Why Should You Use Synthetic Oil
If you dont change your own oil, chances are that whoever does that for you may already be using at least a synthetic oil blend oil in your vehicle, if not a fully synthetic motor oil.
This is becoming more popular as time passes, considering the advantages it provides.
A study conducted by AAA found that 47% of vehicle engines actually performed better in multiple categories with synthetic oil rather than with conventional oil.
Some vehicles such as high performance vehicles, luxury vehicles, and many German brands actually require the use of synthetic oil to run properly.
If you arent using this type in your vehicle yet, there are many good reasons you should.
How Many Miles Is A Full Synthetic Oil Change Good For
As we mentioned before, full synthetic oil allows you to drive your car without worrying about the oil change for a long time. Typically, expect to reach up to 15,000 miles without needing an oil change. However, this number might change significantly depending on a lot of factors. Therefore, you must fill yourself with a different symptom indicating that your vehicle is due for an oil change before dealing with major complications.
In general, pushing the synthetic oil should allow you to have more time before you need another oil change. But, it doesn’t mean that you should ignore any severe symptom indicating that your vehicle needs an oil change immediately.
On the other hand, regular oil might require a change once every 5000 miles. Many mechanics might advise you to change your oil every 3000 miles. However, that’s too much, which is a very common myth about oil changes. Therefore, the best location to get accurate information is through your vehicle’s owners manual. It states details about when to change the motor oil, whether you’re using synthetic or regular oil.
Will Switching To Synthetic Oil Cause Leaks
No, not really. That is another synthetic oil myth. Synthetic oil will not cause leaks or damage engine seals. On the other hand, if your engine already has a leak or damaged seal, synthetic oil just might help you find it. Because of its molecular uniformity and low viscosity, synthetic oil has a better chance of flowing through small spaces. That is good when it comes to working its way through the tight tolerances of a modern engine. Not so good if your engine already has a sliver of a leak that conventional oil might find hard to flow through, but that synthetic oil can navigate. And sometimes, sludge from conventional oil actually plugs a leak synthetic oil can clean out the plug and leak out.
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Is Synthetic Oil Safe In Vehicles
In the past, warnings were given about switching to synthetic oil because it could harm the engine. The reason for this was that many synthetic oils contained esters, which are organic compounds mixed with alcohol. This combination was often hard on seals in the engine, and would cause them to wear down and start to leak.
Synthetic oil technology has improved over the years, and most cars on the road today should be able to use either synthetic or regular oil, so long as the proper weight is used. In fact, some new cars require synthetic oil. However, one exception is with older vehicles, especially those with high mileage. The seals in those engines may not be able to handle the additives in synthetic oil. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to switch to synthetic in an older car.
The Benefits Of Synthetic Oil Vs Conventional Oil:
- Fewer emissions
- Better fuel and oil economy
- Increased engine protection and wear from lower friction
- Longer intervals between oil changes
- Reduced engine drag from greater resistance to thickening
- Oil effectiveness/quality is more predictable and uniform
- Better all-weather protection
- Quicker engine start time
- Helps clean engine sludge and deposits
Synthetic oil is generally considered the best oil. It is designed for performance. However, that same manufacturing process makes it more expensive.
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Should I Use Synthetic Oil In My High Mileage Car
Yes. The only thing to keep in mind is that you may have to change your oil more frequently at first after switching to synthetic oil because your engine may have accumulated sludge and deposits over the years that the oil will have to remove. After your first couple of changes, however, you can enjoy the longer oil change intervals that synthetics provide.
Advantages Of Using Synthetic Oil:
The thought may cross your mind about the advantages and disadvantages of fully synthetic oil. To this, the answer is, Yes. Like there will be less chemical degradation, no fuel and water contamination, acids, extreme heat, and so on. Simply, it does not allow your vehicle to gather dust or any other material that hampers its performance. This means a healthy and clean engine.
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Synthetic Oil: Everything You Need To Know
Synthetic oil is a man-made lubricant that consists of artificially made chemical compounds. Synthetic oils are typically created from chemically modified materials such as petroleum components, but the base material is almost always distilled crude oil.
Synthetic oil is a man-made lubricant that consists of artificially made chemical compounds. Synthetic oils are typically created from chemically modified materials such as petroleum components, but the base material is almost always distilled crude oil. Any additional additives and the actual synthesis process for creating synthetic oil varies among producers and is considered a trade secret.
Types Of Motor Oils For Your Vehicle
There are several types of motor oils offered today. Widely available, either at your dealership or the local auto parts and big box stores, they are tailor-made for the type of driving you do.
Traditional motor oil has always been a safe choice but requires replacement at a much more frequent interval. The same applies to the filters that trap as many impurities from the oil flow as possible during its lifetime. Traditional motor oils should be changed after approximately 5,000-miles of service.
