What are the pros and cons of using synthetic oil in my car?

And if you happen to know, what exactly is synthetic oil made of?What are the pros and cons of using synthetic oil in my car?
The synthetic oil is superior to conventional oil in EVERY way. Synthetic oils:





(1) resist high temp oil break down (thinning)


(2) resist cold temp freezing


(3) resist sludge formation


(4) superior lubricant (more slippery).





the major draw back to them is the cost. The Synthetic oil is basically the SAME engine oil, except MORE PURE.





Conventional oil is created from distillation of crude. So some impurity are present in conventional oil that TAKE AWAY from working in perfect way.





Synthetic oil are CREATED from smaller molecules (by combining them chemically) so there is almost NO impurities. Other than that they are chemically the same oil.





All oil have additive to make motor oil more ideal (multi weight, etc.) Due to higher cost (retail) of synthetic, they add more expensive the superior additive (like friction modifiers - meaning make them more slippery).





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While high performance engines (turbo, etc.) are required to use synthetic, most normal street engine can easily use regular engine oil (assuming you are consistently give good oil change).








Good Luck...





P.S. Some people say you cannot go back. NONSENSE. They even sell BLEND (mix of synthetic and conventional). If you could not go back, how could they sell a mixture? Also if you were to read the FAQ from mobile1 and Valvoline (2 popular synthetic), they explicitly state you can go back and forth (meaning if you needed to add a qt and you had nothing else, feel free with absolutely no negative drawback).What are the pros and cons of using synthetic oil in my car?
Recycled oil is just as good as CONVENTIONAL oil - if done right. The problem is that there's no guarantees about the quality. On conventional oil, at least you have brand name behind the product. Report Abuse

Thank you very much, FlashMan! I wanted to know the difference in the expense and process for the recycling of synthetic oil vs conventional oil. But I think your fantastic for following up! I'm going to post this question now. Report Abuse

Here's some info about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_o鈥?/a>





There are different schools of thought on it.





For the most part, synthetic is just expensive, although some people believe it will extend the life of their engine.





The main claim being that it 'coats the parts' and so when you start it cold, they are already lubricated.





Then there are others who claim it does exactly the opposite, meaning that the oil drains off of the parts, leaving them unlubricated when the engine is started.





Personally, I use semi-synthetic (blend of synthetic and petroleum based oil). It is cheaper than full synthetic, and then you have both in your engine.





The most important thing is to make sure to get your oil changed regularly, and to occasionally check it in order to make sure it isn't leaking or burning any (which can be a sign of engine trouble - although if you are dilligent about keeping it topped off, it generally won't hurt anything).





Some people say you should change your oil at 3000 miles - this is a little too often (especially with semi or full synthetic oil, which doesn't break down as quickly). I generally go 4500-5000 with my vehicles (the 3K change can't hurt - although I think its mostly oil changing places making money by scaring people into thinking they are destroying their engine). The Mobil oil I have in my '02 Focus right now claims to be able to go 7500 miles between changes.





It probably could - but I still change it before it hits 5K.
Synthetic formulations are engineered with specialized performance additives to help fight off the formation of sludge and deposits created by the damaging by-products of combustion such as fuel, water, acid, wear, metals and dirt. And to provide superior protection in extreme driving conditions. Base oil (the majority of the formula): The base oils used in synthetic motor oils are of much higher quality than those used in conventional motor oils and are chemically converted to provide consistent and predictably superior performance





The only down falls I see to synthetic oils - the cost and the fact that once you start using synthetic you should always use it.
Pro's??? I cant think of any..... I put plain old pennzoil in my cars and trucks for 40 years and no engine has given me any problems with excessive wear...... Once a meat head machanic dropped a carburator nut into my engines intake ---- The piston smashed a hole in itself with that nut in the chamber...... The engine had 80000 miles on it..... when torn down there was NO sludgy gunk build up under the valve covers or in the oil pan..... I am sure glad I wasnt wasting my cash on that over priced synthetic stuff..... The only thing that stuff does is make people think there engines running better.....
Read the following link.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_o鈥?/a>





It can go longer than 3,000 miles b4 changing and is more expensive. You can never go back to conventional oil once you use synthetic
There are no cons, other than it's more expensive. But at the same time you can go twice as long between oil changes. Also, it lubes better.
Should I use synthetic oil? Does it work better in some cars than others? Does it cost more? Do I have to change the oil more frequently? Less frequently? Does it make my engine last longer?


First of all, let's take a brief look at the history of synthetic motor oil and its introduction to the marketplace.





