Recently, people have become more familiar with hybrid vehicles. Even though most of them don’t know how exactly a hybrid vehicle works, they are aware that these vehicles are better for the environment compared to those that run on internal combustion engines.

It was in 1999 when the first mass production of hybrid vehicles occurred in the US. Though these vehicles still have a long way to go before it replaces non-hybrid vehicles, their benefits cannot be ignored.

How hybrid vehicles work and why they’re efficient

Hybrid vehicles use two different propulsion energy sources. These are electric and internal combustion systems. There is less dependency on fossil fuels because they utilize electricity. Therefore, there are more miles for every gallon of performance and fewer emissions.

An internal combustion engine, a battery pack, and an electric motor are the units used by new hybrid vehicles.

Put simply, hybrid vehicles work with their electric motor and combustion engine. Aside from storing energy, the engine’s battery gets its energy through the internal combustion engine and regenerative braking.

This additional power coming from the motor makes it possible to reduce the engine idling when the car doesn’t work and operate auxiliary loads. Because of these, hybrid vehicles can save you more on fuel without compromising performance.

The importance of using the appropriate hybrid oil

The hybrid engine usually operates at a lower temperature because the electric motor reduces the work from the IC (internal combustion) engine. So, it doesn’t reach the peak operating temperature needed to boil the water that condenses in the engine oil. Hybrid engines typically can’t lubricate the engine parts properly since the oil in hybrid engines works at lower temperatures.

There’s less wear and tear when you utilize the appropriate hybrid oil when getting an oil change for your vehicle. It also extends your engine’s lifespan and lessens sludge formation.

Engine oil or regular Oil: What to use for your hybrid vehicles

There’s a tiny difference between an engine and regular oil. Though the IC engines in hybrid vehicles have traditional combustion engines, you can use regular oils.

Manufacturers give the same specs for regular and hybrid oil. So, most oils that are approved for vehicles with IC engines are also good for hybrid vehicles. But there’s a small difference that can be significant as time passes by.

The combustion engines of hybrid cars don’t operate 24/7 since the electric motor provides a large amount of power and the temperature of the IC engine to work is often lower compared to traditional vehicles. There can be a lot of engine cold starts when the IC to the electric motor switches constantly. This is the primary reason why it’s best to utilize hybrid oils when doing oil changes.

The ideal time to perform an oil change for hybrid vehicles

Similar to traditional vehicles that utilize internal combustion engines, hybrid vehicles need consistent and regular hybrid oil changes. But the oil change isn’t as frequent as the oil change with vehicles that have IC engines. This is truer when you drive your hybrid vehicle at a low speed in your area.

Hybrid vehicles don’t put much pressure on the IC engines when moving at lower speeds. The electric engine is the one that does most of the heavy lifting. When the hybrid vehicle moves at higher speeds, this is the time the IC engine is at full power.

But it’s still best to change the hybrid oil as per the owner’s manual. This is the same as traditional vehicles. This is to ensure the good health of your hybrid car’s engine.

Conclusion

Finally, you understand the option you have for hybrid car lubricants. Hybrid vehicles have gained more and more attention in the past years.

Since there’s a difference in the engine between conventional and hybrid vehicles, there’s also a difference in the lubricants used. It’s important to understand these since it affects the performance and other characteristics of your vehicle.

It doesn’t matter what kind of vehicle you have since engine or motor oil is vital in keeping the engine working. It also ensures that your vehicle is in good condition.

Since not all engine oils have the same properties, it’s important that you know how to pick the one your car needs. Now, you might be wondering what would happen if you poured the wrong oil into your engine.

Continue reading to understand better how to get the right oil when do get the next oil change. What could happen if you choose the wrong one, and how can you deal with it?

What Engine Oil Does

Engine oil is a special lubricant for various engine parts. It reduces friction, ensures maximum performance, lessens corrosion, protects your vehicle from wear and tear, and absorbs heat.

Because of the many things engine oil can do, it can prolong your engine’s life, help you save money from repair costs, and lessen fuel use. But each engine has special features. That means you can’t use just any engine oil for it. Picking inappropriate motor oil can result in serious damage to your car.

The Type of Engine Oil Needed

There are certain things you have to check when you pick the right engine oil. Some of these are specifications, type of oil, and viscosity grade for your vehicle, standards, and driving environment.

It’s recommended to go through your vehicle’s manual and check the manufacturer’s recommendation if you’re unsure about the type of oil your car needs.

What Happens When You Pick the Wrong Engine Oil

The safest way to prevent choosing inappropriate engine oil is to use the one recommended in your vehicle owner’s manual. That’s because all types of engine oils are different. If you accidentally pour the wrong engine oil, here are some of the signs you might see right away:

Burning Oil Smell

When you start your engine, the smell is one of the first things you’ll notice. Engine oils have reduced viscosity grades when the weather is hot outside. This results in a thinner consistency and losing stability. When it’s not stable, it can’t lubricate the engine properly. As a result, there’s more friction in the parts, overheating of the engine, and emitting a burning odour.

