Is there one, best type of Motor Oil?

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the world of competitive sports. Think about it; there are small, muscular gymnasts who perform amazing acrobatics and there are huge football players who need raw power and explosiveness. Of course, there are many other types of sports and athletes besides these two examples, but ponder, for a moment, the huge differences between the two mentioned here. Do you think that they eat the same kind of diets and train the same way?

Of course they don't. There can be no one diet, or training regiment that would cover these two types of athletes, let alone the hundreds of different types from various sports. So why is it, then, that people assume that the their car motor oil should be exactly the same as the oil used by a completely different type of car that is driven in a totally different manner on a daily basis.

The misinformation that exists about a car motor oil being the “best” is misleading and confusing to the average consumer. If you have an old pick up truck that you use to do a lot of work, and you need it to last another 7 years, do you really think you should be using the same motor oil that would be beneficial to a small car owner who plans on trading the car in after 2 years?

It should be pretty evident that there's more to a motor oil being considered the “best” than a commercial simply telling you so. It's very important to realize that there simply is not a blanket, “best” motor oil. Each has unique qualities that may or may not benefit a particular car, depending upon the car owner's usage and goImage via Wikipediaals for that car.

Related articles

• Waste oil power generator from Cyclone Power Technologies and Phoenix Power Group shows lower emissions than conventional diesel generator (greencarcongress.com)

Which Oil is the Best? The Answer Might Surprise You

If you listen to the car motor oil commercials, or even ask most mechanics which type of oil is the absolute best, you're likely to hear "synthetic oil" as the answer. For years now synthetic motor oil has been touted as the best oil for every type of car. In many cases, synthetic oil is the right choice, but there are more variables to consider.

All motor oils, conventional or synthetic, are crucial to a car's performance and choosing the right car motor oil can save you a lot of money over the lifetime of your car ownership. Many people pick synthetic oil for their cars, in hopes of gaining benefits, like a higher trade-in value or better fuel economy. These benefits, however, may not apply to every car owner who switches to synthetic oil. For example, it is true that using synthetic oil protects engines from long term damage. But if a car owner trades in their vehicle on a regular basis, they may not be benefiting from this long term engine protection, so the extra investment in synthetic oil would not pan out in any noticeable savings in this scenario.
Image via Wikipedia
Don't fall into the trap of assuming that the more expensive alternative is necessarily the most beneficial for your particular motor oil needs. Every car and driving situation is unique and calls for a very specific type of oil. You could be paying more for synthetic oil, in the belief that you are reaping benefits, when those benefits don’t even apply to your unique circumstances. When deciding on the best oil for your car, you must weigh the benefits against the costs to make an educated decision.

Related articles

• Motor Oil - Green Options (earthgarage.com)

Info About Car Motor Oil

Thinking about changing your car motor oil to synthetic?  Wondering if it's a good idea?  There are many variables to take into consideration when contemplating switching to synthetic motor oil.  It may not always be the best choice for you. 

What factors should one consider before switching to synthetic oil? First, do you own an older vehicle?  Switching to synthetic oil may expose or make leaky seals within your engine worse.  Also if you only drive 5000 to 10,000 miles a year, synthetic oil may not be worth the expense.  Finally, if you drive a leased vehicle, you may not have it long enough to make running synthetic oil worth it.  So there are some situations in which synthetic oil may not be preferable, even with its superior performance qualities.

While synthetics are now compatible with petroleum oils, it's best to wait at least 3000 miles to switch over, to allow your engine's rings to "seat" properly.  Waiting also allows the wear metals that are generated during the engine's early life to be discarded with the first drain of petroleum oil.  Further, if your car has over 20,000 miles on it, it's best to perform an engine flush before switching to synthetic.
 Image via Wikipedia
However, beware of engine flush products with kerosene in them-it can contaminate your new oil.  Also install a new oil filter both before and after your flush.  Following these steps will ensure you have a smooth transition to synthetic motor oil. After installation, you may see your oil pressure drop slightly.  This is nothing to worry about-it is in fact evidence of the improved oil flow and lubrication that occurs with synthetic car motor oil.

