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The Auto Industry's Best Kept Secret REVEALED!
Synthetics: The Auto Industry’s Best-Kept Secret
Base article is from Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords Magazine,
with additional commentary by Performance Oil Technology, L.L.C.
Have you ever heard the story about the light bulb that doesn’t
burn out or the razor that never dulls? Sure, these stories get
exaggerated, but sometimes there’s an element of truth to the rumors
leaking out of a manufacturers skunkworks. One particular rumor
that sounds too good to be true is “an experimental motor oil that
increases horsepower, practically stops internal engine wear in
its tracks and improves fuel efficiency.”
Well, synthetic motor oil is not a rumor. It’s been in use ever
since World War II (the Germans used it on the cold eastern front
because conventional oil wouldn’t flow in the arctic-like weather).
Even though it sounds too good to be true, synthetics do reduce
engine wear, improve gas mileage and increase horsepower. This is
because synthetic oil molecules are superior in a number of ways
to mineral-based oils
Synthetic Oil is Superior to Mineral-Based Oil in Every
Way:
Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that synthetics
have a much higher resistance to heat than mineral-based oils. Because
synthetic oil is composed of molecules that are uniform in weight
and shape, its heat of vaporization is much higher (more than 600
deg. F.) compared to conventional oil, which begins evaporating
at temps as low as 350 deg. F. This added stability at high temperature
means that your hard-working engine wont burn up as much oil- and
that means less sludge and fewer varnish deposits in the engine.
Added lubricity is another attribute of synthetics. The uniform
diameter of synthetic oil polymers allows them to more easily slide
over one another. The resultant reduction in friction shows up as
more horsepower and torque and reduced internal engine wear.
Higher film strength, however is one of the major benefits of synthetics.
Film strength is what keeps oil molecules from being pushed away
from each other under pressure. Mineral based oil has a film strength
of about 400 psi, while synthetics usually exceed 3000 psi. In an
area where two metal surfaces meet, the film of oil between them
prevents them from rubbing and wearing away at each other. Synthetics
do a better job of this than conventional mineral oils. It takes
more than seven times as much pressure to squeeze synthetic oil
from between two surfaces than mineral-based oil. Consequently,
synthetics are much better at keeping your engine like new.
Not All Synthetics Are Created Equal:
Please be aware that not all synthetics are created equal. There
is wide differences in quality and protection provided by the various
synthetics. Additionally, not all synthetics are 100% synthetic.
Many are partial synthetics marketed under the perception of full
synthetics to the unsuspecting consumer or even hydrocracked oils
such as Castrol Syntec, for example, which is a hydroisomerized
petroleum oil marketed under the disguise of a synthetic (there
is a full article on this in our Informative
Articles section detailing the recent battle between
Castrol and Mobil). There are no PAO (polyalphaolefin) synthetic
molecules in Castrol Syntec, yet because of legal fanageling with
the definition of synthesized motor oils they can legally be called
synthetic. Basically, they changed the definition of a synthetic
to fit their process of highly refining a petroleum base oil, called
hydrocracking and fought with Mobil and the National Advertising
Council to loosen the definition of a synthetic.
Film strength is important in another way- cold start protection.
Regular mineral-based oil will not remain as a boundary layer (a
uniform thin coating) on metal surfaces when an engine is turned
off. Mineral-based oil drains off parts and out of passageways into
the oil pan. Additionally, mineral-based oils contain waxes and
paraffins that come out of the earth and solidify when it gets colder
outside, therefore making it even harder to pump the oil when cold.
When you crank your vehicle the metal surfaces (crankshaft, camshaft,
lifters, connecting rod bearings, piston pin bushings & bearings,
piston, rings and cylinder walls) that require lubrication are not
fully lubricated in the time it takes for the oil pump to pressurize
the lubrication system and supply oil to the engine.
