Fiero L4-151 2.5L (1985)
API-Label
Read your oil container. Look for the American Petroleum Institute (API) symbol. You'll find it on many containers of motor oil. It looks like this:
The presence of the API symbol means the product has been tested to meet some highly specific performance standards. The symbol says three things
about the oil. The letters at the top tell you if the oil quality is right for your engine.
An API lefter code of "SF" means the oil is for gasoline engines. "CC" or "CD" means the oil is for use in diesel engines. Oils marked with a
combination of letter codes, like "SF/CC" or "SF/CD", can be used in more than one type of engine. The center of the symbol describes the viscosity of
the oil - how easily it flows. The various grades are specified and numbered by the Socety of Automotive Engineers (SAE). In general, the lower the
number, the more easily an oil flows at a specified temperature. Oils with more than one SAE number are called multigrade oils, and contain additives to
help them perform whether hot or cold. With multigrade oils, a number followed by a "W" indicates how well the oil flows in cold weather. The lower
the number, the more readily the oil will lubricate an engine during cold starts at low temperature. SAE 5W-30 oil, for example, will flow more easily
when cold than SAE 1OW-30. The second or last number indicates a multigrade oil's lubricating properties at high temperatures. While this number can
be as high as 40 or even 50, for most vehicles General Motors no longer recommends you use an oil this thick. The words "Energy Conserving" on an
API symbol mean the oil may save you money. Easy-flowing oils
reduce friction in your engine, so you'll use less gasoline to run it. "Energy Conserving" oils are generally multigrades, and the lower the viscosity
rating, the better the fuel economy. These guidelines apply equally to synthetic and conventional oils. So pick a motor oil that meets the
recommendations in your owner's manual, and follow the oil-change schedule. You'll be sure your engine is getting the right oil, you could be saving
money, and you'll be helping conserve valuable natural resources. And that's good for you, for GM, and for everybody.
