Motor Oil

How To Ensure You Get The Best Oil Change In Tucson

Knowing what type of oil your car needs is critical to prolonging the life of your engine. Call 520-889-7202 and we can help you choose the right oil for your car. You can also refer to the car or truck's owner's manual for the recommended oil weight and type.

How to read the label on your motor oil:

Look for the starburst badge indicating that the oil has been tested by the American Petroleum Institute (API) for a gasoline engine. Next to the API badge, you can find a circular label indicating the type of engine for which the motor oil is intended. There are two categories: gasoline and diesel. Category S is for "Spark Ignition", for gasoline and category C is for "Compression Ignition', for diesel. For both, the letter S or C is followed by another letter. For example, SM or CF. The closer the second letter is to Z, the more recent models of cars and trucks it is meant to serve. Look for the SAE label. SAE is the Society of Automotive Engineers. Look for the round SAE label listing the viscosity and weight number. For example SAE 5W 30.

In the example "SAE 5W 30" the "w" stands for winter. The first number in the oil classification refers to a cold-weather viscosity. The lower this number is, the less viscous your oil will be at low temperatures. For example, a 5W motor oil will flow better at lower temperatures than a 15W motor oil. The final number indicates the oil flow rating when the engine is hot. Motor oil has to be resistant to thickening so that it flows more easily to all the moving parts in your engine.

But What About Synthetic Oil

Full Synthetic motor oil is made for high-performance engines. This is the type of oil they use in race cars but is also used in everyday fuel-efficient cars. These motor oils cost slightly more and may not be appropriate for every engine. But if you drive a higher performance car such as BMW they are a necessity. Full synthetic oil exceeds ILSAC GF-5/API SN standards and was designed especially for turbocharged engines all though it now has multiple applications. Full synthetic motor oil meets API SN Service Classification requirements to be suitable for use in modern engines vulnerable to high-temperature deposits. Synthetic oil provides exceptional low-temperature flow to ensure engine start-up in cold weather as well and protects against the formation of sludge and varnish deposits.

Still, confused? We are here to help. Stop by Merle's Automotive Supply at 4015 South Dodge Blvd and we will be happy to help you find the right motor oil for your vehicle.