| Knowing a little about oil can go a long way to helping | | | | harm engines. Engine oils are complex mixtures and |
| you decide where to put your hard-earned cash...What | | | | adding the wrong chemical compound to a properly |
| is Oil?Nearly everyone is aware that crude oil was | | | | formulated blend can cause failure of other critical |
| formed by the decomposition of plant and animal life | | | | additives.Your engine was designed by competent |
| from hundreds of millions of years ago. This material | | | | engineers and a lubricating oil was specified for it. |
| was compressed under vast sea-bottom deposits and | | | | Properly maintained (and brought up to correct |
| the pressure and heat created hydrocarbons: that is, | | | | operating temperature at each use), it will easily last |
| mineral, or crude, oil.Lubricating oils are the product of | | | | 150-200,000 miles on ordinary mineral oils. Under normal |
| the refining of crude oils. These oils are materials made | | | | operation (startup to redline) the extremes of load, |
| up of many chemicals, including detergent and paraffin. | | | | temperature and wear claimed by additive advertisers |
| Paraffin (wax) is an inherent component of crude oil | | | | don't exist in your engine.We can't stress the following |
| and not all is refined out. Paraffin is the chief reason oil | | | | enough:No oil manufacturer recommends the use of |
| thickens up when it gets cold. Anyway, back to our | | | | off-the-shelf additives in their products, nor do any |
| engines...Engines would quickly seize-up without | | | | automobile manufacturers. Most additives do nothing |
| lubrication and oils are designed to prevent bearing | | | | (remember, those high loads and stresses don't take |
| wear and metal-to-metal contact. This is accomplished | | | | place in normal engine operation) and some actually |
| by pumping the oil under pressure so that it forms a | | | | can contaminate the oil. No manufacturer's warranty |
| film between those parts. Manufacturers put special | | | | will cover failure if it is found that an additive was |
| additives to oil to allow it to perform properly over | | | | present in the engine oil.Virtually all additive |
| varying engine conditions and time. Some additives | | | | advertisements (and synthetic oil ads as well) claim |
| slow thinning as engine temperatures rise, hence the | | | | better fuel mileage. This is anecdotal, unprovable and |
| "multigrade" designation on the container. Other | | | | non-scientific (before you write back with your rebuttal, |
| additives help to limit the breakdown of oil under | | | | consider this: if any claim of better mileage could be |
| loads.Internal combustion causes byproducts such as | | | | proved to be repeatable, the government (NHTSA, in |
| water and carbon. These byproducts are what create | | | | fact) would require the manufacturers to use the |
| the "dirt" in oil, necessitating scheduled changes. These | | | | product. The manufacturers themselves would specify |
| can create deposits and acids, so other additives are | | | | it because it is all they can do to reach those CAFE - |
| in place to do the following:- Antioxidants are there to | | | | Corporate Average Fuel Economy - standards). It just |
| minimize the formation of acids, varnish and sludge.- | | | | ain't true.So you used an additive once and found the |
| Detergents are added to keep engine parts clean by | | | | engine ran better and you got better fuel economy? |
| lifting deposits (mostly carbon) from surfaces.- | | | | Of course you did, because you were paying closer |
| Corrosion Inhibitors also work against the formation of | | | | attention to its operation than you normally would! This |
| acids that can attack bearing surfaces.- Rust Inhibitors | | | | is known as the "Hawthorne Effect" and it works |
| keep water from mixing with the oil film and causing | | | | because of that very fact. If you collected random |
| rust.- Foam Inhibitors prevent the formation of foam | | | | records of the engine's performance you would find |
| bubbles in the oil, due to detergents and the physical | | | | no change from before.How About Synthetic |
| churning of the oil during engine operation.- Friction and | | | | Oil?Today's motor oils are very high-quality products. |
| Wear Reducers, Dispersants are there to help keep | | | | However, synthetic oils are becoming very popular, |
| insoluble combustion byproducts in suspension and to | | | | especially used in high-performance engines. Synthetic |
| minimize wear in bearings.So Far, So Good, But What | | | | oils are blends of synthesized hydrocarbon fluids (SHF) |
| About Aftermarket Additives?All mineral oils are | | | | and esters, all derived from the refining process. The |
| graded by the Society of Automotive Engineers | | | | chief material of synthetic oil is polyalphaolefin, derived |
| (SAE). These grading criteria are based upon the | | | | from ethylene. Synthetics can be called |