With Mineral-Based Oil Your Engine is Not
As Well Protected During One of The Most Critical Times: Engine
Start-Up:
Engine start-up lubrication is one of the most critical times for
lubrication. Small amounts of wear occurs every time you start your
engine with mineral-based oils. Over time, these small amounts of
wear add up to larger amounts and result in increase clearances,
reduced oil pressure, increase oil consumption and reduced life
of your engine. Synthetic motor oil, on the other hand, will stay
on engine parts and coat them uniformly because of its high film
strength and greater heat affinity (it adheres better to hot metal
parts). Additionally, synthetics prevent start-up engine wear and
are pumped to critical passageways, surfaces and bearings much faster
than mineral-based oils. With mineral-based oils your engine is
basically running with no oil (which can be as much as 20-30 seconds,
depending on the severity of cold weather, after cranking the motor).
With synthetics after several hundred thousand miles you still will
have a strong running engine, instead of a used-up engine that may
require a re-build. This has been proven
by millions of miles of customer usage and countless laboratory
and field tests.
(As an extra benefit , some synthetics are designed for longer drain
intervals. This offsets the added cost of synthetic oil. AMSOIL has motor oils designed for 25,000 mile/1-year
or 35,000 mile/1-year drain intervals (or longer with by-pass filtration).
There is no other oil company in the world that can match AMSOIL’s
extended drain interval capability or quality).
Why Don’t Automakers Use Synthetics in Production
Vehicles:
Okay. Synthetics are great. The real question is: Why doesn’t everybody
use them? Manufacturers don’t use synthetics in production vehicles
(except as where needed to prevent component failure during the
warranty period) for at least two reasons. It is our opinion that
they want to sell you a new vehicle more often, and synthetic motor
oil would significantly reduce their chances of doing that. Additionally,
the oil companies want to sell oil to keep their oil wells and refineries
running and they do that by recommending the 3000 mile oil change.
Sure, they all offer a synthetic or semi-synthetic now, but it is
only a very small percentage of total oil sales volume. A few auto
companies install a synthetic oil as a factory fill in very high
performance vehicles such as the Chevrolet Corvette, for example.
(additionally, it is our opinion that oil companies want to sell
oil to keep their oil wells and refineries running and they do that
by recommending the 3000 mile oil change. Sure, they all offer a
synthetic or semi-synthetic now, but it is only a very small percentage
of total oil sales volume. Basically, what you are seeing here is
the oil and auto companies working together so they both benefit
from the "3000 mile oil change").
(Many of the same oil companies that recommend 3000 mile oil changes
in the U.S. also offer and recommend 12,000-18,000 mile oil changes
in Europe, and have been for many years and have plans for increasing
that to nearly 30,000 mile oil changes in the future. The technology
is available yet AMSOIL is the only one to offer a superior extended
drain synthetic oil that far exceeds the performance specifications
of any other type and brand of oil and back it with their own warranty).
AMSOIL Offers Extended Drain Intervals and Superior
Filtration:
AMSOIL Synthetic Lubricants offers a 25,000 mile/1-year oil change,
a 35,000 mile/1-year oil change with Super Duty Filtration (require
changing every 12,500 miles or 6-months, whichever comes first).
Should the consumer choose AMSOIL By-Pass Filtration, this will
allow for virtually no oil changes and filter down to 1/10 micron
particle size. The average consumer spending excessive amounts of
time and money changing their oil every 3000 miles does not get
the same level of performance and protection as the AMSOIL customer
that is saving both time and money and getting maximum performance,
protection and extending the life of their engine and transmission
(AMSOIL also offers synthetic extended drain interval transmission
fluid that will virtually eliminate transmission wear and reduce
operating temperatures approximately 20-50 deg. F., depending on
operating conditions)
There Is A Good Use For Mineral Oil:
Please note that a new gasoline powered engine should be run on
the factory fill mineral-based oil for about the first 500 miles
and large diesel engines should be run about 5000-6000 miles in
general before changing to synthetic oil. Mineral oil's lower shear
strength can help promote easier engine wear-in, although you can
convert to synthetic oil sooner if you like. Many production vehicles
today come factory filled with synthetic oil. Engine break-in is
not as critical today as it was in the old days. Material, engineering
advances and manufacturing technology has improved drastically from
the days when long break-in periods were required.
