Understanding Engine Oil

 We've all seen this meme all over the internet and well to be honest, its one of the most intimidating aisles in the auto parts store.. Let's hope we can clarify a few things so it's not so scary. 

Understanding engine oil weights, conventional oil vs. synthetic oil, regular vs. high mileage. Engine oil can be intimidating, technological improvements have led to so many new types, weights and brands. Understanding what it all is can really help you understand what you need and why you need it. 

What all these numbers mean and why there’s a W in the middle. Oil is rated using reference numbers indicating the viscosity rating, or weight, of the oil. Viscosity can be simply thought of as its “thickness” or a measure of its resistance to flow. The most commonly used oil is what is called multi-grade, meaning it includes two viscosity grades, the first number indicates the base grade viscosity at cold temperatures (the “w” after the first number means “winter”) and the other indicating the viscosity at warmer temperatures. The basic series is 0, 0W, 5, 5W, 10, 10W, 20, 30W, 30, 40W, 40, 50 and 50W. The most commonly seen weights used are 5W20, 5W30, 10W30 and 10W40. Oils starting with a 5W are much thinner and often seen in newer cars, oils with a 10W or higher are thicker and often seen in higher mileage cars. 

Result of a quick google search - i have a 2000 VW Jetta 1.9L TDI requiring VW 505.00 standard oil

Picking a brand. With so many different brands available to choose from it can be very difficult to know if what you are buying is the right oil for your car. What does it matter? Well, a number of years ago, the standard for oil was very simple and basic. As technology improved and efficiency and emissions standards became stricter, the major auto manufacturers began developing their own standards for engine oil to meet the needs and requirements of the specific engines they build. What does this mean to you? If I have a Volkswagen, do I have to buy oil from Volkswagen? Or Mercedes? Or BMW? Or Honda? Or GM? No you don’t. What you have to do is your research. In addition to making sure you are using the proper weight oil defined by your manufacturer, you have to make sure that the oil you are using is approved by your manufacturer for your vehicle. In fact, this is more important that having the proper weight.  For example, I own a Volkswagen which runs a 5W30 synthetic oil. However, I cannot use just any 5W30 synthetic oil. Volkswagen states that I need to use a engine oil that meets their VW 505.00 standard.

When purchasing oil for my car, I need to read the back of the container and make sure that it conforms to that standard before putting it my car. How do I know what my manufacturer’s standard is? Well, your owner’s manual is the first resource, google always works or you could contact us and we have that information readily available and can provide you with the brands that your manufacturer approves. 

This is the label from the oil i use in my car clearly indicating it meets the VW standard required.

Why is this so important? Well, keep in mind the amount of research and development that goes into building a engine for maximum lifespan and efficiency. Your engine is a very volatile environment that faces extreme pressures and temperature changes over its entire life. Your auto manufacturer developed its own standard designed specifically for the increased life span and efficiency of its engine. There are a variety of detergents and additives added to reduce carbon build-up, increase life span of the many moving parts and cool the various metals used to the proper operating temperature. All of these things lead to longevity and maximum power output as well as fuel efficiency. If you are not using the proper oils, all of these sensitive factors will be compromised, potentially resulting in catastrophic failure over a long period of time. That being said if you have no oil in your car, any oil will suffice in a pinch, but make sure you change to the proper oil as soon as possible. 

Conventional vs. Synthetic Oil

Most newer cars are built to run a synthetic oil as it has a higher viscosity (its thinner), it contains more additives and detergents and can run longer spans of time with less frequent changes needed. If you are not sure if your vehicle takes a synthetic oil, do your research on what the manufacturer specifies. Conventional oil is more commonly found in higher mileage vehicles as it is usually a little thicker. Over time, engine seals can shrink or dry which will allow a much thinner oil to leak out. Using a thicker oil will slow these leaks down. Additionally, over time, clearances built into your engine will expand and using a thicker oil will compensate for these differences. There are special oils designed specifically for higher mileage engines as well. If you are unsure of which one of these options you should choose or if you should consider switching from one to the other, send us an email or give us a call and we can help you decide what’s best for your engine.

Bill Marino Auto Repair

Oil Changes – the myths, why we take them for granted, and why we should do them regularly

I used to work with someone who once spent 20 minutes at the coffee pot trying to convince me that oil changes were a ploy set out by auto manufacturers to get the consumers to spend more money. She insisted that they were not necessary and she never did them on her cars. Well, unfortunately about 6 months after we had this conversation, the engine seized in her car. 

Oil changes are not a ploy by any means and are as necessary as brushing your teeth every day. With the lifespan of engine oil increasing significantly, it is that much more imperative that oil changes are done regularly. Engine oils’ are designed with additives and detergents to help keep carbon buildup from getting trapped in your engine and help cool the metals that work so hard to get you where you need to go as well as lubricating all your engines moving parts. 

