😂ELI5 version. It's funny too because rings (aromatics) are not a great structure to have, as explained in the oxidation segment, but you keep those triangles out!!
@Nick Bouvy - I won't deny that it was intelligent BUT there was a LOT of detail that the average punter simply can't apply after your basic decision to upgrade to synthetic. ( Though with motorbikes synthetic is better for racing or track days & for normal use you end up with a lot of sludge coming out of the end of the exhaust pipes. ) And as for various additives without giving us @ least some idea of how long it preserves oil life, then that's of no use to us!
@@jimlyon7276 if you are getting slug from switching to synthetic , that is the synthetic detergents cleaning the sludge out of the engine as remains from conventional oil.
@@jimlyon7276 also additives allow the oil to keep a consistent viscosity so throughout a wear/use cycle the oil will stay relatively the same viscosity, so that means compared to conventional oil you can use it longer... say 3,000 miles with conventional and 5,000 with synthetic (just rought estimates)
@@Jay-uw9qr - Fair enough! I was just going by hear say from another guy & seeing as I've been trapped in a bikeless wilderness for too many decades thanks to being divorce raped ++ cos my X thought it would be a good diversion from her toxic child hood! So I admit I've got a LOT of catching up to do. So, would you go as far as to say that all synthetic oils are automatically better than any semi synthetic oil?
You don't need metal, just ensure enough fuel oil makes it into the pan to offset the thickening to sludge... oil went into my jeep at 10w40, came out of my jeep 5,000km later as 40w10.
With some chemical processes (hydrogenation) you can actually turn that dinosauce into much more stable molecules, but yes, something like PAO has very good characteristics for use as engine oil.
Those not either balls or any other shapes. Google oil molecules, and go for images, You will see chemical molecules drawing. Thats how they looks like. And synthetic is brtter. But not best.
Jason, thanks for another very helpful video on this subject. As a mechanic, I've been using synthetic oils in all of my own stuff for yearsand have seen, first hand, the benefits in reduced wear and increased life of various things I own. Sometimes it feels like you're swimming against the tide trying to convince people of the many benefits, and fighting the miss information 👌 Keep up the great work
Thank you so much for this series. I've been a diesel mechanic for 14 years and also tinkered with them in general for 30+ years. And Hearing you break down as an engineer the differences of conventional vs synthetic and why its better to flip to synthetic to a level I can mostly understand has been very helpful! I also have pushed my friends and clients to do the same I maintain regularly.
@@WISHBONEL7 Penske Truck Leasing is one place, as I worked there for 14 years and that's the type of oil we put in everything. The rentals, the semis, the Thermo King and Carrier units, etc. But I cant say for other fleet or fleet management centers.
No joke, I would appreciate some form of service for educational youtubers to teach university lecturers how to produce engaging video content. I know clever editing is too much to ask for, but simple video structure, pacing and audio quality tips would go a long way!
We use synthetic because the cost difference is absolutely minimal. I will sometimes use a synthetic blend valvoline maxlife in my old jeep, it tends to slow the small leaks.
It's refreshing to listen to an individual who does an excellent job of making a complicated subject easy to understand. Thanks to everyone who made this presentation possible.
They are "said" to have more TBN modifiers which prevent oil from becoming acidic, volatility modifiers to prevent evaporation. But its better to just change your oil at 5000 or 6000miles. If your engines starts burning oil, you can't have the oil Company pay for it anyway.
Supposed to have additives to "rejuvenate" old seals, as long as your using synthetic there's no real difference though. Valvoline has the exact same part number for both regular and high mileage synthetic just different bottles
i have had 3 chevy express vans over the years. Have used synthetic every with oil change every 8000km. I have had engines last 500000 to 650 000 kms life.well worth the expense
I started using Mobil 1 in my Toyota pickup new in 1988. At 100,000 miles I had the valve cover off for lash adjustment and it was clean as a whistle in there! I’ve been hooked since.
