Maintaining your car involves using the right Lexus parts and knowing when to install them. One of the most essential parts comes in a bottle: motor oil. Knowing what this vital fluid does, its various types, and which is best for your car ensures the kind of performance you expect and deserve from your Lexus car at every stage in its service life.
Purpose of Motor Oil
Motor oil lubricates your engine so moving parts do not rub against each other. When an engine lacks oil or the oil is aged, friction develops between components, which generates heat. This heat warps the engine’s parts, impeding its function and even causing failure in extreme cases.
Viscosity Rating
Motor oil viscosity is the thickness of the oil. Thinner oil will enable parts to move more easily, but it may not form a protective film over those parts as intended. In contrast, thicker motor oils provide greater protection, but moving those parts past each other will use more of the engine’s power than those lubricated by thinner oils.
Each bottle of motor oil displays two viscosity ratings. The first denotes the oil’s thickness in cold temperatures, while the second denotes its viscosity in average ambient air temperatures. The letter W separates the two ratings.
Weather Conditions and Driving Habits
Weather conditions will impact the oil you choose because some oils with low viscosity at cold temperatures will enable an engine to run more efficiently by wasting less energy. Higher viscosity motor oils will also benefit drivers who drive at higher speeds for long durations because doing so exposes the engine to more friction and heat.
Ask the Lexus Service Experts
To receive advice on which motor oil will help your Lexus perform at its best, schedule a service appointment at Lexus of Valencia.
