Motor Oil For Dummies: Read It Like An Expert!

Changing your car’s motor oil is a crucial part of its overall maintenance, and it’s essential to do it right. Many people don’t know how to read their car’s motor oil, so they take it to a mechanic and pay them to do it for them. However, with the help of this blog post, you’ll be able to do it yourself in no time!

BMW of Fort Walton Beach will go over everything you need to know about reading your car’s motor oil, including what the different levels mean. We’d also like to suggest the excellent service provided by our service center – so if you’re ever in the area, be sure to stop by!

What’s In It for Me?

Reading the grade of your car engine’s oil is essential for many reasons. The main one is that you can’t put the wrong grade of oil in your machine. Cars require different weights and types of motor oil, and putting in the wrong kind will either not work or could even damage your engine.

The second reason it’s essential to read your car’s oil grade is that it tells you how well your engine is running and what condition it’s in. If the oil is black and thick, that means your machine has worn down some of its parts, which can be harmful to its performance. You should change this oil right away, or at least get a mechanic to look into it and see if there are any other problems with your car you need to know about.

What Is an Oil Grade?

We grade the engine oil we use according to its viscosity and performance.

Viscosity is the resistance of a liquid to flowing, and oil grades tell you how well your car’s engine will perform at different temperatures. These labels come from expert ratings from the SAE or Society of Automotive Engineers.

The SAE grading system breaks down oil grades into two categories: winter and summer. Winter oils are specifically designed for low temperatures. In contrast, summer oils perform better in warmer environments.

What Are “Straight-Weight” and “Multi-Weight” Oils?

Oils with a single-grade rating don’t change their viscosity much when the temperature changes. They are helpful for climates where there is not much fluctuation in temperature. These are what we call “straight-weight” oils.

On the other hand, oils with a multi-grade rating do change their viscosity when the temperature changes. These multi-grade or “multi-weight” oils are designed to work well in a broader range of climates. They are typically thinner at high temperatures and thicker at low temperatures. This allows them to lubricate your engine more effectively, no matter the outside temperature.

How Do I Know What’s Best?

This question is addressed in your car owner’s manual. The owner’s manual will list the manufacturer’s recommended oil grade and viscosity for your car. It is vital to utilize the correct type of oil, as using the wrong type can lead to engine problems.

If you do not have your car owner’s manual or need help finding the correct oil grade and viscosity, BMW of Fort Walton Beach serves Miramar Beach, FL. We host a team of experts who can help you find the right oil for your car and also perform an oil change, if necessary.

Schedule a service today!