Let’s talk carbon build-up. Gasoline and air are introduced to spark and compressed to cause little explosions that make big power that make your engine “turn”. A direct bi-product of these explosions are small carbon deposits that are transferred to your oil. As the oil flows through its many passages it brings those deposits and any other debris it picks up to your oil filter. Most oil filters are made of a paper filter element designed to pull all those small fragments of debris out of the oil and trap them in the filter. As the filter fills with carbon and debris it becomes less effective and can become clogged with all the particulate it traps and therefore needs to be changed. Over time being heated and cooled over and over again, the oil itself begins to degrade and lose its viscosity. This means it doesn’t flow and lubricate optimally which lessens its ability to cool and lubricate. This increases the risk of overheating the metals inside your engine, increasing the risk of abrasive metal on metal contact and the inability to reduce containments flowing through your engine. Over time, the oil will begin to break down and burn in the engine causing excessive smoking while driving and cause additional build up in the engine. This will decrease the volume of oil in the engine and combined with the already listed negative side effects, can result in severe damage to the internals and possibly causing the engine to fail. 

That being said, it’s worth spending the $30 to $60 or so dollars on an oil change at the regularly specified intervals since it will save you anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 on a engine replacement, as my co-worker unfortunately found out the hard way.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of research and development that went into the engineering of your car’s engine to provide you with a long lasting efficient product. As the consumer, it is your job to show those engineers that you appreciate the time and effort they put forth by performing the basic maintenance required to allow that engine to live up to its fullest potential. 

My previous car had 254,000 miles on it when I sold it, the person I sold it to, sold it two years later with 280,000 miles on it. The car I currently own has 242,000 miles on it and is still going strong. In today’s economic climate, we are all watching every penny we spend and try to save where we can. As you can see, spending the money on regular oil changes and quality oil can potentially save you thousands in the future. 

Bill Marino Auto Repair

'E' is not Enough

So we’ve done our second fuel pump in as many weeks. Both vehicles belong to driver’s who frequently play chicken with the gas light. 

Let’s start with what a fuel pump does. It’s pretty simple, the fuel pump is responsible for delivering fuel from the tank through the fuel filter and then into the fuel rail which feeds the fuel injectors. Any excess (or unused) fuel is then collected by the fuel pressure regulator then returned back to the fuel tank. 

The fuel pump lives in the fuel tank. Like any electric pump, it generates heat while operating. The fuel in your tank is not only responsible for powering your engine, but it also helps keep the pump cool. A cool fuel pump is a happy fuel pump. If you are the kind of person who fills their tank 5 gallons at a time, your fuel pump never has the opportunity to be submerged and run at cooler temperatures. The pump will always run hot which creates a high stress environment and will cause premature failure.

Fuel pumps typically range in price from $150-$500 and with an average labor cost of $300-$500 to replace. Bet that extra $40 to fill your tank seems a little more appealing? Because changing the fuel pump is a very labor intensive job, we prefer to use the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) brand pump for the vehicle. There are less expensive options available but our experience has shown us that those pumps are more likely to fail within a shorter period of time. The savings negates the worth of having to tow the vehicle in when the pump fails again and having to do the job a second time.

There is also a fuel level sensor that lives in your fuel tank. The sensor is usually connected to a “float” (similar in concept to the ball float in your toilet tank). The float moves up and down with the fuel level and relays that information through the sensor to the fuel gauge on your dashboard. If the fuel level never changes, the sensor will wear heavily in that one spot and can lead to failure. Conversely, this is also a common problem seen also in vehicles where the owner always keeps the tank full. This will leave you guessing on whether or not you’ll be able to make it to your destination.

You always hear us stressing the importance of tracking your miles per gallon. Well this is yet another reason why that’s important. If you know you average 350 miles per tank, in the event the level sensor fails, you’ll be able to estimate how many miles you can drive on a fill-up until you are able to get the sensor repaired.

We’ve all heard of “dry gas” and some of us have had to use it. Well dry gas is used when water is introduced to your fuel tank. If the tank spends most of its time mostly empty, water will begin to collect inside the tank, especially if it’s colder out. Keep in mind, your fuel system is not sealed. There are vent valves and hoses that allow fuel to displace the air in the tank when you are filling it. Just as it is designed to allow air escape, it just as easily allows air in. With the introduction of Ethanol blended gasoline, water condensation is a more common problem. Ethanol is a type of alcohol and alcohol “attracts” the water in the air. This is the primary reason why you should always fill your tank during the very cold months or expected winter storms. The second reason of course being the potential of power outages and limited access to fuel. 

Water in your gas will cause either a poor running or no start condition. Long term exposure to water in your gas can also lead to rust conditions if you have a metal tank. Rust can lead to debris in the tank which will clog the fuel filter and/or fuel lines possible even the fuel injectors, causing very poor running conditions or no start conditions. It can also lead to the tank itself rotting which is very unsafe. 

