A great deal of research and new technology have advanced the fields of oil lubrication and contamination through oil filters. If you still think (as many do), that “All oil filters do the same thing, so why pay more for a brand name?” then it may be time to reconsider. Lubrication research continues to improve how lubricants (such as oils) protect moving parts, increase fuel economy, and extend the life of your engine. The lubrication industry has continually upgraded the quality of engine crankcase oils, grease (chassis, wheel bearings), transmission fluids, hydraulic fluids, gear oils, and brake fluids.

The thought that all oils are the same implies that a piece of equipment built five years ago requires the same lubricants as the same type of equipment being built today. But fuel conservation, lower emissions, new materials, and better manufacturing (tighter equipment tolerances) all combine to require specialized oils and filters for today’s equipment that older models did not have.

As lubrication needs have evolved, trucks, plant harvesters, sprayers, trailers, and engines depend on l- e proper oil to keep internal parts operating and functioning properly within the equipment specifications. As equipment specifications change, manufacturer’s design and upgrade oil lubricants to meet the new demands. That’s why it is important to identify and select the proper oil and filter based on the equipment manufacturer rather than basing your selection on cost.

Performance and compatibility must come first; price should come second.

While lubricants and filters may look similar and be packaged alike, remember that it’s what you don’t see inside the product that allows it to perform a certain way. Separating products that perform well from those that do not perform as well can be challenging, because the technical information is conveyed in a coded language consisting of numbers and abbreviations. These numbers and abbreviations are the industry standards that lubricant manufacturers use when they build their products.

The purpose of this publication is to demystify these numbers and abbreviations so that you will be able to distinguish the differences between oils and oil filters. Understanding these terms will help you choose the best (which is not always the cheapest or even the most expensive) engine oils and oil filters for your equipment and application. In the long run, choosing the correct oil and filter will increase equipment reliability, enhance operating performance, lower maintenance costs, and extend your equipment’s service life.

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In recent years, the cost of inappropriate drain intervals to the economy, to the environment and to car owners has received closer inspection. In the United States, the average car owner changes his/her oil at just less than 5,000 miles. Conversely, in Europe the average oil change interval is more than 10,000 miles.

Assuming 10,000 miles is a more optimum interval, approximately 300 million to 400 million gallons of engine oil (worth about $1.5 billion, not including labor) in the United States are consumed unnecessarily. With increasing environmental and economic pressures, the potential waste can no longer be easily glossed over.

There are, however, negative consequences to overextended oil drains. In diesel engines for instance, overextended oil drain intervals have been shown to increase engine wear by more than 20 percent with a corresponding reduction in horsepower and fuel consumption. One could safely project that overextended drains in passenger car applications would have a similar negative outcome. This of course presents a real dilemma to the car owner.

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