13/10/2021
/// DIY OIL TYPES, AND WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT TO USE- ENGINE OILS ///
For DIY today, I'd like to share some insight of self-service repair to 2 stroke engines, either be your genset, brush cutter, mowers and or chain saw.
Many of this items, household and backyard once especially engines of higher value say your scooter, genset or pump, might come in with oil chamber. Yes, we are told, your engine runs on 15W40 Diesel oil, or gasoline oil of various oil type. Well, most DIY folks knows what type of oil is right for their machine, but, what about the 5W30, 10W30, or 15W40 stands for anyway? Thats the sole intention of this post, to highlight some of this areas so we understand what goes in, whats good for our machine and vice-versa.
Lets use 10W30 and 5W30 as a base engine oil to clear out the air for some of us.
The 10W30 designation on engine oil means that the viscosity (viscosity is the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow) of the oil is rated at 10W when an engine is cold and 30 when the engine is hot. This is different than an oil labelled 5W30, which has a thinner viscosity when the engine is cold at 5W.
Why is viscosity that important?
In order to have a standard way to measure the viscosity of engine oil, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) developed a viscosity scale. The scale ranges from 0W, which is the thinnest type of oil, to a rating of 60, which is the thickest oil.
The “W” that you see on oil labels stands for the word winter because this portion of the label shows the viscosity level of oil when an engine is cold.
Motor oil that is thinner can flow more easily and faster. This is important because when you start a cold engine, the oil needs to lubricate the equipment quickly. A low viscosity motor oil allows it to do that. On the other hand, when the engine is hot, you don't want your motor oil to be too thin. Thus, the higher viscosity or thicker oil keeps all the engine parts well lubricated and separated.
How 10w30 Oil Affects Equipment
Although understanding oil viscosity is important in solid fleet maintenance, oil viscosity also affects the performance of a wide range of industrial equipment such your diesel engine generator, water pump, cement mixer and so on. For example, viscosity can increase or decrease the heat created by bearings and cylinders inside the engine. Viscosity can also affect how quickly oil is consumed and how easily equipment can be started and operated in extreme temperatures and so on.
When the oil has a higher viscosity or is thicker at warm temperatures, you will use less oil and experience less wear and tear on your vehicles or equipment. However, a thinner viscosity oil can help improve the start-up of a piece of equipment as well as reduce fuel usage.
Inappropriate oil viscosity can result in occasional contact between machine components. When this goes unchecked, you’ll start experiencing damage and problems with equipment. As a result, it's important to not only select the right type of oil for each application but also to conduct regular oil changes in your preventive maintenance program.
Well guys, I hope this helps so next time when you got your piece of equipment and see the numbers and W in it for oil type or that your service technician prescribed the right oil for your equipment, you atleast know what is best for your machine, and that also can come in handy if you're out there and needs oil substitute to get you going if its hard for you to source the right oil type.
Well folks, that is it for today, I hope you like it and hope it helps, and enjoy that as an insight. Keep watching this space, soon, we will cover tips on preventive maintenance on your equipment, 2-stroke, 4-stroke and so on.
Please feel free to ask us any questions related to your machines.
If you also need service assistance, pls 🙏 feel free to ask.
Happy DIY guys and have a tremendous diy day!!! 😊
