![]() ![]() It’s crucial that oil flows just as well when you first crank the ignition as it does when the vehicle is warmed up, otherwise there’s a risk of damaging internal components. Sometimes it gets much colder than room temperature - particularly during the winter months when the thermometer can plunge well below freezing. When you see an oil that’s rated SAE 30, this translates into an engine oil that has a viscosity between 9.3 cSt and 12.5 cSt at 212 degrees F. For example, an A is a 90-100, a B is an 80-89, etc. A viscosity “grade” is just like a grade in school that denotes a range of numbers. It is the operating temperature viscosity that is most important. The SAE defines high temperature oil viscosity at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (which is 100 degrees Celsius), which is the baseline used to approximate the operating temperatures of most vehicles. It wouldn’t make much sense to rate engine oil flow at room temperature - after all, it gets really, really hot inside your engine, and that’s where it’s crucial that oil flows as efficiently as possible for a given engine’s design requirements. Sometimes, viscosity is also referred to as an oil’s “weight,” with a heavier oil featuring a higher viscosity grade. It’s logical to assume that a low viscosity oil is thinner than a high viscosity oil. High viscosity oils flow more slowly and come with a higher SAE number. The quicker an oil flows, the lower its viscosity and the grade assigned to it by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In the simplest terms, viscosity refers to how well a lubricant flows at a given temperature. In fact, you should ALWAYS follow the vehicle owner’s manual to determine the correct viscosity grade, engine oil specification, and oil drain interval. ![]() To make it simple, just pick up the oil type that’s recommended in your owner’s manual. Oil viscosity can feel a bit like math class when you’re standing inside your local auto parts store staring down row after row of oil bottles plastered with algebraic numbers and letters. ![]()
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