| expected load and temperature ranges under which a | | | | petrochemicals, and while they appear chemically |
| given engine will be used. Viscosity grades are | | | | similar to mineral oils they are "pure" chemicals. No |
| available in a wide range. These grades are most | | | | waxes or other impurities are present in synthetic oils. |
| frequently seen in forms such as 5W-30, 10W-30, etc., | | | | Since they don't contain parafin, synthetics tend to flow |
| in multi-vicosity blends. Straight viscosities are also | | | | better at lower temperatures and not thin out as much |
| available (20 W, 30W, etc.).It is true that most engine | | | | at higher temperatures. They are available in |
| wear takes place during startup, since virtually no | | | | multi-viscosity grades from 0W-30 to |
| measurable wear takes place during running. The | | | | 15W-50.Synthetic oil has some advantages:- Relatively |
| faster an engine is revved during startup, the more the | | | | constant viscosity over a wide temperature range- |
| wear, so keeping a light foot on the accelerator pedal | | | | Higher detergent properties. They are naturally |
| during startup -and warmup - is the secret to long | | | | detergent- Non-toxic when handled properly- No |
| engine life.Oil is viscous and has capillary action. That is, | | | | harmful impurities- Better lubricative properties- Less |
| it remains on the engine parts as a film indefinitely after | | | | breakdown tendency under high loadsSynthetic oils |
| running. Contrary to advertisements, your engine's | | | | cost about three times that of regular oils and aren't |
| parts don't scrape against each other (as bare metal) | | | | really necessary for most people. There are some |
| just because you haven't started it in a few weeks | | | | situations wherein the extra expense of synthetic oils |
| (granted, if it's 10-degrees outside and you haven't | | | | is warranted, however.1. Racing: Engines are run |
| started that '59 Corvette in six months, there will be a | | | | full-time at high rev and there is tremendous heat. You |
| little wear when you start it up. However, if you crank | | | | need all the help you can get.2. Extremely cold |
| the starter for 30 seconds or so and then start the | | | | environments. Maybe your engine won't know the |
| engine, little significant damage will result because you | | | | difference, but you'll save money on batteries.3. |
| will have pumped oil into the system under minimal | | | | Engines which don't use camshaft bearings |
| loads).For decades, however, a huge industry has | | | | (Lamborghini,Ferrari and others, including 30s and 40s |
| made billions of dollars by convincing the public that | | | | cars).4. Engines that won't regularly get up to proper |
| their engines are wearing out prematurely due to lack | | | | operating temperatures. Improper warm-up is the |
| of "complete" lubrication. The aftermarket oil additive | | | | biggest killer of engines. Cold sludge and varnish will |
| industry - there are many of them and they advertise | | | | build up and create lots of friction, hence wear and |
| everywhere - claims to show "proven" results, longer | | | | failure. Synthetic oils will not form these deposits.5. |
| life, better mileage, etc. by using their products. None of | | | | Carbureted cars that run exceptionally rich (if the oil |
| this is true.What these marketers are selling falls | | | | dipstick smells like gas, yours is one).Myths About |
| generally into two categories: either their product is a | | | | Synthetics:It can't be mixed with regular mineral oils.Not |
| variety of soluble chemicals (chiefly, chlorinated | | | | so. Mobil 1 and the others are perfectly compatible with |
| paraffin) or solid particles suspended in a "carrier." The | | | | mineral oils (but not with each other).You get longer oil |
| chlorinated paraffins work fine for your drill press | | | | life with it.Not so. You have to change your oil |
| (cutting oil is chlorinated paraffin) but don't do anything | | | | according to manufacturers' instructions (it's the |
| in your engine. Solid particle additives, chiefly PTFE or | | | | exhaust byproducts which get into the oil and turn it |
| Teflon, is a suspension of ground-up particles in oil. It | | | | black, requiring change. Synthetic oil can't hold any |
| won't work, period.Many of the aftermarket additives | | | | more of these particles than mineral oil).Synthetic oil will |
| contain compounds already added by the oil refiner | | | | destroy seals and gaskets in older vehicles.Not so. If |
| (No, more is not better! The refiner put in the right | | | | the seals are functional no harm will be done. If they |
| amount for the job and more would only upset the | | | | are hardened and shrunken, you need to rebuild the |
| mixing proportions of the other additives!). Other | | | | engine. |
| additives contain "questionable" materials that could | | | | |