Motor oil performs much the same function in your car as blood does in your body. Both use four or five quarts of the fluid to carry potentially dangerous by-products away from essential operating par- ts. And, just as blood types vary, there are different kinds of motor oils. But, rather than "O-positive,"i motor oil varieties are given letter and number designations to in- dicate quality and ability to stand up to extreme heat and cold. Knowing what the descriptions on a motor oil container mean can help you choose the best product for your car and your kind of driving. Norm Hudecki, an engineer for Valvoline Oil Company, of Lexington, Ky., explains the basics:gSAE, one of the most commo elements on an oil can label, stands for Society of Automotive Engineers. They set standards for viscosity. "Viscosity refers to the thickness of oul. It affects engine wear, oil consumption and the ability to start an engine in cold weather. The climate in which a vehicle is driven and the type of driving done helps to determine what viscosity is best for your car," Hudecki continues. There are seven viscosity grades. The ones with a 'W" following numbers lik 5, 10 and 20 are recommended for cold-weather driving. For example, 1OW-weight oil would be gôod for cars driven in places-where winter temperatures plnige to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. "Combining the thin, 10W - viscosity oil with 30-weight produces a multiweight ou that provides good cold weather starts as well as tough engine protection once the engine is hot," he says. On the other end of the scale are 50 weight "racing" oils that are specially formulated to withstand the extreme heat generated by high-revving engines. It is a very thick oil that coats and protects engine parts even at extremely high temperatures where other oils might thin out and not provide adequate engine lubrication. Some oils meet only certain car manufacturers' requirements for oil quality, but others meet or ex- ceed all car manufacturers' warranty specifications. To tell if the oil you are looking at meets your vehicle manufacturers' requirements, the Americaup Petroleum Institute has set up standards that use different letter combinations. "S" series oils are for gasoline engines. API designation "SF" means the oil meets the lubricatibg needs of all cars powered by gasoline engines built in the 1980s. "SE" in- dicates the oil is recommended for cars built from 1972-1980. For cars built from 1968-1971, look for "SD" on top of oil cans. "SC" is the designation for vehicles built bet- ween 1964 and 1967. "SA" classification oils should only be used for vehicles that require oils with no additives and are driven under mild conditions in mild weather. "SB" oils are another type for old carsSB oils were formulat:d ith gasoline engines operating under mild conditions in summer tem- pe t "es.C" series of API classifications are for diesel engines. Again, the higher up the alphabet the second letter is, the more modern the ou.' "CA" oils are for mild-duty engines. "CB" is for mild to WHITBY FREE PRESS, DURHAM MOVES, JUIY 15, 1987, PAGE 7 I I 4 Oil right Durham Board of Education trustees have turned down a request by Stockway Transpor- tation Ltd., of Sunderland to roll back the age of school bus drivers from age 21 to selected 19 and 20- year-olds. Gerry Stock, president of Stock- way, told trustees the shortage of school bus drivers had risen to "a serious situation," adding that every transportation firm in the Metro area was experiencing the same problem. He felt the situation would worsen as full time jobs became more available and unem- ployment dropped to its lowest point in years. Stock indicated the only way to attract more drivers was to lower the age ceiling. He pointed out that selected 19 and 20-year-olds being considered would have to have completed a high school driver education program or atYoung Drivers of Canada training program and passed; have a clear accident record; have a clear traf- fic violation record; and pass al present MTC requirement for school bus drivers. "I feel young people have much better reaction time and can make sound decisions, in many cases much better than the driver over 65," said Stock. "I think it is about time we all started to realize we have a great many 19 and 20-year- old young adults who could take this job on and do a commendable job, at the same time earning money to assist in their education and help eliminate, the shortage of school bus drivers and to relieve the unemployment of our selected moderate-duty lubrication. "CC" meets the needs of lightly super- charged diesel engines. The "CD" specification is for severe-service supercharged diesel engines of the 1980S. Some specialty oils, like diesel/turbo motor oil, meet the needs of both gasoline and diesel- powered engines. These oils are rated for "SF", "SE" and "CC" use by the American Petroleum In- stitute. So, if your car is a 1980 Chevette, you know that you need a lubricant that meets API's SF standard. If the temperature may still get down below zero you'll need an ol of 10W viscosity. od of 10W viscosity. And, Hudecki points out, if you are looking for a "gas-saving oil" look for straight 30-weight, 5W-30 or 1OW-30 weight oil. Now that you've determined the correct kind of oil in the right viscosity for the weather. and for the way you drive, you'l know for sure that your car's "'lifeblood"' is meeting all your engine's needs for lubricating, cooling and creating a seal between piston rings and cylinder walls. Eats for Jack LISA, 5, and COREY JOHNSTON, 1, of Ajax offer some eats to a rather disinterested Jack the donkey during a petting zoo June 25 at Passport Oshawa/Whitby Import Dealership, the GM import franchise recently established in Whitby. Driver age policy 19 and 20-year-olds. " He went on to say that young people at age 19, and in many cases at age 18, may vote in provincial or municipal elections, run for any of- fice, marry without parents' con- sent, drink liquor, make a legal will, serve in the armed forces, teach in the school system, be tried as an adult in our judicial system and drive all classes of vehicles in- cluding any bus except a schoôl bus. So why not a school bus, he asked. But several concerns expressed by Ontario School Bus Operators Association executive director Hugh Gordon, were echoed by Durham trustees. While agreeing that good school bus drivers were hard to find, they were not all agreed that lowering age requirements would necessarily be the answer. They felt that hiring drivers under the age of 21 would no doubt increase liability costs which are high enough now. Gordon also stated educating and training a driver takes time and money, and con- sidering -the high turnover one could expect with this age group, questioned whether it would be worth the investment. "Many young people today do not fully understand the meaning of accepting responsibility. How much dedication could an employer expect from a young person who would consider the job as tem- porary until full-time employment was found?" he said. It was also suggested an 18 or 19- year-old would not be able to properly control discipline on a school bus Film completed FROM PAGE 3 Elizabeth Clarke, *No Accidient' has been endorsed by federal and provincial government departmen- ts all across the country and, in- er c dÂgAy, pnvale ousiness and organizat ions are expressing in- terest in it." Co-directed by Paul Cowan and Mike Mahoney, it is a anple thought pirvokmîîg aln. i, îended for use with higli school students and beginner drivers. Says Clarke, "It's a very moving story which impresses people greatly. I think the film has the potential to effect some change in society's attitude toward driving drunk." WITH THE NEXT MONTHS ISSUE OF "DURHAM MOVES" auto neWS TEL: SALES MANAGER WHITBY FREE PRESS _CALL 8668IZ~ I b