I'm running out to my cars right now and I'm changing over to synthetic or the cheaper conventional synthetic blend since my cars only used to use conventional Really enjoy watching your videos always learning something new everyday
Great video! I'm not convinced on synthetic though. In order for an oil to be considered "Full Synthetic" it only needs 24% polymers in it. Polymers don't do anything for lubrication in my opinion, just fillers. Oil companies save about 60 cents a quart on synthetic but double the price thinking the consumer is getting something special. I'll be convinced when oil companies start listing their ingredients on the bottles like a box of cereal.
Going to the shop to buy motor oil: - me: pick up some bottle that has a nice logo - EE: compare the molecular structure and starts calculating the differences in tear & wear based on oxidation
Thanks for the video Jason I was the guy on your Facebook page telling you about mobil 1 and they’re switched to GF6 , I daily drive a Subaru legacy with the flat six and I’ve been running 530 mobile one from the first oil change, change it every 5000 The engine hardly uses any oil I am at 110,000 right now!
Congratulations for your explanation. In 1982 I bought a Speede oil change franchisee in México City and our oil provider was Mobil 1. They explain to us all this information with the advantages of using synthetic oil vs mineral oils and always is better use the synthetic one, no matter the climate you have, always follow the viscosity your factory manual say and believe me that you will have easy going a 350 thousand miles engine with no problem at all. The oil in your engine it´s all. It is like the blood in your body.
A lot of good info. Special thanks to Mobil for helping without it becoming a shameless plug for Mobil 1. Of course the real magic is the chemistry in those additives on top of the chemistry in the base oil. Bet we cannot find out as much about how they work. I use a semi synthetic in my 1996 vintage Ecotec and the killer advantage is that it is a 15W 50 oil so the engine is a lot quieter on a cold start while not giving anything away on a 45 degC day. For more demanding jobs the full synthetic is absolutely the right oil. Turbocharging or high revving multivalve thrive on it. It certainly explains why synthetic oil makes engines last longer if it keeps the ring lands clean and lubricated. Apparently synthetics are not recommended for LPG. Don't know if that is still true but back in the 90s I ran a 250 CI falcon on LPG and even then some oils were duds with it while others would run over 8000k and the oil would be like dark honey. I think it was the early synthetics that broke down in the acidic byproducts of LPG combustion. Not sure if the newer ones are ok with it now or not.
I replaced conventional motor oil with Mobil I Synthetic Motor Oil in my 1960 Buick Electra with 22,000 original miles. It runs perfectly with no problems!
Back in the mid 80s, I owned a small car that recommended 5W30 in the engine and 80W90 in the manual shift transmission. I had a half full bottle of Mobile one 5W30 and a half full bottle of Amsoil 80W90 gear oil, both synthetics. It was the middle of winter with temperatures at -38. I left both bottles outside on the balcony overnight. In the morning I brought them back inside and was impressed with how the oil moved back and forth when moving both bottles around. Needless to say, I was glad to have those oils in my car.
Keeping it clutch as always my man. Just bought an 89'f250 w/5.8 5speed After my 2004 GMC 1500 w/ 4.3 5speed lost compression on 4/6 cylinders. I'm really freaked out about oil now and binging information and this video was perfect timing. Keep it coming man, good videos as always !!!
2003 Camry 2.4. Went from conventional, to a synthetic blend with plans on full synthetic next change. The Blend lasted about 6 months before it broke down and the engine got hot, and smoked inside the oil system. Changed it today, completely burnt and black. Couldn't have been more than 2,000 miles. Yes, 2,000 miles and I'm lucky to still have an engine. More info on full synthetic change later.
My car burns oil. And compared to other brands, I burn the least amount of oil using mobile one between oil changes. (I change my oil every 5-6k miles)
@@LivingInFloridaPanhandle you notice it when you change your oil lol. Run Royal Purple in your car and I guarantee you that it won’t outlast a car with Mobil one.
I only use synthetic engine oil on all of my cars. Two of them have 90k miles and when you open the oil caps, the engines have no sludge, not even discoloration, and seem to be almost new.
