Is synthetic oil comparatively better than regular or conventional oil? At what interval do you need to change these two types of oils? Let us find answers to all these questions in the following sections.
Synthetic or Regular Oil – Which is Better?
Synthetic oil is considered to be better compared to regular or mineral oil since it enhances performance of the engine and provides it adequate protection. The good thing about synthetic oils is that they have base oils of excellent quality while regular oils have base oils that are less refined. Due to presence of base oils which are less refined, regular oils:
Tend to acidify as well as oxidize more easily.
They have poor chemical stability.
They quickly lose their protective qualities and easily break down.
On the other hand, benefits of synthetic oils are:
They reduce wear and combat deposit and sludge build up.
They control oil break down and protect engine from high temperatures.
Synthetic oils have fewer impurities.
At low temperatures also these oils flow quickly and start protecting the engine as soon as the vehicle is started.
Let us look at few of the other benefits of synthetic oils.
Better Protection for Critical Engine Parts
Nowadays, cars are available with turbochargers and these turbo charged engines become very hot during operations, with oil temperature exceeding 400OF. Moreover, the shaft usually spins at a rate of 200K RPM, making it necessary for the oil to quickly flow through these critical parts and provide adequate lubrication.
Regular oils are known to quickly break down if there are extreme turbo conditions and in addition, they also leave a deposit over components of the turbo charger, that can result in failure. On the other hand, synthetic oils are capable of protecting these turbocharger components and keep them running in best condition.
Higher Viscosity
Synthetic oils usually have higher viscosity and as such, are more stable during temperature changes that occur inside the engine. A film develops between parts of an engine due to synthetic oil’s viscosity and protect them from friction related wear and tear.
Oil Change Interval
In general, oil change interval is longer for synthetic oils compared to regular or conventional oils. However, the change interval depends upon other factors as well such as, driving conditions and driving style. Usually, the oil change interval is between 5k-7k miles, which is much longer that what is recommended for regular oils.
Higher consistency, fewer impurities, resistance to thermal breakdown, and ability to manage extreme cold and hot temperatures are some of the reasons synthetic oils require fewer oil changes compared to regular oils, which are refined and derived from crude oil.
Summary
To summarize it can be said that between synthetic and regular oil, changing over to synthetic oils will be a wise decision since it will prolong life of your engine, you will have greater interval between oil changes, and will be able to save more money since there will be fewer oil changes.
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