Danish Refugee Council • Operations Handbook

ENGINE OIL GUIDE

WHAT DOES THE OIL DO?

Engine oil performs many functions. It stops all the metal surfaces in the engine from grinding together and tearing
themselves apart from friction, and it transfers heat away from the combustion cycle. Engine oil also holds in
suspension all the nasty by-products of combustion like silica (silicon oxide) and acids. Finally, engine oil minimises the
exposure to oxygen and thus oxidation at higher temperatures. It does all of these things under tremendous heat and
pressure.

HOW DO I READ THE '5W40' TYPE NUMBER?

As oils heat up, they generally get thinner. Single grade oils get too thin when hot for most modern engines which is
where multi-grade oil comes in. The idea is simple - use science and physics to prevent the base oil from getting too
thin when it gets hot. The number before the 'W' is the 'cold' viscosity rating of the oil, and the number after the 'W' is
the 'hot' viscosity rating.

So, a 5W40 oil is one that behaves like a 5-rated single grade oil when cold, but doesn't thin any more than a 40-rated
single grade oil when hot. The lower the 'winter' number (hence the 'W'), the easier the engine will turn over when
starting in cold climates. There's more detail on this later in the page under both viscosity, and SAE ratings.

A QUICK GUIDE TO THE DIFFERENT GRADES OF OIL

Fully Synthetic Characteristics

Fuel economy savings
0W-30 Enhances engine performance and power
0W-40 Ensures engine is protected from wear and deposit build-up
5W-40 Ensures good cold starting and quick circulation in freezing temperatures
Gets to moving parts of the engine quickly
Semi-Synthetic Characteristics
5W-30 Better protection
10W-40 Good protection within the first 10 minutes after starting out
15W-40 Roughly three times better at reducing engine wear
Increased oil change intervals - don't need to change it quite so often
Mineral Characteristics
10W-40 Basic protection for a variety of engines
15W-40 Oil needs to be changed more often

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MINERAL OR SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL?

MINERAL
Mineral oils are based on oil that comes from dear old Mother Earth which has been refined. Synthetic oils are mostly
concocted by chemists wearing white lab coats in oil company laboratories. The only other type is semi-synthetic,
sometimes called premium, which is a blend of the two. It is safe to mix the different types, but it's wiser to switch
completely to a new type rather than mixing.

SYNTHETICS
Despite their name, most synthetic derived motor oils (ie Mobil 1, Castrol Formula RS etc) are actually derived from
mineral oils - they are mostly Polyalphaolifins and these come from the purest part of the mineral oil refraction
process; the gas. PAO oils will mix with normal mineral oils which means they can be added to mineral oils without
causing an engine to seize up (although it is rumoured that Mobil 1 is actually made by reformulating ethanol).
These bases are pretty stable, meaning 'less likely to react adversely with other compounds' because they tend not to
contain reactive carbon atoms. Reactive carbon has a tendency to combine with oxygen creating an acid. (In an oil this
would be A Bad Thing.) They also have high viscosity indices and high temperature oxidative stability. Typically a small
amount of diester synthetic (a compound containing two ester groups) is added to counteract seal swell too. These
diesters act as a detergent and will attack carbon residuals. So think of synthetic oils as custom-built oils. They're
designed to do the job efficiently but without any of the excess baggage that can accompany mineral based oils.

MIXING MINERAL AND SYNTHETIC OILS

There is no scientific data to support the idea that mixing mineral and synthetic oils will damage an engine. When
switching from a mineral oil to a synthetic, or vice versa, there is the potential to leave a small amount of residual oil in
the engine. That's perfectly okay because synthetic oil and mineral-based motor oil are, for the most part, compatible
with each other. (The exception is pure synthetics. Polyglycols don't mix with normal mineral oils.)
There is also no problem with switching back and forth between synthetic and mineral based oils. In fact, people who
are "in the know" and who operate engines in areas where temperature fluctuations can be especially extreme, switch
from mineral oil to synthetic oil for the colder months. They then switch back to mineral oil during the warmer months.
There was a time, years ago, when switching between synthetic oils and mineral oils was not recommended if one
product or the other had been used for a long period of time. People experienced problems with seals leaking and high
oil consumption but changes in additive chemistry and seal material have taken care of those issues. And that's an
important caveat. New seal technology is great, but if you're still driving around in a car from the 80's with its original
seals, then this argument becomes a bit of a moot point - the seals are still going to be subject to the old leakage
problems no matter what new fangled additives the oil companies are putting in their products.

