Motor Oil Final Examination

[AEHaas]

Motor Oil Final Examination
Answer questions without looking back. This is a closed book exam. Base your answers on the information provided in these past chapters.

1- While starting up your car at 75 F, mid-winter in Florida, which of these synthetic oils provides the least startup resistance, minimal battery and starter motor load?
A- 0W-20
B- 0W-30
C- 0W-40
D- 0W-50
E- They are all exactly the same

2- While vacationing in Orlando, it is 104 F mid-summer in Florida. The rental car company put a straight mineral based 30 weight oil in their car because they wanted the operating temperature viscosity to be at 10 cS. What will be the approximate viscosity of the oil when you start up your engine now? (Closest answer)
A- 10 cS
B- 20 cS
C- 30 cS
D- 100 cS
E- 400 cS

3- While vacationing in Florida you are able to race your car at the Sebring track. At an oil temperature of 302 F what is the approximate difference in viscosity between a 20 and 40 weight oil. (Pick the closest number)
A- 1
B- 10
C- 20
D- 40
E- 400

4- Assume there are no losses in the system and your oil pump is truly volume based. Also assume there is no cut off pressure valve and you are using a 40 weight motor oil. If at 1,000 RPM your pressure is 30 and your pump output is 1 (one), what will the pressure and output be at redline, 8,000 RPM?
A- 240 PSI, flow = 8
B- 180 PSI, flow = 8
C- 240 PSI, flow = 4
D- 180 PSI, flow = 4
E- 120 PSI, flow = 8

5- Water can be used as a lubricant.
A- True
B- False

6- If you increase the pressure in a bearing, all other things being constant, the force of separation between the parts increases.
A- True
B- False

7- The best weight oil for racing any Ferrari or Lamborghini is a 40 weight multigrade synthetic oil like Mobil 1 0W-40.
A- True
B- False

8- For my Maranello 575 the 0W-20 weight Mobil 1 oil is actually too thick for my driving conditions.
A- True
B- False

9- The major problem with engine oil is that it thins with increasing temperature.
A- True
B- False

10- Your 1993 sports car manual states to use an API / SAE SH rated 10W-40 mineral based motor oil. Your engine has only 1,550 miles on the odometer. On your next oil change it would be better to use a SM rated 0W-40 synthetic oil.
A- True
B- False

11- According to SAE J300 a 30 weight oil has a viscosity of between 9.3 and 12.4 centiStokes at operating temperature (212 F).
A- True
B- False

12- In my list of recommended oils what did I list as the best mineral based motor oil in the 50 weight class?
A- Pennzoil multigrade 20W-50
B- Castrol GTX 15W-50
C- Red Line 10W-50
D- Valvoline Durablend 0W-50
E- No oil was recommended

13- You are running 5W-40 Shell Helix Ultra fully synthetic motor oil in your Mercedes Benz. You are in a K-Mart shopping center and checked your oil and it is 1 1/2 quarts low. You will need to add one can of oil. Which of the following is the best choice.
A- Mobil 1 - 0W-40
B- Pennzoil Synthetic 5W-40
C- Red Line Synthetic 5W-40
D- Castrol Syntec 0W-30
E- Shell mineral based 10W-40

14- Motor oils that are labeled “for racing only” should not be used for everyday driving because:
A- They do not have detergents
B- They may have harmful levels of some additives
C- They are generally unrated, there is no SJ, SL or SM approval
D- You would have to take your engine apart and clean it periodically
E- All of the above

15- ASTM stands for:
A- Automotive Standards and Test Methods
B- Automotive Society for Tooling and Machining
C- American Society for Testing and Materials
D- American Standards Trade and Manufacturing
E- Society for American Standard Testing Methods

16- If your engine is running too hot at higher RPM one thing you can try to bring the temperature down is to use a thinner oil.
A- True
B- False

17- Oil with a startup thickness of 100 (at 75 F) that becomes the appropriate thickness of 10 when fully warmed up (212 F) is called a 10w30 weight motor oil.
A- True
B- False

