Learn the Label Lingo Selecting the Best Oil for Your Vehicle

Choosing a motor oil today is no simple task when you are faced with shelves full of different brands. Determining the right oil for your vehicle can be confusing as you must decide which oil to use based on past experiences, choosing the brand your ‘Dad always used’, or leaving that decision to your service advisor or mechanic.

While the basic mechanics of an engine has remained the same over time, improvements in today’s engines require different levels of key motor oil components. These changes combined with emission standards have required motor oil manufacturers to make changes in formulations in order to adapt to the “new standard.” With what seems like a myriad of acronyms and numbers on the label, it can be difficult to determine which one is the best oil for your vehicle.

Setting the Standards

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) sets the standards for motor oil performance in the United States. Motor oil in its various viscosities or thickness is tested on its resistance to flow when exposed to various degrees of temperatures found under normal vehicle operating conditions.

While there are mono-grade oils available on the market, multi-grade oils are more common based on the consistency of the viscosity when used in a range of temperatures and driving conditions. The cold temperature standard (W grades) indicates the maximum cold temperature viscosity. The second number after the dash is the warm temperature standard or minimum hot temperature viscosity.

Quality Symbol

The American Petroleum Institute (API) engine oil quality mark can be found on the motor oil label as a Certification Mark “Starburst” and Service Symbol “Donut.” Both symbols can help consumers identify quality motor oils, but each indicates different standards met by the respective oils. 

According to the American Petroleum Institute, motor oil displaying the API Certification Mark or “Starburst” signifies that, “The oil has met the current engine protection standard and fuel economy requirements of the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC).”

The API Service Symbol or “Donut” stands for motor oils that fall under the API “S” Service or “C” Commercial categories. The letter “S” followed by another letter represents oils suitable for gasoline engines. The letter “C” followed by another letter or number denotes oil for diesel engines. To ensure companies who obtain API licensing for their products continue to follow industry technical specifications, the API Engine Oil program is supported by an enforcement program and continuous monitoring.

Royal Purple SN Licensed

Royal Purple’s API licensed motor oils are designed for new and vehicles under warranty, delivering superior protection and improving performance in gasoline and diesel engines. Royal Purple’s API SN licensed motor oils meet ILSAC GF-5 and Dexos1™1 performance requirements, and are fully compatible with mineral or other synthetic oils. Royal Purple SAE SN motor oils are available in 0W-20, 0W-40, 5W-20, 5W-30, 5W-40, 10W-30, 10W-40, 15W-40 and 20W-50 multi-grade weights. Royal Purple also produces mono-grade motor oils in SAE 30, SAE 40 and SAE 50 weights.

Royal Purple High Performance

To meet the needs of vehicle owners who want to maximize their vehicle’s performance and protect their high performance or modified engines, Royal Purple offers a high performance motor oil for vehicles no longer under warranty. The Royal Purple High Performance Street (HPS) series motor oils contain higher levels of zinc and phosphorus anti-wear additives and Royal Purple’s proprietary Synerlec® additive technology. This unique combination allows HPS to outperform leading synthetic and conventional motor oils. HPS motor oils are suitable for both gasoline and diesel engines and are available in: 5W-20, 5W-30, 10W-30, 10W-40 and 20W-50.

Knowing how to read the label of the motor oil bottle is important when it comes to choosing the best oil for your vehicle. Before you purchase your oil or take your vehicle in for an oil change, consult your owner’s manual for the recommended viscosity. Royal Purple suggests following the manufacturer’s oil change intervals when using API licensed SN oil. Consumers using Royal Purple HPS can improve engine performance and the overall life of their vehicle. If you have questions about Royal Purple products contact the Technical Department at rpautotech@royalpurple.com.

Royal Purple Available in Convenient 5-Quart Bottle

Royal Purple has announced the addition of the new motor oil 5-quart bottle in convenient and updated packaging. A variety of consumers from Do-It-Yourself garage gurus to mechanics and shop owners will find the new 5-quart bottles more economical, environmentally friendly, and easier to store with better pour and use capabilities.