Having Difficulty Starting the Car When It’s Cold

Engine oils with low viscosity are not good in hot weather, and engine oils with high viscosity are not good in cold weather. That’s because viscous oils become thicker in cold weather which stops the flow and prevents the engine from getting lubricated. You’ll find yourself having a hard time starting the engine, or you hear the noise in the engine when it starts working.

Leaking Oil

When you park, you might see oil leaking below if your car has high mileage and uses synthetic oil or an older model that utilises mineral engine oils. That’s because the flow of synthetic oil can get through tight areas such as gaskets and leaks.

Reduced Fuel Efficiency

When you use engine oil that’s of higher viscosity than what’s recommended for your vehicle, it can result in reduced fuel economy. Viscous oils make the moving parts of your engine, such as pistons, more resistant. So, your engine has to burn more fuel to reduce the resistance.

What to Do to Resolve This

Even though you can still drive your car with the wrong engine oil, you’re putting it and its parts at risk for damage if you continue doing so. As a result, it becomes less dependable and has a shorter lifespan. It’s best to visit the nearest oil change shop so they can make sure there is no further damage to the vehicle.

Conclusion

It is important to choose the correct engine oil to maximise your vehicle’s performance, make sure it works properly, and prolong its lifespan. What you need to remember is to follow the recommended oil by your car manufacturer and get a professional oil change shop to change the oil in your vehicle.

Industrial oils have been irresponsibly utilized in recent years. Accidental spillage or inappropriate disposals of lubricants are serious dangers to the environment. The good news is many companies deal with this issue by making various eco-friendly lubricants. Continue reading to learn more about these.

How Lubricants Affect the Environment

One of the top pollutants is lubricants. Non-environmentally friendly lubricants, such as those from crude oil, hurt the environment. That’s because they contaminate the air, groundwater, and soil. They enter plant tissues which put marine and terrestrial living things in danger.

Also, they can cause illnesses in humans, such as diseases to the nervous and respiratory systems, cancer, and allergies.

Different Eco-Friendly Lubricants

You likely understand how important it is to use eco-friendly lubricants. But you need to remember that not all base oils, such as petroleum, are good for the environment. Here are some of the environmentally friendly base oils you can consider using:

Synthetic Esters

These are the most common options for the base of biodegradable oils. These are collected from organic or inorganic acid that causes a reaction with alcohol. Synthetic esters are eco-friendly since they are highly biodegradable and non-toxic.

These are great for different oil thicknesses because they have a low pour point, high thermal stability, low volatility, and high viscosity index. They are perfect for applications with high and low temperatures. They are considered good for oil changes and as a lube for your car.

Polyalkylene Glycols

Polyalkylene glycols come from the reaction when ethylene and propylene oxides come in contact with water or alcohol. Aside from being very clean, they have good shear stability, a low pour point, and high viscosity index.

Products derived from this lubricant are called compressor lubes. These are used in different industries such as hydraulic machinery and metalworking. For metal-to-metal applicants, they provide amazing lubrication and are perfect for temperatures that range from -40°C to 200°C.

However, these are expensive and incompatible with other lubricants which are the reason why it’s not commonly used.

Vegetable Lubricants

One of the most effective alternatives to mineral-based lubricants is vegetable oils. They’re from raw plants such as soybeans, canola, sunflower seeds, and turnip rape among many others.

These oils have excellent lubrication and properties such as anti-rust, high viscosity index, anti-wear, high flash points, and anti-oxidation. Since vegetable lubricants are purely natural, they offer a lot of benefits to the environment such as being non-toxic and biodegradable.

Bio-Based Lubricants

These are also known as bio-lubricants. From the name itself, this is an oil type that comes from bio-based raw materials such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and other environmentally friendly hydrocarbons.

Not only are these lubricants sustainable and renewable, but they also have great lubricating properties compared to mineral lubricants. For instance, they have excellent lubrication, good shear resistance, and a high viscosity index.

These can also be utilized in open and closed systems. Total-loss lubricants are the oils that are utilized in open systems since it leaves the system when in operation. These are often two-stroke oils utilized in metalworking and chainsaws among many others.

Sadly, because of the limitation in production, bio-based lubricants are rarely used.

Green Lubricants

In the past couple of years, green lubricants have been gaining fame. Its name may seem appealing, but it can be very misleading. That’s because not all marketed green products are not helpful for the environment. These products don’t normally have heavy metals and other harmful ingredients. But these don’t mean that they are biodegradable and from bio raw oils.

When choosing an eco-friendly lubricant, you have to make sure that they’re biodegradable and derived from bio-raw oils. This means that the lubricant you’re getting is good for the environment, degrades fast, and doesn’t leave poisonous substances,

Conclusion

Finally, you know some of the lubricants that are good for the environment. Lubrication of machines, equipment, and vehicles is very important in all industries. If these industries don’t use an environmentally friendly oil change for their equipment, it can be a serious threat to the earth. Inappropriate storage and spillage can contaminate land, water, soil, and living things including humans.

This is why it’s essential to choose eco-friendly lubricants. Not only are they biodegradable and bio-based, but they are also made to address pollution without affecting the performance of machines, equipment, and vehicles.