The absolute minimum I would start a vehicle with a 10W would be -20F. a serious environmental problem. These standards, especially JASO-MA (for motorcycles) and JASO-FC, are designed to address oil-requirement issues not addressed by the API service categories. API FA-4 oils are different (that is why API decided to start a new group in addition to API Sx and API Cx). The previous service categories such as API CC or CD are obsolete. These are rough indications of the real factors that control when an oil change is appropriate, which include how long the oil has been run at elevated temperatures, how many heating cycles the engine has been through, and how hard the engine has worked. After nearly a decade of GF-5, ILSAC released final GF-6 specifications in 2019, with licensed sales to oil manufacturers and re-branders to begin 1 May 2020. Oils marketed as motorcycle-specific will carry the JASO-MA label. The vehicle distance is intended to estimate the time at high temperature, while the time in service is supposed to correlate with the number of vehicle trips and capture the number of heating cycles. This is the zone where various engine parts operate, such as the rings and turbo. At reduced viscosity, the oil is not as capable of lubricating the engine, thus increasing wear and the chance of overheating. These evaluations include chemical and physical properties using bench test methods as well as actual running engine tests to quantify engine sludge, oxidation, component wear, oil consumption, piston deposits and fuel economy. Oil in this condition, just sitting in an engine, can cause problems. December 2006, Orlando, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles, Japanese Automotive Standards Organization, American Society for Testing and Materials, United States Environmental Protection Agency, "Heat Transfer Properties of Engine Oils", "ASTM D97 – 12 Standard Test Method for Pour Point of Petroleum Products", "Whats the weight of oil? Group III base stocks are produced by further hydrocracking of either Group II base stocks or hydroisomerized slack wax (a Group I and II dewaxing process by-product). The development of canola-based motor oils began in 1996 in order to pursue environmentally friendly products. Higher purity and therefore better property control theoretically means synthetic oil has better mechanical properties at extremes of high and low temperatures. Originally S for spark ignition and C for compression, as used with diesel engines. The oil filter removes many of the particles and sludge, but eventually, the oil filter can become clogged, if used for extremely long periods. Motor oils were sold at retail in glass bottles, metal cans, and metal-cardboard cans, before the advent of the current polyethylene plastic bottle, which began to appear in the early 1980s. Aldrich, High stability esters for synthetic lubricant applications, Lubrication Engineering, February 2001, p. 21-26. [12] The necessity of higher-priced motorcycle-specific oil has also been challenged by at least one consumer organization. [48] The U.S.-based company Green Earth Technologies manufactures a bio-based motor oil, called G-Oil, made from animal oils.[49]. While the engine is heating up, the oil viscosity drops to the ideal viscosity for your engine. From there, this clean "base stock" is blended with some virgin base stock and a new additives package to make a finished lubricant product that can be just as effective as lubricants made with all-virgin oil. The JASO T904-MA and MA2 standards are designed to distinguish oils that are approved for wet clutch use, with MA2 lubricants delivering higher friction performance. [28]. Oil does not degrade significantly just sitting in a cold engine. [38] Over 40% of the pollution in America's waterways is from used motor oil. Of course, for regular use I wouldn't use a 10W-40 … Their specially designed properties allow a wider temperature range at higher and lower temperatures and often include a lower pour point. The second number is defined by how an oil flows at normal engine operating temperatures. Finally, the wax is subjected to a catalytic process that alters the wax's molecular structure, leaving a clear oil. Breakdown of VIIs under shear is a concern in motorcycle applications, where the transmission may share lubricating oil with the motor. [31][32] An oil that meets JASO-MA is considered appropriate for wet clutch operations. Based on the coldest temperature the oil passes at, that oil is graded as SAE viscosity grade 0W, 5W, 10W, 15W, 20W, or 25W. Thus, although the viscosity still decreases as temperature increases, these synthetic motor oils have a higher viscosity index over the traditional petroleum base. Also, motor oils and lubricants formulated with biosynthetic base oils can be recycled and re-refined with petroleum-based oils. JASO Engine Oil Standards Implementation Panel. Suciu and H.S. Lubricant used for lubrication of internal combustion engines, R.H. Schlosberg, J.W. The same SAE system for designating motor oil viscosity also applies to synthetic oils.