Does anyone actually still use basic mineral oil based engine oils ?. I used to work for Saab back in the 80's and we introduced Synthetic oil back in 1984. "Saab Turbo Motor oil" as it was badged was actually made by Castrol Engineering for Saab.
The theory is and has been clear...my main question would be, why still some car manufacturers write in their manuals to explicitly NOT use synthetic oils.
I go 18 to 20,000 miles between oil changes, but you've got to use the filter that's designed for it too. A regular oil filter won't last that long. Can you do a video about the filters that are designed for the full synthetic?
@@kaylakunz8112 Amazon basic fully synthetic oil, and a "Gold" standard oil filter. I'm not particular to one brand of filter, but it's got to be the one that's made for 18,000 miles. a standard filter will clog after 5 to 8000 miles.
Wondering if you would consider doing a video on aviation oils. The use of lead aviation fuel (100LL) really changes things. Conventional aviation engines are also air cooled, made of mixed metals (aluminum, magnesium, etc.) sit for long periods between flights, and operate at max RPM for most of their lives. Might be a fun rabbit hole for you to dive down. Many of the newer experimental engines that guys like the Flying Cowboys are using are modified car engines that run on car gas, as well.
I have always used "conventional" oils in my cars and trucks. I have never had an engine failure, with the exception of my wife overheating a Jeep. The water pump had failed and she kept driving. This makes me wonder, if I change my oil at reasonable intervals and never let the oil run low, how important is synthetic oil for me?
There is an inherent problem when switching form a conventional oil to a synthetic oil. I as well as other people I know had our vehicles start using oil in between oil changes after making the switch. If you are going to make the switch go with a slightly heavier oil. Example: if you use 5w30 switch to 10w40. That will slow down consumption...it did for me.
Hey Jason! Brilliant video - You did an amazing job of explaining the chemistry in this one! Engine oil deposit formation (mentioned in point 3) is also strongly linked to oxidation (point 4), and deposits are often formed via the same mechanisms as sludge. I'd even suggest the that the oxidative resistance of synthetic base oil stock plays a larger role than the reduced VM content, when it comes to preventing deposit formation. Either way, it's just another reason to go synthetic! 😊 Keep the great content coming! - Sam
Ask yourself who or what is the real true all synthetic oil out their most people don't even know which ones are why because the petroleum industries don't want you to know the truth makes you go hmmm.
I have used Mobil 1 products for 40 years and can attest that it has worked great for me. It’s new torture/ litmus test will be in a GM High Feature 3.6 liter + 300 HP engine that is 12 years old. Can it make those pesky timing chains last another 12 years? So far, so good.
Use to own a couple small airplanes. When an engine is rebuilt (typically around 2,000 hours use), conventional oil is used initially to ensure that rings seat properly, after about 50 hours use, oil is switched to semi-synthetic.......
Now I wish you did a video arguing for mineral oil. Its polarity is much better than both PAO oils and Group III pseudo synthetics such as the ones you reviewed, so it sticks to metal parts better. It is also much cheaper, especially when purchased in larger volumes.
it is no longer valid to clasify oil by synthetic, semi synthetic and mineral, because most of them made from hydrotreated today. solvent refined / group 1 have the best seal compatibility and solvency so they can clear sludge better than other type of engine oils. No need for engine overhaul at all.
I have a 2001 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder which was serviced by a Toyota dealer using Shell Helix (20W-50) mineral oil. It did 260,000km (155,000mi). I then started using a 10W-40 semi-synthetic oil, as recommended by Toyota, did 5,000km (3,125mi), then changed the oil and filter. I have noticed the oil appears cleaner after a further 5,000km. I think the most economical option is to check the manufacturer's specification, frequency of oil and filter replacement, and adhere to it. Some years ago in Australia (mid-1980's) Mobil decided to use their full synthetic (Mobil 1) in their petrol (gas) tankers, but found the ester content had an adverse effect on their oil seals (swelling, softening, almost 'dissolving' through its detergent properties), to find that a regular manufacturer's maintenance schedule using mineral oil was adequate...