18- A main advantage that the synthetic has over the mineral based oil of the same grade is the ability to lubricate better at startup.
A- True
B- False

19- In ASTM D 4485 3.1.4: Engine oil is defined as - - “a liquid that reduces friction and wear between moving parts within an engine, and also serves as a coolant.”
A- True
B- False

20- I am (single best answer):
A- Surgeon
B- Biochemist
C- ‘Halfass mechanic
D- Absurdly interested in motor oils
E- All of the above


Answers below:


Answers to the Oil Final Exam
I feel these were all very difficult questions. You would be doing well to get 10 correct.


1- While starting up your car at 75 F, mid-winter in Florida, which of these synthetic oils provides the least startup resistance, minimal battery and starter motor load?
A- 0W-20
B- 0W-30
C- 0W-40
D- 0W-50
E- They are all exactly the same
The correct answer is A- 0W-20.

2- While vacationing in Orlando, it is 104 F mid-summer in Florida. The rental car company put a straight mineral based 30 weight oil in their car because they wanted the operating temperature viscosity to be at 10 cS. What will be the approximate viscosity of the oil when you start up your engine now?
A- 10 cS
B- 20 cS
C- 30 cS
D- 100 cS
E- 400 cS
The correct answer is D- 100 cS

3- While vacationing in Florida you are able to race your car at the Sebring track. At an oil temperature of 302 F what is the approximate difference in viscosity between a 20 and 40 weight oil. Pick the closest number.
A- 1
B- 10
C- 20
D- 40
E- 400
The correct answer is A- 1

4- Assume there are no losses in the system and your oil pump is truly volume based. Also assume there is no cut off pressure valve and you are using a 40 weight motor oil. If at 1,000 RPM your pressure is 30 and your pump output is 1 (one), what will the pressure and output be at redline, 8,000 RPM?
A- 240 PSI, flow = 8
B- 180 PSI, flow = 8
C- 240 PSI, flow = 4
D- 180 PSI, flow = 4
E- 120 PSI, flow = 8
The correct answer is A- 240 PSI, flow = 8

5- Water can be used as a lubricant.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

6- If you increase the pressure in a bearing, all other things being constant, the force of separation between the parts increases.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is B- False

7- The best weight oil for racing any Ferrari or Lamborghini is a 40 weight multigrade synthetic oil like Mobil 1 0W-40.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is B- False. It can best be determined by driving the car with one type of oil and see what happens.

8- For my Maranello 575 the 0W-20 weight Mobil 1 oil is actually too thick for my driving conditions.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

9- The major problem with engine oil is that it thins with increasing temperature.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is B- False. The problem is thickening when the engine is turned off. With long term use the problem is also thickening.

10- Your 1993 sports car manual states to use an API / SAE SH rated 10W-40 mineral based motor oil. Your engine has only 4,550 miles on the odometer. On your next oil change it would be better to use a SM rated 0W-40 synthetic oil.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

11- According to SAE J300 a 0w30 and a straight 30 weight oil must have a viscosity of between 9.3 and 12.4 centiStokes at operating temperature (212 F).
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

12- In my list of recommended oils what did I list as the best mineral based motor oil in the 50 weight class?
A- Pennzoil multigrade 20W-50
B- Castrol GTX 20W-50
C- Red Line 15W-50
D- Valvoline Durablend 20W-50
E- No oil was recommended
The correct answer is E- No oil was recommended. They all are too thick at startup for daily use.

13- You are running 5W-40 Shell Helix Ultra fully synthetic motor oil in your Mercedes Benz. You are in a K-Mart shopping center and checked your oil and it is 1 1/2 quarts low. You will need to add one can of oil now. Which of the following is the best choice.
A- Mobil 1 - 0W-40
B- Pennzoil Synthetic 5W-40
C- Red Line Synthetic 5W-40
D- Castrol Syntec 0W-30
E- Shell mineral based 10W-40
The correct answer is E- Shell mineral based 10W-40. You can mix any SM rated oil in there but this is my first choice based on my research.

