Why Synthetics Are Better
Motor oil is made up of two basic ingredients: base stocks and additives. More than ever, today’s high performance engines depend on the protection the motor oil provides. I thought it might be good to cover some basic information here as this blog is getting started so I wanted to address the makeup of oil in this entry.
Base stocks make up the bulk of the motor oil. They are responsible for lubricating the moving parts of the engine, helping the piston rings seal and provide cooling. They can be made from petroleum, chemically synthesized materials or a combination of both. Petroleum base stocks generally have long carbon molecule chains of different sizes that are very sensitive to heat and can break down and “boil-off” (evaporation of lubricants) at relatively low temperatures which changes their physical properties such as viscosity. Synthetics are made from uniformly shaped molecules that makes them resist break down from heat and reduces the boil-off rate. The uniform shape also adds to the “lubricity” (the ability to reduce friction between moving parts) because they provide a more uniform film across bearing surfaces. This higher lubricity provides better protection for those surfaces and also increases the sealing ability of the piston rings, which increases the engine’s efficiency and miles per gallon. It also helps to reduce the temperature of the engine.
Additives are chemicals included in motor oil that provide corrosion resistance, anti-foaming, acid neutralization, maintenance of viscosity, detergency and dispersion and anti-wear. The quality of the additive packs range widely in the lubrication industry. Some use the bare minimum to meet certain API classifications. Amsoil uses exceptionally high quality additives that allow it to be used with extended drain intervals while providing better protection for your engine and industry standard laboratory tests have proven this in repeated tests with the competition.
Using Amsoil products allows you to provide better protection while saving you money and time in reduced maintenance intervals.