To a vehicle, oil is just as important as fuel: without it, the vehicle isn't going anywhere! Engine oil provides essential lubrication to the many moving parts of a vehicle's engine, reducing friction and associated wear and tear. It also helps to clean the engine of sludge and varnish deposits, ensuring that the vehicle runs smoothly and avoiding costly repair work.
There are many different variants of engine oil, each suited to particular applications. All of the variants begin as simple crude mineral oil, which is refined with synthetic bases and additive to create suitable viscosities and blends. Finally classified as semi- or fully-synthetic, the finished product is designed to meet the requirements set by different car manufacturers. Not using the recommended oil can even invalidate a vehicle's warranty.
Most owners of modern vehicles should be using synthetic engine oil, which has a longer life than it's semi-synthetic counterpart. Synthetic engine oil is more equipped to deal with high temperatures and extreme pressures, extending by significant margins the required interval between services. Semi-synthetic engine oils are cheaper but do not last as long and are typically used only in older vehicles.
Most vehicles are manufactured to use oil of multi-viscosity as opposed to the less common single-viscosity variation. The viscosity of an oil is identified with a number placed before a letter 'W', with another number following (e.g. 10w-40): the lower number indicates a thinner, more easily-flowing oil. The number preceding the 'w' represents oil performance at low temperatures while the number after the 'w' shows performance level at higher temperatures.
MotorNuts is a proud supplier of an extensive range of engine oils, produced by top brands including Millers Oils, Castrol, Granville, Mobil, Lucas and Comma. We have made it easy to find the correct oil for your vehicle but if you need further assistance then just give the expert MotorNuts a call and we'll be happy to point you in the right direction.