Lubricants are the ‘life-blood’ of
your vehicle. Your selection and use of
engine oil has a direct impact on the performance and useful life of your
vehicle. Upgrading to the latest
generation of high performance synthetic engine oil is the easiest way to
improve reliability, fuel economy and performance, and ensure that your vehicle
lasts as long as possible.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
SYNTHETIC AND CONVENTIONAL OIL?
While each type of oil performs the
same job of lubricating the internal moving parts of your engine, how they do
it and where they come from is quite different. The most basic difference
between synthetic and conventional mineral-based oils has to do with how they
are created and the make-up of their molecular structure.
Synthetic
base oil is made by breaking down naturally occurring elements into a fluid
with molecules that are all the same shape and size. Conventional or mineral-based lubricants, by
contrast, are simply refined and filtered crude oil. The difference in molecule structure is seen
in this simple illustration.
Another way to think of it is to imagine
you want to move a large sheet of plywood across the floor using balls as
rollers. A selection of footballs, golf balls, basketballs, and tennis balls
representing conventional oil molecules would not be nearly as effective as
using only perfectly round balls of the same shape and size, representing synthetic
oil molecules. Using balls (or
molecules) of the same shape and size dramatically reduces friction and
improves efficiently.
ARE ALL SYNTHETIC-BASED LUBRICANTS THE
SAME?
Regardless
of the base oil used, chemicals must be added to give motor oil the
characteristics needed to do its job. Typical additives that may be added to base oil include detergents to
reduce the formation of residue, defoamants to deter absorption of air,
anti-wear agents, antioxidants and others.
Although
additives are typically only 15 to 25 percent of the makeup of motor oil, they
can impact a lubricant’s performance much more than the base oil. For instance, mineral based motor oil with a
very good additive package can easily outperform synthetic motor oil with a
mediocre additive package.
There
is no easy way for a consumer to determine the quality of motor oil’s additive
package. Price is often an indicator of
quality since the more advanced additive technologies cost more to
produce. Performance is the ultimate
measure of additive package quality.
Some
of the biggest technological advances in lubrication are now coming through
advancements in chemical additives. These breakthroughs have been developed by a handful of companies that
specialize in high-performance lubricants, as opposed to major oil companies
whose primary focus is refining and selling crude oil by products like gasoline
and other fuels.
Royal
Purple has developed a number of unique, proprietary additive technologies such
as Synerlec lubricants that outperform both conventional mineral oils and ordinary
synthetics. While individual results
vary, motor oil fortified with Royal Purple’s Synerlec technology has been
reported to significantly reduce engine wear, increase horsepower and torque,
and reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
|
Fuel Economy
Improvement
|
MPG
|
Fuel Cost @
$3.76/Gallon
|
Annual Fuel
Savings
|
|
0.0%
|
22
|
$3,418.18
|
$0.00
|
|
1.0%
|
22.22
|
$3,384.34
|
$33.84
|
|
2.0%
|
22.44
|
$3,351.16
|
$67.02
|
|
3.0%
|
22.66
|
$3,318.62
|
$99.56
|
|
4.0%
|
22.88
|
$3,286.71
|
$131.47
|
|
5.0%
|
23.1
|
$3,255.41
|
$162.77
|
The fuel saving chart shows potential
savings for a vehicle currently averaging 22 miles per gallon through improved
lubrication.
While the upgrading lubricants costs a
bit more initially, this is a truly a case of getting what you pay for. The
investment generally saves you additional money in the long run, returning
better fuel economy and lowering labor costs by reducing the number of times
per year you have to visit the mechanic.
While there is no easy way for you to
determine a lubricant’s quality, price is often an indicator since more
advanced lubricant technologies cost more to produce. Additionally, consumers
can research different lubricants online to seek out information that
references independent third party testing.
WHEN TO CHANGE YOUR OIL?
Some owners may abide by the old
mandate that the oil in your car needs to be changed every 3,000 miles, relying
on information as fact without having the knowledge to back it up. In fact, some
of today’s vehicles have recommended service intervals from the manufacturer ranging
anywhere from 5,000 to 7,500 miles. Upgrading to Royal Purple motor oil and
their premium long-life filter can extend time between oil changes to once
every 12, 000. It's important to always
follow the service guidelines outlined by the manufacturer in the vehicle
owner’s manual while the vehicle is still under warranty.
For more information about Royal Purple and Royal Purple high performance synthetic products visit www.royalpurple.com.