Semi-Synthetic motor oil combines traditional and synthetic blends and is a good choice for vehicles that operate under heavier loads and extended driving sessions. Semi-Synthetics last longer than traditional oils and could safely provide proper lubrication to around 8,000 miles.
Synthetic motor oil is the perfect choice for todays high-tech engines, whether high performance or high efficiency. They offer better performance from a viscosity standpoint and increased protection from foreign deposits. Good all the way out to 10,000 in some usages, it is the perfect choice to protect your investment whether its a pickup truck or a plug-in hybrid.
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What Is Synthetic Motor Oil
The oil in your car is a natural resource. Synthetic oils, however, are not naturally occurring compounds.
These oils combine synthetic or artificial chemicals with crude oil to create a petroleum product that behaves similarly to conventional oil. Synthetics are the optimal engine fills for a new car or those that dont. have a high mileage.
There are two types of synthetic oil: synthetic blend and full synthetic oil.
The combination of conventional and synthetic oils produces synthetic blend oil. It works similarly to conventional oils, but the addition of synthetics gives better protection to your vehicles engine.
On the other hand, fully synthetic motor oil uses synthetic oil as a base and adds chemicals to keep your cars engine running at its best. Examples of additives include polyalphaolefin, castor waxes, and paraffinic oils.
These fluids can be mixed in various proportions depending on the manufacturers preference for performance or protection levels. However, most companies opt for an equal mix between these additives. These balance both factors, performance and protection, well enough so it usually doesnt matter what blend you buy as long as it is fully synthetic.
What Is The Difference Between Synthetic And Semi Synthetic Oil
Semi-synthetic motor oil is a blend of conventional oil and synthetic products. With synthetic oil, regardless of the base compounds used in its makeup, the product is artificially made, with all of the benefits that come from that process and from the additives included in the formula. Synthetic blends or semi-synthetics contain some percentage of less-refined conventional oil and its accompanying downsides. Industry specifications, while stringent for full synthetics, do not exist for semi synthetics.
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The Correct Change Interval For Synthetic Oil
There’s a lot of nonsense floating around about when to change your synthetic oil. If your vehicle runs syntheticsand most do these daysthe best place to find the correct oil-change interval is the owner’s manual. Manufacturers’ recommended synthetic-oil change intervals vary greatly. For the vehicles in Car and Driver’s long-term test fleet, those intervals range from 6000 to 16,000 miles .
Most modern vehicles have change intervals in the 7500-to-10,000-mile rangegenerally a good schedule to use if you absolutely cannot find any information on the oil-change interval for your vehicle. Manufacturers also have a special set of recommended synthetic oil-change intervals for vehicles driven in severe conditions like Mojave Desert heat or Alaskan coldor for vehicles that spend most of their time on dusty roads. Many newer vehicles have oil-quality monitoring systems that keep track of driving conditionsthe length of your trips, engine temperatures, and other engine parameters. The algorithms in those systems calculate when your oil should be changed and alert you when it’s time.
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Are There Any Other Tips Or Tricks I Need To Know About
Just because there is a maximum mileage limit on change intervals doesnt mean you can push the boundaries.
Most upper limits set by synthetic oil producers is still within operational range by design, but just because it lasts longer than regular oil doesnt mean it is invincible.
Always check your owners manual for appropriate oil change intervals.
Just because 7500 miles between oil changes is common for synthetic oil life doesnt mean it is the best for your particular vehicle. Dont also assume that 10,000 miles is achievable out of every one of these formulas that you purchase.
Read the product description for manufacturer specific stipulations and limits first, to stay on the safe side.
Every vehicle is designed in a specific way, and the manufacturer always knows best. So, its always best to change the oil according to their timeframe.
Also keep in mind that not driving your vehicle around as much doesnt mean the synthetic oil doesnt need to be changed.
As good as synthetic oil is, not driving your vehicle wont make it last longer. Even synthetic oil breaks down as it ages.
Watch this video for some more important tips on synthetic oil change intervals.
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How Do You Use Your Vehicle
Even when synthetic oil is used, how you drive your vehicle affects how quickly oil breaks down.
Stop-and-go traffic is hard on your engine and its oil. This line of thinking is becoming harder to justify, with better oils becoming more ubiquitous in the market, but it still has traction and some relevance.
Driving your vehicle in harsher conditions will generally require more frequent changes. For many mechanics, the recommended oil change intervals is once every 5000 miles for harsh driving conditions with synthetic oil.
Synthetic Oils Last Longer Between Changes
Synthetic oils tend to break down slower than conventional oils, which allows it to maintain its low viscosity. This ability to flow easily helps the oil protect your engines constantly-moving parts from being damaged when you drive your car. Conventional oils usually let you go about 3,000-7,500 miles between changes, whereas synthetic oils can last roughly 7,500-10,000 miles or possibly even longer. How hard you push your car and the general climate where you live also impact how frequently you should change your cars oil. As we mentioned before, you should check your car owners manual to see what your manufacturer recommends regarding oil change frequency.