According to Royal Purple’s National Accounts Manager Jared Martin, “Multi-quart packaging is becoming an industry trend, occupying an average of 40%, and growing, on major retailer plan-o-grams.”

Consumers will note that in addition to maintaining the exclusive Royal Purple trademarked purple bottle and yellow cap, the new bottle also features an embossed logo that serves as an anti-counterfeiting measure. “The embossed logo required the creation of a special mold and would be very difficult to replicate,” said Royal Purple packager Oscar Botello.

“There have not been any incidents to date, but we know our rapid growth and expansion into additional international markets makes RP (Royal Purple) more tempting to counterfeiters. We also thought it was important to upgrade the look of the bottle to convey the quality of the product it contains,” said Mark McFann, Vice President of Marketing and Sales. “We’re simply trying to be proactive,” he added.

Royal Purple will be available in the 5-quart bottle in the following viscosities: 0W-20, 5W-20, 5W-30 and 10W-30. Look for the new bottles on national retailer shelves and online via e-retailers in early October. The 5-quart bottles are slated to replace the one-gallon bottles in Royal Purple’s SAE gasoline engine oil lineup.

Royal Purple 5-Quart Bottle and Case Part Numbers

SAE 0W-20 GF5/SN Motor Oil 5-Qt. Bottle	51020
SAE 5W-20 SN Motor Oil 5-Qt. Bottle	51520
SAE 5W-30 SN Motor Oil 5-Qt. Bottle	51530
SAE 10W-30 SN Motor Oil 5-Qt. Bottle	51130
SAE 0W-20 GF5/SN Motor Oil 4/5-Qt. Case	54020
SAE 5W-20 SN Motor Oil 4/5-Qt. Case	54520
SAE 5W-30 SN Motor Oil 4/5-Qt. Case	54530
SAE 10W-30 SN Motor Oil 4/5-Qt. Case	54130

Royal Purple Expands to Meet Production Demand

High performance synthetic lubricant manufacturer Royal Purple Inc. recently expanded their production capacity with the addition of six new 35,000 gallon blend tanks at their production facility located at their headquarters in Porter, TX. This increase will significantly allow Royal Purple to meet the industrial and automotive retail market’s demand for product.

Combined with the existing tanks, the new tanks will provide an increase in capacity by 300 percent. “Offloading raw material directly into these new blend tanks greatly increases our current raw material storage capacity,” said Leigh McClellan, Royal Purple Production Manager. Royal Purple will also install two new packaging lines dedicated to the new tanks, doubling production’s packaging capacity.

This year Royal Purple has introduced several new products to the automotive retail market including the new High Performance Street (HPS) series motor oil, High Performance Marine (HPM) multi-vis 30 and 40 motor oil and 80W-90 gear lube, 0W-20 API SN licensed motor oil and Racing ATF. Packaging has been improved with a new embossed logo on the trademarked purple bottle that serves as an anti-counterfeiting measure, and a convenient 5-quart bottle. The industrial segment continues to be strong providing high performance lubricants for a wide range of industrial applications.

Royal Purple Introduces New 0W-20 Motor Oil

Royal Purple announces the release of their new 0W-20 motor oil.  The introduction of this viscosity was prompted by Toyota and Honda recommending zero weight synthetic motor oil for a growing number of new models.  Lower viscosity oils are used to help improve fuel economy.  

Royal Purple 0W-20 exceeds industry standards and is an American Petroleum Institute (API) SN licensed motor oil.  It provides distinct performance advantages.

·         Synthetic defense against wear - Superior additive technology decreases metal-to-metal contact and exceeds the wear protection requirements of both dexos1™ and International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee (ILSAC) GF-5 specs.

