# Oil... how does it work? \[split\]

**URL:** <https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189>\
**Category:** Shift518 Off Topic\
**Created:** [January 6, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189 "2012-01-06T23:40:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 127

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**Author:** ![Vovchandr](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/vovchandr/32/6275_2.png) [@Vovchandr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Vovchandr)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 8:10am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/oil-how-does-it-work-split/262189/127 "2012-01-10T08:10:53Z")

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> [@Stimulus Payment Schedule - check yours](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/stimulus-payment-schedule-check-yours/46338/149):
>
> It is a unit of measurement, yes, so we’ll put it this way.
> 
> I’ll try to relate the units in feet and inches:
> 
> 20W50
> 
> 20 feet @ 32F, 50 inches @ 212F.
> 
> It’s not the same unit of measurement between the two, of course the SAE rating will be lower in viscosity when hot on the same scale, but it’s NOT. This is why the 2nd number is HIGHER even though the oil is THINNER at that temperature vs. the first number.

Interesting you say they are not the same scale.

Maybe you can explain to me why 20 has the same cSt viscosity as 20w then.

If you guys can’t grasp that cold, thick oil should have high SAE numbers assigned but instead has low numbers, I can’t help you.

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