As we saw in last week’s article, synthetic oil is a better choice. However there is still a large variety of oils to choose from: 0W40, 5W30, 10W60, etc. In this article we will explain what the oil viscosity is and how to make the right choice.
The oil viscosity index
Time for the theory! Viscosity is the property of a liquid defined as its resistance to flow. In other words: the higher a liquids viscosity is, the slower it will flow.
The viscosity of your oil varies with the temperature, and that’s why oil labels have those numbers such as 5W30 or 0W30. They represent the oil viscosity at low (remember, W is for winter) and high temperatures respectively.
Those numbers are also known as the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) specification, a standard viscosity rating system for all oils.
Oil for winter and oil for summer
As seasons change, so do the temperatures. This means that you might want to change your oil to better adapt your car to the changing conditions.
The translation of the SAE specification numbers to real life is that lower numbers make the oil more suitable for lower temperatures and higher numbers mean that it’s more suitable for higher temperatures.
This means that it will be better to use a lower SAE number oil (for example, a 0W30) during a cold winter. However if you’re planning to visit Bahrain in the summer a 10W60 would be a much better choice!
In order to choose which oil is best suited to your needs, check out the following table:
Viscosity Index Table with the following viscosities: 0w30 0w40 5w30 5w40 10w60
Of course, if you’re still unsure, just ask us or your trusted mechanic.
Only synthetic, only Syntix
To get the most out of your car, use one of our MAX PSFD and EVO PSFD 100% fully synthetic oils. They experience very little degradation and have a better resistance to extreme conditions, from frozen climates to demanding race circuits.
Categorised in: Syntix Insights