Owning a vehicle means you have several important responsibilities, especially when it comes to maintenance. Regular checks and timely oil changes are key to keeping your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently.
Different oils help keep your engine and its parts working well. The two most important and commonly used oils are engine oil (or motor oil) and gear oil (also called transmission fluid). Knowing the difference between these two oils is important for your vehicle’s health. It can help prevent costly repairs and save you a trip to the service centre.
What is Gear Oil?
Gear oil is a thick liquid that helps the gears in a car work smoothly. It’s used in parts like manual transmission and differentials. Gear oil doesn’t need to handle a lot of heat, but it helps protect the gears from getting worn out or rusty. It also makes it easier for the gears to shift without any problems. Special chemicals are added to gear oil to make it work even better.
What is Engine Oil?
Engine oil is a special liquid that helps your car’s engine work properly. The engine is like the heart of your car, and it has many moving parts. When these parts move, they can rub against each other and create heat.
Engine oil keeps these parts slippery so they don’t get too hot or damaged. It also helps cool the engine down by spreading the heat. With engine oil, your vehicle runs better and lasts longer.
Key Differences
Engine oil and gear oil are both important, but they do different jobs. Engine oil has special ingredients that help stop rust and protect the engine from heat. These ingredients also help the car use fuel more efficiently.
Engine oil deals with high temperatures, while gear oil works in places with a lot of pressure, like the gears. Gear oil is thicker and helps the gears move smoothly. It also cools them down and helps clean out tiny bits of dirt or metal.
Regular Maintenance
Engine oil and gear oil are super important for your vehicle. Check the oil often and make sure there are no leaks. This helps your car stay in good shape.
Engine oil needs to be changed more often—about every 10,000 to 15,000 kilometres. Gear oil doesn’t need to be changed as much. Sometimes, you only need to change it after 100,000 kilometres. Even if it takes longer, it’s still important to change the gear oil when needed.
Gear Oil vs. Engine Oil: Key Differences
Rust & Corrosion Protection
Gear oil helps protect metal parts in the car from rust and damage. This is important because many parts of the drivetrain are made of metal. Engines don’t have to worry about rust as much, so engine oil doesn’t focus on this.
Shock-Loading
The gears in the drivetrain can make a lot of noise and sometimes experience sudden pressure, like when you speed up quickly. Gear oil helps reduce this noise and protects the gears from damage caused by sudden pressure.
Foam
When the gears move, they can make the oil foam. If the gear oil gets too foamy, it won’t work properly because the air in the foam makes the oil thinner. This can cause the gears to rub against each other, which can cause damage. Good gear oil helps get rid of the foam to keep the gears safe.
Drivetrain Fluid Additives
Just like motor oil, gear oil has special ingredients called additives that make it work better. Some common additives in gear oil are:
- Extreme-pressure agents to protect the parts from damage.
- Pour-point depressants to help the oil work better in cold weather.
- Rust and corrosion protectors to keep the parts safe.
- Oxidation inhibitors to stop the oil from breaking down in heat.
- Viscosity improves to make the oil work well in different temperatures.
- Antifoam agents stop the foam from forming in the oil.
- Friction modifiers control how much friction is reduced between gears.
Why Choosing the Right Lubricant Viscosity is Important
Here’s why it’s really important to pick the right thickness (viscosity) of lubricant for your machine:
Protects Moving Parts
Lubricants make a thin layer between the parts that move. This helps stop the parts from rubbing against each other, which can cause damage. The viscosity (thickness) of the lubricant decides how thick that layer is. If it’s too thick or too thin, it might not protect the parts well.
Helps the Parts Move Smoothly
Lubricants reduce friction, which is when parts rub against each other. Friction creates heat, which can hurt the parts. The right viscosity helps reduce friction. If the viscosity is wrong, it might not reduce enough friction and could harm the parts.
Keeps Things Cool
Lubricants also help carry away heat from the parts to stop them from getting too hot. The viscosity affects how well it can do this. If the viscosity is wrong, the lubricant might not cool things down enough, which can cause overheating.
If you use the wrong viscosity, it can cause problems like:
- More Wear and Tear: The parts might break down faster.
- Overheating: Parts could get too hot and get damaged.
