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Your Engine, Your Baby: Synthetic or Conventional
Oil
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by:
Michael Walker
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One central argument between car enthusiasts
and on Internet car forums alike is what oil is better for your car,
synthetic or conventional. Before synthetic oils became available for
regular automobiles, the argument centered solely on brand types and
weight. But now, with the advent of these synthetics all over the
market, what is truly the best choice for your engine? Let’s
explore both of these worlds to find out.
Conventional oil is rated according to a SAE system. This scale is used
so that you know what type of oil is best for your car given the
environmental conditions (temperature, city driving, etc.) of where you
live. The first number, for example on 10W30 motor oil, is 10 followed
by a “W”. This “W” indicates
that the number before it is the viscosity rating of the oil. The lower
this number, the better the oil is for colder climates. The higher the
number, the better it is for hotter driving conditions.
Synthetic oils, on the other hand (before their commercial release)
were used in many military vehicles and fighter jets. Airlines also use
synthetics in their engines. The synthetic oil has been designed not to
break down as quickly and can tolerate extremities in temperature and
weather (hot to cold).
One of the major differences between conventional and synthetic oils is
that synthetics are treated with more additives that protect your
engine for a longer amount of time before you have to change it. And,
while we don’t want to get into all the molecular chemistry
involved in the making of these oils, we should mention that they also
last longer in hotter conditions and won’t
“gel” in colder ones, like conventional oil. In
other words, synthetics have more additives, which greatly protect the
car from viscosity breakdown. They are designed to withstand
temperature extremes. It may be safe to say that extreme driving
conditions call for the use of synthetics.
On the financial side of the matter, synthetics cost a whole lot more;
up to three or four times as much as regular conventional oil. But, the
wonderful thing is that you don’t have to change your oil
every 3,000 miles; recommended with conventional oil use. In fact, you
may not have to change it until well after 25,000 and up to 50,000
miles as long as the oil filter is changed every 10,000 miles. So, the
cost at first might scare consumers away, but the long-term benefits of
synthetic oil use are substantial.
However, you will still have to be responsible for your car’s
maintenance check-up every 3,000 miles or so. With regular oil-changes,
you are automatically checking over the car for other problems (or if
you don’t an inspection mechanic does). It might help you
find a problem that could be dealt with, that could’ve gone
unchecked. Also, you’ll want to check the synthetic oil every
now and then to be sure that it isn’t contaminated and/or
that there isn’t any moisture build-up.
With normal everyday driving, perhaps conventional oils work best for
you. You aren’t driving in extreme conditions and you swear
allegiance to regular oil. That may be fine. Synthetic oil cannot
really offer you anything that conventional oil cannot under normal
operating conditions. However, the definition of extreme driving states
that if you do a lot of short driving (two to twenty miles) daily,
it’s hard on your car. And, specialists agree that this
constitutes extreme driving due to the faster breakdown of the
structure of conventional oil.
Another major reason that many are choosing the synthetic route is that
it contains fewer impurities; impurities that can cause your engine
harm, perhaps to the point of premature engine wear. With conventional
oil, there’s no way to totally rid, filter or clean the
impurities from the natural elements. That’s another reason
why synthetic oils do not have to be changed as much even in extreme
driving conditions.
You’ll want to be careful; however, if you do decide that you
want to give synthetic oils a try. If you’ve been driving
your 1983 Ford Thunderbird for years using 10W30, you may not want to
switch using your conventional oil brand.
Conventional oils have solvents that stick to gaskets and seals and
often cause them to swell a certain way. These gaskets and seals have
been used to the same oil for years and the switch to any other type of
oil (whether it is to a different conventional oil brand, or an upgrade
to a synthetic) may be harmful. The oil you change (or upgrade to) will
also have solvents and additives, different from the original. So in
other terms, the changing of oils could result in oil leaks and/or a
once small oil leak becoming bigger due to the reaction the seals and
gaskets will have to the change (not because of the oil itself). If you
think that this might be the case for you (i.e. if you have an older
car using conventional oil), it’s recommended that you not
try synthetic oil until you have an engine (or new car) with relatively
virgin gaskets and seals that will be able to acclimate much more
easily to the chemical changes of the newer type of oil.
It’s easy to see that that fanfare for one or the other is an
argument that has really been explored. It’s best for you to
decide what will fit your personal needs. If you have an older car, you
may want to wait until you upgrade. However, if you have a newer car,
the benefits of synthetic oils are easily seen. Again, it’s
solely dependent upon you and the conditions where you drive.
Synthetics are shown to provide their best protection above 250 degrees
Fahrenheit. Most people do not drive their cars this hot. However, many
do drive in cities, where driving times are considered to be more of a
“stop-and-go” nature, which may be considered
“extreme” in many circumstances. When the time
comes for you to make a decision, at least you’ll be informed
of the differences of each. And, until that time, no matter what, keep
up that automotive pride!
About the author:
Michael Walker is a freelance author providing tips and hints on engine
related topics such as JDM
motors, used
import engines and engine
swaps. His articles are a valuable source of information for
the auto enthusiast.
Circulated by Article Emporium
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