Oil Info

[EddieS'04]

Synthetics vs Conventional



First you need to understand what happens to make an oil "Bad".

Oil does not "Wear Out" and go bad. Instead what happens is the

additives get "used up" or rather change chemical properties.

The change is caused by heat and heat is caused by friction.

Synthetic oils are atomically smaller particles than conventional oil

particles. Like the old commercial said "Think of it a small ball bearings".

The smaller particles will be able to occupy smaller voids than bigger

particles. This reduces the contact of the engine materials with each

other thus friction is reduced and heat is reduced.

The end result is the additives last longer because the heat does not

change the chemical properties of the additives.

The other result is that since contact is reduced Wear is also reduced.

As mentioned in an earlier post Paraffin is used as a base for many oils.

That is what causes Sludge.



This is false.





What happens to form sludge is the oil suspends the particles (carbon, metal, other contaminates) in the oil to carry it to the filter. The filter

will remove these particles only down to a certain size. The remainder are reintroduced into the engine in the oil. The filter also has a capacity in which it can hold. The oil reaches a saturation point and can no longer suspend the particles and they begin to settle out of the oil. This is Sludge.

So why use paraffin in oil?

Paraffin will hold more particles than the Naphtha based oils.

It appears to Sludge more because once the saturation point is reached the

depositing is more prevalent.

So what about the Additives, What are they?

Additives are the anti-foaming, anti-separation, anti carbon, and the agents that suspend the particles in the oil.

Once these are saturated or used in the case of the foaming and carbon agents the oil is "Bad".

Since the synthetic reduces the wear and friction thus reducing the contaminates the oil can last longer.

But even a synthetic will saturate and use the additives over time.

That is why even if you run a synthetic like AMS Oil you still need to change the filter even if you don't change the oil. And after time you need to change the oil because the additives are used up.

 

[Gavin Allan]

What makes synthetic oil superior to conventional oil?



Historically, conventional oils lack the performance of synthetic oils in the areas of low-temperature performance and high-temperature oxidation stability. Conventional motor oil is made up of an inconsistent mixture of long and short chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms. In the extreme heat of an engine, short-chain molecules can evaporate, and unstable molecules can oxidize and break down. Conventional oils also contain much greater amounts of impurities, such as sulfur, reactive and unstable hydrocarbons, and other undesirable contaminants that cannot be completely removed by conventional refining of crude oil.



Mobil 1 uses high-performance fluids, including polyalphaolefins (PAOs), along with a proprietary system of additives. Each Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 Extended Performance viscosity grade use a unique combination of synthetic fluids and selected additives in order to tailor the viscosity grade to its specific application.





While synthetic motor oils have an impact on the performance of everything from race cars to minivans, many drivers may not be aware of the critical role such oils play in their engines. A new documentary featuring Mobil 1, the worlds leading synthetic motor oil, intends to change all that.



Titled Speed Dreams, the 24-minute program can be seen on The Documentary Channel (Dish Network, Channel 197). In addition to visiting revered locations such as the Corvette Hall of Fame and delving into the history of synthetic motor oils, the program highlights several successful drivers such as 2008 FIA Formula 1 Drivers' World Champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Automotive, as they discuss the factors that have helped propel them to the top of their circuits.



Speed Dreams also can be viewed online in its entirety on the networks Sling.com channel through the end of 2009