Nothing is more important to an engine than proper lubrication and nothing is more important about lubrication than getting the right oil for the right job.
That was the message delivered by Kevin McCartney during his “Modern Engine Lubrication” course Saturday at Automechanika Chicago.
The simple truth is that any old oil is just not good enough anymore when servicing your customer’s vehicles, he said. Changes in modern lubrication standards and the need for specialized lubricants that meet those needs have changed the dynamics of what used to be a one-size-fits-all (or nearly all) situation.
McCarthy explained the specialized lubrication needs of modern cars and what specialized lubricants meet those needs. For example, the best 5W-30 lubricant for a Chevy is too thin to pass the VW/BMW/Mercedes-Benz 5W-30 standards and can do significant harm to those engines, he said.
He also identified various categories of oil based on SAPS level, dynamic viscosity and extended service potentials.
Technicians need to understand the eight basic ACEA oil service ratings in order to understand modern lubrication, he said. Techs also need to understand kinematic vs. dynamic viscosity ratings and why they are both important.
Once they fully understand the dynamics of modern engine lubrication, techs will be able to tailor maintenance services to vehicle needs and to customer needs. This will allow shops to transition into more profits from fewer rather than more oil changes, he said.
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