Motor oil variety ‘getting really dangerous’ for car drivers – Liqui Moly

The growing variety of motor oils holds dangers for car drivers, warns Liqui Moly. Car manufacturers demand more and more new oils and the variety of oil types is growing. Liqui Moly is launching two types of the latest oil generation on the market in the form of Top Tec 6100 and Top Tec 6200. Oliver Kuhn, deputy head of the Liqui Moly oil laboratory, explains the advantages of the particularly low viscosity oils and warns of dangers for car drivers and garages.

Tyres & Accessories: Why are motor oils getting continuously less viscous?

Oliver Kuhn: This is down to the car manufacturers. Their cars are to consume less and less fuel and emit fewer and fewer emissions. In order to achieve this, they have to turn many different adjusting screws. One of these adjusting screws is the motor oil. Oil does lubricate the motor, however, it also restricts it at the same time. A thick, viscous oil restricts the motor more than a thin oil. Thanks to a low viscosity oil the consumption can be reduced by two to three percent.

T&A: Should I use low viscosity motor oil now, too?

Only if the motor is set up for it. A low viscosity oil in a conventional motor leads to massive wear and catastrophic motor failure not long after that. If it was important to check you were using the right motor oil before, now it’s getting really dangerous. That’s why you should always check first in the manual or in our Oil Guide at www.liqui-moly.com whether the oil is approved for your car.

T&A: Why isn’t there one oil that fits all cars?

Oil is a liquid spare part nowadays, which is precisely aligned to a specific motor type. Just as there are no standard brakes for all cars, there is no oil for all cars.

T&A: Will there be even lower viscosity oils in the future?

Yes, the trend is headed in that direction. The industry is already working on 0W-16 and 0W-12 grade viscosities. These viscosities are moving ever more towards water.