You see those cryptic combinations of letters and numbers on motor oil bottles everywhere. What do they mean?  To decipher them, you have to understand viscosity. Viscosity measures how much the motor oil can resist flow. In other words, if you tip a motor oil bottle over, how fast it spills out indicates its viscosity. The more viscous, the slower it moves.

To indicate viscosity, the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) developed a standard scale.

  • 0W is thinnest ("W" stands for winter)
  • 5W
  • 10W
  • 15W
  • 20W
  • 25W
  • 20
  • 30
  • 40
  • 50
  • 60 is thickest

The recommended multi-viscosity oil you use in your vehicle is usually good all year round because it can respond to a range of temperatures. That's why you see two numbers on most oils.

For example: 10W30

This means the viscosity is at 10W when the engine is cold and 30 when the engine is hot.

Low viscosities are good for cold temperatures (hence the "W" association) because the oil is thinner. Thinner motor oil flows more easily and moves quickly. When you start a cold engine up again, motor oil needs to travel to the top of the engine, where it trickles back down. Since motor oil is vital to lubricating your engine, it needs to move quickly and low viscosity helps it do just that.

When your engine heats up, higher viscosities mean the motor oil won't thin out too much and will keep parts separated by a film of oil. So your motor oil is always maintaining a delicate balance: it needs to flow well when the engine is cold but also retain enough body at higher temperatures to keep metal parts lubricated and separated.

To find out what motor oil grade is right for your vehicle, check your vehicle's owner's manual.



Thank you for visiting Cecil's Automotive located in two great locations Olive Brand, MS, and Collierville, TN. Count on our automotive repair technicians to keep your car, truck, suv, or van on the roads longer and safer.
  • Jasper
  • 24-Hour Dropoff
  • Acdelco
  • Angi List
  • ASE
  • BBB
  • BF Goodrich
  • BG Products
  • Cooper Tires
  • Hankook Tires
  • Hunter
  • Michelin
  • Motorcraft Parts
  • Radiator
  • Sumitomo Tires
  • Tires
  • Toyo
  • Uniroyal
  • Valvoline
  • 12 Month Warranty
  • Wifi Available

SHOP HOURS

MONDAY - FRIDAY 7:30 AM TO 5:30 PM  - SATURDAY & SUNDAY • CLOSED

Collierville, TN

3815 S Houston Levee Rd
Collierville, TN 38017
Get Directions

location small (901) 853-1300
Email the Shop

Olive Branch, MS

5445 Goodman Rd
Olive Branch, MS 38654
Get Directions

location small (662) 890-7801
Email the Shop

Our Reviews

© Program, Brand & Specialty Pages, News Blog Content, Page Layout, and CMR EasyNews Programming by CMR, Inc a JSP Website or Top Auto Website
24-Hr Drop Form   |   ADA Accessibility   |   Job Application   |   Privacy Policy   |   Sitemap
ADD ARTICLE   |   LIS