Motor Oil: The Internal Combustion Engine

The internal combustion engine and the motor oil that lubricates it have allowed for a complete transformation of the way we view geographical space. The question of how the internal combustion engine came to be, or who invented it, is not a simple one. A great number of engineers and scientists throughout history have designed its various parts, originally for other purposes. One of the many crucial parts of the engine is the oil that lubricates it. Without it, the amount of friction and heat would prevent the engine from working properly. Not only does the oil reduce heat by directly reducing friction, it also literally moves heat away from the moving parts of the engine. Having a regular oil change generally improves the performance of an engine and prevents damage and breakdown.

Motor oil also has other benefits. It protects the parts of the engine from accumulating small pieces of metal that a produced by the parts moving together. It removes these bits, as well as protecting the metal parts of the engine from corroding or otherwise being damaged by their intense environment. Motor oil is used in internal combustion engines that power a wide variety of technologies, including vehicles such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, as well as the in engines in power generators and other similar technologies.

There are several different types of motor oil, and technological innovations have brought forth new kinds of oil for a variety of purposes. Synthetic oils, bio-based oils, and motor oils that are derived from plastic waste are some of the motor oils that research has produced. When getting an oil change, it is important to know what is available and what will work best in your vehicle.

Synthetic oils were originally created by German scientists during World War II for military purposes. These human-made oils could withstand greater temperature differences than geologically produced oil. Today there are a variety of synthetic oils available to consumers, although they are usually more necessary in extreme conditions. When looking to have an oil change, consider the options available and the needs of your vehicle when choosing which motor oil to use.

Bio-based oils and oils derived from plastic waste were created as more sustainable possibilities, as the realization that we will eventually face an end to the age of easily-obtainable oil set in. Bio-based oils have been around longer than geologically produced oils, but like the electric car, were put on the back burner until the recent increase in awareness of the inevitable limit that will be reached when it becomes too expensive to extract oil from the earth.

Inevitably, any engine will eventually need an oil change. Doing some research and reading your vehicle’s manual are the best ways to determine when your vehicle needs an oil change.