When operating a modern car, two types of oil are used: engine oil and transmission oil. There is a wide range of oils on the market for different types of cars.
General Provisions
A modern car is a complex mechanism that requires attention from the owner. Maintenance requires spare parts and consumables. Consumables include transmission and engine oils. When the owner of a vehicle has a need to purchase a car oil, one must clearly understand for what purpose. If there is no sufficient experience in this matter, experts recommend contacting a service station.
Transmission oils are used to lubricate gears and shafts in gearboxes, drive axles, steering mechanisms and other assemblies where this is provided by the operating instructions. A lubricating fluid is obtained by the method of selective purification of residual fractions during oil distillation. To this fluid, in order for it to obtain certain properties, antiwear and extreme pressure additives are added. Concerns supplying cars to the world market produce gear oils under their own brand.
It is important for the car owner to know that transmission oils do not require frequent replacement. If the operating conditions correspond to the parameters specified in the technical passport of the vehicle, then the replacement is made after three to five years or a certain mileage. Motor oils are produced using a different technology. They are used to lubricate piston groups in internal combustion engines. The final product is created by mixing base fluids, additives and polymer thickeners.
There are various types of engine oil on the market. Before making a purchase, you should clearly understand what type of product is used in a particular vehicle. Correctly selected oil is the key to long-term and reliable vehicle operation. An expensive product does not provide a guarantee for a long overhaul period. To get the best result, you need to have a general understanding of the properties of car oils.
Engine oil properties
The internal combustion engine functions under certain conditions. The most critical condition is high temperature. Technologists distinguish the following three zones into which oil gets during the working cycle:
· Cylinder combustion chamber;
· Coupling cylinder-piston;
· Carter.
In the combustion chamber, the temperature reaches two thousand degrees. Under these conditions, the oil partly burns out and partly deposits on the cylinder walls in the form of carbon deposits. With the regular formation of carbon deposits, the piston group wears out in a short time.
In order to avoid excess wear and tear, a number of important characteristics are monitored in the production of a car oil. The viscosity of the oil changes with temperature. The ambient temperature rises, the viscosity of the technical fluid decreases. And vice versa. To ensure the specified characteristics, the base fluid and certain additives are mixed according to a specific recipe. Multigrade oil does not change its viscosity in the temperature range from -50 to +50 degrees.
The limits of permissible viscosity are determined by the design features of the engine. Specific viscosity values are regulated by the SAE standard. To avoid incorrect selection and purchase of oil, a special classification system has been developed. The letter W (winter) is used to indicate winter lubrication. The long-term practice of operating cars in Russia shows that it is more profitable to use multigrade engine oil.
The next property, which is controlled by the manufacturing company, is called carbonization. In any oil, carbon deposits and tar are formed during combustion. By their physical properties, substances of this type are abrasive. In other words, in a cylinder-piston interface, they act like sandpaper. Naturally, the wear of the piston group and other elements under such conditions is sharply accelerated.
High quality motor oils have a detergent effect. The use of special additives allows you to clean the internal surfaces of the engine from varnish deposits and other harmful compounds. When you have to choose an engine oil yourself, it is recommended to pay attention to such important parameters as flash point and pour point. The pour point during vehicle operation in winter conditions should be as low as possible.
Classification of engine oils
To extend the operating period of your car, you have to delve into some technical subtleties. The simplest action - the choice of engine oil must be done in sound mind and good memory. And do not skimp on trifles. The distribution network contains lubricants on the following basis:
· Mineral;
· Semi-synthetic;
· Synthetic.
Mineral-based motor oil is produced by the distillation of primary oil. At the moment, this grease is used on used cars, the operating period of which has exceeded twenty years. At low temperatures, the "mineral water" thickens.
A certain part of mineral compounds is present in the composition of a semi-synthetic lubricant. Moreover, more than fifty percent are additives that are synthesized using organic chemistry technologies. Today, the owners of domestic cars, for the most part, prefer semi-synthetics. This choice makes it easier to use the car in winter and allows you to significantly save your budget.
Synthetic-based grease has high performance and technical parameters. The proportion of minerals in the product is minimized. The viscosity of the oil remains stable over a wide temperature range. Has the property of cleaning the engine. Low volatility of the product provides an economical mode of use. The only drawback is the high cost.
Features of marking
During maintenance and repair, it is often necessary to change the engine oil. A wide range of lubricants is available in specialized stores. To make it easier for the car owner to find the right product, special markings are applied to the containers. It is important to mark the scope of use of the product on the brand. For gasoline engines, the “S” grade is used. For diesel - "C". The second character indicates the production date. This is because the composition of the oil changes over time.
According to the international classification, new additives are added to lubricants every three to five years. It is not recommended to use renewed grease for used machines. You should be aware that quality standards in Europe and the USA differ. Since the Russian car market is filled from different sources, it is advisable for the owner to know about the essence of these differences. Know and be guided when buying.
A well-chosen engine oil contributes to the long and trouble-free operation of the vehicle. When choosing a specific lubricant, it is necessary not only to correctly decipher the marking on the container, but also to correlate the information received with the technical condition of the car. For new cars, it is necessary to use only the type of engine oil specified in the technical data sheet. If the car is old, then you can deviate from the strict requirements.
