Full synthetic motor oils outperform conventional and synthetic blend motor oils in nearly all aspects of engine protection. Full synthetics start with a quality base oil combined with an additive formula that enables it to help provide superior protection to prevent friction, resist burn-off, oxidation, shear and sludge. This additive formula includes detergents, anti-wear agents, friction modifiers, dispersants, viscosity index improvers and antioxidants to help the engine run better.
Synthetic motor oil is manufactured with a process that makes it possible to manipulate the oil molecules. Oil molecules come in all shapes and sizes. In synthetic oil, the molecules are broken down and rebuilt to exact shapes and sizes to better resist chemical attack and oxidation.
At high temperatures, oil can also burn off, depleting the oil level and leaving behind thicker oil that drags on performance. Full synthetic motor oil resists burn-off much better than conventional motor oils.
Full synthetic motor oil also resists oil oxidation better than conventional oil. Oil oxidation occurs when oil molecules bond together, which can lead to deposits that can cause reduced performance. Full synthetic motor oils help to prevent engine deposits, which results in smoother oil flow and cleaner engine operation.
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.
Finally, sludge can form during low-temperature driving when water and fuel condense and mix with motor oil. This sticky mixture may block oil flow through the oil pump, oil passages and oil filter. Full synthetic motor oil is formulated to provide an extra level of sludge resistance, breaking up sludge-forming particles.
Courtesy of Pennzoil.
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