Warranty FAQs Technical Prop. The ASTM was founded in 1898 and their standards govern the majority of testing performed on motor oils in North America. Every motor oil on the market must go through the same series of tests and every oil company can provide you with their test results. These tests make it easy for anyone to compare motor oils. Viscosity Tests Viscosity is the measurement of how thick an oil is at a given temperature.
Volatility increases as temperature increases.
Unfortunately, current passenger car motor oil test protocols do not include tests that measure high temperature deposit control, but since this is an important function for a motor oil it is worth mentioning. Significance Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a flame causes vapors to ignite. Fire point is the lowest temperature at which burning is sustained for five seconds. What It Means High flash and fire points are preferred. This is the most important characteristic of any lubricant.