·         Optimized fuel efficiency and ethanol compatibility – Its low coefficient of friction results in greater fuel efficiency. It also offers improved compatibility with fuels containing ethanol. Advanced additive technologies prevent white sludge and lubrication starvation that can occur with ethanol fuel, even at levels of 20% or higher.

·         Extended emissions protection - Patented ZDDP additive technology optimizes catalytic converter life.

·         Maximum corrosion protection - No rust was observed in standard industry corrosion tests.

Royal Purple SAE 0W-20 will be available at performance retailers this summer. Royal Purple recommends using their premium synthetic oil filter with the new 0W-20 for maximum protection against contamination. 

Videos demonstrating Royal Purple performance advantages can be viewed at http://www.royalpurple.com/rp-videos.html. For more information about the new 0W-20, Royal Purple oil filters and other Royal Purple products, visit www.royalpurple.com.

Improve Snowmobile Performance and Reliability

The last thing a snowmobile rider wants to experience is a breakdown on the trails. Protecting the engine and keeping it clean are simple steps to ensure the long life of your sled. An inexpensive and easy way to enhance your snowmobile’s performance and reliability is to upgrade motor oil.  

It’s become generally accepted that synthetic lubricants provide a higher level of performance than conventional mineral based lubricants. What many are not aware of is that there are meaningful differences in lubricant performance due that aren’t due to the base oil used, but instead is due to the unique combination of additives manufacturers use for their brand of motor oil. Additives account for 15 to 25 percent of the makeup of motor oil, but can impact a lubricant’s performance more than the type of base oil being used. For example, mineral base oil with a very good additive package can outperform synthetic base oil with a mediocre additive package. While there is no way for a consumer to determine the quality of the additives in the motor oil, a good indicator is price since advanced additive technologies cost more to produce.

Some of the biggest technological advances in lubrication are now coming through advancements in chemical additives. 

These breakthroughs have been developed by a handful of companies that specialize in high-performance lubricants, as opposed to major oil companies whose primary focus is refining and selling crude oil by products like gasoline and other fuels.  For instance, high-performance lubricant company Royal Purple has developed a unique additive technology that enables its snowmobile oil to outperform other leading synthetics.  

Royal Purple proprietary additive technology Synerlec, increases the ‘film strength’ of the synthetic base oil.  The exceptionally high film strength of their Snow 2-C snowmobile oil significantly reduces friction and improves sealing in the combustion chamber.  This translates into increased horsepower, dramatically reduced wear, better fuel economy and lower emissions.    The low ash formulation burns clean and will not leave harmful deposits like many two-cycle oils.  The solvency of the synthetic base oil keeps spark plugs and exhaust ports clean.  

High performance snowmobile oils like Royal Purple Snow 2-C are typically harder to find at traditional retailers but can be ordered online through e-commerce sites such as Amazon.com. 

So how do you choose the right snowmobile oil for you?

How to Choose Mineral-based (conventional) motor oils.  These are the cheapest and most widely available oils.  They typically use standard additive packages that provide minimum levels of performance and protection.  

Synthetic motor oils. These man-made oils are more expensive that mineral-based oils but are still widely available.  Their performance advantages come predominantly from the synthetic base oil used. They have a longer service life and offer some improvements in protection. They often use the same additive packages found in mineral-based oils. 

High performance ‘specialty’ synthetic motor oils.  These motor oils are the most technologically advanced oils. They significantly outperform mineral based or synthetic motor oils and are about the same price as standard synthetic motor oil.  These oils primarily differ in their use of more advanced, proprietary additive technologies. They are typically only available through specialty stores and online. 

Still confused?  For a snowmobile with little life left in it, stick with the cheap mineral-based motor oil. If you own a snowmobile you plan to keep for a few years and want to get a little better performance from, you should at least upgrade to synthetic motor oil.  To get the best performance and protection for your snowmobile that you really care about and want to last, upgrade to high performance snowmobile oil.