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frequently asked questions

Performance FAQ
General Motor Oil FAQ
Oil Types, Weights & Viscosity FAQ
Recycled Oil FAQ
Systems Fluids Oil FAQ
  1. Does motor oil expire? If not, how long does motor oil generally last?  
    Due to stability and oxidative issues that could occur, Wolf’s Head recommends no longer than five years when stored unopened in a climate-controlled environment.
  2. Does motor oil wear out or does it just get dirty?
    Motor oils will oxidize over time due to oxygen and heat, which break down base oil components and deplete performance additives. High-quality motor oils are designed to get dirty as the detergent and dispersant additives contained in the product’s formulation are used to hold dirt and contaminants in suspension until the oil is changed.
  3. Does my vehicle’s oil filter need to be changed with every oil change?
    Always refer to the vehicle’s owner’s manual to determine the correct oil filter change intervals. Generally, the proper procedure would be to change the filter at the same time as the oil. Allowing an oil filter to become too contaminated could cause numerous issues. Issues include engine over heating, low-oil pressure, decreased performance, and an increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
  4. Are conventional motor oils natural, unprocessed products?  
    Conventional motor oils are made from refined crude oil. They under go processing to create fluids that can be used as lubricants. These oils are enhanced with special additives designed to clean the engine, reduce foaming, and prevent wear. Our Wolf’s Head conventional motor oils are formulated to exceed the latest American Petroleum Institute performance requirements in addition to multiple OEM specifications.
  5. Which Wolf’s Head motor oils meet the General Motors dexos1: Generation 3 standards?
    The Wolf’s Head Syn-Pack Full Synthetic SAE 0W-20 and 5W-30 are formulated to exceed the strenuous performance requirements set forth by General Motors for the dexos1: Generation 3 performance standards. The list of licensed and approved products can be found on the dexos website.
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    Wolf's Head | AOCUSA | dexos™1 Gen3 | 0W-20 | D325BEDC049
    Wolf's Head | AOCUSA | dexos™1 Gen3 | 5W-30 | D325AEDC049    ‍
  6. Why do some motor oils carry the “API Certified – For Gasoline Engines”starburst symbol on the bottle while others do not?
    Some lubricant manufacturers take the added time and expense to have their products approved by an independent authority. Applying for the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) service category and certification is voluntary and up to the individual manufacturer. The API certification is designed to provide verification of an oil’s performance standards. These standards are set by U.S.and International Vehicle Manufacturers and the lubricant industry. Products not displaying the Starburst, Shield, or Donut symbols are not licensed with the American Petroleum Institute and are not verified as meeting current performance requirements.
  7. What are resource-conserving motor oils, and which Wolf’s Head products help to conserve energy?
    Resource Conserving motor oils are formulated to help improve fuel economy and protect after treatment emission system components for gasoline-fueled passenger cars, vans, and light-duty trucks. Every Wolf’s Head SAE 0W-20, 5W-20, 0W-30, 5W-30, and 10W-30 passenger car engine oil is designed to exceed the Resources Conserving performance requirements.
  8. How do I properly dispose of my used motor oil?
    To properly dispose of used oil, contact your local automotive retail store, maintenance facility, waste collection site, or government waste officials to see if they accept used oils, typically, stores that sell automotive lubricants will have waste container that can be used to dispose of used oil.
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    *Brake fluids should not be dumped in these oil containers and need to be disposed of separately*
  9. What is the Magnusson Moss Warranty Act?
    The Magnusson Moss Warranty Act is a consumer protection law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission. The act states that the Original EquipmentManufacturer cannot require an individual to use or purchase OEM parts or lubricants to maintain the vehicles’ warranty if the competitive product meets the manufacturers’ performance requirements.

    The Magnusson Moss Warranty Act also prohibits OEMs from voiding a vehicle’s warranty because routine maintenance was performed by an independent repair facility or the consumer and not the dealership. Contact our Wolf’s Head tech line for a list of shops carrying our Wolf’s Head lubricants.
  10. What are the differences between the products in Wolf’s Head PassengerCar Motor Oil (PCMO) line?
    Some lubricant manufacturers take the added time and expense to have their products approved by an independent authority. Applying for the AmericanPetroleum Institute (API) service category and certification is voluntary and up to the individual manufacturer. The API certification is designed to provide verification of an oil’s performance standards. These standards are set by U.S.and International Vehicle Manufacturers and the lubricant industry. Products not displaying the Starburst, Shield, or Donut symbols are not licensed with the American Petroleum Institute and are not verified as meeting current performance requirements.

