blog
Engine Oil 101

Most of us are still driving vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE) as the main source of power for propelling our vehicle down the road. In order for the ICE to run smoothly – in fact, to run at all – the engine needs oil to travel all around the engine’s working parts to lubricate them so that they can move freely within their confines without overheating from too much friction and to prevent the engine from imploding on itself, or exploding, whichever way you like to think of it.
As well as lubricating the motor, oil helps to keep the ICE cool and retards any corrosion. Most modern oils also contain a bit of detergent. The detergent helps to flush any gunk that comes from wear and tear on the engine components and any older oil compounds that have formed through to the oil filter where these unwanted bits will be captured and removed altogether when the old oil filter is changed with a new one come next time the ICE oil gets changed as part of the vehicle’s regular servicing regime.
If you’re new to the world of car ownership, or new to changing your own oil rather than just taking down to the service centre and getting the friendly guys and gals to do it for you, you may be utterly bewildered by the wall of containers that confronts you at your nearest discount automotive supplies store. What are all those different types and numbers? Does it matter what sort of oil you get to put in your car? Yes, it does, so here’s what you need to know about the stuff.
There are various types of ICE oil on the market as well as various brands of motor oil – as you probably noticed. The various types of ICE oil have been designed for fulfilling a particular role or purpose, and they have also been designed for various ICE types. It is important to know a bit about the oil additives used in the oil, the oil’s viscosity rating, and the oil’s classification code so that you can match the right oil for your particular vehicle’s ICE.
Oil additives
Oil additives help prevent corrosion of the metal parts inside the internal engine. Oil additives also help cut down the friction of the moving parts and work to dissolve any impurities and sludge that may form over time. The additives also prevent the oil from foaming up at high temperatures, as well as helping the oil pour better when the weather is colder and temperatures are lower.
Consumer testing has reported no real difference in engine wear between vehicles that use synthetic oils and vehicles that use mineral oils. The key is to change the oil according to the vehicle’s manufacture’s guidelines. Some people even like to change the ICE oil before the guideline period. If this is the case, there is no harm done to the engine at all; it’s just that servicing costs will be higher over time, but with the likely benefit of increasing the life of the ICE.
Obviously synthetic oils have an even more controlled level of additives included in the oil’s make-up. Some ICE designs are more prone to forming oil sludge over time, and there are those who like to use synthetic oils in order to ensure against any sludge building up inside their vehicle’s engine. There are also some people who suggest that synthetic oils are better in cold climates because these oils don’t have as many waxy compounds to congest the oil when temperatures are cold. An idea of viscosity helps us understand this better.
Viscosity
As soon as the ICE ignites into life, the engine’s parts are moving before the oil has the time to reach every single part of the internal working parts’ surfaces. It’s when the engine is started cold that the most internal wear occurs. Now, all ICE oil has a viscosity rating. Viscosity determines the oil’s ability to flow in cold weather/temperatures and thus during cold starts. The quicker the oil can get around the whole engine, the less wear and tear occurs. In cold weather, oil thickens and becomes less able to flow through the engine. It is also true that in hot weather, oil thins out. Yes – when the weather is hot the oil thins out and pours quickly, it may become so thin that it can’t prevent friction. It’s a bit of a Goldilocks situation – the oil can’t be too hot or too cold but just right.
There are two types of oil sold on the market. One is known as single viscosity oil and the other multi-viscosity oil. For many years now, almost every vehicle has been designed to run on multi-viscosity oil. Vehicle manufacturers say what type of oil should be used for their vehicles, which is determined by the oil’s viscosity according to the temperature range that the vehicle is expected to function in the working period before the oil is changed (i.e., when the engine is due for its service). The lower the number, the thinner the oil and more easily it flows. An example of the numbers you’ll see on an oil container at your local automotive parts store is 10W-40. The two numbers mean that it is a multi-viscosity oil that is effective over a range of temperatures. The 10 refers to how the oil flows at low temperatures. The 40 refers to how it flows at high temperatures. The W means that the oil can be used in winter.
The oil industry’s American Petroleum Institute (API) has an assigned symbol to certify that an oil meets the latest industry requirements, as well as a code for how well the oil protects the ICE against wear, corrosion, deposits, and oxidation. The API symbol looks like a donut, and you should see this on any reputable brand’s oil container that you can buy from your local automotive parts store. The donut symbol is used for both petrol and diesel ICEs and should be located on the outside of the oil container.

