₦airaland Forum

Topic for Today - Engine Oils

Before performing an engine oil change, always check your vehicle service manual to know the rating approved by the manufacturer. The oil rating for your vehicle can also be found on the oil cover located in the engine bay. Please note that engine oils can either be fully synthetic or mineral blends. Examples are 5W-20, 0W-40, 5W-30, 20W-50, 5W-40 e t.c. Using the approved oil rating for your vehicle reduces engine wear, improves performance and gas mileage. When in doubt, consult a certified service technician for guidance.

Nefo Anieto
Motoring Czar @ AML Automobile

Most times, you don’t get to see the exact oil type are there recommended shops to buy from or alternatives which serve as substitutes to the ones written on the oil cover.

sultanemerald:
Most times, you don’t get to see the exact oil type are there recommended shops to buy from or alternatives which serve as substitutes to the ones written on the oil cover.

Very True. There are times people find it difficult to buy the exact engine oil recommended by the manufacturer. I will suggest you go for Mobil, Castrol, Total, Forte. Mobil has a wide range of engine oils, Castrol is marketed by Eterna Oil Plc and they have a big presence in Lagos and environs. Total has Quartz 5000, 7000 etc. Havoline has been relaunched in Nigeria and is marketed by Forte Oil. So I suggest you visit major filling stations when buying engine oil. You can also order castrol engine oil direct from the company. Please note that there are adulterated engine oils out there. Do not patronize road size dealers. There are chances that what they are selling is fake and this will cause serious problems for your engine.

Topic for Today - Transmission & Differential Fluids.

Before performing a transmission or differential fluid flush, always check your vehicle service manual to know the type approved by the manufacturer. Many people tend to either ignore their transmission altogether, or simply do not understand how it works. It can be confusing when standing in a lube shop and trying to pick out the right transmission fluid for your car. Transmission fluids can be manufacturer specific or aftermarket. Example: Toyota T-IV, Nissan Matic J, Honda DW1, BMW D2. For manual transmissions, most manufacturers recommend that fluid be changed every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Under heavy-duty use, some manufacturers suggest changing transmission fluid every 15,000 miles. Whereas for automatics, service intervals can vary from every 30,000 miles to never. The typical service interval is 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Please note that changing it more often does no harm. Using the approved transmission fluid for your vehicle can make your engine run cleaner, prevent gear lock up and saves you lots of money in transmission repairs. When in doubt, consult a certified service technician for guidance.

Nefo Anieto
Motoring Czar @ AML Automobile

Topic for Today - Spark Plugs

Spark plugs can go bad for a number of reasons. This may cause engine misfires, rough idling, engine surging, high fuel consumption and lack of acceleration. Before replacing your spark plugs, always check your vehicle service manual to know the interval recommended by the manufacturer. However, the actual timing of replacement will vary depending on other factors. The best type of spark plug for your vehicle is most likely the same kind that came from the manufacturer. There are lots of spark plug brands to choose from: Autolite, NGK, Bosch and Denso. Please note that there are different types of spark plugs which include following:

1. Copper core or Standard spark plug (Lasts up to 40,000 to 55,000 miles)
2. Platinum spark plug (Lasts up to 80,000 to 90,000 miles)
3. Double Platinum spark plug (Lasts over 100,000 miles).

Note: Avoid buying fake spark plugs as this may wear out easily and cause damage to your engine. Remember when in doubt, consult a certified service technician for guidance.

Nefo Anieto
Motoring Czar @ AML Automobile

In the case of 5w-20 and 20w-50 are they the same oil because 20w-5 is mostly used for 5w-20 as it's more common.

Nefo:
Very True. There are times people find it difficult to buy the exact engine oil recommended by the manufacturer. I will suggest you go for Mobil, Castrol, Total, Forte. Mobil has a wide range of engine oils, Castrol is marketed by Eterna Oil Plc and they have a big presence in Lagos and environs. Total has Quartz 5000, 7000 etc. Havoline has been relaunched in Nigeria and is marketed by Forte Oil. So I suggest you visit major filling stations when buying engine oil. You can also order castrol engine oil direct from the company. Please note that there are adulterated engine oils out there. Do not patronize road size dealers. There are chances that what they are selling is fake and this will cause serious problems for your engine.

Looking for where to buy genuine spark plugs and oil filters??

https://www.sparkplugsunlimited.com

sultanemerald:
In the case of 5w-20 and 20w-50 are they the same oil because 20w-5 is mostly used for 5w-20 as it's more common.

No sir. 5W-20 is different from 20W-50. The latter is a mineral blend oil and heavier than 5w-20 blend which is synthetic. You will find 20w-50 easily in any auto market and it is very cheap. Most technicians or rather 'kazeems' go for this when doing tune ups. However, it is not suitable for newer engines. Always check your vehicle manufacturer specs before doing an oil change.

Topic for Today - Engine Oil Capacities/Engine Oil level

Before performing an engine oil change, always check your vehicle service manual to know the oil capacity specified by the manufacturer. Engines have different filling capacities and it is important not to exceed approved levels. This is often measured in quarts or litres. (Example: 5 Quarts = 4.732 Litres) Adding too much oil to your car can cause severe engine damage, same way running the car with less oil will do. When you overfill the crankshaft, this will cause the oil to foam due to the high rotation of the crankshaft. The foamed oil cannot lubricate the car and can even halt the oil distribution to the rest of the parts. The engine, as a result, would lock up because of not getting enough oil for combustion. If your service manual is not available, you can run a quick check on this website:

https://www.oil-change.info

This website contains information on engine oil capacities and oil change intervals for numerous car models. Remember when in doubt, consult a certified service technician for guidance.

Nefo Anieto
Motoring Czar @ AML Automobile