14- Motor oils that are labeled “for racing only” should not be used for everyday driving because:
A- They do not have detergents
B- They may have harmful levels of some additives
C- They are generally unrated, there is no SJ, SL or SM approval
D- You would have to take your engine apart and clean it periodically
E- All of the above
The correct answer is E- All of the above

15- ASTM stands for:
A- Automotive Standards and Test Methods
B- Automotive Society for Tooling and Machining
C- American Society for Testing and Materials
D- American Standards Trade and Manufacturing
E- Society for American Standard Testing Methods
The correct answer is C- American Society for Testing and Materials

16- If your engine is running too hot at higher RPM one thing you can try to bring the temperature down is to use a thinner oil.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

17- Oil with a startup thickness of 100 (at 75 F) that becomes the appropriate thickness of 10 when fully warmed up (212 F) is called a 10w30 weight motor oil.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

18- A main advantage that the synthetic has over the mineral based oil of the same grade is the ability to lubricate better at startup.
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

19- In ASTM D 4485 3.1.4: Engine oil is defined as - - “a liquid that reduces friction and wear between moving parts within an engine, and also serves as a coolant.”
A- True
B- False
The correct answer is A- True

20- I am (single best answer):
A- Surgeon
B- Biochemist
C- ‘Halfass mechanic
D- Absurdly interested in motor oils
E- All of the above
The correct answer is E- All of the above

 

[rg144]

That was fun ... got a 12. But 20 (D) and 13 (A) I think I got right.

 

[Pablo]

Dude - I didn't know surgeons had so much free time!

After all you airy posts, I kinda liked the final....we could argue about some...(yes 13 and 20)...7 and 8 could have been good multiple choices.

 

[radiometer]

AEHAAS, Your final question and answer shows you have a sense of humor. That goes a long way with me. Thanks for all your posts. Yes, some are a tad controversial but it spurs conversation and comments and you seem to take it all in stride.

 

[AEHaas]

I have taken a lot of abuse over the years. I can handle the flames. If you keep up with the actual research papers as I do then many things coming out are different than from the past, even the recent past. Why design a new study that motor oil may be good for an engine. We already know that. Design a study to see if an energy efficient formulation can minimize wear below current levels. Design a study that shows what wear results from a 0w30 oil compared to a 10w30 oil. Test at realistic low and high ambient temperatures and at high and low loads and at high and low RPM ranges and with different fuels. Test in 4, 6 and 8 cylinder engines.

There are so many things in motor oils that people have no idea about. Just this year they took out a single additive that was added for the break-in period of an engine cam system made in the 1960’s. The rational was that there were probably no new, unused engines left in circulation some 40 years later. They also assumed that no replacement cams would be made the same way.

There is so much behind the scenes here. That is part of the reason I have studied this area for so long. Obviously there is also the reason of need. I have always had sports cars and want to get as much power as I can out of them while keeping the wear and tear below that of the average driver if possible. Anyway, that is my goal and the research I have ongoing supports this in my opinion.

aehaas

 

[Audi Junkie]

Am I right to assume that, in short: Thinner oils do more good over a wider operating range (cold-start, start, warm-up, cruise) and have more benefits (overall wear, mpg, power) while thick oil only preforms it's function at very high stress levels and there are EP/AW additives that deal with that anyway. The combo of low room temp visc and decently high +100c visc seems like the ticket. I have been tending toward thinner oils and 0w30 GC will be the norm for me.

 

[AEHaas]

Agree.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I totally hear you on thin general viscosity, but I think some people might take that to mean go with lower than safe (+100c/+150c HT/HS) visc. I have to take the position that Moribundman takes, mfgs do sufficient testing to know what HT/HS is needed and publish that in the form of approvals. As far as good low temp viscs, it does seem worthwhile to trade-off a tiny bit of high temp thickness if it gets you much better cold/cool flow. 0w30 certianly does all that. Thanks for all the thoughtfull posts.