WHICH OIL SHOULD YOU USE?

There are two established testing bodies. The API (American Petroleum Institute), and the European counterpart, the
ACEA (Association des Constructeurs Europeens d'Automobiles - replaced CCMC in 1996). Most people will never have
heard of either of them, but their stamp of approval will be seen on the side of every reputable can of engine oil.

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API
The API classifications are different for petrol and diesel engines: For petrol, listings start with 'S' (meaning Service
category, but it can also be thought of as Spark-plug ignition), followed by another code to denote standard. 'SN' is the
current top grade but 'SH' is still the most popular.
For diesel oils, the first letter is 'C' (meaning Commercial category, but it can also be thought of as Compression
ignition). 'CJ' is the highest grade at the moment, (technically CJ-4 for heavy-duty) but 'CH' is the most popular and is
well adequate for passenger vehicle applications.

ACEA / CCMC
The ACEA standards are prefixed with an 'A' for petrol engines, 'B' for passenger car diesel, 'C' for diesel with
particulate filter, or 'E' for heavy-duty diesel. (The older CCMC specifications were G, D and PD respectively). The ACEA
grades may also be followed by the year of issue which will be either '04 or '07 (current). Coupled with this are
numerous approvals by car manufacturers which many oil containers sport with pride.

The full ACEA specs are:

• A1 Fuel Economy Petrol †

• A2 Standard performance level
• A3 High performance and / or extended drain
• A5 Fuel economy petrol with extended drain capability
• B1 Fuel Economy diesel †
• B2 Standard performance level (now obsolete)
• B3 High performance and / or extended drain
• B4 For direct injection passenger car diesel engines
• B5 Fuel economy diesel with extended drain capability

Mineral oils

• E1 Non-turbo charged light duty diesel

• E2 Standard performance level
• E3 High performance extended drain
• E5 (1999) High performance / long drain plus American/API performances. - This is ACEAs first attempt at a
global spec.
• E7 Euro 4 engines - exhaust after treatment (EGR / SCR)

Synthetic oils:

• E4 Higher performance and longer extended drain

• E6 Euro 4 specification - low SAPS for vehicles with PDF (see below)

Low SAPS diesel (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous, Sulphur):

For diesel engines fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) - a filter unit in the exhaust that takes out the microscopic
soot particles. Regular diesel oils used in engines that have a DPF can cause the filter to become blocked with ash.

• C1 Low SAPS (0.5% ash) fuel efficient

• C2 Mid SAPS (0.8% ash) fuel efficient, performance
• C3 Mid SAPS (0.8% ash)

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Many OEM are now using their own specifications to capture these specifications. eg. Mercedes 229.31/51, BMW
Longlife 04, VW 507 00 etc.
There is also a trend now towards manufacturers requiring their own specifications - in this case the OEM specification
is the one that needs to be adhered to. If it says BMW Longlife 04, the oil must say this on the pack to be suitable for
use.

Typically, these markings will be found in a statement similar to: Meets the requirements of API SH/CD along the label
somewhere. The API Service Symbol ought to still be somewhere on the packaging:

Beware the fake API symbol

Some unscrupulous manufacturers (and there's not many left that do this) will put a symbol on their packaging
designed to look like the API symbol without actually being the API symbol. They do this in an effort to pump up the
'quality' of their product by relying on people not really knowing exactly what the proper API symbol should look like.
To the left is an example of a fake symbol - it looks similar but as long as you remember what to look for, you won't get
taken by this scam.