Thanks for the information. My "fleet" ONLY uses Mobil 1 synthetics. My current mileage counts are (newest vehicle to oldest) are: 2012- 170K, 2012-70K, 2008-67K, 2006-224K, 2005-192K, 2000-160K. None of these vehicles were purchased "brand new" so I am assuming most had their first 33K-42K with conventional oils. But I have seen then internals of many engines. Have owned over 60 vehicles. Only go on my experience. Will never run non-synthetics unless I know for a fact the engine has not had it and has a ton of miles already. To me then not worth the change ( my case in point would be my current "project" with 249K showing... most likely new engine or rebuild soon. Then 100% synthetic. )
Wow you have a lot of old vehicles. Also, are you saying 249k out of an engine is not good? I buy new cars and replace every 5 - 10 years, rarely ever putting more than 75k on a vehicle, so it's not really an issue for me but interesting to hear nonetheless.
@@Idiotsincarshere That depends heavily on the specific engine, how well it was maintained, and what type of abuse it saw. 249k on an old Honda that was properly maintained and saw mostly normal freeway driving (no towing or shall we say spirited driving) is nothing, and if that specific combination of maintenance and use was continued the engine very well could outlive the rest of the car. However 249k on say a newer BMW (or really a lot of newer cars in general) that was poorly maintained and was constantly abused (like constant high rpm driving or being used for towing) then it's a miracle the engine is even still running and is a ticking time bomb.
@@nordvestgaming1238 Gotcha! Ya I’m in a rental Corolla now with under 9k miles that’s clearly been abused and it runs terrible. Probably selling my 80k Prius that runs perfect but due to age of battery (7 years) and suspension damage from accident, I’ll go with something else, probably EV. But I always wondered oil change frequency, and synthetic vs regular oil. I had an engine builder tell me just do frequent oil changes with regular oil. Toyota refuses to change my oil with anything but synthetic and it’s pricey.
I've had similar conversations about metal screen oil filters vs. paper filters. Metal filters are more consistent with the size of particle they let through (medium small), where paper has a wider range of particle they filter (large medium small).
@@ezrawaters6653 yep and everyone of them is laughing all the way to the bank. Eventually consumers will wise up. Maybe like when they see their friends, family or neighbors not having car and truck payments for 10 and twenty years with half million or more miles on their vehicle then deciding to buy new paying cash because if the savings they gained by using 100% snythetic lubes.
good to understand the science behind it. My first car i changed to M1 when I bought it at 100,000km and ran much smoother, and ran problem free till sold it at 260,000km
thank you very much for your informative videos. love to watch them, especially the series you're posting now! I hope there is one more about synthetic oil where you also say up to which temperatures the oil can still work well ?
Jason, do you think you could address the age-old adage that older vehicles NEED conventional oil and can have more issues with synthetic? Is there any truth behind this?
Full synthetic oil is not recommended in the aircraft engines because it lacks the ability to keep particulates in suspension. Conventional oils or semi-synthetic oils are used. From what I understand full synthetics for small aircraft engines caused a lot of damage and were then pulled from the market. On my engine (Lycoming 160 hp) the oil is supposed to be changed every 25 hours of use.
@@TheRamGuy it did for me. I had a vw fsi direct injection and it suffered from heavy carbon buildup in the valves. I battled with vw to get it fixed but I was unsuccessful. Finally a chunk of carbon broke off and scored one of my cylinder walls and... the end 😢
Very good video. But those balls of representation for conventional vs synthetic blend is not the most accurate. Conventional oil = all shapes and sizes. Synthetic blend aka full synthetic oil (mobile1, castrol etc) = all shapes and sizes like conventional plus some uniformed size molecules. 100% synthetic (motul, amsoil etc) = molecules are all the same shape and size
Very interesting - thanks. I suppose this is why they say to change every 3k miles or 3 months, then. So, if a car sits around a lot w/out being driven much, does oxidation have much of a chance to occur (beyond the top layer of oil that's always exposed to air, I suppose), or does it still really have a chance to ruin the oil, requiring an oil change even w/low driven miles?
