This is as it should be
Just wait until someone from The Peninsula shows up and tells you to fill it with clotted cream, and then do that
This is as it should be
Just wait until someone from The Peninsula shows up and tells you to fill it with clotted cream, and then do that
0W is helpful in cold climates at startup
Yeah, ive fallen down the Bob is the oil man rabbit hole.
Oil only really gets complicated when you want to deviate from spec for specific reasons. Eg my car should run a 0w30 but because I track it mostly, I run a 10w40, but I do so understanding what that means to warm up time, cold protection and upper limits of thermal tolerance.
The bit before the “w” specifies the oils relative viscosity in cold conditions. So a 0w oil will be runnier than a 10w when freezing. This is especially relevant in very cold climates where engine temperate will never be high. It’s less of an issue in the UK where we don’t really have those extremes.
The other number specifies how well that viscosity is maintained at high temperatures. So a 30w will start to break apart and lose its lubricatative properties earlier than a 40 or 50.
The mad BMW motorsport boys sometimes run 10w60 on engines that they know will run very very hot.
Usually a manufacturer will specify a sensible range of options. But the important thing from a service / warranty perspective is that the manufacturer spec is maintained, and that’s all the random ratings and certifications the oil has such as BMW LL02 or A3, A2, ratings etc.
Your car will dictate what certifications and ratings the oil should have. Match this, and be close to the grade you want, and it’ll be fine. Reality is, in the UK, there’s little operational difference between a 0w30 and a 10w40 for casual driving.
Edit. These new 0w10, 0w20 etc oils being used to meet emissions targets are insane. They’re like water, and while meeting targets for emissions by being very very thin and light, will ultimately come at the cost of engine wear over the lifetime of the car. They’re nonsense and will end up with many utter fucked cars in a decade or so, which is very “eco” isn’t it!
Back in the day there used to be a SAE designation atop the can (Examp: MS being Motor Severe, heavy duty use). That, and filling the new oil filter with a quart before attaching when changing the oil prevents the engine running on dry when started, are the only two things related to oil changes that I remember. However, there is a URL I found that I think lists the new specifications as to what type motor, what weather, etc. that may be of use (or not). Please excuse me if the latter. Oil
My car is supposed to use 5w30 but BMW have their own specs for mineral content etc, think mine is LL04.
It’s nice and easy as Euro car parts will tell you what oil you need based on the reg
Unless the garage gets the reg wrong and orders an oil service kit for a Toyota Yaris and only puts in half the amount of (the wrong) oil and an oil filter half the size