AMSOIL INC developed the first synthetic motor oil to meet API service requirements. Lieutenant Colonel Albert J. Amatuzio, President and CEO of AMSOIL INC witnessed synthetic lubricants in action as a jet fighter squadron commander. Synthetic oils were developed for (and still are used exclusively in) aircraft jet engines because of their extraordinary capacity to reduce friction and wear on engine parts. Synthetic oil has an incredible ability to function dependably at severe hot and cold temperatures as well as to withstand rigorous and lengthy engine operation without chemical breakdown. This is critical in aircraft engine operation because, if oil breaks down at 30,000 feet, aircraft engines can fail and ... well, you get the picture. Amatuzio decided that he would develop synthetic motor oil to be used in automobiles for the same benefits. In 1972 AMSOIL introduced the first motor oil for automotive applications. In the early seventies, another company was also working on synthetic oil development for the automobile ... Mobil Oil Company. They came to market with synthetic motor oil in 1975. By the 1990's the other major oil companies added their synthetic oils to the marketplace, in addition to their petroleum-based products.





To understand synthetic motor oil, let's look first at the origins of all motor oil. Conventional oils come from crude oil that is pumped from the ground. In an oil refinery, crude oil is separated into various fractions. These fractions become the bases for lubricating oils and fuels. The part of crude oil that forms thick tangled masses of carbon chains are used in roofing tar and roadwork. Very short chains and ring compounds of carbon are volatile and can be refined to produce gasoline and other products. All motor oils are made up of base oils and additives. In general, fully synthetic motor oils contain non-conventional, high-performance fluids. Synthetic blends usually use some non-conventional, high-performance fluids in combination with conventional oil. It is the unique chemical formulation of synthetic oil that causes it to be highly resistant to viscosity breakdown from high temperature, friction, and chemical contaminants.








Should I Use Synthetic Oil In My Car?


That depends on the vehicle's age, mileage, and the carmaker's recommendations for engine lubricants. Older vehicles with high mileage tend to have excessive mechanical wear in the engine, allowing for internal oil leakage. On vehicles with high mileage, it is not recommended to use full synthetic oil because it is thin and very free flowing, and use of it does (more often than not) result in internal oil combustion. I used full synthetic oil in a Plymouth Neon. After logging120K miles the car started to consume oil at an alarming rate. Concerned, I switched to a semi-synthetic oil that was more full-bodied and the consumption stopped. I logged another 30K miles and sold it. It's still running with over 200K miles today and it doesn't burn oil. Carmakers use full synthetics and semi synthetics in some of their engines today. In most cases, you will find that a synthetic lubricant is used when there's a high performance engine with tight engine tolerances, high compression, and high operating temperatures. Follow your owner's manual for motor oil recommendations. If you want to use synthetic oil and your car is still under warranty, check with your local dealer before switching to synthetic oil (just to make sure you're covered with the switch).





Does It Work Better In Some Cars Than Others?


As I stated earlier, some carmakers recommend only using synthetic oil in their engines. For instance, Chevy recommends the use of Mobil One full synthetic oil in its new generation Chevy Corvette engine. I have used synthetic oil in all of my vehicles for the last six years with great results, with one exception. I didn't use a full synthetic in my Ford Taurus 3.0 DOHC V-6. Ford specifies using a 5W20 semi synthetic due to engine design, so I followed the manufacturer's specification. Remember, before changing to synthetic oil, check with your dealer on carmaker's recommendations. As stated earlier, you could void the warranty.





What are the pros and cons of using synthetic oil in my car?





Pros:


It flows easier in cold weather, therefore no loss of prime when the oil is cold. Also, it is highly resistant to viscosity breakdown (the ability of the oil to flow easily in all temps) from heat, friction, chemical contaminants.





Longer change intervals: 5,000 - 7,000 miles between oil changes (compared to 3,000 for regular oil). Some folks have documented up to 25K miles between changes. However, I would not advice going that long!


Cons:


Cost is twice as much as conventional oil per quart. However it lasts longer, so the actual cost increase is closer to 50 - 60 percent.





Flows easily, therefore not recommend for use on high mileage engines; nor do I recommend using it in new engines during the break-in period because it is so slippery and dramatically limits the wearing of new mating parts within the engine. This initial wearing of parts is what makes for proper engine break-in, sealing of piston rings, mating of camshafts and lifters, etc.


Does it make my engine last longer?


Yes, because its so slippery, synthetic makes for less engine wear and thus greater engine longevity.