What is synthetic oil?
Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds that are artificially made (synthesized). Synthetic lubricants can be manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil, but can also be synthesized from other raw materials. Synthetic oil is used as a substitute for lubricant refined from petroleum when operating in extreme temperatures, because, in general, it provides superior mechanical and chemical properties to those found in traditional mineral oils.
What is synthetic blend oil?
Part-synthetic, also called synthetic blend or semi-synthetic—oils are blends of mineral oil (conventional) and synthetic base oil.
Synthetic blend oils allow combining a better overall performance of synthetic oils with a good ratio of quality/price.
Synthetic oil vs conventional
Synthetic oils bring 5 main advantages over conventional motor oils:
- Superior temperature resistance. Synthetic oils can safely handle higher operating temperatures without breaking down. Synthetic oils are thus recommended for hot climates as well as heavy-duty, turbocharged or hard-use applications.
- Better low temperature performance, which makes cold starts easier. Synthetics flow freely at extremely low temperatures (-30 °/- 40° C)
- Better Engine Protection. As motor oil travels through the engine, some of the additives can be sheared, literally cut in half, by high-speed engine parts, thinning the oil. Full synthetic motor oils resist shear under heavy loads better than conventional oils. This helps synthetic motor oil maintain its viscosity grade, enabling it to offer better engine protection and withstand more extreme engine conditions.
- Lower oil consumption. Synthetic motor oils experience less "boil off" than conventional motor oils. A good synthetic will lose only about four percent of its weight when run at 400 degrees for six hours, compared to a 30% loss for conventional petroleum based oil. The lower evaporation rate means less oil consumption between changes.
- Cleaner engines. Synthetics don't break down or sludge up as fast as ordinary mineral based oils do. This means that the short trip to the store and back or a lot of city driving in the winter does not accumulate sludge in the engine as fast and lubrication efficiency is maintained.