Lubricant Guides

There are different opinions discussed on whether this or that product is right for our vehicles. Here, we will introduce some points that help you with your vehicles’ engine oil selection. Have you ever checked for the information of your vehicles’ owner manuals?

In our vehicles’ owner manuals, there is a section called “Maintenance” or “Lubricant Recommendation”. Once we reach to that section, it will tell us that we should choose an engine oil for our vehicles with the following requirements such as:

• Engine Type (Gasoline, Diesel, or Hybrid)
• Engine Displacement (1.5L, 2.0L, 2.2L, 3.0L, or else)
• Oil Type (Mineral, Synthetic-based or Fully-Synthetic)
• Oil Viscosity (0W20, 5W30, or 10W40)
• Oil Standards (API, ACEA or OEM Approval)

When it comes to engine oil selection, our car mechanics usually recommends us to use 0W20, 5W30, or 10W40. What does it tell us?

0W20, 5W30 or 10W40 is called Viscosity, which refers to a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow (thickness of the oil). Viscosity is categorized into two namely:

• Monograde: it has only the number in front of W or the number after W. For example, SAE 5W, SAE 10W, SAE 30, SAE 40, etc.
• Multigrade: it contains both the number in front and after W. For instance, 5W30, 10W40, 15W40, etc.

The letter “W” refers to Winter. The number in front of W is the viscosity at low temperature, meaning that the smaller the number in front of W; the better starting of your engine. However, the number after W is the viscosity at high temperature or when the engine reaches its normal operating temperature. Either the number in front of W or after W, if the number is high or low, it indicates the viscosity of the oil is thick or thin respectively.