Motor Oil Q & A

"How complicated can it be, lubricating a car engine?"

Your engine oil not only

 1. Lubricates, it also…
 2. Prevents wear
 3. Cools parts not reached by your cooling system
 4. Keeps your engine clean
 5. Neutralizes harmful acids and other contaminants
 6. Reduces friction (for fuel economy)
 7. Seals the piston rings and cylinder walls (for better oil consumption and
     performance).

With so much at stake you really should choose an oil product that you can trust.

"What about driving over dusty roads?"

Think of that dust as a cloud of microscopic little grinders, eager to sneak into your engine.  Sooner or later, particles of silicate dust will inevitably slip through your air filter. Once inside an engine they can lead to premature wear. Caban engine oils help these tiny abrasives from bunching up into larger, more dangerous debris. However, if your vehicle is regularly exposed to dust, follow the recommendation of your Owner’s Manual and change your oil more often.
 

"Can I check my oil at home if your driveway runs downhill?"

Your car should be on level ground whenever you check your oil. Even the slightest grade will affect your reading. In some vehicles, the dipstick takes its reading off to one side (not in the center) of the oil pan, which will magnify the difference. If your driveway is not suitable, how about checking your oil after work before you drive home?
 

"What does it mean when my oil light comes on?"

If your oil light comes on while you are driving, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and shut off the engine. The oil light in not a reminder that you are low on oil. It means your oil pressure has reached a dangerously low level- and your engine may be at risk. Call for roadside assistance.
 

"How does engine temperature affect my oil?"

On short trips, stop-and-go traffic or idling, all the fuel may not have a chance to burn off completely. This can leave residues – including harmful acids. Good oil will help to keep the harmful acids from settling on engine components where they could eat away at the metal.  When an engine runs hot some oils will break down and lose much of their ability to lubricate. Oil breakdown can also lead to engine deposits, piston ring problems and serious repair bills. Please choose your lubricant wisely.
 

"Why should I buy 'Caban' instead of an international ‘racing’ oil?"

Because our Caban lubricant technology is second to none. At the Caban Research Center, motor oils are developed for markets all over the world. And, U.S. motorists have the added assurance that the best-selling Caban oils are formulated and manufactured here in the U.S – to meet the rigorous demands of our climate and high industrial standards set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Yet our motor oils sell for much less than the heavily advertised ‘racing’ oils.
 

"I never burn oil. Why should I keep checking it?"

Because you are not only checking the oil – you are checking the health of your engine! If your oil level drops suddenly, there is a problem. The earlier you find it, the better your chance of avoiding costly, major repairs.
 

"How often should I check?"

Some experts say once a month; others say every time you buy gas. Now that you know you are actually checking out a lot more than the oil, you will want to have a look at the dipstick at least once a month.
 

"What is the best way to check my oil?"

Wait for the oil to settle down and cool. (Cool oil clings to the dipstick and gives a more accurate reading.)  If you check the oil when you fill up with gas, fill the tank first. This will give the oil more time to drip back into the oil pan, where the dipstick takes its level. The best time to check your oil is before you start out on a trip, when the oil is cool and the oil pan full.

"How do I go about it?"

Pull the dipstick out, wipe it off with a clean paper towel, and then push it back all the way. After checking the level, replace the dipstick firmly. This is vital to the performance of your engine; it will also help keep out dust and other contaminants.

"How is one oil any better than another?"

Most oils have an API medallion on the package, a kind of  ‘seal of approval’ that tells you the oil meets minimum standards. But at Caban, ‘minimum’ is not enough – or even close to it. We exceed those standards. (With the help of one of the best petroleum research center in North America!) The result is better protection for your engine and more trouble-free driving for your family. For trouble-free oil, look for that API medallion. But for a great one, make sure the
Caban logo is on the same container!

"What about store-bought additives?"

If you have followed your owner’s manual and bought high-quality oil, you do not need commercial additives with new cars. In fact, adding other products indiscriminately may do your engine more harms than good in the break-in stage. The chemistry of today’s engine oil is carefully formulated to protect your engine. Introducing a store-bought additive into your crankcase may upset the chemical
balance of your lubricant. It could shorten the life of your oil – perhaps even the life of your engine.

However, additives with PTFE (Teflon®) in the engine crankcase will ease the pain of the metals whenever you start your car or engine as the motor oil is still in the oil pan at that moment. You do not want your engine to run without protection … metal against metal!
 

"Do I need a different engine oil for a 4 x 4 or van?"

Choose your oil for the type of service, not the type of vehicle. If your engine sees heavy work (like when you are pulling a trailer up a long grade) a synthetic oil, such as ¨ SYNIC ¨100% Synthetic or “ SYNIC 4 x 4 “ from Caban Oil Company will handle the stress easily. (You will also enjoy faster starts and safer warm-ups in winter!)  But for most types of day-to-day driving, on or off the highway, high-quality conventional oil, such as CABAN¨ SNOWIC¨ 5W30 will do an excellent job of caring for your engine. And you will pay a good deal less than you will for those heavily advertised ‘racing’ brands.

