The API is the American Petrol Institute and they estabish, test and maintain the ratings standards for the viscosity and content of motor oils globally. There are three different sets of numbers and letters on a bottle of motorcycle engine oil that you need to be able to understand if you're going to choose the best type for your bike.Īt first it might seem like a lot to take in, but in reality it's pretty straight forward. Understanding the numbers on a bottle of motorcycle engine oil This is important if you’re running a high-revving or high-power output motorcycle, like a sportsbike. It won’t degrade as quickly as oils that use mineral oil and it’s capable of operating under far more strenuous conditions without the properties changing. It will protect against engine wear more than a mineral or semi-synthetic oil but it’s much more expensive too. It is usually comprised of a blend of over 90% synthetic and under 10% base (mineral) oil. Synthetic engine oil is an oil that’s almost entirely man-made. Semi-synthetic oils offer a great balance of performance and value for money which is why it’s the most popular oil type for all motorcycles. The ratio is usually around 25% synthetic to 75% mineral but the ratio varies and some of the more expensive semi-synthetic oils have a higher ratio of synthetic oil to base oil. Sometimes referred to as part-synthetic, it’s simply a blend of mineral oil and synthetic oil. Due to the lack of additives, mineral oil requires changing more frequently than a synthetic oil as it’ll lose its properties quicker than a synthetic oil but it’s still good value for money. It’s a good oil to use for basic engines, think low-revving low power output engines such as those in standard road bikes, Harley Davidsons, 125cc motorbikes and scooters. It’s often a by-product of the petrol-refining process. Sometimes known as ‘regular oil’ this is refined crude oil and is the least expensive. It’s important you get the right type for your engine and the best motorcycle engine oil will always be listed in your owner’s manual. All oils use additives, even if they’re mineral oils but the semi and fully synthetic oils use more than the mineral oils. As a result, it's important to not only select the right type of oil for each application, but also have a reliable preventive maintenance program that allows you to complete work orders quickly.There are three different types of engine oil and they all have different qualities, strengths, and weaknesses. When this goes unchecked, you’ll start experiencing damage and problems with equipment. Inappropriate oil viscosity can result in occasional contact between machine components. However, a thinner viscosity oil can help improve the start-up of a piece of equipment as well as reduce fuel usage. When the oil has a higher viscosity, or is thicker at warm temperatures, you will use less oil and experience less wear and tear on your vehicles or equipment. Viscosity can also affect how quickly oil is consumed and how easily equipment can be started and operated in extreme temperatures. For example, viscosity can increase or decrease the heat created by bearings and cylinders. How 10w30 Oil Affects EquipmentĪlthough understanding oil viscosity is important in solid fleet maintenance, oil viscosity also affects the performance of a wide range of industrial equipment. Thus, the higher viscosity, or thicker oil, keeps all the engine parts well lubricated and separated. On the other hand, when the engine is hot, you don't want your motor oil to be too thin. A low viscosity motor oil allows it to do that. This is important because when you start a cold engine, the oil needs to lubricate the equipment quickly. Motor oil that is thinner can flow more easily and faster. The “W” that you see on oil labels stands for the word "Winter" because this portion of the label shows the viscosity level of oil when an engine is cold. The scale ranges from 0W, which is the thinnest type of oil, to a rating of 60, which is the thickest oil. In order to have a standard way to measure the viscosity of engine oil, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed a viscosity scale.
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