HISTORY OF API RATINGS

Petrol Engines Diesel Engines
Category Status Service Category Status Service
Introduced in October 2010 for
2011 and older vehicles, designed
For all automotive engines to provide improved high
presently in use. Introduced in temperature deposit protection
SN Current CJ-4 Current
the API service symbol in for pistons, more stringent sludge
November 2010. control, and seal compatibility.
API SN with Resource Conserving
matches ILSAC GF-5 by combining

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API SN performance with

improved fuel economy,
turbocharger protection, emission
control system compatibility, and
protection of engines operating
on ethanol-containing fuels up to
E85.
However, use of these oils with
greater than 15ppm sulfur fuel
may impact exhaust after
treatment system durability
and/or oil drain intervals. CJ-4 oils
are effective at sustaining
emission control system durability
where particulate filters and
other advanced after treatment
systems are used. CJ-4 oils exceed
the performance criteria of CF-4,
CG-4, CH-4 and CI-4.
Introduced in 2002 for high-speed
four-stroke engines. Designed to
meet 2004 exhaust emission
standards implemented in 2002.
For all automotive engines CI-4 oils are formulated to sustain
recently in use. Introduced in the engine durability where exhaust
SM Current CI-4 Current
API service symbol in November gas recirculation (EGR) is used
2004 and are intented for use with
diesel fuels ranging in sulphur
content up to 0.5% weight. Can
be used in place of CD, CE, CF-4,
CG-4 and CH-4
Introduced in 1998 for high-speed
four-stroke engines. CH-4 oils are
For all automotive engines specifically designed for use with
Still current but
SL recently in use. Introduced in the CH-4 Current diesel fuels ranging in sulphur
nearly obsolete
API service symbol in 1998 content up to 0.5% weight. Can
be used in place of CD, CE, CF-4
and CG-4.
Introduced in 1995 for high-speed
four-stroke engines. CG-4 oils are
specifically designed for use with
For all automotive engines diesel fuels ranging in sulphur
Still current but
SJ recently in use. Introduced in the CG-4 Current content less than 0.5% weight.
nearly obsolete
API service symbol in 1996 CG-4 oil needs to be used for
engines meeting 1994 emission
standards. Can be used in place of
CD, CE and CF-4.
Introduced in 1990 for high-speed
For model year 1996 and older four-stroke naturally aspirated
SH Obsolete CF-4 Current
engines. and turbo engines. Can be used in
place of CD and CE.

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Introduced in 1994 for severe

For model year 1993 and older duty, two stroke motorcycle
SG Obsolete CF-2 Current
engines. engines. Can be used in place of
CD-II.
Introduced in 1994 for off-road,
indirect-injected and other diesel
For model year 1988 and older
SF Obsolete CF Current engines including those using fuel
engines.
over0.5% weight sulphur. Can be
used in place of CD.
Introduced in 1987 for high-speed
For model year 1979 and older four-stroke naturally aspirated
SE Obsolete CE Obsolete
engines. and turbo engines. Can be used in
place of CC and CD.
For model year 1971 and older Introduced in 1987 for two-stroke
SD Obsolete CD-II Obsolete
engines. motorcycle engines.
Introduced in 1955 for certain
For model year 1967 and older
SC Obsolete CD Obsolete naturally aspirated and turbo
engines.
engines.
For older engines. Use this only
SB Obsolete when specifically recommended CC Obsolete Introduced in 1961 for all diesels.
by the manufacturer.
For much older engines with no
performance requirement. Use
Introduced in 1949 for moderate-
SA Obsolete this only when specifically CB Obsolete
duty engines.
recommended by the
manufacturer.
Introduced in 1940 for light-duty
CA Obsolete
engines.

OIL GRADE
The API/ACEA ratings only refer to an oil's quality. For grade, the place to look is the SAE (Society of Automotive
Engineers) ratings. These describe the oil's function and viscosity standard. Viscosity means the substance and clinging
properties of the lubricant. When cold, oil can become like treacle so it is important that any lube is kept as thin as
possible. Its cold performance is denoted by the letter 'W', meaning 'winter'. At the other end of the scale, a scorching
hot oil can be as thin as water and about as useful too. So it needs to be as thick as possible when warm. Thin when
cold but thick when warm? That's where MultiGrade oil comes in. For ages, good old 20W/50 was the oil to have. But
as engines progressed and tolerances decreased, a lighter, thinner oil was required, especially when cold. Thus
15W/50, 15W/40 and even 15W/30 oils are now commonplace.

