What Do The Numbers On Oil Mean

Lets see what each character that makes up the code means. The numbers refer to whats known in the industry as the oil weight but that term is a bit misleading.

What Does 5w 30 Actually Mean

This number represents the oils resistance to thinning at high temperatures.

What do the numbers on oil mean. The number to the left of the W refers to the oil viscosity when the temperatures are low. The Society of Automotive Engineers SAE assigns a viscosity number or weight to oil based on its flow at 210 degrees F which is roughly the standard operating temperature for most motors. The second number is the oils thickness at higher operating temperatures or when the engine has been run for a while and warmed up oils are tested at 100 c to get this number.

The SAE defines high temperature oil viscosity at 212 degrees Fahrenheit which is 100 degrees Celsius which is the baseline used to approximate the operating temperatures of most vehicles. Its a measure of viscosity or the. The short answerThe numbers represent the viscosity of the oil and the W stands for WINTER.

Gear oil meant for high ambient temperatures is designated by a single number for instance SAE 80 or SAE 250. What the numbers mean. A 30 oil is thinner than a 40 oil at 100C etc.

A viscosity grade is just like a grade in school that denotes a range of numbers. The numbers and letters on a container of multi-grade motor oil will tell you at a glance what its operating range is and how it compares to other oils. The higher the number the thicker or slower flowing it is which changes the nature of how it coats internal engine components and protects against heat and friction.

The temperature requirements set for oil by the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE is 0 degrees F low and 210 degrees F high. This is a fixed limit and all oils that end in 40 must achieve these limits. Once again the lower the number the thinner the oil.

The 40 in a 10w-40 simply means that the oil must fall within certain viscosity limits at 100C. Ad Search Faster Better Smarter Here. A car in Death Valley would need a higher number to keep the oil from thinning out too much.

4s and 5s are excellent numbers and demonstrate basestock quality eg. If playback doesnt begin shortly try restarting your device. Oil weight doesnt refer to how heavy an oil is.

Viscosity of these oils is measured at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. 10W and oils that meet the high ratings have no letter example SAE 30. The 1st Number.

The first number is followed by a W. However if instead of a W you see numbers between 20 and 60 this refers to the oils viscosity at hotter temperatures. Videos you watch may be added to the TVs watch history.

The numbers you see on your motor oil can range from 0 to 60 and are determined in laboratory tests by the Society of Automotive Engineers SAE. Here are some HTHS numbers on well known oils the higher the number the more shear stable the oil. The long answerThe Society of Automotive Engineers SAE has established a numerical code system for grading motor oils according to their viscosity characteristics.

With the introduction of new oil additives starting in the 1940s the compound viscosities replaced single-viscosity motor oil. These numbers refer to viscosity or thickness with the lowest numbers representing the thinnest and therefore the most viscous oil. The higher the number the higher the viscosity meaning a denser lubricating film and in principle greater protection for moving mechanical components coming into contact.

It is the operating temperature viscosity that is most important. Single or compound numbers convey the oils weight or viscosity. If the first number is low it means that you have thin oil.

A value of 28 or is considered the minumum for normal bearing wear. Here the W stands for Winter and represents how the oil will react to a cold start. The W refers to winter The first number is the viscosity when the oil is cold.

What Do The Oil Numbers Mean. 30 and 10W-30 are examples. Ad Search Faster Better Smarter Here.

Higher numbers indicate more viscous oil. Basically the higher the first number the thicker the oil will be at colder temperatures so a 20w50 oil would be thicker when cold than a 10w40 oil. The number to the right of the W refers to the oil viscosity at hotter temperatures.

This is the oils viscosity rating at low or winter temperatures. Oils meeting the SAEs low temperature requirements have a W after the viscosity rating example. The second number after the W indicates the oils viscosity measured at 212 degrees Fahrenheit 100 degrees Celsius.

Your handbook will specify whether a 30 40 or 50 etc is required. Explanation of Viscosity and Multigrade Oils. The engine oil grade is in the form of an alpha-numeric code.

The SAE rates gear oils suitable for operation at one temperature on a monograde scale.

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