"Will a synthetic oil really make my winter driving easier?

Not just easier, it can make winter driving possible on days when many vehicles simply will not start. Synthetic oils, such as 100% Synthetic from Caban, contain none of the wax you find in non-synthetic oils. In cold weather, crystallized wax often makes oil so stiff that the engine cannot turn over and start. But wax free Caban 100% Synthetic stay fluid at –50 degrees Celsius.

It also delivers superior protection when an engine is running hot or under stress. Synthetic chemistry is highly recommended for turbo charged engines. Why? Heat from turbocharger bearings can sometimes ‘cook’ some conventional oils immediately after the engine shuts down and there is no longer a flow of oil to cool the lubricant. Caban 100% Synthetic takes the heat – and the cold. It is our very best passenger car engine oil!

"My oil filter seems to be working well; why toss it out when I change my oil?"

An oil filter holds up to a liter of used oil. So if you change the oil but not the filter, you will have all that old lubricant – and its leftover contaminants – in with the new. Another point: your present oil filter could be plugged and you will have no way of knowing it. If that happened, your oil would simply make a detour around the filter. That means your engine would now be getting lubricated with unfiltered oil – until you decide to change filters. Play it safe – when your car is in for service, change the oil and the filter.
 

"Is there such a thing as ‘too much’ engine oil?"

Yes. Never fill past the ‘full’ line on the dipstick. Excess oil leads to foam – a mixture of oil and air. And, you should know, air is a very poor lubricant.
 

"I am only down a liter, can I let it go for now?"

Running a car engine when you are down a liter is definitely not a good idea. It means your oil supply is about 20 to 25 percent too low, and the rest of your oil is now working overtime to lubricate, clean and, yes, to cool your engine. Running when you are down a liter can boost engine temperature by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. That is hotter than the manufacturer intends. The extra heat can stress the metal and bring on premature wear. You will also shorten the productive life of your oil, encouraging piston deposits, which may bring on even
bigger problems. You are going to have to add oil sooner or later and sooner is definitely better.

"But are today’s clean-running engines a whole lot easier on oil?"

They are easier on the environment but, in some ways, much harder on your oil. Blow-by gasses that once were vented to the atmosphere are now re-circulated via the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system and sent through the combustion process once again. This burn up more pollutants but requires your oil to handle more contaminants. High-quality oil will do the job and reduce the chance of your PCV system clogging up – which would further increase the build-up of contaminants.

"I am always getting stuck in traffic! Is that as hard on my oil as it is on my nerves?"

Unfortunately, yes! When your vehicle is crawling, your fuel burns less completely than when you are driving at a normal speed. This may leave residues that can turn into acid and eat away at your engine. Well-made oils
(like those from Caban) help to keep these acids from ‘settling’ on engine components. But a lot of slow driving (or long idling) will contaminate
even the very best oil, so change it more often. It will not help your nerves but it will do wonders for your engine!
 

"Should I top up with the same brand of oil that is in the crankcase?"

All popular oils are API (American Petroleum Institute) approved, but use different formulas to earn that approval. Mixing brands can upset the chemical balance, rendering your oil less effective. Caban Motor Oil products make it easy for you to top up safely since it is available at most retail outlets in North America.
 

"Dad always used a 10w30; should I do the same as well?"

Unless you are still driving dad’s car, your owner’s manual likely recommends a 5w30 engine oil. This grade will deliver faster winter starts and safer warm-ups than a 10w30. (That ‘W’ stands for winter; and the lower number before the ‘W’, the lower the temperature it can handle.) But please keep in mind that this ‘5 or 10’ number has nothing to do with the oil’s performance at operating temperature. Once your oil has warmed up, the viscosity (or thickness) of a 5W30 oil is about the same as 10W30. In short, a well made 5W30 oil
performs better in the cold, with absolutely no penalty in performance after the oil has warmed up. Sorry Dad!
 
 

Why your oil’s grade is so important in the winter:

The wrong grade of oil will thicken up at low temperatures, making it hard for your engine to turn over and start. While you groan behind your wheel your auto groans (and groans) under the hood. Sluggish starts are hard on your engine, and your battery and your starter. If your owner’s manual suggests 5W30 oil, go with it – and you will go with a lot less hassle!
 
 

                       "Thanks for stopping by!"

You have made a good move by taking time to read this document! Now you should know how to:

 - Choose an engine oil product that will help your car performs better and lasts
   longer;

 - Keep your oil properly maintained, better protect you engine;

 - Avoid paying any more than you have to for the latest in lubricant technology.

You will find the adventure very easygoing, with no hard sell and no science degree required.

If you have enjoyed what you have learned from reading the above material, why not pass it along to a friend? Better yet, make a copy for future reference and tell your friends where you found it!

Overall, Caban Premium Oils mean visibly improved fuel economy for the life of your engine.