It is important to change your fuel filter at regularly scheduled intervals. This will help keep the system running properly as well as prevent debris from entering the system and possibly entering the fuel pump and causing the pump to prematurely fail. 

If you have any questions about any of the topics discussed or are concerned about the conditions of your fuel system, please send us an email Bill@BMARauto.com and we will be more than happy to help!

Spring Prep! Getting your car ready for the pollen season

Ahhhh the birds are chirping, grass is coming alive again, flowers are starting to bloom and the trees are waking up from a long winter’s slumber. Spring is close and with the warm temperatures and awakening landscape comes pollen. Here come the itchy eyes, sneezing fits and two months of green sticky layers all over our freshly washed cars.

As sensitive as we are to the overabundance of pollen in the air, so are our cars. Below is a must-do checklist to help prepare your car for pollen season and in turn, protect yourself and you’re passengers.

• Change your Cabin Filter: The cabin filter is a paper filter element that most cars are equipped with. It is designed to filter out the pollutants in the outside air as the air is drawn into the vehicle or recirculated through the vehicle. Your cabin filter should be checked at every oil change and replaced if needed. Using a dirty cabin filter will not only introduce pollutants and allergens into the vehicle but can also put a strain on the heating and air conditioning systems. The air circulated in your vehicle always passes through this filter, if it cannot pass easily it will strain the blower motor (the motor that powers the fans to circulate air) and cause added stress on the air conditioning compressor which can lead to excessive fuel consumption and premature failure.

• Change your Engine Air Filter: Much like the cabin filter cleans the air you breathe, the engine air filter cleans the air your engine breathes. And your engine loves clean air just as much as you do. The engine air filter is found in the engine bay of your car generally enclosed in a big plastic Air Box. It cleans the air that goes into the Air Intake of your engine. That air then flows into your engine and is compressed along with atomized fuel to perform the combustion process that allows your engine to “run”. The air box and air filter is designed to trap any small particulate from being introduced to the interior parts of your engine. You may find things like leaves and sand in the air box and dust particulate in the filter. If the air filter is not clean, it will not allow your engine to operate at optimal performance therefore robbing you of power and unnecessary fuel consumption. Keeping your engine air filter clean will help keep your engine running well and keep it healthy which in turn will make you happy.

o   Keep in mind there are a variety of different types of engine air filters available. Paper elements are the most common as well as washable filters. Speak with your technician to find out what type of filter is right for you.

• Check your windshield wipers, replace if needed:  After being exposed to ice, salt and harsh winter temperatures, your windshield wipers may need to be replaced. Check for cracking in the rubber as well as bits missing off the blade. The wiper blade should always be flush to the windshield across its whole surface. If the blade is not operating properly, you may see water lines across your windshield or missed patches when operating. As we come in the rainy season, it is very important for your windshield wipers to be operating at optimal performance so you can see properly when driving.

o   As wiper blade technology has advanced in recent years, there are a variety of different types of wiper blades available at competitive prices. Not sure which one is right for you? Discuss it with your technician and they will help you find the right blade for the environments you drive in.

• Adjust your tire pressure: If you use snow tires on your vehicle, it’s safe to say now is the time to put them away until next winter. If you don’t, now is the time to check your tire pressure and adjust if needed. It’s a good idea to check the air pressure in your tires at any major change in air temperature. Quick trip back to high school chemistry, as the air temperature decreases, the molecules group closer together, as the air temperature increases, the molecules group farther apart. There are a few reasons why tire pressure is so important.

o   Your tires are designed to operate at optimal performance at the pressure indicated on the sidewall of the tire. Extreme over inflation can lead to a blow-out, less extreme over inflation can lead to excessive wear on the center part of the tires, under inflation can lead to excessive wear on the outside parts of the tire and extreme under inflation can lead to internal damage to the tire and possible the rim it is mounted to.

o   If your tires are overinflated or underinflated, its performance in dry weather is hindered and can severely affect its performance in the rain. This can increase the likely-hood of hydroplaning and loss of control of your vehicle.

o   If your tires are inflated to the proper air pressure it will also negatively impact your gas mileage. If its underinflated, the tire will cause more “drag” to the road surface therefore causing your engine and transmission to work harder to rotate the tire.

• Check your tire tread wear: In addition to properly inflating your tires, you should check the height of your tire tread and check for even wear. Every tire has wear indicators in its grooves. If the tread is very close to the wear indicator, it’s almost time for new tires. Running tire tread too low can result in poor performance, persistent flats and worse, a blow-out. Uneven tread wear can be indicative of an out-of spec wheel alignment or a potential suspension problem. Regular tire rotations can help promote even tread wear on all four tires. A wheel alignment can also help “even out” uneven tread wear. If you see one side of the tire is wearing excessively while the other side looks brand new, bring it to your technician to help decided what is the best approach to correcting the problem.

