This is where Where’s My Dipstick comes in.
Whether you’re looking for general information, or are a little more advanced, you’ll have a one-stop shop at your fingertips so you can take matters into your own hands – and get comfortable under the bonnet.

A Dipstick’s Guide to Engine Oil

Just kidding. Sort of. But just read this guide and you’ll be an expert in no time.

You know what a dipstick is. Or you’ve seen one. Once. A while ago. So we’re starting at square one, or thereabouts, to figure out how to change the oil in your car. There’s a lot more to it than filling your car with oil, so let’s start at the basics: what oil you should use.

Most shops carry a range of options when it comes to oil. If you were shopping for the best loaf of bread, you’d welcome the options, but things are a little more complex here. These options tend to have what seems like hieroglyphics written on them: a set of letters and numbers with absolutely no explanation of what they mean, or why they’re on the bottle. To make matters worse, you might find a similarly priced bottle only to find there are a completely different set of numbers and letters on it. What are you missing here, besides the Rosetta Stone?

Well, this blog is just that!

Now that you know that, let’s talk about oil viscosity

There are numbers on any bottle of oil, be it synthetic, semi or mineral. The large numbers of the bottle, such as 10w40, denote the oil’s viscosity, or, in other words, how easily it flows through your engine. Thinner oil has low viscosity, whilst thick oil has high viscosity.

Think of water and syrup. Water has a low viscosity. Syrup has a high viscosity. Don’t put those in your engine, though! Although there is some variability based on temperature (in the cold, oil will flow more slowly), for the overall health of your car, you want oil to flow pretty consistently at most temperatures. Since there is no one oil that can perform the same in traffic-free northern Canada and in a traffic jam on the equator, the Society of Automotive Engineers* introduced a system that provides guidance on how suitable a particular grade of oil is in certain temperatures. Oftentimes, to expand the range of temperatures that an oil can operate in, different grades are combined. These oils are known as multi-grade oils.

So…what do the numbers mean, then?

Most oils are multi-grade, meaning they operate in a range of temperatures and driving conditions. They are a blend of several viscosities, and the two viscosity numbers are separated by a “w” (the “w” mean s winter, fun pub quiz fact). That’s where numbers such as 10w40 come from. Mono-grade oils, such as 20w, are pretty uncommon these days, but you do see them sometimes.

Oil is tested for its viscosity (or flow rate) at certain temperatures. The Society of Automotive Engineers then assigns a grade number based on the test outcome. The grade numbering system is as follows: 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60. Flow rates are tested at multiple temperatures, including 100 C to simulate a running engine. So, the first number is the thinner, less viscous oil (think, the water-type oil) that is better for winter temperatures (hence the “w”). The second number in multi-grade oil is the hot viscosity of the oil.

*  There are other organisations that define the grading for car oils, including the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association and the American Petroleum Institute, but the Society of Automotive Engineers is the standard.

What grades work well in cold temperatures?

The first number on any multi-grade oil denotes the viscosity at low temperatures.

• 0w oil flows well up to -30ºC
• 5w oil flows well up to -25ºC
• 10w oil flows well up to -20ºC
• 15w oil flows well up to -15ºC
• 20w oil flows well up to -10ºC

Unless you’re in Siberia, you can work just fine with 20w oil.

Adding that second number

Remember that oils are also tested at 100ºC to simulate a running engine. That second number after the “w” is the viscosity of oil at the hotter temperature. So a 10w40 multi-grade oil at 100ºC will only thin as much as its higher rating: the 10-weight oil will not thin more than the 40-weight oil when it is hot. The 10w oil was tested at -10ºC, but at 100ºC will only thin as much as a 40-weight oil would.

For turbo diesel engines: Sulphated Ash, Phosphorous and Sulphur (SAPS)

Just when you thought you were getting it all, we had to make it a little more complicated, of course! If you have a turbo diesel car, which uses a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in your exhaust, you need to use a low SAPS oil, or low ash oil. Low ash oil is labelled C1, C2 or C3, and denotes the percent of ash in the oil. C2, at .8% ash, is better for high performance engines.

If you see an oil 10w40 C1, that simply means the oil is suitable for cars with a DPF. Make sure you check your owner’s manual to ensure whether you require C1, C2 or C3 oil.

Other types of oil

Some car manufacturers have their own oil grades for specific models of car, but they have an equivalent Society of Automotive Engineers grade. You just need to check what it is.

So there you have it. The most expensive isn’t always the best, and the higher the number doesn’t necessarily mean you need it (or don’t).

The next time you change your oil, remember to change the filter as well as the oil, and check your oil level at least once a month (once a week for cars 10 years or older, or for cars with high mileage).

