See Some Answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Lubricating oils are substances that interpose between moving surfaces (machines and engines), forming a layer on this metallic surface as if it were a film, in order to avoid or minimize the contact (friction) between the parts. In this way, the Lubricants help to prevent wear on engine parts.
In addition, among their functions, lubricants are responsible for cleaning the engine, keeping the metallic surfaces free of filings or carbon residues, coming from the incomplete combustion of the fuel, removing deposits and dirt between these parts.
Modern car engines operate at a high temperature for greater efficiency. O lubricating oil, especially the synthetic ones, have an important control function of temperature, contributing to better engine operation.
What determines the correct application of the lubricant is the viscosity, as well as the performance (API/ACEA), according to your vehicle's engine and recommended by assembler.
Viscosity is the resistance of a fluid to flow. Viscosity measures the difficulty with that the oil drains (drains). The more viscous a lubricant is, the harder it will drain, thus increasing its ability to stay between two pieces, making the their lubrication. However, the viscosity of lubricants is not constant. Main influencing agent is the temperature, causing variation in the viscosity. When to temperature increases, the viscosity decreases and the oil drains more easily.
The greatest wear of engine parts occurs when starting with a “cold” engine. Therefore, a very viscous oil will have more difficulty circulating and reaching the high parts of the engine. Already with the engine warmed up, the oil becomes more fluid, and may not adhere properly and necessary to keep the metal parts lubricated and protected.
The Viscosity Index (VI) is the index that measures the viscosity variation according to the temperature.
These are numbers and acronyms that characterize the lubricant according to its application, viscosity and performance. These are nomenclatures that have been designated by international entities of research or manufacturers to develop standards, based on performance tests, protection and others specific to, in this way, classify the lubricants according to their performance, function or application. This means that whoever determines the most appropriate will always be the engine or machine manufacturer, based on the application of these tests.
To indicate lubricating oils properly for use in automotive vehicles, a criterion was established by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE- Society of Automotive Engineers), from the United States, which classifies oils by their viscosity, through a number. The higher this number, the more viscous the oil, the lower it is more fluid is this lubricant.
The SAE rating for engine lubricants ranges from 0W to 25W, where W stands for “winter” and indicates an oil treated for the highest fluidity at low temperatures. That is, it shows the fluidity of the lubricant on cold start.
When we have a multi viscous oil with a 20W50 classification, for example, it means that the oil behaves like a 20 W at cold start and like a 50 at hot operation. warm. It means to say that the viscosity agents contained in the formula, act on the product ensuring fluidity at cold start and, at high temperatures, maintains viscosity greater to ensure good lubrication and protection of the metallic parts of the engine.
Another criterion that classifies a lubricant according to its application is the API index, developed by the American Petroleum Institute, which defines the oil additive level.
Additives are chemicals added to the oil in balanced proportions to improve the performance of lubricants. This classification is based on levels of performance of lubricating oils, that is, the type of service in which the machine or engine will be subject. That is, according to the technological advancement of engines and equipment, the same happens with lubricants to meet these needs.
They are classified by two letters. The first determines the “S” service - Service Station (SPARKLE = spark – type of engine in modern cars) and the second is performance. Currently, lubricating oils for 4-stroke alcohol, gasoline and CNG engines are classified by the letters SL to SP, where L is the minimum of additives used and required today by the National Petroleum Agency and P, the most superior and complete in the market.
That is, the classification in alphabetical order determines greater power of protection and cleaning of a lubricant. The higher the letter of the alphabet, the greater the performance of this lubricant.
For Diesel engines, the logic is the same, changing only the nomenclature. The oils most Common ones are C – service (“compression”) and D, E, F, G, H (for additives). were still added numbers to indicate the type of engine (2 or 4 stroke) for which the lubricant. Ex: CK 4 is the latest released, more modern.
Lubricants may also be classified by other international organizations to express the same lubricant classification, in addition to the American Institute (API).
So, in summary we have:Lubricating oils are produced from a combination of base oils and additions. There are two types of base oils: those of mineral origin and those of synthetic origin.
Mineral oils come from crude oil, which are processed and refined to removal of undesirable elements such as waxes or contaminants that could compromise the quality of the product.
Synthetic oils, on the other hand, are produced in the laboratory from chemical combinations complex to ensure a purer product, designed and improved specifically for application in modern engines, in order to guarantee greater protection and performance. For this reason, they have a higher cost compared to other oils.
Some products classified as semi-synthetic are lubricants that have both oils above combined and balanced in formulation, seeking to gather the best characteristics of each one at a more accessible cost.
Mixing mineral and synthetic lubricating oils is not recommended. They are products that have different chemical bases, which may directly compromise the performance and engine performance.
Furthermore, when mixing a synthetic oil with a mineral one, there is a risk that the oil will lose quality of additives, compromising the perfect lubrication of the metallic parts of the engine, generating wear, temperature increase, allows greater formation of deposits of residues, formation of sludge, which can seriously damage the vehicle's engine.
Sludge is a thick layer of lubricant that forms in the engine of the vehicle, caused usually due to contamination and accumulation of residues, making it difficult for the oil to pass allows perfect lubrication of the engine. It is usually caused by the inappropriate use of lubricants or use of a lubricant outside the specification indicated by the manufacturer, lack of proper maintenance, oil contamination by fuel or water residues, overuse of additives in the lubricant and greatly exceeding the period indicated for changing the oil.
Oil change should be every 5,000 or 10,000km, according to the vehicle and oil manual used (mineral, semi-synthetic or synthetic). However, if these marks are not reached within a period of 6 months, it is recommended that the change be made together with the filter of oil.
Because it retains in its interior up to almost 1 liter of oil containing impurities and residues from the previous oil.
When changing the oil and not changing the filter, this impairs the cleaning function it should exercise, in addition to contaminating the new oil with residues that can compromise the engine operation.
No. This concept is not very well founded, as the color of the lubricant is not directly associated with its performance. Lubricant may change color due to the combination of base oils and additives in the formulation, not compromising anything its function within the engine.
Not necessarily. The high mileage of an engine does not always mean that it has to change the viscosity of the lubricant. Vehicle manufacturers invest in technology in its engines, defining not only the specificities of each one of them, but also the type of the most suitable lubricant to meet these needs. Therefore, since the vehicle receives all preventive and corrective maintenance indicated by the manufacturer of the vehicle, the oil must be as specified in the owner's manual.
Additives are chemical substances associated with base oils in a balanced way in the formulation to guarantee the lubricants performance characteristics, protection, cleaning and cooling.
There are several types of additives with specific functions that guarantee the lubricant the necessary performance according to the need of the engine or equipment:
Detergents, dispersants, anti corrosives, antioxidants, anti wear agents, coolants act respectively in cleaning, removal of residues, in combating corrosion, combating oil degradation and wear of parts, temperature control, among others.
Current lubricants already have in their composition all the additives recommended for specifications of an engine, not being necessary to incorporate any other product surplus in the vehicle's engine.
No. Motorcycle lubricants are different from car lubricants. The oils for motorcycle are developed with specific formulation to serve in addition to the lubrication of the engine, also serves the clutch system, which in this case are coupled. Already in the car these systems work separately, having a specific oil for each one. Therefore, the car oil incorrectly applied to the motorcycle, in addition to promoting wear premature start of the engine, it can harm or cause damage to the clutch system. use only oils indicated for your motorcycle.