On almost every engine oil canister label, you can find information about its viscosity grade, specifications and automakers' approvals. Let's try to decipher the meaning of engine oil markings: For more insights jump to: Will a 0W20 engine be harmed by 5W20?

What may be on the oil canister label:

SAE viscosity grade.As you know, one of the most important quality characteristics of the oil is its viscosity. It is on it that the degree of oil distribution over the friction surfaces depends, and, ultimately, the engine resource. For ubiquitous oils, the first number (next to W) is the winter class, after the hyphen "summer" class. The lower the numbers, the more liquid the oil. The correct lubrication of the engine depends on the viscosity grade, especially during starting and warming up the engine at negative temperatures. Thinner oil works better in freezing temperatures and saves fuel by 2%. Thicker oil is more reliable when the engine overheats, in hot climates and for old worn out engines. The most common classes that are safe for any engine are 5W-30 and 5W-40. In extremely low temperatures (-40 and below), oils 0w-20 and 0w-30 are recommended. For old and worn out: 15w-40. Be careful with oils of grades 0w-40 and 0w-50, they can be dangerous to your engine.

API and ACEA specifications . The specifications were designed to make oil selection easier for motorists and professionals. When using oil according to its "own" specification, wear and tear and the risk of engine breakdown are reduced, oil wastage, fuel consumption, noise is reduced, engine performance is improved (especially at low temperatures), and the service life of the catalyst and exhaust purification system is increased. Most common API SN grades (American and Asian gasoline engines from 2010) ACEA A3 / B3 (high performance oils for modern gasoline and light diesel engines)

Car manufacturer approvals. A system of tolerances is also common among European manufacturers. In the marking hierarchy, tolerance is at the highest level. The presence of an admission means that the oil in one form or another has passed "quality control" within the manufacturer of your car and is recommended by them for use on certain models and under certain conditions. Examples of approvals: MB-APPROVAL 229.5, WV 504.00 ,

FORD WSS M2C

Barcode.  Often, the country of production is not indicated on the label, however, by the first digits of the barcode, you can always accurately determine where the oil was made. See the table of the first digits of the most common barcodes:

Batch number and production date. The batch number is usually indicated on the oil canister itself (not on the label), this is a unique number that is assigned to a batch of lubricant produced in one day on one mixer. The date of production may also be indicated there. Although the shelf life of the oils is as much as three years, it will not be superfluous to make sure that the product is not stitched. If you have any suspicions about the authenticity of the oil , you need to send the batch number and the photo of the label to the manufacturer, in the overwhelming majority of cases your request will be considered and you will receive a prompt response.

Pseudo-labeling. In most cases, engine oil manufacturers add a large amount of information to the label, which is not a generally recognized standard marking, but should distinguish this oil from others, show its benefits. Usually, this labeling does not have any technical roots and is the fruit of the creativity of marketers who exploit our misconceptions. Examples: fully syntetic, HC, cleansing, ester, smart molecule, antiwear, etc.

Special categories of motor oils. There are motor oils of special, mainly industrial use. As a rule, these oils are seriously different from ordinary automobile oils, they differ in characteristics, and it is not allowed to use them for other purposes. Examples: marine, aviation oils, for gas-piston stationary engines, tractor oils.