Synthetic Oil vs. Standard Oil: the Differences are Many
When it comes to motor oils, the debate rages around whether or not to opt for synthetics. When this question came in for #AskNorth40, we went to Jerrad White, one of our store managers, for a quick overview.
He advocates synthetics over standard oil for numerous reasons, some of which are more mileage between oil changes, less overall oil changes and better-operating temperatures. Those all sound nice- but what does that really mean? Let's get into it.
The Structure of Synthetic Oils VS Standard Oil
To begin, standard oil is a byproduct of natural oil. It is the result of a process called frictional distillation. First, it is extracted from the ground and then it's refined to remove impurities. It's made of non-uniform molecules and has a mixture of hydrocarbons which include: sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and metals like nickel. The oil refining process separates the molecules in the oil by weight. So, standard motor oil can vary depending on the raw crude oil refining process.
Typically made from natural gas or alcohol, synesthetic oil is made by man. It is not only refined, but it is also distilled, purified, and broken down into molecules. This is the process that takes out impurities. It allows the oil to be specifically manufactured to work in modern vehicles.
What that structure means to engines
The benefit of standard oil is that it is accessible. Also, because of its irregularities, standard oil helps in smoothing surfaces. However, standard lubricants are made up of molecules that are all different hydrocarbon lengths. So for example, short hydrocarbons burn off when they get hot. Different lengths can also mean less smoothness. And, the wax content in standard oil makes it sensitive to cold temperatures.
Synthetic oil is only made of medium length molecules. This means that it's been specifically created to have a stable structure. This allows it to work in very high and very low temperatures that standard oil otherwise cannot. Synthetic oil also offers greater mileage between oil changes, as Jerrad mentions, 5-10k with synthetic, versus, 3k with standard. Finally, it reduces environmental pollution.
So what's the Bottom Line?
It basically boils down to this: synthetic oil is recommended over standard oil for your modern engine. You get more mileage from your vehicle before you have to change your oil. You have less overall oil changes in the long run. And finally, synthetic oil, by nature, has better-operating temperatures.