Firstly those guidelines would be for conventional oil, sythentic oil guidelines are 5k/6 months. That said I've seen oil testing analysis that on 7.5k mile oil that had been used for 25 months, and it still showed NO signs of water absorption or general degredation as opposed to a standard oil change. Do with that information what you will.
It is one of the reasons apparently. Also fuel and water content in the oil may increase over time. At least the water content may increase when the engine is stopped (for a long time it seems). In the context of long time resting engines oil components stratification can even occur.
Apparently the issue concerning VW DQ200 was due to their usage of a synthetic oil that caused some precipitation on the mechatronics unit that lead to it short-circuiting that caused loss of power to the wheels and the unit requiring replacement. They switched the transmission oil to a mineral oil and it's fine now.
@@dannydaw59 It’s not a true synthetic by some definitions. In some countries it can’t even be sold as such. Amsoil, Royal Purple, Mobile 1EXTENDED and Pennzoil platinum or ultra are true synthetics. Best economic bang for the buck is Pennzoil platinum with the ultra having a better detergent package but more expensive and harder to find. Amsoil is the best but very pricey so I go with the platinum & Wix or Napa gold filters with vehicle recommended change intervals. (Just be sure the old filter gasket isn’t stuck on the block) See Farm Project episode “Amsoil or Pennzoil” for just one of many oil tests on the internet.
@@SkypowerwithKarl That Mobile 1 synthetic works great for over a decade now and if it wasn't synthetic it wouldn't be allowed to be sold with that label. Mobile's competitors would make sure of that. Costco wouldn't carry it for so many years now.
what about shear and mechanical degradation of oil long chain viscosity improvers are especially susceptible to this and the fact that synthetic uses less of them is a good thing
I call the people who like a post like this one idiots. Why? Just check this guys channel. He probably believes the earth is flat. If you didn't learn anything in school you're most likely the problem.
At least in the case of my 130k mile K20 Civic Si, I switched to full synthetic and noticed that it runs smoother on cold starts and before the engine warms up fully. Also, got some noticeable mpg increases and burned less oil.
Former chemistry nerd here... Double bonds, especially those in ring structures (resonance bonds), are stronger than single bonds (see also: nitrogen diatoms with triple bonds). Yes, there's a bit of hand waving here, suffice to say that how easily it is to perform oxidation mainly depends on the groups "hanging" off of the ring structures. Your blanket "double bonds are weak" statement is inaccurate. See also: why saturated fats (single bond-double-bond chains) are more difficult to break down in the body and why you should eat less of them.
Thanks for the additional insight! My chemistry knowledge could certainly be improved. My understanding was that while double bonds are stronger, these molecules are more susceptible (unsaturated) to having addition bonds form with oxygen carrying molecules, which start the oxidation process. And if I said they were weaker - ooops! - definitely not the goal. Less stable was what I was aiming for.
Jason: I've followed you for a while, what do you think about products (solvents) to "clean" the engine before an oil change? Are they any good, or a complete no no? Thanks for your work?
I have used an engine flush successfully in many of my vehicles. My recipe: 1/3 motor oil, 1/3 diesel, 1/3 automatic transmission fluid. Let the engine run until warm with no load, then empty. The amount of dark color coming out is significant.
Years ago we used kerosene run no high speed crap drain for awhile fill with oil run for awhile then drain and finally refill of course we where using dinos
Great Video. I understand the advantage of synthetic oil, but would the viscosity curve for a 5W20 conventional be the same as synthetic? The numbers do refer to cold and hot viscosity measurements.
It would seem so, but the conventional would require more of those viscosity modifiers and as the temperature of that oil gets hotter and hotter, the conventional oil will thin out much more quickly. I bet you haven't thought about this comment for awhile.
A co-worker of mine who knows everything about LS engines told me he doesn't use synthetic because it's oil for "lazy people." His reasoning was based on his belief that extended drain intervals are synthetic's only advantage.
Motor oil types and weights are a bit like arguing which toothpaste is best. There are differences, but those things matter far less than just DOING IT REGULARLY.
