WHICH ARE THE FIVE MAIN FUNCTIONS OF MOTOR OIL?

Why is it said so often that motor oil is the life blood of your engine? It´s really no coincidence at all. Blood performs a vital function in our bodies and so does motor oil perform several vitals functions in a vehicle therewith making sure the engine stays „alive“. And therefore it is a question of life or death for any mechanic to know how motor oils keeps your car alive.

So what does motor oil actually accomplish to be considered „vital“? As a matter of fact, motor oil is no longer a commodity, it´s a very sophisticated engineering component that must meet many performance specifications. We can talk about 20- 30 properties that need tob e combined together – therefore,  it takes a lot of time and knowledge to create good motor oil. Let´s have a closer look at the 5 main functions  motor oil needs to perform:

1. It protects

Without motor oil, surfaces in the engine would actually rub against each other leading to engine breakdown within a short period of time. The motor oil creates a protective film which prevents that metal surfaces rub against each other, especially on highly stressed areas where there is the danger of the oil film being „wiped away“. Motor oil additionally prevents corrosion of the engine components.

2. It cools

Motor oil works in support of the primary cooling system which is responsible for cooling the engine. The crankshaft, the main and connecting rod bearings, the timing gears, the pistons and other components in the lower engine are cooled as a result of the motor oil flows around the engine parts. 

3. It cleans

Parts of the motor oil´s additive package are detergents and dispersants. They are responsible for removing impurities and keeping them in suspension until the next oil change is made. As a result all oil channels are kept free so that the oil can quickly reach all important parts of the engine that need to be lubricated.

4. It absorbs

All the dirt, grit, metallic materials, unburned carbon and other impurites that have been removed by the detergents in the oil, need to be kept in suspension so that the filter is able to carry out its main function of absorbing. This explains why good motor oil quickly becomes dark – it fulfils its task of absorbing very well!

5. It seals

Motor oil acts as a seal between the combusion chamber and the crank case, and the pistons ring and cylinder wall in particular. Since the surface of the cylinder wall is not entirely smooth, it fills the gaps and therewith forms a protective layer . This also prevents blow-by gases from entering the combustion chamber from the crank case therewith reducing oil consumption.

Now, which motor oil is the right one for my car? Choosing the right motor oil may be tricky, but as a general rule you should follow the instructions of the car manufacturer. To facilitate the process, just use our BIZOL Oil Guide – simply enter your car model and you will get a selection of lubricants, including the right motor oil, coolant and brake fluid specially selected for you. Have fun using our oil guide! If you have more questions related to motor oil, feel free to register with our forum and enter a direct dialogue with our technical experts.