“Winter.” The lower this number is, the less likely the motor oil will thicken at lower temperatures. The first digit in the SAE size indicates how well the oil flows at 0 oF. So, these two numbers - what do they indicate? A. The SAE J300 standard defines these numbers individually for monograde oils.Īny multigrade oil must pass the SAE J300 viscosity grade standards to be approved for use. Multigrade oils have two numbers, in the format “XW-XX.” So how do you read the SAE oil number? What Does The SAE Oil Number (Viscosity Grade) Mean? This means that your engine can generally use the same oil as summer switches to winter. Remember that your engine heats up with use and may be influenced by high or low temperatures as seasons change.Ĭompared to mineral oil, multigrade oils can perform at a wider operating temperature range.Įngine oil grades like SAE 5W30 oil or 10W40 are commonly used (for diesel or gasoline engines) because they’re thin enough to flow at a low temperature (regions with colder temperatures) but thick enough to perform well at a higher temperature. Use of engine oil additives to mineral oil, called viscosity index improvers (VII), allowed oils to thin at a slower rate, retaining a higher viscosity index even at a higher temperature. Multigrade oils were introduced in the 1950s to address varying engine operating conditions, such as driving in extremely low temperatures or high temperatures. Originally, viscosity ratings were monograde - meaning it was only one number (like engine oil SAE 30). The SAE viscosity grade is not the actual viscosity value of the motor oil.
#DEFINITION OF VISCOSITY IN OIL AND GAS CODE#
The SAE number (also known as “viscosity rating” or “viscosity grade”) is a code to grade motor oils by their viscosity characteristics. Now that you know the SAE definition for motor oil, let’s understand the SAE oil number. This means that if your engine manufacturer recommends “SAE 5W30 oil,” one labeled as just “5W30 oil” might not meet the viscosity characteristics of the recommended oil. If it doesn’t, the oil might not comply with the SAE viscosity grade. The letters “SAE” should precede the oil viscosity on the motor oil labeling. Motor oils are classified by viscosity using a rating system - the SAE standard. What Is SAE Oil?Īn SAE oil is a motor oil that complies with the standard laid down by the automotive engineers of SAE international. That brings us to what is an SAE motor oil. If these standards weren’t in place, motor oil would vary everywhere, and prices would rise. This means any SAE oil you bought in the US would be the same as one in Japan. Its primary purpose is to ensure consistency across markets. In the automotive engineering space, SAE International issues the viscosity grading system for motor oil, standards for SAE tools, horsepower rating, etc. Now called SAE International, this group comprises engineers from automotive engineering, petroleum, trucking (SAE J1939), and aerospace industries. The SAE definition is the Society of Automotive Engineers, a United States organization founded in 1905 by Henry Ford and Andrew Ricker.
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