Why is it important to use the right oil for your engine?

Any combustion engine requires engine oil to properly function. The engine oil must be the right oil for the respective engine, and it needs to be changed regularly.

But why is that?

What happens if the wrong oil is used?

Engine oil must lubricate the various parts of an engine to reduce friction and minimize unnecessary loss of power.  A well lubricated engine will burn fuel more effectively and therefore perform better. Lubrication, however, is just one task. As friction is reduced, the parts and surfaces being subject to friction are protected. The amount of wear is minimized so that the parts have a longer lifetime.  A good engine oil also prevents unwanted chemical reactions on the surface of engine parts, for example corrosion. Corroding parts typically lose functionality and lead to increased engine emissions.

Even with the right oil in place, a certain degree of abrasion at the point of contact between different parts surfaces cannot be completely avoided (and in fact is not even wanted in many cases). Consequently, particles are released. The oil ensures these particles are flushed to places where they do not harm the engine. Ideally, the lubricant even dissolves impurities and deposits. It also has a cooling function, in that the oil absorbs the friction heat developing in an engine. Without it, engine parts would overheat and could not continue performing their tasks properly.

A good engine oil fulfills all the above tasks!

Today modern engines are different from each other and there is no one-size-fits-all engine oil that suits all modern engines.  For example, modern engines will need a lighter viscosity (thinner) oil in or to realize their full fuel-economy potential. These lighter engine oils are designed to protect the hard working parts of the engine while allowing the engine to spin freely with the least possible resistance.

TITAN GT1 EVO SAE 0W-20 is such an engine oil and was chosen as the very first 0W-20 to be initially filled into any major OEM at the factory. This oil makes use of FUCHS’ proprietary XTL® Technology (eXtreme Temperature Lubrication Technology) for added low and high-temperature performance as well as greatly improved fuel efficiency.

Leaving the choice of an appropriate engine oil to car owners can be confusing and overwhelming to many people. To help, car manufacturers gather all of the requirements an engine oil needs to fulfill for a given model and publish them. This is called an engine oil specification (e.g., GM dexos1^TM) and is defined in each car’s manual. Car owners can quickly look up which specification is required for their car and the oil their engine needs.

In addition, Industry Bodies such as the American Petroleum Association (API) or the International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) publish standardized specifications that some OEMs refer to (e.g., API SP or ILSAC GF-6).