Synthetic oil explained
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Synthetic oil explained What you need to know
When you crack the cap on those bottles, what are you really getting?
Companies that make lubricants aren’t required to tell you what’s in their products like food and drug companies are. This can be confusing if you’re looking for synthetic motor oil. There are oils in stores that are labeled “100 percent synthetic,” “full synthetic,” “semi-synthetic,” and “synthetic.”
With a basic understanding of the different base oils on the market and a few rules of thumb, you can sort through the mess and buy synthetic motor oil with more knowledge.
What is Crude Oil made of
Crude oil and refining are crucial to the production of motor oil’s base oils. Roughly 98 percent of crude oil is composed of hydrocarbons (atoms of hydrogen and carbon bonded together), which occur in hundreds of different combinations. Compounds like sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, metals, and salts make up the remainder.
The Process of Making Base Oils from Crude
A crude oil refinery is a lot like a whiskey still in how it works. The crude is heated to distill or separate the hydrocarbons into cuts, which include propane, gasoline, diesel, and base oils that are used to make lubricants.
Base oils can go through more steps of chemical processing to get rid of impurities and set up the structures of the hydrocarbons. The cost and quality of the base oil can be affected by the type of chemical process used to make it.
what are API Base Oil Groups
The American Petroleum Institute (API) divides base oils into five groups based on the amount of paraffin and sulfur in the oil and how saturated it is. The degree of saturation has nothing to do with water. Instead, it shows how many hydrogen bonds are completely filled up on carbon molecules. More saturation means that the color is more even and stable.
Group I base oils
The base oils in Group I are the least refined of all the groups. Most of the time, they are a mix of different hydrocarbon chains with less uniformity and saturation. Even though these stocks are used in some auto oils, they are usually used in less demanding ways.
Group II base oils
Mineral-based (or “conventional”) motor oils often use base oils from Group II. In terms of volatility, oxidation stability, wear resistance, and flash/fire point, they are fair to good. When it comes to things like pour point and cold-crank viscosity, they only do okay.
Group III base oils
Group III base oils are composed of reconstructed molecules that offer enhanced performance in a variety of areas, as well as increased saturation, uniformity, and stability at the molecular level. These synthetic materials can be used to make synthetic and semisynthetic lubricants.
Group IV base oils
Polyalphaolefins (PAO), which are chemically engineered, synthesized (synthetic) base oils, are used to produce Group IV base oils. PAOs offer superior stability, molecular uniformity, and performance enhancement.
Group V base oils
Group V base oils are also chemically engineered stocks that do not fall within the previously mentioned categories. Examples of typical group V stocks include esters, polyglycols, and silicone. Similar to group IV stocks, group V stocks typically outperform groups I through III. White oil, a lubricant used in industries ranging from cosmetics to food processing, is an example of a mineral-based group V exception.
How Much “Synthetic” Is In Your Oil?
There are a few indicators that can be used to determine the quantity and quality of the synthetic base oil in a motor oil bottle, despite the absence of a list of ingredients.
- Synthetic blends (semi-synthetics) are only partially synthetic, and the synthetic content percentage can vary.
- Manufacturers are subject to heightened scrutiny when they quantify a claim, although this is not a hard-and-fast rule. The presence of claims such as “100% synthetic” as opposed to “full synthetic” or “synthetic” is a sign that you’re likely getting more of the good stuff.
- View the product data sheet or technical data sheet for the manufacturer’s oils on its website. Look for “Typical Physical Characteristics” or “Typical Technical Properties” in this document. This section provides a high-level overview of the formulation’s base oils.
There are two numbers to be aware of:
- Viscosity Index: Oils with a higher number contain a superior synthetic base oil that protects critical components over a wide range of temperatures by preserving fluid thickness and the necessary fluid barrier between parts.
- Pour Point: measures the fluidity of the oil at cold temperatures and refers to the lowest temperature at which the oil retains its ability to flow. Lower numbers are indicative of a more desirable synthetic base oil.
Think about this when you are looking for a synthetic Motor oil
While base oils are essential to the formulation of motor oil and the determination of its synthetic content, they are not the whole picture. Additives are the other component of the equation, and the additives’ quality and concentration have a significant impact on the oil’s ability to provide protection.
Look for an oil that provides good overall protection, not just one formulated with a particular type of base oil. Look for quantifiable performance claims when attempting to identify a high-quality synthetic. For instance, we promote the superior wear protection of AMSOIL Signature Series Synthetic Motor Oil, as demonstrated by real-world testing. It provides 75% more engine protection against horsepower loss and wear than a leading industry standard* mandates.
AMSOIL leaves no room for misunderstanding there at all. Make sure to check out why AMSOIL Products are above everyone else.
*As required by a leading industry standard. Based on independent testing of AMSOIL Signature Series 5W-30, in ASTM D7320 as required by API SN specification.
Why AMSOIL? Superior protection against wear, improved fuel economy and better performance under extreme temperatures. AMSOIL is the only oil that is able to last up to 25,000 miles. Save yourself time and money and protect your car or truck by using AMSOIL products. Your vehicle will last longer and you will lower your maintenance expenses. Protect your Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler or any other vehicle with AMSOIL synthetic oil!
We advise you to consult your owners manual for proper fluid recommendations and to consult the appropriate repair manual for proper maintenance procedures and specs. Follow all appropriate safety practices. We are not responsible for misuse of products.