Choosing the Right Motor Oil is Critical
Motor oil is an essential product you need to help keep your vehicle in tip top shape. It helps to lubricate and cool moving parts, keep them clean, and seals pistons in the cylinders. Without it, your engine could seize in a matter of seconds, and that's the last thing you'd want to have. That and a hefty engine bill.
In order to help you choose the right motor oil, here is a list of the different types available.
- Conventional Oil: This is the oil used in bulk at dealerships and is the cheapest at the auto store, too. Most adhere to API and SAE standards but offer little in the way of additive packages. This is good oil for owners that are religious about frequent oil changes and have low-mile (but well broken-in) engines.
- Premium Conventional Oil: This is the standard new-car oil. Most leading brands have one for SL, or highest level, service. Most are available in the common viscosities. Car manufacturers usually specify 5W-20 or 5W-30 oil, though some require 10W-30. These three ratings cover just about every light-duty vehicle on the road, though this is changing as engines become more precise and fussy about specific types oil.
- Full-synthetic Oil: These oils are made for high-tech engines. If these oils pass stringent special tests (indicated by their labeling), it means they have superior, longer-lasting performance in all the critical areas, from viscosity index to protection against engine deposits. They flow better at low temperatures and maintain peak lubrication at high temperatures. While excellent oil, synthetics are about three times as expensive as conventional oil and not always necessary for most engines. Use the owner's manual as a guide. If it doesn't call for synthetic oil, using it will only be an additional expense that may not add anything to the engine's performance or life.
- Synthetic-blend Oil: This is essentially premium conventional oil hit with a dose of synthetic. They're formulated to offer better protection during heavier engine loads and the associated higher engine temperatures. These oils are popular with pick-up and SUV drivers because they do offer better protection, but usually cost only a fraction more than premium conventional oils.
- High-mileage Oil: More than 60 percent of vehicles on the road have more than 150,000 kilometers on the odometer. Playing to this growing market, oil refiners and labs developed high-mileage oils. Seal conditioners are added to the oil (the oil can be synthetic or conventional) to expand and increase the flexibility of internal engine seals. The conditioners are very precise and can benefit some engines while not affecting others.
Choosing the Right Type of Motor Oil
In most cases, it is a good idea to have two types of motor oils for an engine, such as a 5W-20 or 5W-30. The reason for this is that you'll want motor oils with different viscosity to account for several factors like temperature and operating conditions. It's best to check your owner's manual which states the recommended viscosity range.
Viscosity is a term used to describe a fluid's resistance to flow. Engine oils dictate this viscosity with "XW-XX". The first "X" rate's the flow of oil at 17.8 degrees Celsius. The "W" stands for winter. The lower the number in the first section, the less it thickens in cold weather. For instance, a 0W-30 viscosity engine oil will thicken less in the cold than a 5W-30 or 10W30. If the area you drive in is predominantly cold, it is a good investment to go with a 0W or 5W viscosity motor oil.
The "XX" in the second section indicates the motor oil's viscosity at 100 degrees Celsius. This number represents the oil's resistance to thinning out under high temperatures. For instance, a 5W-30 oil will thin out faster than a 5W-40 oil will.
Most drivers change their oil every 3-4 months and 5,000 to 6,000 kilometers. If you change your oil on a regular basis, there's a lesser chance you'll need anything other than your conventional motor oil. Be wary as some car companies only recommend synthetic oil in their cars. Like always, check your owner's manual to get a good idea for what oil you need. One thing to note: if your car's been using a conventional oil, continue to use the same thing, likewise with synthetic. Be careful switching from one oil to the other though.
How to Check
Disclaimer: Please consult your dealership or mechanic for the most appropriate choice if unsure.
Choosing the Best Automatic Transmission Fluid
Automatic transmissions heavily rely on Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) for all of its major functions. ATF can be very useful for your transmission however, that's only if the transmission itself is in good condition and the right type. It's a good idea to change your ATF occasionally, but it's an even better idea to find the right ATF as well. Not doing so will risk some serious damage to your transmission and an automatic trip to your mechanic with a hefty bill.
What is Automatic Transmission Fluid For?
ATF does a variety of things for your transmission: lubricates, creates fluid pressure, provides cooling, oxidation prevention, gasket conditioning, anti-rust measure, and much more. Lubrication, fluid pressure, and cooling are what it does best though. Lubrication allows parts in your automatic transmission to move smoothly, while creating fluid pressure to turn on transmission bands and clutch plates in order to change gears. It also keeps the transmission from overheating, a big factor in a majority of transmission failures.
Manual transmission do use special oils (motor oil, gear oil, and even ATF sometimes), but they don't require much attention and care as automatic transmissions. Automatic Transmission Fluids can contaminate much faster than manual transmissions, so it's important to select the most appropriate fluid.
What's the Best Automatic Transmission Fluid to Use?
So what IS the best automatic transmission fluid for your vehicle? Your best bet is to go with what your car manufacturer recommends (listed inside the vehicle's owner manual. ATF manufacturers inject specific additives for fluids of different models. The recommended ATF will provide all the functionality your transmission requires for your car's specific make, model, and year.
Types of Manual Transmission Fluids
There are 3 primary classes of MTF fluid: conventional, semi-synthetic, and full-synthetic. Most vehicles nowadays (mainly modern ones) require synthetic grade oils to ensure that the transmission's lifespan is long.
Disclaimer: Some manual transmissions may require the use of automatic transmission oil. Please confirm with your owner's manual or dealership/mechanic before purchasing.
Terminology
- MTF: Manual transmission fluid. A common abbreviation.
- GL-x: A class of gear lubricants. The 'x' at the end is a number which specifies what exact specification the lubricant meets. (ex: GL-4, GL-5, etc.)
- PAO: Polyalphaolefin. A man-made (synthetic) version of mineral oils. This is also sometimes known as group 4 oil, not to be confused with GL-5.
- Ester: For all intensive purposes, they're fats. It is a synthetic item used in most extremely high-end lubricants. Variations include diesters and polyesters. This is sometimes known as a group 5 oil, not to be confused with GL-5.
- TA/TX: "Transaxle", often used interchangeably with the word transmission.
- Semi-synthetic: A mineral/conventional/dino oil that contains no more than 30% synthetic oil mixed in. The thinking here was you can get the best-of-both-worlds.
GL-4 fluids contain about 40-60% as much additive as a GL-5 would. These additive packages can be corrosive to certain metals. While the transmission would function with GL-5 inside, it would wear itself out very quickly. Some cars can run GL-4 or GL-5, ours cannot.
GL-1, GL-3, and GL-4 are interchangeable. GL-5 is not the appropriate replacement for GL-1, GL-3, and GL-4 required transmission (unless states otherwise).