal protection during the machine start), meanwhile in the hot condition whereas it is machine working temperature, ideally oil will work in the range of the viscosity figure 40 according to the SAE standard.
The quality of the oil is shown using API(American Petroleum Institute) being followed by the letter behind. API: SL, the S code (spark) indicated the machine lubricant for gasoline. The second letter code showed the quality of oil, the more the letter approaching the Z letter the more quality it has to covering the component of the machine with the layer of the film and the more suitable with the requirement for the modern machine.
SF/SG/SH - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 1980-1996
SJ - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 1996-2001
SL - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 2001-2004
Pay attention whether the lubricant (the oil) is used for gasoline engine, diesel engine, industrial equipment or others. In order to choose the quality of the appropriate lubricant, we could refer to API service (America Institute Petroleum), JASO (Japan Automotive Standard Association), ACEA (Association Des Construteurs Europeans d'Automobiles), Din (Deutsche Industrie Norm), and several others. Those are certificate for the performance of the lubricant based on the standard from the independent international agency of the lubricant industry.
All Engine oil whether it is mineral or synthetic oil has its own API Standard. mineral oil is usually made from the results of refining, whereas oil synthetic is from results of the substance-mixture. usually the main Substance of synthetic oil is PAO (PolyAlphaOlefin). So, The quality of API SL for mineral oil is not the same with the API SL for synthetic oil. Usually synthetic oil is suggested for the machines that adapt new technology (turbo, supercharger, dohc, etc), also that needed better lubrication (racing) where the gap between metal/part is smaller/narrower/more precision where only synthetic oil could cover and flow perfectly between each part. Synthetic oil is not suggested for the machines that adapt old technology because the gap between part is very big or we can say bigger compare to newest technology machine so you will find the engine oil quantity decreased faster than usual operation should decrease. It is because the oil go/enter inside the combustion chamber and taking part for being burnt so the oil decrease faster and the muffler rather smookey as the result for the burnt oil.
You can read other useful tips about car in this site by clicking here.
SAE 10W-40, meant this oil had viscosity level of SAE 10 for the cold temperature (with such condition, the oil will give the optimal protection during the machine start), meanwhile in the hot condition whereas it is machine working temperature, ideally oil will work in the range of the viscosity figure 40 according to the SAE standard.
The quality of the oil is shown using API(American Petroleum Institute) being followed by the letter behind. API: SL, the S code (spark) indicated the machine lubricant for gasoline. The second letter code showed the quality of oil, the more the letter approaching the Z letter the more quality it has to covering the component of the machine with the layer of the film and the more suitable with the requirement for the modern machine.
SF/SG/SH - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 1980-1996
SJ - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 1996-2001
SL - generally suitable for the vehicle machine that was produced in year range of 2001-2004
Pay attention whether the lubricant (the oil) is used for gasoline engine, diesel engine, industrial equipment or others. In order to choose the quality of the appropriate lubricant, we could refer to API service (America Institute Petroleum), JASO (Japan Automotive Standard Association), ACEA (Association Des Construteurs Europeans d'Automobiles), Din (Deutsche Industrie Norm), and several others. Those are certificate for the performance of the lubricant based on the standard from the independent international agency of the lubricant industry.
All Engine oil whether it is mineral or synthetic oil has its own API Standard. mineral oil is usually made from the results of refining, whereas oil synthetic is from results of the substance-mixture. usually the main Substance of synthetic oil is PAO (PolyAlphaOlefin). So, The quality of API SL for mineral oil is not the same with the API SL for synthetic oil. Usually synthetic oil is suggested for the machines that adapt new technology (turbo, supercharger, dohc, etc), also that needed better lubrication (racing) where the gap between metal/part is smaller/narrower/more precision where only synthetic oil could cover and flow perfectly between each part. Synthetic oil is not suggested for the machines that adapt old technology because the gap between part is very big or we can say bigger compare to newest technology machine so you will find the engine oil quantity decreased faster than usual operation should decrease. It is because the oil go/enter inside the combustion chamber and taking part for being burnt so the oil decrease faster and the muffler rather smookey as the result for the burnt oil.
You can read other useful tips about car in this site by clicking here.
hey, my car is Honda CR-V 2008. so what is the best API standard?!? you don't state the Standard for 2008 car. hard to find better than SL also you know.
ReplyDeletefirst you must know what engine use in your car. One country is different with another about what engine they use in one model car, take an example, your car using the engine that used in Honda accord 2.4L 2003. so that's it, better for you to use API SL. so the point is look at the technology of the machine, the best way is find when the engine use for the first time. One more thing, if it is brand new 2008 engine, it will not harm your engine if you use API SL, it just better if you can find API SM or higher. but if it is hard to find, don't make yourself confuse. use what you find.
ReplyDeletethat's it hope it can help you..