Introduction

For over 140 years, Valvoline® has served the needs of car owners with quality motor oils

and automotive products longer than any other motor oil company. In fact, Valvoline is the

oldest trademark in the entire petroleum industry. Valvoline® understands that today's motor oil

market has an increasing assortment of engine oils needed to cater for the various car makes

and models.

Choosing the motor oil that is right for your vehicle and budget is a common source of

confusion and frustration. This guide to motor oil aims to remove confusion and keep motor oil

simple. It has been developed to help you better understand the basics of motor oil so you can

make an informed choice. The more you know about motor oil, the better you will be able to

protect your vehicle's engine. Valvoline®, a division of Ashland, is a leading

innovator and supplier of quality, high-performing automotive and industrial products in more than

100 countries. Best known for its lubricants, Valvoline also markets Eagle One® appearance

products, SynPower® performance products, Pyroil® automotive chemicals and MaxLife® products

created for higher-mileage engines.

The main purpose of motor oil is to stop metal from touching metal. An engine contains hundreds of

moving parts that must be kept separate from each other. If metal surfaces come in contact, wear may

occur and friction will increase. With friction comes heat, and heat will warp and distort moving engine

parts. Motor oil creates a slick film between metal parts that lets them glide over each other.

- Prevents rust and corrosion.

What is motor oil made up of?

Motor oil has changed dramatically since Valvoline first launched lubricating oils over 140 years ago.

Modern motor oils are made up of the following: The base stocks used can be conventional stocks,

man made synthetics or a mixture of conventional and synthetic stocks.

Conventional base oils are made from crude oil which has undergone certain extraction processes

and minor chemical restructuring in an oil refinery. Conventional base oils are a mixture of thousands

of different chemicals.

Synthetics differ from conventional base oils in that they are synthesized from relatively pure

chemicals for specifically designed performance characteristics. The raw material for synthetics

properties and enhanced response to certain engine oil additives.

Regardless of the type of base stocks used, it is necessary to combine them with additives to meet

the demanding requirements of modern engines

Additives are the “active ingredient” in motor oils.

These additives must be replenished through regular oil changes.

They may include any of the following:

- Detergents

- Dispersants

- Extreme Pressure Additives

- Oxidation Inhibitors

- Anti-Foaming Agents

- Rust and Corrosion Inhibitors

- Viscosity Index Improvers

- Pour Point Depressants

- Friction Modifiers

Why do I need to change my motor oil?

After a period of use, motor oil deteriorates and becomes unable to do an efficient job lubricating

and cooling engine parts.

The two main reasons for this are:

During the normal operation of an engine, contaminants begin to accumulate in the engine

oil. The engine oil is designed to lock away and neutralise by-products of combustion such as soot,

carbon and acids. As contaminant levels build-up over time, critical properties of the engine oil such

as viscosity can be affected.

Additives are consumed as they perform their vital role. If the additives are depleted, corrosion,

oxidation and accelerated engine wear can occur. For this reason, engine manufacturers recommend

that the oil be changed at certain time or distance intervals to ensure protection of your equipment

is not compromised.

How often should I change my motor oil?

Some types of car operations are more severe than others, placing greater demands on the

motor oil and calling for more frequent oil changes. For this reason, car manufacturers

give two recommendations for oil changes in their owner's manuals.

Standard conditions are generally where a vehicle drives more than 15,000km per year

on bitumen, with little stop start driving and few periods of long idling.

These service conditions can be met with a high performance mineral oil from one of the

products in Valvoline’s XLD range.

If you drive in city traffic, do lots of short trips, drive off the bitumen, or tow any sort of load,

you are driving in severe conditions.

These service conditions can be met with either a full synthetic, such as SynPower or a synthetic blend

such as DuraBlend or SynGard.

Choosing the right motor oil

The first step in choosing motor oil is to check the owner's manual for the recommended SAE

(Society of Automotive Engineers) viscosity grade for your vehicle.

There are two common types of SAE classifications: monograde and multigrade. A monograde such as

SAE 30 has certain cold weather limitations. In very cold weather, it may not flow adequately to protect

the engine during the time the engine takes to reach operating temperature.

