0 weight oil
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 755
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From: Campbell, California
0 weight oil
Buckarcher, Multi-viscosity oils use polymers (aka plastic) to get their multi-viscosity ratings. The polymers are shaped like little coils. When the oil is cold, the coils are curled up and short. When the oil starts to warm up the polymer coils start to uncoil and become long. The idea is to simulate oil itself. Oil is basically a hydrocarbon made up of long molecular chains of carbon and hydrogen. The higher the viscosity, the long the chain. Long chains of hydrocarbons wrap around bearing surfaces better then short chains and their for provide better lubrication. The problem with these polymer additives are that they do not provide any lubrication qualities to the oil itself. And the wider the spread between the winter rating and the base rating, the more polymers are used. In other words, a 0w-30 has more plastic in it the a 10W-30. The only reason you would want to use a 0w-30 is in cold weather where start up is an issue. During the warmer parts of the year, a 10w-30 would be better because start up is not a major issue and the oil is going to run hotter. My .02 cents anyway.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: Princeton, MN
0 weight oil
Thanks Dan, I have studied quite a bit of organic and biochemistry so that explanation helped me a lot. What about Rgiles statement that they seem to be using esters now instead of polymers in that oil. Do they not help with lubrication either?
I just ordered a Wolverine oil pan heater, 250 watt pad that gets the oil temp up above 100 degree F. I may not need the lower viscosity after I get that installed anyway. But the discussion has still been very good for me.3
I got to thinking that in snowmobiles they use polymer plastics in the track to give something for the track to ride on so there is not metal on metal or rubber on metal but then that is not TRULY a lubricant because they are counting on the plastic to wear away over time and be replaced. Mainly just a slick surface I guess that is less hard than the substance moving across it to protect the track.
Very educational. Thank you.
I just ordered a Wolverine oil pan heater, 250 watt pad that gets the oil temp up above 100 degree F. I may not need the lower viscosity after I get that installed anyway. But the discussion has still been very good for me.3
I got to thinking that in snowmobiles they use polymer plastics in the track to give something for the track to ride on so there is not metal on metal or rubber on metal but then that is not TRULY a lubricant because they are counting on the plastic to wear away over time and be replaced. Mainly just a slick surface I guess that is less hard than the substance moving across it to protect the track.
Very educational. Thank you.
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 755
Likes: 1
From: Campbell, California
0 weight oil
>What about Rgiles statement that they seem to be using esters now
>instead of polymers in that oil. Do they not help with
>lubrication either?
Rgiles has been paying far more attention to oil issues then I have lately. So I'm not up to speed on the use of esters. My understanding is esters are more like a wax as opposed to a plastic. But again, I don't know a lot about them.
