Synthetic oil vs. Mineral conventional oil

Most readers know that synthetic motor oils typically perform better than conventional motor oils in providing protection for your vehicle, but they might not know why. What’s the real difference between synthetic and conventional oil? Pretty much everything.

Conventional and synthetic oils begin in the ground. But that’s where the similarities end. 

Synthetic oil is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down into its basic molecules. This process not only removes more impurities from the crude oil but also enables individual molecules in the oil to be tailored to the demands of modern engines. These customized molecules provide higher levels of protection and performance than conventional oils. But the synthetic base oil is only half the story. The correct blend additives must go into the mix to create the oil.

While synthetics as a motor oil category provide better protection than conventional oils, not all synthetics are created equal.

Motor oils aren’t created equal. you might not know the difference between synthetic blend oils and full synthetic oils.

Where traditional mineral or conventional use refined crude oil (that stuff you find in the ground), synthetic oils consist of chemical compounds that are artificially made by breaking down and then rebuilding petroleum molecules. The end result is an oil containing specific molecules that are tailored to provide optimal lubrication properties.

Types of synthetic oil
There are different types of synthetic oil: synthetic blend oil and full synthetic oil. Here’s the difference. 

Synthetic blend oil is a mix of conventional motor oils and synthetic base stocks. Because of the added synthetic base stock, you’re going to get more performance and protection than you would by using a conventional oil alone. 

Full synthetic oil uses a synthetic base stock mixed with a variety of additives that boost the performance of the oil. While all synthetics on the market may offer a higher level of protection than conventional or synthetics blends, not all synthetics are equal. Each synthetic brand uses a mix of high-performance fluids and additives. How these formulations come together results in various protection levels and attributes.

Not all synthetics are formulated the same way. They can contain very different types and combinations of base oils and additives. Even minor differences in formulation can have a major effect on performance. For example, add a bit more of one additive and you get better cleanliness, but you might lose some wear protection. Cut back on this additive and you get better performance at high temperatures, but the cold-weather startup isn’t as good. 

Explain the terms on the oil bottles such as API SM/CF

API stands for American Petroleum Institute. In this case, API sets industry standards for passenger and commercial vehicles. These standards are recognized, and in many cases, developed in conjunction with car and lubricant manufacturers, including ExxonMobil. The letters next to API, such as SM, refer to the quality level of passenger vehicle motor oil. The current highest available standard is SN. CF is a diesel engine or commercial vehicle standard and the highest current one is CJ-4. More information is available at the API website: www.api.org.

What is ester oil?

Ester oil is synthetic base oil that has been chemically synthesized.

Esters are stable molecules, provide good solvency, and provide very good low-temperature and high-temperature performance in engine oils.

What is EP (extreme pressure) additive

Extreme pressure additives, or EP additives, are additives for lubricants with a role to decrease wear of the parts of the gears exposed to very high pressures.

Explaining viscosity designations

What does 10W-40, 5W-30 etc. mean?

In simple language, the first part of the viscosity designation (W grade) is an indication of the product's ability to help an engine crank and start and for the engine to pump the lubricant. The lower the number (0W is the lowest), the lower the temperature the product can be used. So the W grade is related to the lowest temperature your engine sees when you start the engine on the coldest morning of the year. But also keep in mind that a lower W grade pumps and helps an engine to start better than a higher W grade. The second part of the viscosity grade is related to the viscosity your engine sees at operating temperature. In this case, a higher number is a higher viscosity grade and provides more viscous oil at operating temperature than lower viscosity grade oil. It is not safe to assume that a higher viscosity oil is always better for your engine because other factors, such as engine design, fuel economy and power, are also related to operating viscosity