What do the grading numbers indicate?
All oils have grade numbers or indexes that indicate their viscosity. This is the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) grade. In the past, oils were single-grade and only had one viscosity indicator. Nowadays, oils are multigrade , but that shouldn't lead us to the mistake of thinking which has two viscosities . The first number is accompanied by a W (Winter), and this tells us the viscosity it has when cold, but it doesn't mean it has that exact viscosity. The second number tells us the viscosity at operating temperature (hot), and this is the original viscosity of the oil.
To explain the first indicator a little better, the one that tells us how it behaves in cold conditions, we'll take SAE 10W40 oil as an example. The first number is known as the oil's viscosity in cold conditions, when that's not quite the case; what it really indicates is how the oil behaves in cold conditions. That is, 10W40 is a viscosity 40 oil, which behaves like a 10 in cold conditions , but that doesn't mean it's a 10 in cold conditions. The first number is an estimate of its performance.
To better understand, multigrade oils are actually single-grade, but with chemical and refined additives, which make a viscosity 40 oil a grade 40 oil that, when cold, takes longer to reach all parts of the engine like a grade 10.
The period of greatest wear and tear on an engine is during startup and the seconds following. At this point, the oil is practically at the bottom of the crankcase, and in just a few seconds, it must travel throughout the engine to reach all its parts. The lower the index, the less viscous, and therefore, the faster it reaches all parts.
Regarding the second number , this is the most important index, as it is the original viscosity of the oil and its operating temperature. This index is the one stipulated and studied by the motorcycle manufacturer for the engine, and one we should not deviate from lightly.
Remember that at MUNDIMOTOS you can find the ideal type of oil for your motorcycle. You can buy it easily and quickly through our websitehttps://mundimotos.com/collections/aceites or through our WhatsApp (+57 3154441160).
