Engine oil also transfers unwanted heat that is generated from the combustion cycle away from components so they are not damaged. Oil cleans the engine of chemicals that are by-products of the combustion process and minimises the exposure of the engine components to oxygen. As a result, it reduces the risk of oxidation to engine components that can occur at high temperatures. It also improves the sealing inside your engine.
Now that you understand how crucial oil is to your engine, it is also important to know which engine oil is recommended for your car. If you are unsure, check your car’s owner’s manual, or if you can’t find it, try Googling it (<car make/model> <recommended oil>). I just did a quick search for a Ford Focus owner’s manual and found this.
You may have wondered what the lettering and numbers mean that identify the different types of oil available. For example what does 5W40 mean?
Both numbers in the overall oil number refer to the viscosity of the oil. The number before the “W” is the viscosity when the oil is cold. The number after the “W” is the viscosity when the oil is hot. The lower the cold viscosity number is, then the better the engine will start in cold climates.
What’s the difference between mineral and synthetic oil?
Mineral oils are found naturally in the environment and are refined to make engine oil.
Traditionally all oil used in cars were mineral oils. Synthetic oils on the other hand are designed in a laboratory and are now increasingly used for higher performing engines.
Synthetic oils can actually be derived from a mineral oil to start with. However, they are developed so that some of the negative qualities of mineral oils, those that are not needed to perform the job inside the engine, are removed. For example, they are less likely to create acid inside the engine than mineral oils. Semi-synthetic oil is a mixture of the two.
At IN’n’OUT, we only use high quality oils (mineral, semi and synthetic) from Castrol.
With over 100 years experience in designing and producing engine oils, Castrol is a name you can trust and is a name long associated with international racing, from Formula One to Moto GP. Rest assured that, despite our keen pricing, at IN’n’OUT we never compromise on the quality of the products we use.
It’s good practice to have your oil and oil filter changed twice a year - more frequently if you are a high mileage driver.
Stop by at one of our IN’n’OUT centres and take advantage of a fixed price XPRESS Service that will help your car’s engine keep running at its peak performance. Or for up to 45% savings on twice-a-year servicing, consider one of the Platinum packages that we offer.
Now that you understand how crucial oil is to your engine, it is also important to know which engine oil is recommended for your car. If you are unsure, check your car’s owner’s manual, or if you can’t find it, try Googling it (<car make/model> <recommended oil>). I just did a quick search for a Ford Focus owner’s manual and found this.
You may have wondered what the lettering and numbers mean that identify the different types of oil available. For example what does 5W40 mean?
Both numbers in the overall oil number refer to the viscosity of the oil. The number before the “W” is the viscosity when the oil is cold. The number after the “W” is the viscosity when the oil is hot. The lower the cold viscosity number is, then the better the engine will start in cold climates.
What’s the difference between mineral and synthetic oil?
Mineral oils are found naturally in the environment and are refined to make engine oil.
Traditionally all oil used in cars were mineral oils. Synthetic oils on the other hand are designed in a laboratory and are now increasingly used for higher performing engines.
Synthetic oils can actually be derived from a mineral oil to start with. However, they are developed so that some of the negative qualities of mineral oils, those that are not needed to perform the job inside the engine, are removed. For example, they are less likely to create acid inside the engine than mineral oils. Semi-synthetic oil is a mixture of the two.
At IN’n’OUT, we only use high quality oils (mineral, semi and synthetic) from Castrol.
With over 100 years experience in designing and producing engine oils, Castrol is a name you can trust and is a name long associated with international racing, from Formula One to Moto GP. Rest assured that, despite our keen pricing, at IN’n’OUT we never compromise on the quality of the products we use.
It’s good practice to have your oil and oil filter changed twice a year - more frequently if you are a high mileage driver.
Stop by at one of our IN’n’OUT centres and take advantage of a fixed price XPRESS Service that will help your car’s engine keep running at its peak performance. Or for up to 45% savings on twice-a-year servicing, consider one of the Platinum packages that we offer.