Here’s an easy way to think of viscosity: It indicates how thin or thick a fluid is - impacting properties like temperature resistance and lubrication. Viscosity describes how resistant a fluid is to flow. And if you’re curious about the viscosity index, we’ve got that covered too, plus several FAQs to help further clarify engine oil viscosity. We’ll discuss how oil viscosity is defined, including the difference between dynamic viscosity and kinematic viscosity. It also affects how well engine heat is transferred. It dictates how oil flows through and coats moving engine parts to keep them from grinding against each other.
Viscosity is one of the most critical properties of engine oil.
