Motor oil — fuel economy vs. wear
If you were told you could increase your fuel economy just by switching to a thinner oil, would you do it? We bet a fair number of people (especially those who aren’t mechanically inclined) would. Your fuel economy increases, you help the environment, you pay less (or at least less frequently) at the pump. It’s a great thing …. isn’t it?
The million dollar question is — does the thinner oil provide the same protection? If not, what are you willing to compromise to achieve that higher fuel economy?
We just found this article in Machinery Lubrication that talks about the development of thinner oils, which boost fuel economy but cause more wear.
Obviously this article was written before the current fuel crunch has more and more people concerned about fuel economy, but we still found it satisfying food for thought.