• Change over your washer fluid: If you use a de-icing formula washer fluid, it’s a good idea to run that tank down to empty and refill with a bug removing formula. As the little critters are waking up along with the plants and trees, they will be swarming on the roads and most likely colliding with your windshield. This is the season to make sure you have a good formulated washer fluid to help get the mess off your windshield helping you maintain a clear view of the road ahead of you.

Stay tuned for more exciting tips to help maintain a happy and healthy vehicle!

Give your car a spa day - winter's are rough on them too!

As winter's coming to a close and mother nature sends us her last reminders of who's boss,  the promise of warmer temperatures is welcoming to us and our cars. 

The harsh temperatures, poor weather conditions and degrading road conditions are not only hard on you as a person, but are just as hard on your car. Here are Bill Marino Auto Repair, we like to show our beloved cars and trucks our appreciation for keeping us warm when it was 10 degrees outside and helping us battle unplowed snow covered roads so we could get to work and help our customers in need. 

How do you thank something that can't understand the meaning behind those words? This a case of actions speak louder than words. 

• Pamper your car or truck with a good thorough washing. All that salt and sand caked in its frame rails and under-body can be very caustic over time. If not cleaned out, rust and rot can occur and slowly eat away the vital components designed to keep you safe. Going to a car wash is a good idea, they are designed to pressure wash the under carriage and get all that grime out. If you are not a fan of car washes, using a high pressure hose and thoroughly rinsing the underside will suffice.

• Check out the undercoating on your vehicle. Rocks and gravel kicked up from pot holes can damage and crack the protective layer of rubberized undercoating allowing water to seep in and get trapped. This can result in rot holes which will eat away at the floor panels in your car. If rot holes are found in time, they can easily be fixed by cutting out that section, replacing the metal and re-coating. We've done this for a number of vehicles, including one of our own. 

• Give your car a good waxing. After washing all the salt and road grime that's been covering your car for the last 3 months, its good to give your paint a fresh coat of wax to not only protect it from the sun exposure coming but the rain and pollen as well. Your car will be so happy to have its shine back too! If time doesn't permit you to use a traditional wax, we recommend Lucas Spray Wax. Its fast and easy to use and doesn't leave a streaky residue behind.

• Now that the exterior looks shiny and pretty, its a good idea to give the interior a good once over. 
• I use baby wipes to clean the interior panels and headliner. They're a good alternative and are safe on most surfaces. (and they do a really good job of getting coffee off your dashboard ;-) 
• I also forgo the Armor All and use Pledge instead to give the dash and door panels a nice shine that doesn't leave a sticky residue or glare on the windshield. A little trick I learned from a friend and have been using it ever since. It also won't promote drying or cracking of the soft plastic if not kept up on.  It also repels dust, not attract it.
• When cleaning your windows be careful if you have tint. You should not use windex or other ammonia based cleaners as they will leave a haze on the tint, promote "bubbling" and discoloration over time. We prefer Stoner Brand "Clean as Glass" It leaves glass and tint clean, streak free, haze free and is safe for tint.
• If your like me, your best furry friend goes everywhere with you. With shedding season upon us the hair will be flying and stuck to every possible surface in your car. I have cloth seats and the constant vacuuming is very harsh on the fibers. If you have access to compressed air, the best thing to do is blow out all the loose hair and dirt. Wear eye protection so nothing ricochets and hurts your eyes. Use a rubber glove to wipe the hair from the seats and air behind it to blow it out. If you don't have access to an air compressor, use your gloved hand to wipe the hair free and the vacuum to suck it up. Try to avoid dragging the vacuum on the fabric surfaces as much as possible. A good seat cover doesn't hurt to help contain the mess as well. 

•  Your trunk is not free from sin! All those extra pairs of boots, hats, sweatshirts, jackets, gloves and every thing else we lose in our trunks add up to a lot of pounds. Extra weight equates to robbed fuel economy. Empty out your trunk of all the unnecessary pounds you've been carrying and you'd be surprised how much money you can save. I once carried around 40 pounds in bowling balls and another 15 pounds in bowling equipment for a month. Out of sight, out of mind. I couldn't figure out why my gas mileage dropped from 29 mpg to 27 mpg. I emptied my trunk and was back to 29 mpg and very happy. 

•  Check your tire pressure. The changes in air density as the temperatures rise and barometric pressure changes affect the air pressure in your tires. You'll find you have a lower air pressure when it gets colder and higher pressures when it gets warmer. Even and appropriate amounts of air pressure will help not only with achieving good traction and even wear, but will also allow your tires to perform for optimal fuel economy.

Coming soon to a blog near you... "Spring prep checklist!" A list of must-do's in gearing your car up for the upcoming pollen season.