    The Super Duty line is Wolf’s Head conventional multi-vis line of passenger car engine oils. The following products are semi-synthetic: 5W-20, 5W-30, & 5W-40. These oils offer the added performance benefits of synthetic oils but at a cost like conventional oils.
  11. How do I speak with someone regarding any questions I may have regarding the Wolf’s Head brand?
    For technical questions regarding any of our Wolf’s Head lubricants, contact the Wolf’s Head tech line at 1-800-368-1264, Monday through Friday, 9a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. for questions outside the posted office hours, leave a voice message, and our technical service team will return the call promptly the following business day.
  1. Can Motor Oil significantly improve horsepower?
    Using the right motor oil can improve horsepower and engine performance. Synthetic oils offer improved performance capabilities over their mineral-based counterparts. Synthetic oils reduce the internal drag, which in turn reduces the friction between molecules. Less friction equates to increased power out put to the wheels. Synthetic oils also give the finished product enhanced wear protection and superior film strength to prevent wear in high-performance engines.  
  2. Which motor oil is better for“severe” conditions, what are “severe” conditions?
    Synthetic motor oils are better suited for sever driving conditions.Factors describing severe driving conditions include vehicles making short trips, less than four miles, especially in cold weather; frequent idling like that in stop and go traffic; long highway driving trips; towing of accessories; driving in dusty/dirty environments.
  3. If I don’t drive in severe conditions, can I change my oil less often?
    Always follow your vehicles owners’ manual for the recommended oil change intervals.
  4. Is it a good idea to let your car warm up (idle)?
    Typically, when using multi-grade engine oils, the vehicle will only need to idle for the time it takes to put on your seatbelt – approximately 30 seconds. An engine will warm up quicker while driving as compared to sitting and idling. While warming up the engine, do not accelerate aggressively until the engine is fully warmed up. The engine’s thermostat will advise when the engine is at temperature.
  5. Can I improve motor oil performance in my vehicle by using aftermarket additives?
    Our Wolf’s Head Motor Oils are fully formulated, finished products which have the optimal balance of performance additives. Therefore, the use of aftermarket additives is not recommended.
  6. Are all additives used in engine oil the same?
    There are many different types of additives that perform different functions. Below are some of the different performance additives and the imparting properties they provide to a finished lubricant.
  • Antioxidants are used to extend the operating life of an oil by increasing oxidative resistance of the base oil.
  • Corrosion inhibitors are used to neutralize acids by forming a chemical barrier to repel moisture from metal surfaces.
  • Anti-wear/extreme pressure agents protect machine parts from wear and loss of metal during boundary lubrication. Zinc Dialykyldithiophosphate, simply known as ZDDP is a popular example and is used in many different automotive and industrial applications.
  • Detergents/dispersants are used to keep machine internals clean and free of deposits while also suspending contamination until the oil can be changed.
  • Anti-foam agents are chemical compounds which are used to eliminate the ability of air bubbles to form in an oil or to quickly eliminate their formation.
  • Friction modifiers are used to alter the friction between moving parts.
  • Pour Point Depressants (PPDs) are used to reduce the formation of wax-crystals in an oil at low-temperatures.
  • Viscosity Index Improvers (viscosity modifiers) are used in the production of multi-viscosity lubricants. These large polymer additives maintain a tighter range of viscosity of a fluid throughout its useful temperature range.
  1. Is it safe to switch the viscosity grade of my motor oil, for example, from a 5W-20 to a 10W-30, or vice versa?  
    Always refer to the vehicle’s owners’ manual before implementing any changes to the oil’s viscosity. When switching viscosity grades, the rule of thumb is to only use an oil one viscosity grade higher or lower than what’s recommended for your engine. Following this rule will not typically cause any harm to the engine. To alleviate any concern with engine performance and the vehicle’s warranty, we recommended you use the viscosity grades recommended in your owner’s manual.   
  2. What does the “W” in a grade of motor oil stand for?
    The “W” in an SAE 5W-30 stands for Winter. The “xW” represents the low-temperature characteristics of an oil, while the non-W grade represents the viscosity at operating temperatures. The lower the W-grade, the better the oil pumps and flows at cold temperatures. The “W” grades are defined by the ColdCrank Simulator (CCS) and Mini-Rotary Viscometric (MRV) test. The Cold Crank test is used to determine if the oil will allow the crankshaft to turn over fast enough for the engine to start. The Mini-Rotary test measures the pump-ability of the oil at low temperatures.
  3. Is thicker oil better?
    While thicker oils impart a stronger film strength, remember that the oil needs to pass through very tight tolerances. If the oil is too thick, it may not flow fast enough and could starve the engine of oil. This increases wear at start-up, wastes energy pumping, reduces fuel efficiency, and can cause the oil to lose its ability to transfer heat. An increase in operating temperature can lead to a chemical breakdown and cause harmful sludge and deposits to form.
  4. When does it make sense to straight weight oil (SAE 30) versus a multigrade oil (5W-30)?
    There is no general rule of thumb for this. Follow the OEM guidelines on recommended oil to use.
  5. Can I switch from conventional to synthetic motor oils, or vice versa, without harming the engine of my vehicle?
    Switching types of motor oil is not harmful to a vehicle’s engine if the oil is of an acceptable viscosity grade for that engine. When using full synthetic oils, we recommend only using that type of oil to optimize the product’s benefits.
  6. Is it true that older cars must only use conventional oil?
    This is a myth originating back to the 1970s when certain chemical compounds in early synthetic oils caused engine seals to shrink, and in some cases, caused leaks. Today, synthetic oils are tested for elastomer/seal compatibility and must pass to gain API and OEM approvals.
  7. How does the Wolf’s Head full synthetic motor oil compare to other brands in the industry?
    Wolf’s Head stands behind its products and believes that the performance of our oil is equivalent to any high-end product in the marketplace.
  1. Is recycling my used motor oil better for the environment?
    Recycling and repurposing used motor oil is the preferred method of disposal and provides many environmental benefits. Used oils contain a range of hazardous materials such as fuel, soot deposits, heavy metals, and other toxic chemicals. These recycled used oils can be re-refined and used to make new petroleum products. Oils improperly dumped can end up polluting soil and waterways, negatively affecting the environment.
  1. I had my vehicle’s transmission fluid changed using Wolf’s Head UniversalSynthetic ATF. Conventional transmission fluid was used for all previous changes. Will this cause a problem?
    The Wolf’s Head Universal Synthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid was tested for compatibility with other conventional type automatic transmission fluids. Data gathered during field testing shows that mixing out UniversalSynthetic Fluid with conventional type automatic transmission fluids, in either a complete fluid exchange or as a top-off, has no adverse consequences to the transmission performance or life.
  2. What is the difference between DEXRON III/Mercon and Type F transmission fluid?
    The main difference between the two fluids is their frictional characteristics. The Dexron III-H/M is formulated with friction modifiers, whereas the Type F does not contain any in its formulation.
  3. Does Wolf’s Head make a synthetic ATF?
    Wolf’s Head offers a broad range of synthetic automatic transmission fluids formulated to specifically exceed various OEM performance requirements, such as, the Universal Synthetic ATF which can be used in a wide range of transmissions and the Universal Synthetic CVT fluid for us in both chain and belt-driven continuously variable transmissions. Additionally, Wolf’s Head offers a line of OEM licensed full synthetic fluids like the Wolf’s Head General Motors Dexron® VI Transmission Fluid.
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    *Always refer to the vehicle’s owners’ manual for specific fluid recommendation.
  4. Can the Wolf’s Head USATF be used in Continuously Variable Transmissions?
    The Wolf’s Head Universal SyntheticAutomatic Transmission Fluid should not be used in Continuously VariableTransmission Systems. Wolf’s Head offers a dedicated CVT fluid that covers both belt- and chain-type CVT transmission used in the automotive industry today.For specific questions on our transmission fluids, contact your regional sales manager or Wolf’s Head Technical Services.
  5. What applications are covered by the Wolf’s Head Universal Line of transmission fluids?