It is good practice to perform the first oil and filter change at
500 miles because the the initial change contains the highest wear
metal content in the used oil and filter. The added friction
and surface abrasion that mineral-based oils provide actually helps
to seat the valves and create even mating surfaces between parts
during the first several hundred miles (such as piston rings and
cylinder walls). This is a time in the engine’s life that generates
a high level of metal, aluminum, copper and some lead particles
in the oil (that cannot all be caught by the filter). Again, you
are perfectly ok to use synthetic oils sooner if you choose to (with
the exception of 2-cycle engines). Your engine will still wear-in
properly although it may take just a short time longer as compared
to petroleum oil.
Major racing teams don’t appear to use synthetics, but things aren’t
always what they seem. The racing team’s sponsor might want you
to believe there’s a certain kind of motor oil in the car’s crankcase,
but every successful race team in the world uses synthetic lubricants
throughout the car and about 85% of them use AMSOIL.
Your probably wondering how we know these facts. It's
simple: we work in the automotive industry with many professionals
involved in the racing industry.
Interestingly enough, the biggest reason that synthetic lubricants
are not in widespread use is because the would-be consumer does
not know of the benefits provided by synthetics. Also, they are
not sure where to go to ask or who to ask. Asking your local
parts counterman at the auto parts or the high school kid at the
quick-lube shop is not the answer, or even asking your local auto
dealer that sold you the car- remember, they are usually tied in
with the manufacturers brand or oil and the 3000 mile oil change
myth. You should seek out and acquire information from a Certified
Lubrication Specialist, lubrication engineer or unbiased automotive
engineer or competent mechanic that fully understands and can explain
the benefits of synthetics and the drawbacks of mineral-based oil
to the consumer. But beware, there are many mechanics out there
that are so engrained in the old way of thinking that they refuse
to change their way of thinking or even open up their minds to the
fact that there are automotive engineers, lubrication engineers
and chemists that know a heck of a lot more about motor oils, filtration,
vehicles and synthetics than them.
Some People Will Never Change:
Also, even though people have known about synthetics for years,
consumers continue to be brand and price driven. The rationale continues
to be, “My grandpappy used brand V in his model T, so I won’t use
nothing else.” Or, “I been using brand Q in my IROC for years. If
I change brands now I’ll blow the motor.” Or, “ I ain’t payin’ no
five dollars a quart, no siree, Bob, I ain’t that stupid.” Or, “I
ain’t using none of that synthetic oil...that’s stuff’s made out
of beans...I want some real crude oil.” (this last statement was
an actual statement from a customer in a snowmobile store. He was
having 2-cycle spark plug fouling problems due to the mineral- based
oil mixture he was using. The store suggested he use a synthetic
oil and 2 new spark plugs to eliminate the fouling issue. He declined
and purchased 2 boxes of spark plugs and his usual crude oil mix
; guess some people will never change).
Synthetics Are Compatible With Mineral Based
Oils, But Be Careful:
When switching to a synthetic motor oil, it is important to keep
several things in mind regarding oil consumption. Keep extra quarts
of synthetic handy. Although many synthetic oil manufacturers tout
the compatibility of their oils with mineral-based oils, adding
mineral oil to synthetic oil will drastically reduce the level of
engine protection that was initially designed into the synthetic
oil as well as the mileage to your next oil change. Also, as the
mineral oil breaks down it will contaminate the rest of the oil,
leaving sludge and varnish deposits in the engine (this is because
mineral oil is made up of many chemically dissimilar hydrocarbons,
including waxes, all of which react differently under different
operating conditions). By adding a mineral oil to synthetic oil
you will also see a reduction in engine efficiency. depending on
how much, and when, the mineral-based oil was introduced.
