Anything Auto Immune

Reduced to essentials, engine oil is designed to perform two jobs: 1. lubricate (that is, reduce the friction between the engine’s moving parts, such as the crankshaft, bearings, pushrods, and piston rings); and 2. cool (remove the heat created by friction and combustion). Though most folks believe that the primary mission of oil is lubrication, oil company technicians will tell you that cooling is really far more important.
The reason for this is simple: The coolant and radiator can remove only part of the heat created in the modem engine.The vehicle really depends on circulating oil to remove heat from such key components as piston rings, rod and main bearings, timing chain and gears, cylinder walls, and cylinder heads. And here is where penny- pinching on oil filters can hurt you big time:A cheap filter clogs more easily, and a clogged oil filter can hinder oil circulation to the point where cooling ability is so compromised that major mechanical fail- tire—such as burned-out pistons and failed bearings—will result.
All right. Now you know why oil is so important. Next question:
what kind of oil should you buy?
Look for the “doughnut” and the “starburst” on the side of every container of quality engine oil. The starburst is the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee’s (ILSAC) certification mark. It means the product has not only met the service ratings created by the American Petroleum Institute (API) but also met additional fuel economy requirements.
The doughnut contains the API Service Rating (the oil industry’s “bottled-in-bond” equivalent).This is a rating system developed by the API that defines the operational standards that the oil was designed to meet. In essence, it is a measure of the quality of the additives in the oil. Gasoline engine oil is designated SE, SF, SG, or SH (the most current); diesel engine oil is designated CC, CD, CD-Il, CE, or CF-4. Don’t worry too much about the designations. All you need to do is check your truck’s owner’s manual. It will tell you which to use.
You can always step up a grade. For instance, if you own an older truck that carries the SF designation, no harm will come if you use SF, SG, or SH oil. However, never go the other way. The performance of newer trucks that require the use of SH oil will suffer if you add SF or SG oil.You will probably void the warranty as well.

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