Ten Myths
About Synthetic
Lubrication
It's
a fact of life that
behavior is strongly
influenced by what
people believe,
whether true or not.
Numerous examples
from history bear
this out. For
example, sailors
were once fearful of
sailing outside the
sight of land less
they would fall off
the edge of the
world. In the early
19th century, the
train was considered
dangerous because it
was believed that if
you traveled faster
than 25 miles per
hour, you would be
traveling too fast
to breathe. At a
later date, the New
York Times warned
that electric light
may cause blindness.
Microwave ovens,
automobiles and
airplanes have had
equally vociferous
opponents.
Looking back, it is
easy to laugh at
some of these things
people so firmly
believed. But these
people were not
stupid. They were
simply misinformed.
In many instances
they had simply
drawn conclusions
before all the facts
were in. How easy it
is to make the same
mistake today. In
our own time,
synthetic motor oils
have been the object
of many
misconceptions held
by the general
public. Many people,
including some
mechanics who ought
to know better, have
been misled by
persistent myths
that need to be
addressed.
PARAMETERS
OF THE DEBATE
Synthetic
lubricants are fuel
efficient, extended
life lubricants
manufactured from
select basestocks
and special purpose
additives. In
contrast to
petroleum oils which
are pumped from the
earth and refined,
synthetics are
custom-designed in
the laboratory, with
each phase of their
molecular
construction
programmed to
produce, in effect,
the ideal lubricant.
In responding to
objections most
commonly raised
against synthetics
it is important to
establish the
parameters of the
debate. When
speaking of
synthetic motor
oils, this article
is defending the
synthetic lubricants
which have been
formulated to meet
the performance
standards set by the
American Petroleum
Institute (API).
(The first such
synthetic motor oil
to meet these
industry-accepted
tests for defining
engine oil
properties and
performance
characteristics was
AMSOIL
100% Synthetic
10W-40 in 1972.)
Many people with
questions about
synthetics haven't
known where to turn
to get correct
information. Is it
super oil or snake
oil? Some
enthusiasts will
swear that
synthetics are
capable of raising
your specialty car
from the dead. On
the other hand, the
next fellow asserts
that synthetics will
send your beloved
car to an early
grave. Where's the
truth in all this?
In an effort to set
the record straight,
we've assembled ten
of the more
persistent myths
about synthetic
motor oils to see
how they stack up
against the facts.
Myth #1:
Synthetic motor oils
damage seals.
Untrue. It
would be foolhardy
for lubricant
manufacturers to
build a product that
is incompatible with
seals. The
composition of seals
presents problems
that both petroleum
oils and synthetics
must overcome. Made
from elastomers,
seals are inherently
difficult to
standardize.
Ultimately it is the
additive mix in the
oil that counts.
Additives to control
seal swell,
shrinkage and
hardening are
required, whether it
be a synthetic or
petroleum product
that is being
produced.
Myth #2:
Synthetics are too
thin to stay in the
engine.
Untrue. In
order for a
lubricant to be
classified in any
SAE grade (10W-30,
10W-40, etc) it has
to meet certain
guidelines with
regard to viscosity
("thickness").
For example, it
makes no difference
whether it is 10W-40
petroleum or 10W-40
synthetic, at -25
degrees centigrade
(-13F) and 100
degrees centigrade
(212 degrees F) that
oil has to maintain
a standardized
viscosity or it
can't be rated a
10W-40.
Myth #3:
Synthetics cause
cars to use more
oil.
Untrue.
Synthetic motor oils
are intended to use
in mechanically
sound engines, that
is, engines that
don't leak. In such
engines oil
consumption will
actually be reduced.
First, because of
the lower volatility
of synlubes. Second,
because of the
better sealing
characteristics
between piston rings
and cylinder walls.
And finally, because
of the superior
oxidation stability
(i.e. resistance of
synthetics against
reacting with oxygen
at high
temperatures.)
Myth #4:
Synthetic lubricants
are not compatible
with petroleum.
Untrue. The
synthesized
hydrocarbons,
polyalphaolefins,
diesters and other
materials that form
the base stocks of
high quality name
brand synthetics are
fully compatible
with petroleum oils.
In the old days,
some companies used
untested ingredients
that were not
compatible, causing
quality synlubes to
suffer a bum rap.
Fortunately, those
days are long gone.
Compatibility is
something to keep in
mind, however,
whether using
petroleum oils or
synthetics. It is
usually best to use
the same oil for
topping off that you
have been running in
the engine. That is,
it is preferable to
not mix your oils,
even if it is
Valvoline or Quaker
State you are using.
