What is the Difference Between Gear Oil and Engine Oil?
2 Answers
Gear oil and engine oil differ in their working environments and primary focuses. Below are the key differences between gear oil and engine oil: 1. Different working environments: Gear oil is mainly used in manual transmissions, reducers, and differentials, while engine oil is primarily used in car engines. Since gear teeth engage in direct contact, gear oil requires extremely high viscosity to form an oil film at the gear engagement points. In contrast, engine lubrication involves surface contact and does not experience the extreme pressure generated by gear meshing, so its viscosity requirements are relatively lower. 2. Different focuses: Gear oil emphasizes protecting gears under high temperatures, while engine oil prioritizes low-temperature fluidity. Additionally, gear oil is strongly alkaline, whereas engine oil is weakly alkaline.
I was just chatting with a mechanic about this the other day – gear oil and engine oil are quite different. While both are lubricants, they serve completely different parts. Gear oil is specifically designed for lubricating gear sets like those in transmissions and differentials. Since gears endure massive impact forces when meshing, gear oil needs to be extra viscous and contain extreme pressure additives to withstand high pressures. Engine oil, on the other hand, is tailored for engines, needing to flow and lubricate precision components like pistons and connecting rods under high temperatures. The most noticeable difference is the replacement interval: my car's engine oil needs changing every 8,000 km, whereas manual transmission gear oil can last up to 50,000 km. Never mix them up – my neighbor once poured engine oil into the transmission, and the gears ended up worn down like they'd been chewed by a dog, costing over 5,000 yuan to fix.