Automotive Tips: Should I Use Synthetic Oil?
Posted by admin at 30 July 2016, at 16 : 14 PM
Whether to use conventional or synthetic oil is a question with many car owners. Car owners are eager to improve their car’s performance and get maximum value from their investment, and question whether or not to use synthetic oil. If your car is new or reasonably new and doesn’t leak oil, synthetic oil may be a consideration if your wallet can stand it. But keep it mind it can cost more than five times the cost of conventional oil because of the extra processing. You will save though in the fact it requires fewer oil changes.
Conventional oil tends to become thick at lower temperatures, and therefore may have difficulty pumping to car components to reduce friction and cool parts of the engine. In extreme cold it can become very thick, sometimes making the vehicle hard to start. It becomes thinner when hot, which also can be a detriment. Synthetic oil, however, continues to remain consistent through engine temperature changes, so offers a car better overall protection. Up until last quarter of a century conventional oil has been the mainstay, but synthetic oil is growing in popularity as maximum oil protection is vital for newer cars, turbocharged engines, towing vehicles, and cars driven in extreme climate changes.
When motor oil begins to break down, it burns or vaporizers which prevents it from lubricating car parts properly and doing its job of cooling. Both conventional and synthetic oils have additives to prevent sludge and remove contaminants, but due to a higher quality of additives, synthetic oils do a better job in this regard. Synthetic oil can also improve fuel economy.
Unfortunately, the majority of oil residue from do-it-yourself oil changes is disposed of improperly, dumped on the ground, into sewers or put in the trash. But creating pollution does not only apply to conventional oil, synthetic oil is also a culprit polluting groundwater. Since less oil changes are required with synthetic oil, however, less oil would pollute the environment.
If you have a vehicle under warranty, be sure to follow the oil maintenance schedule recommended by the manufacturer or the warranty might be voided.
It is also possible to purchase synthetic oil blends which contain a quarter synthetic oil and three quarters motor oil. These are cheaper than straight synthetic oil, but also do not offer all the perks of synthetic oil. You can also add some synthetic oil to the conventional oil when doing your own oil changes. Both motor oil and synthetic oils come in the same grades 5W-30, 5W-20, 10W-30.