    Wolf’s Head Universal Synthetic AutomaticTransmission Fluid
    For the full list of product applications. Click on the link here: TDS

    Wolf’s Head Universal Synthetic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Fluid
    For the full list of product applications. Click on the link here: TDS‍
  6. What applications are covered by the Wolf’s Head Universal Line of transmission fluids?

    ZF 8 & 9 Speed ATF
    Wolf’s Head has completed bench and field testing of our UniversalSynthetic Automatic Transmission Fluid technology in ZF Group 8 and 9-speed transmissions and have found equivalent performance when compared to the originally recommended OEM fluid. Wolf’s Head is confident in offering ourUniversal ATF to the service fill market for these transmissions. Due to the myriad of OEM specific fluids offered by each vehicle manufacturer for these transmissions, this application has been listed under “ZF” on our application chart.

    Mazda ATF Type-FZ
    Wolfs’ Head has competed bench and field testing of our Universal SyntheticAutomatic Transmission Fluid technology in Mazda Motor Corp. SKYACTIV-DRIVE6-speed automatic transmissions and have found equivalent performance when compared to the originally recommended OEM fluid. Wolf’s Head is confident in offering our Universal ATF to the service fill market for these transmissions.Due to the myriad of OEM specific fluids offered by each vehicle manufacturer for these transmissions, this application has been listed under “Mazda” on our application chart.