Synthetic oil use?

pgpg5860

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 15, 2007
Messages
35
Re: Synthetic oil use?

A Synthetic oil is made artificially by taking a raw product ie:Bitumen and breaking the carbon chain to produce the "type" of oil you require. Each time you break the chain you can produce the exact product, this is done a couple of ways but in the end you get a more consistant product.
 

SuperNova

Lieutenant
Joined
Mar 16, 2007
Messages
1,455
Re: Synthetic oil use?

A Synthetic oil is made artificially by taking a raw product ie:Bitumen and breaking the carbon chain to produce the "type" of oil you require. Each time you break the chain you can produce the exact product, this is done a couple of ways but in the end you get a more consistant product.

That's how they make 100 different petroleum products out of 1 barrel of crude, but all the products are still petroleum based. In order for something to be truly synthetic it has to be created from something not normally found in nature.
--
Stan
 

amynbill

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
242
Re: Synthetic oil use?

reduces frictional resistance but it is not more ?slippery? than petroleum oil.

lol...You do realize that is a contradiction? Lack of frictional resistance, in essence, creates more slip. Slip is reduced by adding friction.

Sand on ice.

I have no idea on synthetic vs conventional oil, but your terminology is inconsistent.
 

LubeDude

Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
6,945
Re: Synthetic oil use?

I have said it before and I will say it again---there is no such thing as fully synthetic motor oil. The base oil is natural petroleum oil. It's only the additive package that is either synthetic or parafin based. Yes the synthetic additives hold up better and longer, but they are not more slippery that the parafin based additives. We ran a test a few years ago with an electric motor and a pair of steel rods. One rod was attached to the shaft of the motor and was spun; the other rod had an attachment for a torque wrench and was hinged. What you did was spray your oil of choice on the rods and then see how much torque it took to stop the motor from spinning by levering the hinged rod against the spinning one. We tested all available oils and additives at the time. There was only one additive we used that you couldn't stop the motor at all---ALL the other oils and additives showed the exact same torque to stop the motor.

That being said--I have been a mechanic for over 20 years at this point, and I have built many motors and trans' and diffs for many different purposes. I have over the years used many different brands and types of oils and additives. I just did oil changes on my wifes car and my 8.1L Suburban that I use for towing and I am due to change the oil in my 5.0 Mustang--they will all get the cheapest oil I can find that meets current SAE SM standards--same as the boats and both lawn mower and tractor--same as the snowblower and the 10.5 hp pressure washer--same as my 383 powered, nitrous injected Camaro. Why? you may ask--because after all these years, the one thing I have discovered is regular maintance is all that is really going to preserve any internal combustion engine over the long term. And wasting money on B.S. marketing hype and name brand is just that--waste of money. Just my opinion--but a well researched one.
--
Stan

Man, I just do not know where to start, asuming that I will, Hmmmm Not sure!

"Same as my 383 powered, nitrous injected Camaro".

SM oil is not up to what this engine deeds. IMHO!
 

LubeDude

Admiral
Joined
Oct 8, 2003
Messages
6,945
Re: Synthetic oil use?

Well, come on, what was it! ;)

And, I'm curious, did you try STP?

Just pour bleach on that test and it will do the same thing! Very poor test of a lubricants ability to perform at what it's suppose to do!!!
 

dabalone

Seaman
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
50
Re: Synthetic oil use?

lol...You do realize that is a contradiction? Lack of frictional resistance, in essence, creates more slip. Slip is reduced by adding friction.

Sand on ice.

I have no idea on synthetic vs conventional oil, but your terminology is inconsistent.

Yup I would have to agree. Unless slippery has another meaning I haven't heard.
 

watermellonI

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
224
Re: Synthetic oil use?

I m with SuperNova, all the hype and junk they try to sell you, if you re gonna keep it and you want it to last, JUST MAINTAIN IT:D
 

rocky100

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Aug 9, 2007
Messages
99
Re: Synthetic oil use?

Gee, thanks for all the responses-I appreciate all the input.:)
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,771
Re: Synthetic oil use?

And then there's the term "lubricity". Chew on that one awhile! Don't you just love these "what's the best oil" threads? They always seem to contain very little fact and a whole lot of friction.
 
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