If you are shopping for engine oil for your vehicle or a piece of equipment, you will find there are a lot of products on the market designed to meet your needs. To decide which of these you need to purchase, you must first figure out how to read the labels. The first step to doing that is to figure out some of the terminology that is being used. Here are a few terms to get you started.

Synthetic

Although some forms of synthetic oil are fully man-made, other forms actually begin in the ground the same as traditional oil. It is what takes place once it comes out of the ground that makes it different than traditional oil. Synthetic oil is refined, distilled, purified and then broken down into the basic molecules that make up the oil. The isolated molecules are then customized to meet the additional demands placed on them by modern technology. To this base, a blend of special additives such as smooth lubricating molecules are added. This gives the synthetic oil is able to do the following:

• Reduce friction
• Tolerate higher temperatures
• Flow at lower temperatures
• Reduce engine deposits
• Decrease evaporation
• Improve fuel economy
• Be more stable for longer periods of time and more

 Synthetic Blend Oil

When you find a synthetic blend oil or semi-synthetic oil, you are getting a conventional oil that has been blended with no more than 30% non-conventional, high-performance additives, based stocks, or synthetic oil added. This blend has shown to be more resistant to oxidation and have better low-temperature properties. This type of oil will usually give you some of the benefits above without the higher price point found in pure synthetic oil.

Viscosity Ratings

Your oil plays an important role. It is responsible for lubricating, cooling, and helping to seal your moving parts. But to do all of this, it must have the right thickness at the temperature it is being used. You need to choose an oil that is blended so that it will not become too thin while it is heated, or too thick when it is cool.

This is where your viscosity rating comes in. Have you ever wondered the difference between 10W-30 versus 10W-40. Viscosity describes the thickness, or your oil's resistance to flow. The two numbers represent the following:

For example: The first number (10) represents the viscosity of the product at zero degrees Fahrenheit the W stands for winter and the second number represents the viscosity at 212 F. The lower the numbers, the less viscosity a product has. So 10W-40 would have less viscosity than 20W-50. The 10W-40 would do better in a colder environment than the 20W-50, but would not do as well in areas with higher temperatures. For the best results, always consult your user's manual to see what weight oil your manufacturer recommends.

Oil Additives

In addition to oil, there are oil additives that you can purchase to help the performance of your engine. Some of these will not only assist your oil in achieving a better performance, but will help minimize the byproducts, sludge, acids, and varnish. Some of the additives you may find on the market may include:

• Detergents
• Anti-wear agents
• Dispersants
• Pour-point depressants
• Form inhibitors
• Rust/corrosion inhibitors
• Antioxidants and more

Each of these play a very unique role in assisting your oil in doing its job, but just by simply adding more additives will not necessarily give you a better oil. Adding too much, or the wrong combination may actually reduce the effectiveness of the product and may actually damage your engine. Always consult your engine manufacturer to see what is recommended for your particular engine.

For engine oil, contact a company such as Petro Florida.