Motor Oils: Conventional Motor Oil and Synthetic Blends

Engine oil or engine lubricants are base oils with various additives to improve the viscosity index. The primary function of motor oil is to reduce friction and wear on moving parts. Almost all motor oils contain oxidation and corrosion inhibitors whose primary job is to improve engine performance.

Different oils and lubricants are used for better efficiency. Today, most oils are blended using a base oil of petroleum-based hydrocarbons or polyalphaolefins, PAO. For better dissolution of additives, they are mixed with 20% by weight of esters. However, the commonly used oils are described below!

Conventional motor oil

Conventional oil is derived directly from crude oil and has properties that allow it to provide lubrication at high temperatures. It can also stay stable for an extended period. You have to see if your manual indicates that conventional oil is acceptable; if so, then you can carry on without worrying about the engine.

Fully synthetic oil

Fully synthetic oils are gone through a refining process in which they are broken down, and their impurities are removed. Many new compounds are added to it that makes it efficient for the modern engines. They are more effective than conventional oils and also give a somewhat higher level performance and protection.

The oils that count as fully synthetic might also have different formulas. Synthetic oils keep the engine clean; some are used for protection, whereas some are designed to work at a lower temperature. Other synthetic oils might offer more than only these features. The fully synthetic oils are manufactured by adding artificial chemical compounds, but the base product is always crude oil.

Synthetic blend oil

As the name suggests, the synthetic blend oil is a mixture of crude oil, also known as conventional oil, and fully synthetic oil. It means that it is neither fully synthetic nor unrefined crude oil. A few artificial compounds are added in this blend, less than those added in fully synthetic oils. That results in better efficiency than raw crude oil but less efficient than synthetic oil.

The blend won't keep the engine cleaner and protected as synthetic oils do, but it will do a better job than conventional crude oil. It will stay stable for a longer time than crude oil.

New research and processes are in place to breakdown polyethylene (plastic) and convert them into paraffin like wax. With correct molecular properties, they can be converted into lubricants, which might prove to be a cheaper alternative for oils and processes.

Find out which oil suits your vehicle best and get to know more about your car health by visiting us at LeSueur Car Company.

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