What Kind of Oil Does My Car Take?

What Kind of Oil Does My Car Take?

John Baker |Oct 29, 2015 11:30:14 AM

One way to find out is to go out to your car, dig the owner’s manual out from under the napkins and pairs of sunglasses in the glove box and look it up. Or, you can consult the AMSOIL Product Guides at amsoil.com. Simply enter your vehicle information and follow the prompts.

Your vehicle manufacturer will typically recommend an oil of a specific viscosity (e.g 5W-30) that meets the latest industry specifications. For most domestic cars and trucks today, it’s API SN. But some vehicle manufacturers recommend oils that meet their own, proprietary motor oil specifications. Although the practice is more common with European cars, General Motors recommends using a motor oil that meets its dexos1™ specification in many of its cars/light trucks. How do you know if your oil meets the appropriate specs? It should say so on the back label.

Again, however, the AMSOIL Product Guides take care of this for you. As you can see in the example, we offer three recommendations for this 2012 Chevy Malibu, allowing you to choose the level of motor oil performance you desire. Plus, all three options are recommended for the GM dexos1 specification.
 
How much oil does my car take?
Again, your owner’s manual includes this information. But so do the AMSOIL Product Guides. In the same example for the Malibu, you can see the engine and filter require five quarts of oil.

Do I need a different oil depending on operating conditions?

Back in the days of mono-grade motor oils (e.g. SAE 40), motorists commonly switched to a lighter viscosity in the winter for improved cold starts. Those days are long gone. Today’s multi-grade oils (e.g 5W-40) are formulated to deliver the best of both worlds – excellent cold-flow properties at startup combined with superior wear protection once your engine warms up. Some manufacturers, typically European, recommend a few different viscosities of motor oil, allowing you to pick the one best suited for your climate. Generally speaking, the colder the climate, the lower the “W” viscosity you want.

Motor oil is just the start – the AMSOIL Product Guides offer recommendations and fluid capacities for most lubricants your vehicle requires, making life a little easier for you. For maximum convenience, store you vehicle’s information in MyAMSOILGarage™. It’s a maintenance tracking tool that provides product recommendations, emails service reminders and more. And, best of all, it’s free.

Topics: amsoil,, Motor Oil