The classification codes for vehicles with petrol engines started with SA in the early 1960s. As the engines became more modern and demanding with their higher performance and fuel efficiency, the oil had also to get more refined and better able to lubricate at higher temperatures and within finer mechanical margins. Thus, the codes progressed alphabetically from SB onwards. At present, any oil coded SJ is no longer considered current, but you can use oils coded SM along with later codes in a vehicle of any age to make the engine run more smoothly and better overall.
So to recap: the lower the number after the W, the better the oil will work in cold weather; the higher the number after the W, the better the oil works in hot weather. So 0W-20 oil will be great for a vehicle used in a place like Canada through its harsh winters, but it won’t be good for a vehicle located in central Outback Australia during the heat of summer. A 30W-50 oil will be more suitable for hot Australian conditions.
I Locked My Keys Inside The Car!

According to the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia Inc (RAA), there are plenty of reasons why motorists reach out for roadside help or assistance. The obvious reasons might be having a flat battery, the car not starting, or just plain running out of fuel (or battery charge). But there is one other quite common reason for requiring roadside assistance from an experienced technician and that is you’ve locked the keys in the car! For me – and I can vouch from experience – this is the reason that tops the list of the most embarrassing reasons for a call-out.
If you make a habit of leaving the keys in the car as a fairly common occurrence, one thing that might make life a little less stressful is to hide an extra key somewhere on the outside of the vehicle’s body. You can buy a little magnetic box that’s big enough to accommodate a spare car key for the car, though not so huge you’ll be drawing a load of attention to it. For obvious reasons, it’s probably best not to have the box painted pink or some other bright colour either. The great thing about these boxes is that they can stick themselves magnetically to any metal surface which is part of the vehicle’s bodywork. One excellent area would be the vehicle’s underbody framework.
Once you’ve put the spare key inside, find yourself a great location on the bodywork in an obscure and hard to reach location. Obviously, you want it to be in a place where the wee box won’t easily be knocked off or be seen. Making it a bit difficult for yourself to reach is better than having it attached in a place where thieves can easily find it.
Fortunately, on the one hand, many of the new cars we buy come with electronic door opening mechanisms known as electronic keys or digital keys. Not so fortunately, on the other hand, there is a big downside to having these digital keys if you lose the gadget (key fob), because, as my mother has found out, it can take days to find it or cost hundreds of dollars to replace it. You may even need the help of a tow company to have the vehicle towed to a garage or local dealer.
Then there is the fact that if you’ve lost the digital key fob but have a mechanical key for opening the door, you’ll still require the digital key to start the vehicle! In this situation, and if you’re lucky enough to own the right new vehicle, the vehicle may have an override starting switch. You just need to know where its located, and that information might be in the manufacturer’s manual back at home (which is why I keep the manual in the glovebox or one of the cabin storage compartments).
There are some vehicles that have door locks that are recessed inside the interior door handle. These will likely require the help of a professional to open. But, if you have an older vehicle which has the raised lock pins on the doors on the topside of the window ledge, then these can be unlocked fairly easily with a sturdy bit of wire. If you have a bit of know-how and mechanical aptitude, then this can be a DIY job.
At any rate, if possible do make sure you do have a spare mechanical key or a spare digital key fob that you know where it is – on the car or at home. This makes the event of locking yourself out of a vehicle that much easier to deal with.
Some new cars can be unlocked via a smartphone app. This is even easier than the hidden key trick. However, if your phone is inside the car along with the keys (it happens), then you’ve really got a problem, as you can’t call for roadside assistance or a locksmith either.
More tips:
- Train yourself to check the keys before you get in or out of the car. If you have a keyless stop/start function, clip that key to your belt loops or keep it in your pocket.
- If you’re unsure who to call and you’re not part of a roadside assistance scheme, then call the non-urgent police number, not 999. The number is 131 444.
- Keep a spare in your handbag or wallet if you don’t like the idea of storing one on the car itself.
How To Change A Flat Tyre

