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How to Read a Gear Oil Viscosity Chart

How to Read a Gear Oil Viscosity Chart

Save this chart for your own use. As an AMSOIL dealer I  use it several times weekly to show customers how things like a 20W-50 motor oil (motorcycle oil) can be also used as a gear lube.. Also how ranges of one oil is significant as a 90WT for differentials..

This comparative viscosity chart can help determine if two or more lubricants have similar viscosities.

by Joel Youngman|January 6, 2024

Viscosity, defined as a fluid’s resistance to flow, is one of the most important characteristics of a lubricant. Some of the informal terms used to describe the viscosity of a relatively free-flowing fluid, such as water, include thin, light and low. Terms such as thick, heavy or high suggest a fluid with strong resistance to flow, such as honey. However, these terms are general and difficult to measure.

More specific classifications give us a better idea of how fluids move, but you’ve likely seen at least a few different ways to designate viscosity:

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) grades for automotive motor oils (e.g. SAE 5W-30)

Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) grades for automotive gear oils (e.g. SAE 75W-90)

American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) grades for industrial gear lubricants (e.g. AGMA 5)

International Standards Organization (ISO) grades for hydraulic fluids and industrial gear lubricants. Established to represent a universally accepted grading system (e.g. ISO 100)

Comparative Gear Oil Viscosity Chart

Considering there are multiple standards (that use different scales) for designating viscosity, a comparative viscosity chart can help determine if two or more lubricants have similar viscosities. But how do you read a gear oil viscosity chart?

Just read it horizontally. For example, an SAE 60 motor oil has a similar viscosity to an SAE 90 gear oil, an AGMA 6 gear lubricant and an ISO 320 hydraulic fluid/gear lubricant. The corresponding kinematic viscosity and Saybolt viscosity are also referenced on the chart.

Kinematic Viscosity

Commonly seen on a lubricant’s data sheet, kinematic viscosity describes a fluid’s visible tendency to flow. Think of this as the time it takes to watch a fluid pour out of a container.

This tendency to flow is expressed in units suggesting the volume of flow over time, called centistokes (cSt). Kinematic viscosity is usually tested at both 40°C and 100°C.

Saybolt Viscosity

Although centistokes are the most common unit of measurement when determining kinematic viscosity, results may also be reported in Saybolt Universal Seconds (SUS). Viscosity reported in SUS is becoming increasingly rare, but you may still come across it when reading lubricant product information. Saybolt viscosity is usually tested at both 100°F and 210°F.

What’s the Best Oil for My Snowblower?

What’s the Best Oil for My Snowblower?

Using a high-quality, purpose-built oil can provide extra protection for your snowblower’s engine.

_by Brad Nelson|November 10, 2023

When a snowstorm hits, you need your snowblower to fire up and help you get the job done. But snowblower engines face unique challenges that can reduce their dependability, horsepower and longevity. Fortunately, there are maintenance practices that can vastly improve reliability, including using a specially engineered small-engine oil.

Using a high-quality, purpose-built small-engine oil can help improve the reliability and performance of your snowblower.

Tough on Oil

Although snowblower engines are used less frequently than other engines, they’re tougher on oil than most people realize.

Compared to liquid-cooled automotive engines, small engines usually lack oil filters, run hotter, operate under constant heavy load, generate more oil-damaging contaminants and are exposed to snow, water and extreme temperatures.

Snowblower engines are often stored in unheated garages or sheds where cold temperatures cause the oil to flow slower at startup, a key driver of engine wear.

Using a high-quality, purpose-built oil can provide extra protection for your snowblower’s engine, reducing the risk of component damage and prolonging its life.

However, most small-engine oils we’ve tested are nothing more than re-labeled automotive oils, which are formulated in large part to enhance fuel economy, not to survive the brutal operating conditions of a snowblower engine.

Although small engines are often used infrequently, they’re tougher on oil than most people realize.

Purpose-Built Protection

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Small-Engine Oil isn’t a re-packaged automotive oil. We specially engineered it from the ground up for small-engine dependability. It’s built to solve the problems that plague small engines, including wear, power loss, oil consumption, harmful carbon deposits and stuck rings and valves.

Excellent Wear Protection

AMSOIL Synthetic Small-Engine Oil is a shear-stable, high-film-strength formulation fortified with a heavy dose of anti-wear additives. It does not thin out due to mechanical shear, ensuring a thick lubricating film. It forms a durable barrier that protects against metal-to-metal contact.

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Formulated for Power

Engine wear, carbon deposits, valve sticking and piston-ring sticking reduce engine power. AMSOIL Synthetic Small-Engine Oil prevents ring and valve sticking while helping eliminate carbon deposits from forming. As a result, engines produce maximum power throughout their service lives, helping you move more snow faster.

Extreme-Temperature Performance

AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Small-Engine Oil is formulated with a saturated molecular structure that offers outstanding extreme-heat resistance.

In addition, we’ve fortified the oil with potent antioxidant additives that provide further resistance to damaging heat.

Its powerful detergent additives fight carbon, varnish and sludge to maximize engine life.

In extreme cold, the oil’s naturally high viscosity index and lack of paraffins (waxes) ensure it remains fluid and flows quickly, providing easier cold-weather starts and fast startup lubrication for reduced wear.

Reduces Oil Consumption

In lab testing, AMSOIL 10W-30 Synthetic Small-Engine Oil reduced oil consumption 61% compared to three leading 10W-30/SAE 30 motor oils.¹

Its heat-resistant synthetic base oils provide low volatility, excellent viscosity stability and strong oxidation resistance.

Engines run longer between top-offs, providing peace of mind your engine won’t fail due to oil starvation and will run dependably.

Let it Snow

Prepare your snowblower engine for the next big storm with a specially engineered small-engine oil. AMSOIL 100% Synthetic Small-Engine Oil provides extra protection for your snowblower engine so you can throw snow like its no big deal all winter long.

¹Based on 125-hour lab tests of small engines using AMSOIL 10W-30 Synthetic Small-Engine Oil and three leading 10W-30/SAE 30 motor oils.

 

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