What do the numbers mean on the oil container?
When you go to buy motor oil, you'll notice that there's a code on each container. These numbers relate to the oil's viscosity (how well it flows around the engine) in warm and cold conditions, which is an indicator of how it'll perform depending on the outside temperature.
Thanks to the hugely varying temperatures in the UK, the oil we put in our cars is different to the oil you'd use in warmer countries. That’s why we use the dual numbering system (known as 'multi-grade' engine oil), rather than single-grade varieties used in hot or tropical climates.