- Lower Efficiency: The machine might not work as well.
- Louder Noise: The machine might make more noise than normal.
So, choosing the right lubricant viscosity helps keep the parts safe, cool, and working well.
Also Read:
- How Does Gear Oil Contribute to Fuel Efficiency?
- How Often Should Diesel Engine Oil Be Changed for Best Performance?
- Steps to Take If You Overheat Your Motorcycle Engine Oil
How to Choose the Right Lubricant Viscosity:
- Check the Manufacturer’s Advice: Look at the recommendations from the maker of your machine. They’ll tell you which lubricant viscosity is best.
- Think About the Working Conditions: The temperature and how much weight your machine is carrying can change which viscosity you need.
- Use a Viscosity Chart: A viscosity chart can help you pick the right lubricant for your machine.
- Change the Lubricant When Needed: Lubricants can get thicker or thinner over time. Be sure to check it often and change it when necessary.
Types of Motorcycle Engine Oil
Motorcycle engine oils have two main parts: base oil and additives. The base oil helps cool and lubricate the engine, while additives make the oil work better. There are three types of motorcycle engine oils, each made for different needs and riding styles:
Mineral Engine Oil
Mineral engine oil is the regular, basic oil made from crude oil. It’s cheap and works well for smaller motorcycle engines that don’t put too much pressure on the oil. It’s good but doesn’t last as long, so people usually change it more often.
Fully Synthetic Engine Oil
Fully synthetic oil is made in a lab, so it’s very clean and pure. It’s the most expensive type of engine oil, but it works really well and lasts longer than other oils.
Semi-Synthetic Engine Oil
Semi-synthetic oil is a mix of synthetic and mineral oil. It’s in the middle for both price and performance. The quality and price depend on how much of each oil is used in the blend.
Fubex Lubricants’ 4-Stroke Engine Oil is made to keep your motorcycle engine protected, perform better, and give you a smooth ride.
What is the Viscosity Grade of Motor Oil?
The viscosity grade of motor oil tells you how thick or thin the oil is and how easily it flows inside the engine. If the oil has a low viscosity grade, it’s thinner and flows easily. If it has a high viscosity grade, the oil is thicker and flows more slowly, helping to protect the engine parts by forming a protective layer.
The viscosity of motor oil changes with temperature, so it’s important to know how it behaves when the engine is hot or cold. For example:
- Cold Starts: When it’s cold, it’s better to use oil with a low-viscosity grade. This makes it easier for the oil to flow and lubricate the engine when you first start the vehicle.
- Hot Engine: When the engine gets hot, oil with a higher viscosity grade is better. It’s thicker and forms a protective layer on the engine parts, which helps reduce wear and tear.
Choosing the right viscosity grade for your motor oil is important to keep your engine running smoothly. It helps cool the engine, lubricate the parts, and reduce damage. It also helps clean the engine and prevent rust.
In Doubt?
Changing oils, whether it’s engine oil or gear oil, can be tricky since they look similar, and the different oil grades can be confusing. To be safe, always check your vehicle’s owner’s manual and use the same grade of oil that’s recommended.
Changing the oil grade can affect how your vehicle runs. To avoid costly repairs, it’s a good idea to ask for advice from the manufacturer’s service centre or your trusted mechanic.
Final Thoughts
Knowing the difference between gear oil and engine oil is super important for taking care of your vehicle. Engine oil helps keep your engine cool and makes sure the parts don’t rub together too much. Gear oil, on the other hand, helps the gears work smoothly and protects them from pressure.
It’s really important to check and change your oil regularly to keep your vehicle running well. Always follow the instructions in your vehicle’s manual and ask a mechanic if you’re unsure. This way, you can help your vehicle last longer and avoid expensive repairs!
FAQs
Q1: How to check the capacity of gear oil?
To check your gear oil capacity, find the dipstick (if your vehicle has one), wipe it off, put it back in, pull it out again, and then check the oil level using the markings on the dipstick.
Q2: Can you mix engine oils of different viscosities?
Mixing engine oils with different viscosities might seem okay, but it’s not usually a good idea. It can damage your engine’s performance and lifespan, possibly causing poor lubrication and more wear on the engine.
