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Engineering Explained gives a crash course on motor oil

What do the ratings mean? And why is synthetic oil better than conventional?

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Jon Wong Former editor for CNET Cars
Jon Wong was a reviews editor for CNET Cars. He test drove and wrote about new cars and oversaw coverage of automotive accessories and garage gear. In his spare time, he enjoys track days, caring for his fleet of old Japanese cars and searching for the next one to add to his garage.
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Watch this: AutoComplete for July 11, 2016: Next step in Tesla's 'masterplan' is coming and engine oil 101


Shopping for motor oil can be awfully confusing with all the different ratings out there. Then there is the option of going with conventional or more expensive synthetic oil, which adds another layer of complexity to the purchasing decision.

If you're not sure what all the numbers on the motor oil label mean, check out the Engineering Explained video below for a rundown. You'll learn about SAE ratings, viscosity and the advantages synthetic oil have over conventional oil.

For folks who like to put off oil changes, there's also an interesting demo at the end of the video to show the different flow characteristics between new and used motor oil. After watching that, you may just want to get your oil changed on time all the time going forward.

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