The engine has fast-moving components and operates under incredibly high temperatures and pressure. Oil plays a key role in ensuring that these parts work as intended. It lubricates the compression valve and intake/outlet fans to ensure they don’t wear down. It also prevents buildup and deposits.
Turbocharged engines tend to be faster and hotter than their naturally aspirated counterparts. As such, they need specialized care when it comes to oil. If you’re wondering what makes oil so essential to turbocharged engines and what the oil recommendations for turbocharged engines are, let’s take a look.
The Importance of Changing the Oil
Oil is essential to engines—not just turbocharged engines but engines in general. It provides lubrication and keeps the engine components running smoothly. There’s just one problem; oil becomes dirty over time, and, as you might expect, dirty oil is inefficient. Contaminants in oil reduce performance, fuel mileage, and engine longevity and increase harmful emissions.
How Often Should I Change the Oil?
Thankfully, changing the oil every 5,000 miles (for naturally aspirated gas engines) or 3,000 miles (for diesel or turbocharged engines) should keep your vehicle in optimal shape.
Do Turbocharged Engines Need More Oil Than Naturally Aspirated Engines?
In turbocharged engines, the oil serves two purposes—cleaning and lubricating the engine and ensuring the turbocharger is working smoothly. For this reason, many turbocharged engines require more oil than naturally aspirated engines.
Using too little oil in a turbocharged engine can damage both the engine and the turbocharger. Make sure to check the user’s manual or contact the manufacturer to find information on the engine’s oil capacity before replacing the oil.
Choosing the Best Oil for Your Engine
So what are the oil recommendations for turbocharged engines? The main factor to consider when picking out oil for your turbocharged engine is the oil viscosity. The viscosity grade of motor oil features two numbers. The first number includes the letter W and indicates the temperature for a cold start, while the second number indicates the engine’s operating temperature.
For the first number, the climate you live in matters more than anything else. If you live in a cold place, go with 0W or 5W. If you live in a place with moderate temperatures, go with 10W, and if you live in a warm place, go with 15W or 20W.
Because turbocharged engines generate a lot of heat, choose either 30 or 40 for the second number. Vehicles with a particulate filter can use either of these, but if your vehicle doesn’t have a particulate filter, stick to 30.
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