Sometimes, it pays to go back to basics. After all, everybody has to learn the basics some time! There is a common breakdown that you should be able to manage yourself: a puncture in the tyre. With a little bit of prior knowledge, this scenario (which is more common than you might think) can be tackled confidently. If you have the original manual that came with your car when it was first bought from a dealer, then this booklet will have a set of instructions to follow so that you can familiarise yourself with the process of putting a spare tyre on. However, here is the general procedure for changing a wheel.
First of all, let’s figure out how to jack up the vehicle safely. Knowing how to properly jack up the car safely is useful for changing a flat tyre and also for doing simple inspections to wheel bearings and brakes. Jacks are used to get a vehicle off the ground. Now, a word of warning here would be that if you are going to get underneath the car and have a look while the car has been jacked up off the ground, then you must place jack stands in place to hold the weight of the vehicle. This is because if the jack fails or the car is knocked off balance, then the stands will hold the vehicle up, and you won’t get squished. I get claustrophobic enough going under a car even with the jack stands in place so the thought of doing it without is – bleught!
When you jack up the vehicle so that you can work or inspect underneath it, ensure that the vehicle’s handbrake is on, that the vehicle is in first gear (manual transmission) or in park (automatic transmission), that the wheels are chocked, and the jack stands are in place. For changing a tyre, providing the vehicle is on level ground, the handbrake is on, and the car is placed in gear, the jack will take the weight for the duration of changing the wheel. Just don’t go clambering underneath the car!
Here is the method to follow:
- Secure the vehicle so that it won’t roll (check this rather than assuming – slopes can catch you out in odd places).
- Jack up the vehicle. For changing a wheel that has a punctured tyre, I suggest you jack up the vehicle after loosening the lug nuts a little bit with the wrench provided in the vehicle puncture repair kit. Before loosening the nuts, you will need to remove the wheel cover or hubcap. You can do this by using a screwdriver or the flat end of the wheel lug’s nut wrench to lever the cover or hubcap. The reason for loosening the nuts now is because if it is the front wheel that needs replacing, it will spin freely once it loses contact with the ground as you apply torque to undo the lug nuts. You loosen the lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise (the old lefty loosey–righty tighty rule). The lug nuts will and should be fairly tight and will require plenty of torque to remove. After just loosening the nuts, jack up the vehicle completely.
- Now remove the lug nuts completely. Remove the wheel with the punctured tyre.
- Put on the spare, repaired, or new tyre/wheel. Torque up the lug nuts by hand till they are snug to the rim, then lower the car down till the tyre on the wheel makes solid contact with the ground. Now you can tighten the lug nuts all the way without the wheel spinning. Lower the car down completely.
- Put the jack and tools away.
- Drive away.
Yes, it’s that simple. If your car comes with a space saver spare tyre, your drive should be to the nearest tyre centre to get a new full-size one to replace the punctured one. Otherwise, you’re good to go. But make sure that you get a replacement for the punctured tyre. After all, the worst thing when you need to change a punctured tyre is to find an old flat tyre in the compartment instead of a nice new one.
Scenic Routes: Taking A Moment To Look Around When Driving

Recently, we flew into Sydney and had need to spend a few days to catch up with family. As we were staying in northern Sydney for a few days, we had some time between gatherings to get out and about and enjoy the sights. One of the days, we had to drive from Glenhaven up to the Hunter Valley, which is situated well north of Sydney towards Newcastle (as some of you know if you happen to live there). Wow, the Hunter Valley is a stunning place showcasing some stunning skyscapes and rolling hills around Cessnock.
Before we set off to our northern destination, we dialled up the best route with no tolls to pay on Google Maps. To our delight, we were sent on a beautiful drive through Galston Gorge. Except for a brief excursion into the Blue Mountains, up to this point we had only been travelling within Sydney itself and had little experience of any roads travelled less by the general public. This little beauty, which only kept us off the Pacific Motorway for 45 minutes or so, took us through an amazing forest with a few narrow bridges that had us skipping over steep ravines with little streams well below. Some of the turns in the road had to be taken at 5 km/h, such was the sharpness of the change in angle and the steep terrain. What a magical experience, and all of this just moments from Sydney’s urban hustle.
Another special part of the trip involved our brief look at the Blue Mountains National Park, where we travelled on the main route through Bullaburra and out to Wentworth Falls. Here we went for a decently lengthy couple of walks, one of which had us being awed by the beauty of the natural waterfalls. Some other great views of the Blue Mountains occurred as we were coming back on the homeward journey towards Sydney just as the sun was setting in all of its golden glory, carpeting the Blue Mountain forest canopy in a glowing yellow.
It got me to thinking of how easily some of those special moments are easily missed in the business of life. We could have chosen to stay in Sydney’s confines rather than take the trip south, and these adventures confirmed to me how I need to keep taking the time to enjoy the beautiful nature that’s around our home base, as well as going a little further afield when I travel somewhere new. Or maybe drive instead of fly, if time permits!
We don’t always have to travel long distances in our cars to find a magical experience in nature, where the birds are happily singing, the waterfall or river is still bubbling, and we can again discover that there isn’t that much wrong with the world after all – at least out here. Even inside our boxes of glass and steel with all the climate control, ambient lighting and connectivity, perhaps its time that we rediscovered what’s outside the bubble for a little bit. Take the scenic route, whether it’s suggested by Google Maps or not. Open the windows and smell the bush. Switch off the music and hear the crows and cockatoos squawking and screeching. If you’re the passenger, put the device down and indulge in an old-fashioned game of I Spy.