Multigrade oils, such as SAE 10W-30, can be used across a broad range of temperatures. These are

widely used because they allow for easy starting and pumping at low temperatures; yet they are thick

enough at high temperatures to lubricate effectively. The W stands for “winter” and indicates that the

oil meets certain viscosity requirements for low temperature or winter operation.

The number in front of the W indicates the low temperature viscosity. The number refers to

the viscosity of the oil when the engine is cold and indicates the oils performance when the

engine is starting up. The thinner the oil when cold the quicker it moves around the engine and

the faster it protects vital engine components. The high-temperature viscosity (the second number,

30 in a 10W-30) indicates thickness at operating temperature. Thicker oils make it easier to maintain

oil pressure and reduce the tendency for oil consumption, particularly in worn engines. Thick

oils trade off fuel efficiency to achieve this as the engine has to work harder to move the oil around.

When comparing viscosity numbers, a higher number will not flow as easily as a low number.

What are API ratings?

The American Petroleum Institute (API) classification system provides information

about the engine oil.

is appropriate for petrol engines. SM oils are superior to SL oils in many

performance criteria including enhanced fuel efficiency whilst also meeting the

“energy conserving” classification and enhanced emissions systems protection.

that the oil is appropriate for diesel engines.

Generally the further along we move in the alphabet indicates the latest technology

and quality enhancements in motor oil.

What are ACEA ratings?

ACEA stands for the Association des Constructeurs Europeens d’Automobiles and represents a large

group of European engine manufacturers. ACEA has established four performance categories:

the A category for petrol engines; the B category for passenger car diesel engines; the C category

represents catalyst compatible oils; the E category for heavy duty diesel engines.

A1 and A2 oils represent the base performance level with A1 being used for lower viscosity fuel

efficient oils and A2 for higher viscosity oils. A3 and A5 oils are the highest performing ACEA

gasoline engine oils with the A3 being used for the higher performance oils and A5 for the high

performance lower viscosity fuel efficient oils. The A4 classification is reserved for a future

specification for direct injection gasoline engines.

The B category is similarly divided with the exception that the B4 classification for direct

injection passenger diesel engines has been established and that the B5 classification combines

the performance requirements of B3 and B4 in a lower viscosity fuel efficient oil.

The C category is intended for use with vehicles fitted with diesel particulate filters and three

way catalysts in petrol applications. C1 and C2 classifications are based on ACEA A5/B5 ratings,

whilst the C3 classification is based on ACEA A3/B3 ratings.

What are ILSAC ratings?

ILSAC stands for the International Lubricant Standardisation Advisory Committee. For

lubricants to meet the GF specification, they must prove to be energy conserving. With the

latest rating being GF-4, it provides better fuel economy than GF-3. In the Australian market you

may find the following ILSAC ratings:

- ILSAC GF-3 (introduced in 2001)

- ILSAC GF-4 (introduced in 2004)

What are OEM approvals?

Some OEMs specify that engine oils must meet a range of stringent requirements before it can be

used and warranted in their engines. To minimise misapplication, Valvoline have noted whether

these requirements have been met by noting OEM performance specifications on pack; the most

common approvals in Australia being the following:

- BMW: LL98 and LL01

- Ford: M2C-915A, M2C 153E/F and M2C-153G

- General Motors: GM6094M

- Mercedes Benz: MB229.1, MB229.3 and MB229.5

- Volkswagen: VW502.00, VW503.01, VW504.00, VW505.00 and VW507.00

So, what grade of engine oil should I use?

www.valvoline.com.au/lube_frame.cfm

Warranty

Valvoline’s range of engine oils either meet or exceed the ratings printed on pack.

Providing that you select the correct lubricant for your vehicle,

Valvoline guarantees the engine oil used will not void new car warranty.

How do I make the right choice?  GOOD!

- API SL/CF, ACEA A2, B2

How do I make the right choice? BETTER!

DuraBlend 5W-30, 10W-30, 10W-40 and 15W-50

- specially formulated for tough driving conditions, stop-go driving, extended idling, short trips & towing

SynGard 10W-40

- Provides engine protection from start up to shut down

ensures high engine performance

- Provides better deposit control for a cleaner engine

- API SM/CF ACEA A3,B3