Motor Oils – How Do They Compare to Each Other?

Just 20 years ago, doctors repeatedly told their patients to eat low fat diets. Across the board this advice was given, and little else was talked about in terms of nutrition. The thinking was that less fat in the diet translated to better health. Over time, nutritional science proved this advice to be bad advice for most people.

Think about it, one generic diet given to nearly every type of patient. It's pretty ridiculous isn't it. In much the same way, though, mechanics will often tell their customers to get their oil changed and never tell them that one type of oil does not necessarily work best for every situation. It's important to do a motor oil comparison, to see which type of oil is the best choice for your car. Don't settle for the generic prescription, it simply doesn't work for everyone.

Take some time to learn a bit about an oil's viscosity when doing a motor oil comparison. You hear this term a lot on the oil commercials, but very few people ever find out just what it means and how different viscosities should make a difference in the motor oil they choose to use for their car. If you can't find a lot of information on viscosity, check your owner's manual. That should give you a good starting point for the recommended oil viscosity for the make and model that you drive.

Just as a diet for someone trying to lose 20 pounds won't be the same as a young athlete trying to gain muscle mass, the same old oil won't work for every car. There are differences that must be addressed anImage by ♥ L A D Y M ♥ via Flickrd you must compare motor oils to make the best choice.

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Should You Worry About Comparing Motor Oils?

Whether you're a professional mechanic, or someone who enjoys tinkering around with cars, you know that every car is different. You wouldn't go to change your spark plugs and choose the first set you got your hands on would you? Of course not. You know that every car needs the plugs specific to that make and model. It's curious how people can easily understand this fact, yet give very little thought to motor oil comparison when the time comes to get an oil change. To get the best performance and lower maintenance bills choosing the correct oil for your car, and driving conditions, is essential.

Compare and Contrast
It's essential to do some research about the oil that your car really needs. Motor oil comparison should be one of the building blocks of this education on choosing the correct oil. As you know, every car's engine needs oil to run, but you have to make the right choice for it to run its best.

Start by learning about viscosity. You hear this term a lot, but very few people know what it means and how it should play into your motor oil selection. You can ask a trusted mechanic, but there's a good chance that they don't understand this important variable either. Check your vehicle's documentation to see what viscosity oil you should use. Remember, though, that if you are using synthetic oil you may be safe with choosing lower viscosity oil. Just make sure that you are using a high quality synthetic if you decide to go this route.
Image via Wikipedia
Compare oils and educate yourself on the best oil for your car. Doing so can save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of your car ownership.

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Are you Performing Motor Oil Comparisons?

Let's say you want to do a motor oil comparison for how two different oils perform in your engine.  What steps would you take?  How could their performance be compared? Oil analysis can tell you how well your oil is holding up and whether your oil and/or air filter are ready to be changed.  A sample of about 3 ounces must be taken from your engine.  However, the sample is obtained (by sampling pump or valve, or by taking it from the drain pan plug), you must be sure to take it immediately after you shut down the vehicle, for this ensures that contaminants will be equally distributed throughout the system.  This sample is then sent away to a lab for analysis.

Oil analysis generally run from 10 to 25 dollars.  If you choose a 10 dollar test, chances are you will only receive information about wear metals present in your engine oil.  However, if you elect to get a more expensive test done, you will get more information.  You will be informed not only about wear metals, but about other contaminants (glycol, water, fuel) and their percentages in your oil. 

You will find out whether your oil's viscosity is consistent with what you put in.  Soot levels and oxidation and nitration percentages will also be included in your report, numbers which will also indicate how the oil is holding up.  You might also be informed about your oil's TBN-its acid neutralizing capability. All of these measurements will help you determine how well a given motor oil is working within your engine.  One way to do a motor oil comparison would be to do an oil analysis for each oil you use in your car.

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Consider a Motor Oil Comparison

How does one go about making a motor oil comparison?  Which qualities are most important?  How do I choose between two different oils which cost the same amount and appear, on the surface, to be of similar quality?
When comparing motor oils, the most important thing to do is compare the technical specifications.  These can generally be found on the company's website, although sometimes it may be necessary to contact the company to ask that they provide them.  Each specification is found using a standardized testing method (ASTM-American Society of Testing and Materials) and is assigned a certain test number.
Different companies provide different test results.  Some will leave out certain tests.  They may feel they are unimportant.  They may not want you to know a particular test specification. Image via Wikipedia
There are around 16 specifications you might see on the data sheet for any given oil, although it's more likely you will find around 8 or 9.  Which are most important?  There are three that you should focus on: the NOACK volatility test, the Four Ball Wear Test and the HT/HS test.  These three are designed to simulate conditions you might actually find in your engine.  If any of them are missing or left out, it could mean you are looking at an inferior oil.  Also, if you find entries that read "Meets or Exceeds All Requirements", you should be skeptical.  Look for oils from companies that are willing to publish the results of standardized testing.  Also beware of companies that list results of non-standard testing in an effort to look impressive.
Another option is to use the website, TheMotorOilEvaluator.com.  There are technical specifications for over 650 motor oils from over 30 companies.  It is a searchable database which has an application which makes comparing particular oils easy.  This website allows you to make just about any motor oil comparison as you try to decide which brand to use in your vehicle.
The Motor Oil Guy

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