Skip to main content

Read our primer articles on High Mileage Oil, Synthetic Oil and Kinematic Viscosity

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Do you mean there is a product labeled "10W - 40 Engine Oil & Mixed Oil"?

If so it sounds like left overs of various oils thrown into a larger batch of 10w40 motor oil.

However, a 10w40 and most any motor oil is going to be a mix of base oils of two or three different viscosities blended, then with appropriate additives likely including pour point depressants and viscosity index improvers to get the end result of the multigrade oil.
(1)SAE 10W40 and SAE 15W40 is only a measurement of the oils viscosity at two different temperatures. The number in front of the "W" tells us the viscosity at low temperature 10W max. visc. 7000 cP@-25 degrees Celsius.The number after the "W" tells us about the oils viscosity at 100 degrees Celsius. SAE 40 shall be between 12,5 - 16,3 cSt@100 degrees Celsius.
It's important to realise that these SAE spesifications only tell us aboat viscosity, not Quality.
You will find all this for all grades in SAE J300.
I don't know what they mean by mixed oil. As for the 10w40 and 15w40, you can look at the API chart and see the differences, but do those apply in Nigeria? Here is the API chart: API Chart link.

All else equal (and often they are not) I would select the 15w40 over the 10w40 in a hot climate. I can run 15w40 here in southeast Michigan for probably 9 months of the year, but it would get too cold in winter (zero F and lower, approx -20 C). So I run 10w40 because in the summer it rarely exceeds about 90 - 95 F, ~33C). The advantage of 15w40 in a hotter climate is that the base oil generally will be thicker than that of a 10w40.
I assume mixed does not imply Part or semi synthetic?

Viscosity choice is interesting

A OW is still thicker at 40c than oils at 100c, so a 0W must flow quicker at start up than a higher W. Making the higher viscosity, unless a synthetic, a problem because more viscosity improvers are required but these shear and shorten oil change intervals or require a higher weight.

Back in the old days the standard oil was 20W50, which probably became very quickly a 20W40 and in a old Mini 20W30.

Today a 15W40 is recommended, I assume the oils today are more stable and also means less shear.
In the UK only M1 0W40 and why not as OW gives flow and 40 protection all year and for up to 2 years.

For race oils the range is from 10W60 a big stretch but the oil has to handle fuel dilution and heat and 0W20 for ultimate performance but still with HTHS of 2.6

The US are tending towards 0W20 for fuel savings but still prefer 3K changes despite probably being easier on the oil, although fuel quality may be an issue and viscosity improvers.

However if oil quality is an issue a 20W50 would give better protection than lower viscosities in warm climates.
Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×