This is where Where’s My Dipstick comes in.
Whether you’re looking for general information, or are a little more advanced, you’ll have a one-stop shop at your fingertips so you can take matters into your own hands – and get comfortable under the bonnet.

FURTHER READING

SAE International

Winter is coming

It isn’t just a saying from Game of Thrones. Winter really is on its way, so winterise your car while there’s still time.

Most modern cars are designed to handle inclement weather. Whether it’s rain, snow, wind or fog, there are mechanisms built into your vehicle to help you handle whatever rolls your way. That being said, you have to maintain your car so that all the bells ‘n’ whistles work when you need them the most. Here’s a list of our top recommendations to get your car ready for winter.

This is where Where’s My Dipstick comes in.
Whether you’re looking for general information, or are a little more advanced, you’ll have a one-stop shop at your fingertips so you can take matters into your own hands – and get comfortable under the bonnet.

FURTHER READING

Can you fix it?
Yes, you can!

Introducing Where’s My Dipstick, the easiest and safest way to be confident and savvy under the bonnet—of your car, that is.

Spot the false fact:

• The average cost of a basic car service is about £125, including labour (according to a recent SMMT report) A well-maintained car is more fuel efficient, saving you money on petrol and long-term repairs
• Car owners typically pay £695.39 annually on repairs and maintenance – 12% more than global average (according to a recent SMMT report)
• DIY car servicing is near impossible with today’s engineering advancements.

It’s not so scary under the bonnet…once you know some basics.

Ever popped open the bonnet of your car, taken a quick peek, slammed it shut and driven straight to the nearest garage? Ever blanch at what seems like the overly inflated service charge afterward? You aren’t alone. Although so many of us take driving for granted, the upkeep of our cars are a subject about as mind bogglingly foreign and difficult as speaking an unknown language. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s a little-known fact that, beneath all the newfangled terms, gizmos and gadgets on today’s cars, the moving parts are still more or less the same as they were 30 years ago. That’s good news for those of you who want to save a little money, forego the stress of a dilapidated car that needs major repairs or if you just want to learn more about cars, which are a feature of our daily lives.

Despite what you may have heard through the rumour mill, there is a fair amount of car maintenance and repair that you can do on your own. (Well, with the help of some tools and clothes you aren’t afraid to get a little oily!) From resetting the sensor to changing the tyre to changing the oil, there’s loads that you can do if you take the time to read a little bit. But we get why you haven’t started: so much out there is ridiculously intimidating. From jargon-filled blogs and vlogs to instructions that seem to have borrowed their step-by-steps from an IKEA guidebook, it’s a jungle out there!

Then there’s actually popping the bonnet and looking at what you’ve got underneath. (Similar to post-winter beach body assessment ;-D) The transition from carburettor to fuel injector back in the 1980s was the first sign that things were getting complicated. The fuel injector, which helps fuel and air mix prior to combustion in your engine, makes things slightly more complicated for those wanting to service their cars. Further, manufacturers have started putting covers over engines and undertrays beneath them. Although most engines look the same underneath it all, and the requirements for changing the oil haven’t changed, stripping away all the trimmings before you even get to do any of that can take a little time and effort. Combine that with the new equipment under the hood, which makes things look even more scary, and leaves little room for tools, hands and flashlights to manoeuvre. There’s also the relatively new phenomenon of sensors which remind drivers that their car needs maintenance, especially around mileage limit maintenance, and those can require special tools to reset. It may seem like the odds are stacked, but once you know what you’re doing and what you’re looking at, things haven’t changed too much since the good ol’ days of working on your car for fun. You’ve just got to know what you’re doing, and what you’re looking at.

That’s where we come in. If you want a solution – a fast, cheap one – to mounting car maintenance bills, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll find expert advice on how to maintain your car, without having to look up every other word in some car dictionary written by engineers or out of control enthusiasts.

Want to get started? First you’ll have to do a little homework. Your car’s service manual is seriously the best thing to start with. If you give it a good read, you’ll be on track to needing less maintenance and serious repairs out of the gate – and you’ll save on petrol. What can your car manual do for you?

• Explain what all the lit up warning messages on your dashboard mean, and what you should do when each appears
• Tell you the mileage at which your car should have its cambelt and other important replacements done
• Save you hundreds and even thousands on expensive repairs that are necessary when your car has been poorly maintained, such as the radiator (that’ll set you back a cool £430) to the engine exchange (about £2,575*, or seriously scary YIKES territory). *According to Motor Codes, June 2014.

This is where Where’s My Dipstick comes in.
Whether you’re looking for general information, or are a little more advanced, you’ll have a one-stop shop at your fingertips so you can take matters into your own hands – and get comfortable under the bonnet.

FURTHER READING