ENGINE OIL FUNCTIONS

[BASSOASIA]

Engine Oil Functions

Modern engines are capable of giving good service for several hundred thousand miles. However, such reliable service is dependent on the care given to the engine. The most basic care is the quality of engine oil used and the frequency with which it is changed. The most severe kind of driving for the engine is short-trip driving of less than 15 miles at a time. This is, by far, the most typical service for the average driver. Short-trip use of the engine requires better oil performance levels and more frequent oil changes

Oil performs many functions within the engine. In addition to its primary task as a lubricant by controlling wear and oxidation, the oil also serves the engine by cooling, cleaning, sealing, and inhibiting corrosion.

• As a lubricant, oil must maintain a protective film to prevent metal-to-metal contact. It must be fluid enough to allow easy starting and to circulate quickly through the engine, yet remain thick enough at higher operating temperatures and speeds to provide adequate lubrication.
• As a coolant, oil carries off about 40% of the heat that's generated by the operating engine. Once the engine is fully warmed up, the circulating oil can encounter temperatures of 300°F or higher in severe service.
• As a detergent, engine oil must be able to gather and suspend dirt and other contaminants until the oil can leave them as it passes through the filter and returns to the internal engine environment. The oil must also be able to tolerate accumulation of moisture, gasoline, and other contaminants in short trip driving without forming deposits or sludge.
• As a sealer, oil coats the cylinder walls and fills in the microscopic pores and gaps that would otherwise allow compression to blow past the rings (called blow-by). It also interacts with gaskets and seals to cause them to slightly swell, thus preventing oil leaks and maintaining oil pressure.
• As a corrosion inhibitor, oil coats internal engine parts to prevent surface rust on the inside of the engine which can be caused by blow-by products and water formed in combustion. It must also be capable of neutralizing the acids that are formed by combustion blow-by and oil oxidation at high temperatures.

[robbbaker]

In order for your engine to function properly and with limited power, a lubricating motor oil must perform four main functions.Modern engines are capable of giving good service for several hundred thousand miles. This is really wonderful post about the mechanics.

[City1972]

In order for your engine to function properly and with limited power, a lubricating motor oil must perform four main functions.Modern engines are capable of giving good service for several hundred thousand miles. This is really wonderful post about the mechanics.

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