ENGINE OIL SHELF LIFE

In general, liquid lubricants (ie. oils, not greases) will remain intact for a number of years. The main factor affecting the
life of the oil is the storage condition for the products. Exposure to extreme temperature changes, and moisture will
reduce the shelf life of the lubricants. (an increase of 10°C doubles oxidation which halves the shelf life) ie. don't leave
it in the sun with the lid off. Best to keep them sealed and unopened.

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Technically, engine oils have shelf lives of four to five years. However, as years pass, unused engine oils can become
obsolete and fail to meet the technical requirements of current engines. The specs get updated regularly based on new
scientific testing procedures and engine requirements. But this is only really a concern for owners of brand new cars
who still have engine oil bought for the previous car. An oil that is a number of years old might not be formulated to
meet the requirements set for the newer engine.

If an unopened container of engine oil is more than three years old, read the labels to make sure they meet the latest
industry standards. If they do meet the current standards, it's wise to take the extra precaution of obtaining oil analysis
before using them. An oil analysis will check for key properties of the oil and ensure that it still meets the original
manufacturing specs. Of course the cost of getting an analysis done on old oil is probably going to outweigh going and
buying fresh stuff. So it's a double-edged sword.
As a general rule, the simpler the oil formulation, the longer the shelf life. The following is a guideline under protected
conditions - indoors at about 20°C:

Product Shelf Life

Base Oils 3 years
Hydraulic Oils, Compressor Oils, General Purpose Lubricating
2 years
Oils
Engine Oils and Transmission Oils 3 years
Industrial and Automotive Gear Oils 2 years
Metal Working and Cutting Oils 1 year

The following are signs of storage instability in a lubricant:

• Settling out of the additives as a gel or sticky liquid

• Floc or haze
• Precipitates/solid material
• Colour change or haziness

Water contamination in a lubricant can be detected by a "milky" appearance of the product.

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VISCOSITY AND VISCOSITY INDEX

The proper viscosity is the single most important criteria of a lubricating oil. The basic performance of machinery is
based on the viscosity of the lubricant. Viscosity is the resistance to the flowability of the oil. The thicker an oil, the
higher its viscosity. The chart on the right shows a rough guide to ambient temperatures vs oil viscosity performance in
both multigrade (top half) and single grade (lower half) oils.

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Multigrade oils work by having a polymer added to a light base oil that prevents the oil from thinning too much as it
warms up. At low temperatures, the polymers are coiled up and allow the oil to flow as it's low number (W number)
indicates. As the oil heats up, the polymers unwind into long chains which prevent the oil from thinning as much as it
normally would. The result is that at 100°C, the oil has thinned only as much as its higher rating. Think of it like this: a
10W30 oil is a 10-weight oil that will not thin more than a 30-weight oil when it gets hot.
The viscosity index of a lubricant is an empirical formula that allows the change in viscosity in the presence of heat to
be calculated. This tells the user how much the oil will thin when it is subjected to heat. The higher the viscosity index,
the less an oil will thin at a specified temperature. Multi-viscosity motor oils will have a viscosity index well over 100,
while single viscosity motor oils and most industrial oils will have a VI of about 100 or less.

BEST WAY TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL

If the engine is cold (for example it has been parked overnight) the oil level can be checked right away. The oil will have
had time to settle back into the sump. Just make sure the car is level. If the engine is warm or hot (after driving) then it
is wise to wait for 30 minutes or so to let as much oil as possible drain back into the sump. Checking it first thing the
next morning is ideal.
It's worth pointing out that you should double-check your owner's manual too - some cars, require that the oil is
checked while the engine is running and the oil is at temperature.

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