Synthetic and Mineral Oil Applications
July 7th, 2010 | 
Author: “What oil should I be using for my car….” is the most typical question we get from folks confused about the latest publicity.
To set the record straight, in my 20 plus years of dealing with internal combustion engines, I still seem to have an answer which most people weren’t prepared to hear. My general rule of thumb for all stock engines is to stick with the factory recommended oil. Period.
If you have a brand new engine it might be wise to stick religiously to the manufacturer’s service intervals recommendation, grade and viscosity which should be found on the vehicle’s manual, but with a slight deviation.
I always advise to change the oil filter too in the process, regardless of what the manufacturer states. I am saying this because on most modern engines’ manuals they seem to skip one filter interval between oil changes. While I am not declaring myself as an automotive engineer and trying to compete in any way with the manufacturer’s technology, my reasoning is a matter of cost effectiveness.
What I intend to say is that the most expensive unit is the oil itself, the filter while not free, isn’t going to break your bank balance in changing it every time you do an oil change. Skimping on an oil filter between oil changes in my opinion doesn’t really make economic sense.
Just think of a typical situation where the engine’s guarantee has just lapsed by a few months, maybe a year, or two at most and you find that your bores are badly scored and you need an expensive overhaul of some sort. Even if the bores might clean out through a honing process and a set of rings (the most economical) you are looking at a huge expense. Add the vehicle’s yearly depreciation in market value and most likely it will not be worth that expense. Personally, if you ask me I’d rather opt to buy a filter with every oil change instead of risking this situation.
Giving you my reasoning of going slightly over-board I can now explain the manufacturer’s reasoning.
Tip: Always lube the Oil Ring Rubber Gasket with new clean oil for a perfect seal. Only hand tighten the filter without any oil wrenches.
The reality is that new engines today are being run-in at the factory under a constantly monitored process (bedding process) before being supplied to the customer, so there will be no initial running-in swarf (metal particles through rubbing components). Modern synthetic oils also have anti-friction agents added to reduce that wear which creates this metal minute fragments. Both engine design and oil technical advancements are designed for longer engine life, improved fuel economy and adhere to the stringent emissions requirements, often exceeding it for long-lasting production without any major redesign.
Knowing all this, I still opt to be on the safe side as the bore to piston wear, unless heavily worn will not show until the engine has covered a significant amount of miles. By that time your factory guarantee will have probably ended!
Differences between Synthetic Oil and Mineral Oils
Synthetic oil is more expensive because it is more refined than mineral oil.
Group IV oils are more expensive than mineral oils because they consist of molecules that are synthesized from simpler chemical compounds. This enables the lab chemists to modify the characteristics of a lubricant to more accurate specifications required by modern engines. These synthetic oils have much improved flow characteristics in extreme low temperatures while maintaining their properties at elevated temperatures without molecule break-down. Because of such properties, engines can use lighter grades when compared to mineral oils, this in turn consumes less energy through less flow resistance and less frictional energy. The less rotating resistance there is the more the engine can turn “freely” saving on fuel consumption. A high quality Group IV synthetic oil used on premium vehicles is Mobil 1.
Somewhere between these lines you’ll also find semi-synthetic oils. These Grade III oils cost considerably less but still maintain some of the most important characteristics of modern oils. They are made from the left overs of the refining process to produce fuels like kerosene, gasoline, diesel, and some other products. These Group III oils can be used safely on most modern vehicles and is probably best suited for the budget cars of less high-end market value.
Mineral oils are the older type of oil used before the more refined processes emerged in the distillation and refining process. These oils are much cheaper and are not designed for modern close tolerances of modern engines. Modern engineering, new alloy materials, advanced heat-treatments and improved production tooling have all lead to tighter tolerances and superior engine build quality. Using such oils on these engines will destroy these close tolerances because of lack of lubrication flow and less anti-friction and cleaning agents found in the more advanced oils. They still have a place in their original design – classic cars. These mineral oils have improved slightly over the years due to chemical lab improvements.
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Posted in engine | 
Tags: castrol, engine oil, engine oil filter, mineral engine oil, mobil 1, semi-synthetic oil, synthetic oil, valvoline