There are many different companies that offer synthetics. because
this overview is intended to give readers a general idea of the
benefits of synthetic lubricants, we have not discussed the specific
differences between all the individual brands and their formulations.
Keep in mind that there are significant differences between brands
of synthetics, which will affect the performance and longevity of
your engine, transmission, axles, bearings and chassis components.
Please contact us with any questions or topics that
are not explained in this brief overview.
AMSOIL
is the undisputed leader in synthetics.............
Since 1972, AMSOIL Synthetics have proven to be the
BEST. AMSOIL also engineers and manufactures Super Duty Oil filters which have a
12,500 mile service life as well as specialized filtration systems for
commercial and fleet applications in cars and light, medium and heavy trucks
which can filter particles down to less than one micron ( a standard full flow
oil filter can only filter to 20-25 microns with any degree of efficiency) making oil changes virtually unnecessary and virtually eliminating engine wear.
These filters have been proven by millions of miles of over-the road trucks,
construction equipment and fleet service.
-
AMSOIL saves you time and money.
-
The only 25,000 mile/one- year and 35,000/one-
year motor oil in the world.
-
Exceeds the most stringent performance
specifications of all major U.S. and foreign automotive and truck
manufacturers.
-
Provides up to two-times the wear protection of
other motor oils.
-
Increases the life of your vehicle.
-
Improves performance, fuel economy and
efficiency.
-
Diesel oil and filtration products designed to
deliver 1,000,000 miles for over-the-road trucks before engine overhaul.
-
Used by many national racing teams, fleets,
police departments, construction firms and trucking companies.
Oilsnmore.com is comprised of a group of highly skilled team of Engineers and Lubrication and
Filtration Specialists. You too, can join our group when you become an AMSOIL
Dealer and take advantage of all that we offer as you use products in your own
vehicles or begin your own AMSOIL business. You won't find a more knowledgeable
and skilled group of Dealers anywhere which is very important when you need
support as you build your business.
In addition, as a Dealer in our group you will receive exclusive unlimited
product, technical and business support from the only group of Truck and
Automotive Engineers and Lubrication Specialists on the net.
We do not only run our business on the internet. We also have numerous
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have several fully stocked warehouses and fully equipped shop facilities. This
provides us with excellent knowledge of the products, equipment and the business
and the ability to respond immediately to any of your needs.
We will use this
knowledge and experience to help you get started so you too can achieve your
goals.
We possess the skills, desire and knowledge to answer questions, solve problems,
improve efficiency, reduce downtime, maintenance costs and increase the
durability and life of all of your vehicles.
Read what our satisfied customers have to say about us. Read through our
website. Contact us with any questions. If you decide to become an AMSOIL Dealer
you will be joining, in our opinion, the most skilled AMSOIL group there is. We
will help you get started and provide you with the tools and information in
order to be successful in this business or with technical and product assistance
to use AMSOIL products in your own vehicles.
We offer several options to receive information on AMSOIL. We welcome the
opportunity to work with your personally as your servicing AMSOIL Dealer. Our
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Specialist with over 18 years experience. This exceptional benefit is
unavailable elsewhere.
Please, email us at
info@oilsnmore.com and
we will send you an exclusive
comprehensive package of product, technical and business information.
If you are
serious about AMSOIL products and the business opportunity this is the best
option. You will receive extensive technical and business support from both
myself and my Direct Jobber, a Detroit, Michigan Truck/Automotive Engineer and
Lubrication Specialist with over 19 years experience. We look forward to helping
you learn about AMSOIL.
Or for a smaller, very general information package (which includes a catalog and
Dealer application) you can request information via any of the links below.
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and Business Opportunity Information
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AMSOIL is America's Oil.
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