As the lifeblood of a car engine, oil has several crucial roles — it enables all car parts to move smoothly, absorbs excess heat, and traps any nasty, harmful chemicals. But as your vehicle is running, the oil keeps degrading and needs to be changed regularly. Changing oil is one of the most critical routine maintenance tasks.
Despite its long-term impact on the health of a car and its performance, the maintenance task is one of the cheapest investments. When time comes to change the oil, your mechanic will require you to choose between conventional and synthetic oil. The main difference between regular and man-made oil is the level of refinement. Before your next oil change in San Marcos, Kyle, or Buda, TX, keep reading to learn more about the differences between the two types of engine oils.
What is Synthetic Oil?
The oil is man-made. Products used to make synthetic oil include base oil, powder additives, and a carrier oil, which ensures even distribution of the additives. Just like the regular type, synthetic oil begins with highly refined crude oil, pumped from deep underground.
Is there a difference between full synthetic and synthetic blend? Yes. The semi-synthetic type blends traditional engine oil with more technologically advanced oils. On the other hand, full synthetic oil is a grade of motor oil. Synthetic blends are cheaper than the full synthetic option but offer better performance than conventional oil.
The Performance Benefits of Synthetic Oil
It’s no exaggeration to say that full synthetic oil delivers better performance than any other oil type on the market. When you switch to this motor oil variety, you’ll enjoy advantages such as:
- Better engine protection
- Reduced emissions
- Improved fuel economy
- Lower engine drag
- An engine that starts more quickly than usual
Thanks to these benefits and others, full synthetic oil is widely viewed as the best oil variety available today. Though conventional oil can still protect your engine, it won’t deliver the performance advantages of synthetic oil.
Oil Change Intervals for Regular and Synthetic Oil
Synthetic oil is better on car engines and contains fewer impurities as compared to the conventional type. As a result, it lasts longer than conventional and synthetic blends. If you use regular oil, it’s advisable to change it twice a year. Many experts recommend changing the oil every 7,500 miles.
The oil filter should also be changed during every oil change. Manufacturers may recommend different varying intervals for different vehicles. Therefore, check your user manual. Newer car models can go 10,000 miles without the need to change oil or only need an oil change once a year.
For the synthetic option, an oil change is needed after 10,000 to 15,000 miles or once a year. The 5,000 miles difference is significant and worth the investment.
Conventional and Synthetic Oil: Understanding the Costs Involved
While full synthetic oil delivers better performance and a longer lifespan than conventional oil, the cost is another factor you’ll need to consider before getting a synthetic oil change. Because synthetic oil is a higher-quality product than conventional oil, the former oil type will cost a bit more than the latter.
On the other hand, your oil change costs won’t be quite as cut-and-dried as that might suggest. While you’ll pay more upfront for full synthetic oil, you’ll also be able to wait much longer between one synthetic oil change and the next. That can help offset synthetic oil’s higher price tag, making it easier to benefit from this product’s advantages.
The Effect of Additives on Different Oil Types
Whether you choose full synthetic or conventional oil for your next oil change, the product you purchase will consist of more than just base oil. These days, most motor oils contain additives designed to improve their performance.
For example, your motor oil variety of choice might come with:
- Extreme pressure additives
- Dispersants
- Antifoaming agents
- Oxidation inhibitors
- Detergents
- Viscosity index improvers
- Corrosion/rust inhibitors
While there’s some crossover between the additives found in conventional and full synthetic oils, that doesn’t mean these products will perform identically in your engine. Additives can enhance conventional oil, but can’t fully compensate for the differences between this product and synthetic oil. Because of that, you’ll still need full synthetic oil to get the highest possible level of engine protection.
Cleanliness and Wear Protection Ability
Oil degrades when moving through the engine, leaving harmful deposits. The deposits may form sludge over time, and this results in lower engine performance and lifespan. Synthetic oil has fewer impurities than regular oil and has more resistance to sludge formation.
Therefore, your car engine will run more efficiently when using synthetic oil. Another benefit of the synthetic type is that it doesn’t break down as easily as the conventional option, and this offers protection against friction, wear, and tear.
Performance in Extreme Temperatures
Synthetic oil is engineered for its purpose, and this means better performance than regular engine oil when it comes to extreme temperatures. Engines generate heat as cars move. This means driving in high-heat environments can cause the lubricant to break down faster. Synthetic oil has better heat resistance.
It breaks down more slowly, enabling the engine to last longer in high temperatures. When driving in cold weather, regular oil tends to thicken and require more time to warm up to the ideal viscosity. Therefore, they may not provide the necessary lubrication after firing up your car engine.
What Oil Type Is Right for Your Engine?
Since every vehicle in Hays County has different maintenance needs, your ideal oil change service might vary based on what kind of vehicle you drive. Here’s what you need to know about choosing motor oil for different engines:
Standard Engines
Even if your car’s engine isn’t anything out of the ordinary, it puts more stress on your motor oil than you might think. Because of that, full synthetic oil is always a smart choice for local drivers (whether or not they have any severe driving habits).
High-Performance Engines
Extra-powerful engines put an even heavier strain on motor oil than the engines found in most cars. Fortunately, synthetic oil can withstand these engines’ high temperatures and other demands.
Vintage Engines
If your vehicle has been in use for at least 75,000 miles, high-mileage oil might be a better choice than conventional or full synthetic oil. These oils belong to a subcategory of full synthetic oil, and they contain additives that can protect aging engines from problems like oil burn-off and corrosion.
Technological Advances in Motor Oil
When full synthetic oil first gained mainstream popularity in the late 20th century, it represented a major step forward for the motor oil industry. However, companies in this field haven’t rested on their laurels since then.
In recent years, many businesses have been working hard to develop motor oil varieties that can exceed environmental regulations. Since low-viscosity oils can assist with fuel efficiency, emission control, and friction, they are ideal for this use case.
The increasing popularity of electric/hybrid vehicles has also been a factor behind continued advances in the industry. These vehicles have different needs from gas-powered cars, but still need lubricants to function as intended. Because of that, the demand for specialized oil types for electric and hybrid vehicles is growing.
Get Hays County’s Best Oil Change Service
As you can see, full synthetic oil is the right choice for almost every driver in Hays County. But before you can benefit from this oil change service, you’ll need to find an auto shop you can trust to provide quality workmanship at affordable prices.
When you visit Reliable Automotive for this job, you’ll get an exceptional synthetic oil change from knowledgeable, ASE-certified mechanics. If you’re due for oil change service, schedule an appointment at one of our locations today!
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