 

[AEHaas]

Motor Oils - Fuel Economy vs. Wear By Blaine Ballentine, Central Petroleum Company:

Viscosity and Wear
Thinner oils have less drag, and therefore less friction and wear...

Any abrasive particles equal to or larger than the oil film thickness will cause wear. Filters are necessary to keep contaminants small. The other side of the equation is oil film thickness. Thicker oil films can accommodate larger contaminants.

Temperature has a big effect on viscosity and film thickness. As a point of reference, one SAE grade increase in viscosity is necessary to overcome the influence of a 20°F increase in engine temperature. At a given reference point, there is approximately a 20°F. difference between viscosity grades SAE 30, 40 and 50. SAE 20 is somewhat closer to 30 than the other jumps, because SAE 30 must be 30°F higher than SAE 20 to be roughly the equivalent viscosity.

In other words, an SAE 20 at 190°F is about the same kinematic viscosity as an SAE 30 at 220°F, which is about the same viscosity as an SAE 40 at 240°F. This approximation works well in the 190°F to 260°F temperature range. One might be surprised at the slight amount of difference between straight viscosity vs. multi-viscosity oils with the same back number (for example, SAE 30, SAE 5w30, and SAE 10w30).

If an SAE 50 oil at 260°F is as thin as an SAE 20 oil at 190°F, imagine how thin the oil film becomes when you are using an SAE 5W-20 and your engine overheats. When an engine overheats, the oil film becomes dangerously thin and can rupture.

Ford is bumping up against its CAFE requirements and recommends SAE 5W-20 oil for most of its engines in the United States. It claims SAE 5W-20 is optimal for fuel efficiency AND wear.

(If your engine is 20 F cooler running a thinner oil then the viscosity is the same as the next higher weight grade. Also, as wear diminishes with temperature then we have a benefit. Another benefit is that the thinner oil is better at startup where the majority of wear occurs. Looking at HTHS, data 10 C cooler (140 C) is much thicker HTHS and therefore no penalty.)

aehaas

 

[kevm14]

I also got a 12 but, like rg144, guessed wrong on 13 and 20. Not bad for not reading all your "lectures." I just finished up a 2nd Auto-RX rinse with GTX 5w30 in my Caprice and put in some GC. The engine cranked noticably faster this morning. I also thought that the oil pressure came up very fast after the oil change. I have 2 quarts left and I was thinking of going with a blind 6k OCI, using at least one of the quarts for makeup oil. 209k on the car and 4 days a week it gets cold start and 2 mile drive, twice a day, but two 2 hour drives per weekend.
I'll probably go with Mobil 1 0W-40 on my next OCI. So much oil talk recently with AEHaas that I end up second guessing myself sometimes. Maybe it's for the better (to more thoroughly research a potentially hasty decision).

BTW, my parents recently (1 year ago) bought a condo in Sarasota (for pending retirement in 10-15 years probably). I visited in December of 2003. Very nice area. I was sad to come back to a snow storm in CT. A lot of nice cars in the area, too. A 575M wouldn't seem too out of place.

 

[AEHaas]

Pay attention to Ferrari At St. Armands in FerrariChat. It is usually in January (as in 3 weeks ago) but may be in November of this year. I will be there - directing traffic on the circle if I get stuck doing it again.

Linda took first for her Murcielago in the Lamborghini class and I took first in the 575, 550, 456, F 40 class. There was another equally polished Murcielago there. They decided to choose on the cleanliness of the oil as the tie breaker.

aehaas

[ January 31, 2005, 05:07 PM: Message edited by: AEHaas ]

 

[Matt89]

quote:

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I have always had sports cars and want to get as much power as I can out of them while keeping the wear and tear below that of the average driver if possible.

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These are words to live by.