Interesting Facts About Automotive Motor Oil
You may find many of the following facts and statistics about automotive motor oil interesting, because most of us never really give it much thought except when we realize we may need an oil change.
Automotive motor oil is made from petroleum and non petroleum chemical compounds. It is used to provide lubrication to engines found in trucks, cars, aircraft, motorcycles, and other such vehicles. The viscosity of motor oil is classified by a motor oil standards grading system established by the Society of Automotive Engineers. You have probably seen these classifications including 5w50, 20, 50, and others.
If too much or too little automotive motor oil is added to an engine, it may lead to damage. For instance, if you put too little oil into your engine, it can cause the engine to overheat. This is due to the fact that the heat in the engine becomes more concentrated due to the lack of oil.
Another fact about automotive motor oil that many people do not know is that it does not actually wear out, but it just becomes dirty. Because of this, used automotive motor oil can be recycled. Recycling motor oil is very important to our environment. Around the world, there were some 3.7 billion gallons of used motor oil produced in 2009. Recycling can help reuse that oil. Interestingly, about 50% of motor oil in Europe is recycled, while only 10% to 15% is recycled in the United States.
Automotive motor oil must always be disposed of properly. For instance, the oil from a single oil change if it is not properly disposed of, can destroy one million gallons of fresh water, including killing plant and animal life. Oil that goes into waterways will cut off sunlight and oxygen to plants and animals, effectively killing all life in an affected waterway.
Now that you know the facts about recycling automotive motor oil, you should make sure that your oil change location disposes of the used motor oil properly. In addition, you should always choose the best motor oils and ensure that your oil levels are at the proper levels, so as not to damage your engine.