What would happen if you put a car into storage or left it out in the sun for too long? The answer lies in the quality of the fuel. Synthetic oil has become the preferred choice for automotive lubricants because of its superior properties.
According to moparmax.com, Synthetic oils are petroleum-based compounds designed to replace conventional mineral oils. They offer better performance, longer service life, and fewer emissions.
Many people believe that synthetic oils degrade over time, and they don’t last as long as their mineral counterparts. These oils perform equally well after several years.
What is synthetic oil made from?
Synthetic oils are manufactured lubricating oil made of chemically modified materials with mostly the base material as distilled crude oil. These chemicals include:
- Alkylphenols
- Poly alpha olefins (PAOs)
- Aliphatic hydrocarbons
- Fatty acids
- Phosphoric acid esters
The chemical makeup of synthetic oil depends on the type of application. For example, motor oil contains mixtures of PAOs and alkylphenol ethoxylates. Lubricant oil consists of polyalphaolefin (PAO).
What is the difference between synthetic and conventional oil?
Synthetic oil works better than conventional oil because it does not degrade over time. After being used, synthetic oil returns to its original state. Conventional oil breaks down into harmful chemicals. Synthetic oils are made to match the viscosity grade of an original oil. The best 0W-20 synthetic oil for high mileage does not change its viscosity. It can only become thicker due to the presence of contaminants over time.
What lasts longer – Synthetic oil or conventional oil?
The clear answer is Synthetic Oil. Depending on the brand you use, the oil change interval for synthetic oil varies from 75000 or 10000 miles. Best winter oil for 6.7 Powerstroke high-quality synthetic oils that may last up to 10000 miles as well. Depending on the driving conditions and the driving style, the oil change interval varies.
If you switch from conventional oil to synthetic oil, you may require frequent oil changes as there is frequent sludge and deposit build-up in the engine.
How long does synthetic oil sit in the engine?
On average synthetic oil can sit from 6 months to 1 year or up to 10000 miles before you should replace it. This approximation is subject to several factors such as vehicle age, oil brand, driving conditions, and climatic conditions. Refer to the vehicle manual to understand how long synthetic oil sits in the engine of a specific car model.
The advanced properties of synthetic oil have outdated the 3000 miles oil change rule. THese oil cause reduced frictions to improve the engine performance. And hence synthetic oil last longer than conventional oil.
Top-notch car manufacturers like Mercedez-Benz and Jaguar have devised engines that can stretch up to 15000 miles (if the driving conditions are ideal).
Advantages of Synthetic Oil Over Conventional Oil
More complex processes are involved in manufacturing synthetic oil to ensure precise molecular quantities. All the impurities are removed from the crude oil to make synthetic oil comply with specific modern engines. Thus, this oil provides a higher level of protection and better engine performance.
Here are some of the considerable advantages of Synthetic Oil over Conventional Oil:
Higher Engine Protection: Motor oil aims to provide lubrication among the engine’s internal parts to avoid wearing off. Especially under extreme environments, fully synthetic oil doesn’t break down like conventional oil and provides your engine extended protection.
Higher Velocity: Synthetic oils are devised to withstand high and low temperatures to ensure higher stability and viscosity. Full synthetic oil is designed to combat extreme weather conditions and make your engine run smooth throughout the year.
Cleaner Engine: Unlike conventional oil, full synthetic oil comes with lesser impurities and does not form sludge formation over time. Hence your engine remains cleaner with synthetic oil, and you don’t require frequent oil changes like conventional oil.
Turbocharger Protection: Synthetic oil are efficient to flow to the crucial part of the engine, which requires lubrications essentially. These oils are long-lasting compared to conventional crude under turbocharged conditions. You can achieve the peak performance for any turbocharged vehicle using synthetic oil.
As we have seen that synthetic oil offer better performance, they also come with a higher price tag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Oil Go Bad while sitting in an Engine?
Most oil comes with a specific shelf life, mostly five years. Check out the printed dates on the oil container. Once the shelf life is expired, the additives in synthetic oil will no longer be active. Thus the vehicle engine will be prone to friction and wearing off due to less than required lubrication.
Does Motor Oil degrade over time?
Yes, Motor oil comes with an expiry date and gradually degrades after its expiry date. Over time, it loses its viscosity and lubrication, leading to wearing off the engine’s internal components.