The reason is this:
the functions of
additives blended
for specific
characteristics can
be offset when oils
with different
additive packages
are put together.
For optimal
performance, it is
better to use the
same oil throughout.
Myth#5:
Synthetic lubricants
are not readily
available.
Untrue. This
may have been the
case two decades ago
when
AMSOIL
and Mobil1 were the
only real choices,
but today nearly
every major oil
company has added a
synthetic product to
their lines. This in
itself is a
testament to the
value synthetics
offer.
Myth #6:
Synthetic lubricants
produce sludge
Untrue. In
point of fact,
synthetic motor oils
are more sludge
resistant than their
petroleum
counterparts,
resisting the
effects of high
temperatures and
oxidation. In the
presence of high
temperatures, two
things happen.
First, an oil's
lighter ingredients
boil off, making the
oil thicker. Second,
many of the complex
chemicals found
naturally in
petroleum basestocks
begin to react with
each other, forming
sludges, gums and
varnishes. One
result is a loss of
fluidity at low
temperatures,
slowing the timely
flow of oil to the
engine for vital
engine protection.
Further negative
effects of thickened
oil include the
restriction of oil
flow to critical
areas, greater wear
and loss of fuel
economy.
Because of their
higher flash points,
and their ability to
withstand
evaporation loss and
oxidation,
synthetics are much
more resistant to
sludge development.
Two other causes of
sludge - ingested
dirt and water
dilution - can be a
problem in any kind
of oil, whether
petroleum or
synthetic. These are
problems with the
air filtration
system and the
cooling system
resoectively, not
the oil.
Myth #7:
Synthetics can't be
used with catalytic
converters or oxygen
sensors.
Untrue.
There is no
difference between
synthetic and
petroleum oils in
regards to these
components. Both
synthetic and
petroleum oils are
similar compounds
and neither si
damaging to
catalytic converters
or oxygen sensors.
Myth #8:
Synthetics void
warranties.
Untrue. No
major manufacturer
of automobiles
specifically bans
the use of synthetic
lubricants. In point
of fact, increasing
numbers of high
performance cars are
arriving on the
showroom floors with
synthetic motor oils
as factory fill.
New vehicle
warranties are based
upon the use of oils
meeting specific API
Service
Classifications (for
example SG/CE).
Synthetic lubricants
which meet current
API Service
requirements are
perfectly suited for
use in any vehicle
without affecting
the validity of the
new car warranty. In
point of fact, in
the over 25 years
that
AMSOIL
Synthetic Lubricants
have been used in
extended service
situations, over
billions of miles of
actual driving,
these oils have not
been faulted once
for voiding an
automaker's
warranty.
Myth #9:
Synthetics last
forever.
Untrue.
Although some
experts feel that
synthetic basestocks
themselves can be
used forever, it is
well known that
eventually the
additives will
falter and cause the
oil to require
changing. Moisture,
fuel dilution and
acids (the
by-products of
combustion) tend to
use up additives in
an oil, allowing
degradation to
occur.
However , by
"topping off",
additives can be
replenished. Through
good filtration and
periodic oil
analysis, synthetic
motor oils protect
an engine for
lengths of time far
beyond the
capability of
non-synthetics.
Myth #10:
Synthetics are too
expensive.
Untrue.
Tests and experience
have proven that
synthetics can
greatly extend drain
intervals, provide
better fuel economy,
reduce engine wear
and enable vehicles
to operate with
greater reliability.
All these elements
combine to make
synthetic engine
oils more economical
that conventional
non-synthetics.
In Europe,
synthetics have
enjoyed increasing
acceptance as car
buyers look first to
performance and long
term value rather
than initial price.
As more
sophisticated
technology places
greater demands on
today's motor oils,
we will no doubt see
an increasing
re-evaluation of oil
buying habits in
this country as
well.
CONCLUSIONS
Since their
inception,
manufacturers of
synthetic motor oils
have sought to
educate the public
about the facts
regarding
synthetics, and the
need for consumers
to make their
lubrication
purchasing decisions
based on quality
rather than price.
As was the case with
microwave ovens or
electric lights, a
highly technological
improvement must
often overcome a
fair amount of
public skepticism
and consumer inertia
before it is
embraced by the
general population.
But the word is
getting out as a
growing number of
motorists worldwide
experience the
benefits of
synthetic
lubrication. The
wave of the future,
in auto lubes, is
well under way.
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