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What Are Synthetic Oils Made From
Full synthetic motor oil uses the highest possible quality base oil as a starting point, but the industry specifics are a bit murky. Aside from the base oil, synthetic motor oil often incorporates additives to create the final product. Even though no two brand’s synthetic oils are equal, full synthetics still provide better protection than conventional oils or synthetic blends.
Synthetic Motor Oils Better For The Cold
When winter hits, we worry about our cars. Thats the time many people realize that having a fresh car battery and an engine full of synthetic motor oil are worth it.
Oil settles when the car isnt being used. The process of the oil moving about takes a moment, and with conventional oil, this process is slower in the cold. Synthetic oil takes less time to get to work.
It is specifically designed to operate well in cold temperatures.
Luckily, the benefits still enter the picture on the opposite end of the spectrum. In other words, when the weather is hot, hot, hot, the synthetic motor oil keeps up, too. Its less likely to evaporate, resulting in less oil loss. These formulas were created to withstand high temperatures.
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Many New Vehicles Have A Change Oil Indicator Light
Many modern vehicles can tell you when you need to change their synthetic oil.
Usually, a light will come on in the gauge cluster letting you know that an oil change is needed.
Consumer reports found that some vehicles they tested could have been safely driven several thousand more miles before a synthetic oil change was actually necessary after the change oil light came on.
A light like this eliminates the need to constantly track the exact number of miles youve driven therefore, the change interval for synthetic oil may vary from time to time in a vehicle with a change oil light.
Does My Car Need Synthetic Oil
It’s all depending. The best place to start is from your vehicle’s owners manual. If your manual requires your car to use synthetic oil, then you cannot use any oil because all other oils are of lower quality, as we indicated before.
If you go with lower quality oil, there’s a chance that you’ll deal with engine damages and other complications that you don’t want to deal with.
On the other hand, if your manual does not require you to use synthetic oil, then it’s your choice. You can use a higher quality oil to improve the engine performance without worrying about frequent oil changes, but you don’t have to appear. In other words, also a lot of experts mentioned that you could stick with your regular oil and get the benefits needed for your vehicle as long as you change the oil on time.
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Will The Wrong Oil Damage My Engine
If you make a mistake and put the incorrect oil in your vehicle, it isnt the end of your cars life right now. However, doing so can cause problems further down the line. If you realise that youve put the wrong oil in your car, its best to have it changed. You can learn how to do this below.
If you unknowingly have been using the wrong engine oil for a while, your car will let you know. If the viscosity is wrong, you may end up with an oil leak due to the different flow properties.
You might also be able to smell burning this is because different oils heat at different temperatures. This could result in your engine not lubricating itself properly, which will lead to much larger issues in the future.
Using the incorrect motor oils will not cause you immediate issues, but to keep your car at peak performance it is strongly advised that you identify the best oil to use and stick with it.
If you think you might have been using the wrong oil and it has potentially caused some damage, dont hesitate to book an appointment with a local garage so they can have a look. We can get you in touch with a trustworthy mechanic who can help you decide which steps you should take next.
Is Synthetic Oil Better For Your Car’s Engine Than Conventional Oil
Yes. Although conventional oil provides adequate lubrication, it doesn’t compete with synthetic oil’s overall engine protection and performance.
Synthetic oils are created with base oils which are of a higher quality than conventional, less-refined base oils. These higher quality base oils make synthetics:
- Less likely to acidify and oxidize
- More chemically stable
- Harder to break down and lose desired qualities
Consumer Reports says that fully synthetic oils provide superior engine protection and performance over any synthetic blend or conventional motor oil.
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When To Use Conventional Oil
Manufactured from crude oil and given select additives for heat resistance and viscosity, conventional oil has a lower price tag. Depending on the type, synthetic may cost four times as much as conventional or the difference may be as little as 10 percent for certain blends. Although you may be steered toward synthetic, conventional oil can be ideal in select cases:
- Older vehicles, as engines in these cars were built with conventional oil in mind. In these cases, conventional may provide better lubrication and protection compared to synthetic.
- Cars with under 75,000 miles. Below this point, engines are less vulnerable to wear and tear, debris and wont experience strain from the lower viscosity of conventional oil.
However, depending on where you live and your cars mileage, conventional oils degrade sooner and take longer to warm up in colder conditions. These factors:
- Require you to change your oil sooner, ideally every 3,000 miles
- Increase your risk for engine clogs
- Can place strain on your engine in colder conditions and only perform well once your car has warmed up
- Are more likely to hold onto debris and moisture, increasing wear placed on your engine if you delay oil changes
When its time for an oil change, book your appointment with DaSilvas Auto Body. Contact our Naugatuck shop today.