Related articles

• Conoil to launch special oil for okada (vanguardngr.com)

The Importance of Car Motor Oil

Why is the car motor oil you use important?  What different types of motor oils are out there?  How do I choose?
Image via WikipediaFirst, it is important to understand how motor oil is made.  Motor oils are made up of two components-a basestock and an additive package.  The basestock makes up the majority of the oil and the additive chemicals are added to counteract the negative qualities of the oil and improve the positive characteristics.  There are two types of basestocks-petroleum and synthetic.  Petroleum basestocks are made from crude oil and have been used since motor oil was first developed.  Synthetic basestocks are a more recent invention.  They are made in a laboratory and are engineered solely for lubrication.  They do not have to be purified or refined and have none of the impurities present in petroleum basestocks.
 
The purification process used with petroleum basestocks improves high and low temperature performance.  Resistance to oxidation (which causes sludge) and viscosity index (the ability to maintain viscosity over a wide temperature range) are also improved by this process.  There is also a refining process with petroleum basestocks which helps remove impurities.  Some are even put through a refining process called "hydrocracking."  The resulting basestock is so pure it can legally be called synthetic.  This is the type of oil you will find at your local auto parts store being sold under the banner "synthetic", even if it is not truly a synthetic oil.
As you might imagine, actual synthetic oils offer much that petroleum-based ones do not.  Their purity means improved high and low temperature performance, improved oxidative and thermal stability, enhanced frictional characteristics and longer lubricant life.  All of these characteristics mean longer periods between oil changes.  Mileage and performance are improved as well.  All of this makes synthetic oils the right car motor oil for you.
The Motor Oil Guy

Related articles by Zemanta

• Conventional Oil vs. Synthetic Oil: A Brief Explanation (ridelust.com)

The Dirty Little Secret Oil Companies Don’t Want You to Know

 The Dirty Little Secret Oil Companies Don’t Want You to Know

Did you know that the people making car motor oil have been keeping a dirty little secret from you?  That’s right, for years now they have kept all of us trapped into believing that if we fail to change our oil every 3,000 miles, our engines will seize up, smoke will start bellowing out of our engine compartment, and our vehicles will be nothing more than scrap on wheels.  Well, they lied.

Of course, I would never say that you should not change your car motor oil at all.  At SOME point you will have to change it.  In fact, I know of individuals who never changed their oil, and the effects CAN be catastrophic to an engine.  Even if the engine doesn't seize up entirely, severe wear can be caused by excessively long oil drains - and, when I say "excessive", I'm specifically referring to oil changes which are pushed well beyond the limits of the oil and/or filter.

I make this distinction because it IS possible to extend oil drains to 15, 25, 100, even 200,000 miles or more WITH the right filtration and the right oil, and that has been proven by thousands of individual motorists AND commercial fleets in various vehicles ranging from compact cars to over-the-road 18 wheelers.  Oil analysis doesn't lie, and if the analysis comes back indicating that the oil is good for continued use, then it's good, no matter how many miles are on the oil.

Now, in the vast majority of cases, even with the best filtration and the best oil, an oil change will eventually be necessary, but, not every 3,000 (and possibly not even every 30,000) miles.  Even with some pretty bargain basement API SM oil, most drivers could go at least 4-5,000 miles without a change in most modern vehicles.  Move to a higher quality oil with better NOACK and HT/HS scores and fewer saturates in the basestock and you might increase that by 50% - 100%.

I guess the point is, in this back and forth "discussion" between auto manufacturers (who continue to recommend longer and longer drains) and oil manufacturers (most of whom continue to recommend 3,000 mile changes) it's tough for a motorist to know for sure just HOW frequently their car motor oil should be changed.  The age of your car, how you drive and the quality of your oil and filter can DRASTICALLY affect the answer to that question.

Consider reading "The Motor Oil Bible" in order to fully understand the intricacies related to this question.  I guarantee that you'll have alit less anxiety over this issue, once you have the facts and understand the factors that are most likely to affect your car motor oil drains.




The Motor Oil Guy