Oil & Additives
How do I know which oil is best for my car?
Simple! Just ask one of our helpful team members who will offer clear advice as to which oil is best for your vehicle.
Which brands and what quantities of oil do you stock?
We stock all leading brands of oil, including Castrol, Millers, Mobil, Duckhams, Fuchs and Shell to name but a few. All oils are available in a handy one litre top up sizes as well as larger four and five litre containers.
What additives do you have and what are they for?
We stock all sorts of additives to treat/prevent all sorts of problems. With manufactures including Slick50, Redex, K-Seal, Wynns, Molyslip, STP, Lucas and Millers; we can provide you with the right additive to treat such problems as..
• Blocked carburetors and injectors leading to poor fuel consumption and a loss of performance
• Poor emissions
• Smoking/Excessive oil consumption
• Oil leaks
• Power steering fluid leaks
• Radiator coolant leaks
• Gearbox leak
We also stock a range fuel additives for two stroke engines and vehicles requiring leaded fuel substitutes, as well as a wide range of substitutes and additives designed to increase the efficiency and longevity of your engine and gearbox.
What does the ‘viscosity’ of an oil mean?
Viscosity is a measure of the thickness of an oil. The viscosity of the oil at low and high temperatures is measured on a scale determined by the Society of Automotive Engineers and given a number known as the SAE number. The higher the SAE number, the thicker oil. Therefore an SAE 30 oil will be thinner than an SAE 40.
What is meant by multigrade?
Multigrade oils were developed in the 1960’s and have a designation in the format 20w50. Prior to this, all oils were monogrades.
This was made possible by the invention of polymers. Polymers are clever molecules that expand as they get hotter. Therefore a multigrade oil can have the viscosity of an SAE20 when it is cold and the viscosity of an SAE50 when hot. This removes the necessity to change from a thin oil in the winter to a thicker oil in the summer.
The 20w number is the cold viscosity and the 50 number is the viscosity at 100 centigrade.
What is the difference between a mineral and synthetic oil?
Both types begin with crude oil. Mineral oil is obtained directly from the refining process, whereas synthetic oils are subjected to chemical processing which alters and improves its chemical structure. Synthetic oils therefore have better performance than mineral oils at higher and lower temperatures, but are inherently more expensive.
As with mineral oils, there are differing levels of quality within the definition of synthetic oils, but the general advantages are:
• Better flow at low temperatures enabling thinner oils to be manufactured. Thinner oils are required by modern engine designers to help reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
• Higher film strength thereby reducing wear.
• More stable and less volatile at high temperatures, reducing oil consumption