Synthetic Oil

[NY87SS]

to correct a point here, synthetic is not thinner than conventional oil. syn will tend to get by the rings more however. this is because it sticks to the walls better than conventional. also, it "slides" on itself better which means that more can be left on the walls. this is also why it works better than conventional. obviously this means that more can be left in the cylinder and burn.
as to it burning clearer? it's possible, but not by enough to make a difference. as stated i'd just go to a slightly heavier oil.

Syn oil is thinner.
Dino oils base varies in molecule size where syn's base does not, its consistent.
Think of dino oils like blood and has a clotting ability and syn's don't. This is why if a engine might have had a leak or worn seals syn oils will bring it out to appear where dino oils won't.
In any event, both oils will burn and create a smoke and as mentioned the smoke might be of a different color because of the base of the oil. Both use pretty much the same additives, its just dino oils base will not suspend the additives for the same time period, thats why they say it breaks down faster.

Now if I was to pick a syn oil that mimicked dino oils but added durability length it would be Mobil one. I know, I have a better brand, we hear it all the time. But Mobil one holds patents and was the first out of the block to see that syn oils caused seals to shrink etc and added some other additives to make this clotting ability like dino oils, which those patents protect and will for a few more years. Those added additives can not be used due to patent protection in other syn's.

 

[megaladon6]

please do a search and get info that's not conjecture from the 80's.

Dino oils base varies in molecule size where syn's base does not, its consistent.
Think of dino oils like blood and has a clotting ability and syn's don't. This is why if a engine might have had a leak or worn seals syn oils will bring it out to appear where dino oils won't.

this has nothing to do with the thickness of the oil in it's base state. all you're saying is that conventional oil gunks up faster. granted this could slightly aid sealing ability, including sealing off the lifters.
the reason why seals leaked (20yrs ago) is that the synthetic process removes the "aromatic" components of the oil. these kept the seals "wet" and pliable. without them the seals dryed up, shrank, and cracked. it's the same thing that's happening today with diesel fuel. the process to remove the sulfur also removed the aromatics and older seals dryed up and leaked.

from car craft: Synthetic oils, pioneered in the '70s by Mobil and now available from most major oil companies, take the all-season, multiviscosity approach to the outer limits. Unlike traditional mineral oils that are produced by distillation and further refining of existing crude oil stock, synthetic lubricants are made through chemical reactions. These new oils aren't synthetic or artificial in the sense that they're manufactured out of whole cloth--they still have the same natural ingredients found in "real" oil. But in a synthetic lubricant, these ingredients are recombined like a Lego set to yield synthesized-hydrocarbon molecular chains with desirable characteristics and uniformity not found in even the highest-quality traditional motor oils. Typically, the best synthetic oils use a combination of up to three different synthetic base fluids--polyalphaolefin (PAO), synthetic esters, and alkylated aromatics.

Because a synthetic oil's molecules are much more consistent in size and shape, they are better able to withstand extreme engine temperatures. By contrast, the unstable molecules in conventional oil can easily vaporize or oxidize in extreme heat. Mobil 1 synthetic is said to be capable of protecting engines "at well over 400 degrees F"; in the real world, most racers have no problem running synthetics up to 290 degrees F under prolonged use, but they get really jumpy when a conventional exceeds 270 degrees F.

Because a synthetic oil is chemically produced, there are no contaminants in the oil. By contrast, conventional oils contain small amounts of sulfur, wax, and asphaltic material that can promote detonation as well as varnish and sludge buildup. With no wax, synthetics will flow at much lower temperatures than conventional oils.

 

[NY87SS]

please do a search and get info that's not conjecture from the 80's.

With no wax, synthetics will flow at much lower temperatures than conventional oils.

Likewise, please do a search that does not promote syn oils just because of monies provided by such companies.
All oils, syn or not ,contain paraffin because sulfur and chlorine's are no longer allowed. What is paraffin?

Then seals are petroleum base in materials used to make them and using a petroleum oils ( Dino based) keeps them pliable. Again don't use skewed for a reason google searches. But that is only a small part of what was being told about leaks, we were also adding the major one of metal to metal leaks, RINGS. Watery compared to dino's!!!!


Now I deal with oils used for 2 types of protection everday for over 30 years.
Machine drives etc protection and tool life protection. Since the government disallowed sulfurs, leads chlorine's etc to be used in any oils we've been scrambling to find decent replacements. Makers have also scrambled to come up with decent replacements and get a edge over another. They've gotten fairly close but still have not met or exceeded the ole dino's with those chemical allowed. Seals don't last as long which is a problem in hydraulics, machine drives are not lasting as long and the only area that has come close is tool life. Some new coolants are pretty decent at mimicking sulfur based heavy cutting oils.

But were off topic, well off now.
Question was asked if it would burn and smoke.
Either way, YES it will and it may burn more off using a syn.
Now a syn may also give off more a toxic smoke than dino oils. I say may because Megaladon6 has been challenged to find out how much more toxic!!

 

[megaladon6]

actually a bunch of my research comes from my lead engineer, who's a lube expert. and has confirmed my other research. the info your using was (somewhat) true in the 80's, things have changed. it's also based on over 8yrs practical experience as a mechanic and changing to syn in customers cars and my own. including a 140k+ vw with old seals. guess what? no leaks!!! the only syn oil i haven't used is amsoil. (and when i asked my engineer about it and their claims, he just started laughing.)
syn oil is still petroleum based, therefore (by your arguements) it should have no effect on seals vs conventional. and you should note that i said syn would "leak" past rings. i wouldn't say "watery" but a little bit more than conventional. especially if the rings are bad to begin with.

as for hydraulics, i work in the aerospace industry. almost every type of oil we use is synthetic, including those for hydraulic systems. the machine tools we have--same story on the new ones.

toxicity. i'll assume you're referring to the "toxic fume problem" on jet aircraft? jet oil contains TCP which is a nasty little compound similar to nerve agents and pesticides (i work with it a lot) however, it's not used in auto motor oils and a jet flying at 400+MPH isn't going to get fumes in the cabin anyway therefore the claims are baseless. and auto oils go through MUCH more of an EPA test before being released for use and obviously they passed, therefore there won't be a major difference.

how about this, you say my research is faulty, fine, post some of yours. (that's NOT a sarcastic statement BTW)

 

[jonnyslick]

Wow guys. Thanks for the info.

So, synthetic oils leak more on motors with higher motors and will probably smoke the same.

So where do the hybrids lie? I think Casterol Syntec is a blend of conventional oil and synthetic? Or am I mistaken on that too? If so, how do these hybrid oils work on higher mileage motors?

 

[dan2286]

Wow guys. Thanks for the info.

So, synthetic oils leak more on motors with higher motors and will probably smoke the same.

So where do the hybrids lie? I think Casterol Syntec is a blend of conventional oil and synthetic? Or am I mistaken on that too? If so, how do these hybrid oils work on higher mileage motors?

Mobil 1 somewhat recently came out with a full synthetic high mileage oil. That should keep the engine from leaking and reduce burning, but you still get the benefits of full synthetic oil.