How to Choose the Right Motor Oil: Just the Facts, No Friction |
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Written by ara content
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Monday, 30 April 2007 |
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 (ARA) - Many people don’t know
how to select motor oil that will help them get optimum performance out of their
car. People often just select the oil their father used, or they may take the
suggestion of a counter person at an auto parts store who may not know any more
about cars than they do.
Things can get even more confusing because of ads that use slogans like
“formulated for stop and go driving.” One would certainly hope that the motor
oil they chose could handle the rudimentary challenge of keeping a car running
that had a tendency to stop and go.
There are meaningful differences in
motor oils and choosing the right one can have a major impact on how well your
car runs. Selecting the right oil is often the quickest and cheapest way to
improve your car’s performance and reliability.
Two components determine
how well motor oil will perform in your car. One factor is the base oil, and the
other is the combination of chemicals (additives) that are added to the base
oil.
Base oils
The two primary types of base oils used are mineral
and synthetic. Mineral oils are by-products of refined crude oil. Refining helps
to reduce the impurities but leaves molecules of all shapes and sizes. Synthetic
oils are manmade compounds whose molecules are all the same size and shape;
consequently, synthetic oil has less friction and performs significantly better
than mineral oils.
There’s been sizable growth in the use of synthetic
oils over the years. In fact, synthetic oils are often what the factory uses in
many new performance and luxury cars.
Additives
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 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 additives cost more to produce.
Performance is the ultimate measure of additive package quality.
Advances in lubrication
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.
One high-performance lubricant company, Royal Purple, has
developed lubricants that outperform both leading mineral oils and other
synthetics. Their oil has been proven in numerous independent tests to
dramatically reduce engine wear, increase horsepower and torque, and reduce fuel
consumption and emissions. Cars using their oils can also go further between oil
changes, saving the owner time and money, and reducing the impact on the
environment.
Their oils are commonly used by professional racers.
Additionally, in an annual competition among America’s top engine builders,
seven out of eight chose Royal Purple for their engines. Their products are
available exclusively through select auto parts stores and service centers.
What to choose
The easiest way to select motor oil is to follow the
good, better, best model:
* Good -- Mineral-based (regular) motor oils.
These are the cheapest and most widely available oils. They typically use
standard additive packages that provide minimum levels of performance and
protection.
* Better -- Synthetic motor oils. These man-made oils are
more expensive that mineral-based oils but are still widely available. Their
performance advantages come predominantly from the synthetic base oil used. They
have a longer service life and offer some improvements in protection. They
typically use the same additive packages found in mineral-based oils.
*
Best -- High-performance synthetic motor oils. These motor oils are the most
technologically advanced oils. Although they significantly outperform mineral
based or synthetic motor oils, they are about the same price as standard
synthetic motor oil. They are typically only available through auto parts stores
and select oil change centers. These oils primarily differ in their use of more
advanced, proprietary additive technologies.
Still confused? For a used
car with little life left in it, stick with the cheap mineral-based motor oil.
For a car you plan to keep for a few years and want to get a little better
performance from, you should at least upgrade to synthetic motor oil. To get the
most performance out of your car, truck or RV, or to protect a vehicle you
really care about and want to last, upgrade to a high performance motor oil.
To get more information about their products and find select auto parts
stores near you go to www.royalpurple.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 January 2008 )
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