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SYNTHETIC?

What is it and what does it really mean?

The Oxford Dictionary says:
“made by synthesis; manufactured as opposed to produced naturally”

When it comes to oil we think of synthetics as the best that we can buy and that all synthetics are the same but, it’s not so simple.

Synthetic oils are not all the same, some are manmade in laboratories with uniform sized molecules and represent the finest quality that money can buy; others are merely highly refined mineral oils also known as hydrocracked oils.

So, some synthetics are not really synthetics at all in the true sense of the word and certainly not from a chemists point of view. Granted, these highly refined mineral oils have some advantages over less refined mineral oils but they do cost more.

Why are highly refined mineral oils called synthetic and is this legal when they are not really synthetic in the true sense of the word?

A legal battle took place in the USA some years ago and the final ruling was that certain mineral fractions that had undergone extra chemical treatments could be called “synthetic”.

The Marketing Executives were delighted as they realised that “synthetic” could be printed on a can of cheap oil provided that the contents included this specially processed mineral oil which cost a fraction of the price to produce than real synthetics. The profit implications where fairly exciting too!

So how does this affect the average motorist with a standard road going car or bike?

Very little other than you may be paying for something that is not quite what you think it is. Quality-wise it will still be better than that old 20w-50 dino oil in the back of the garage that cost next to nothing.

The economics are pretty simple too. If you like the look of well-marketed can with “synthetic” printed on it that does not cost you a lot, you now know why this is the case.

But, if you have a high performance, modified or track car/bike and you want to keep it in the best condition then you need the real thing as it offers the highest levels of protection. It will cost you more but then it’s still cheap against the cost of an engine failure!

Cheers
The Opie Oils Team.

Nice post, thanks. Can you do a run down of ester oil?

In what way?

Cheers

Guy.

Guy i usually buy my engine and gear oil from ya but had a look round on the net yesterday and both AS performance and larkspeed were cheaper than yourself (ref motul 300v 15w50),now being a fairly large oil supplier and the amount you buy surely you should be beating these on price-just an observation-this were without any special discount, though carriage on the larkspeed were 3-5 days-not a problem though really-were suprised though.

Lol if a major price drop or offers forthcoming let me know as im ready for some more motul

No problems, if you are registered on my site as a Club Member you will find that you will get the Member prices and we are cheaper than them. Just register at http://www.opieoils.co.uk

If we're still beaten let us know and we'll give you a voucher......never knowingly beaten on price

Cheers
Guy

Just regarding why it's a good choice for high performance engines / track days etc as opposed to just going with a run of the mill synthetic. I saw something similar in a thread on the GT4OC and thought it'd be good to have on here as most people have never heard of the term, ester.

Esters come under the Group V catagory.

Have a look.

Basestock categories and descriptions

All oils are comprised of basestocks and additives. Basestocks make up the majority of the finished product and represent between 75-95%.

Not all basestocks are derived from petroleum, in fact the better quality ones are synthetics made in laboratories by chemists specifically designed for the application for which they are intended.

Basestocks are classified in 5 Groups as follows:

Group I

These are derived from petroleum and are the least refined. These are used in a small amount of automotive oils where the applications are not demanding.

Group II

These are derived from petroleum and are mainly used in mineral automotive oils. Their performance is acceptable with regards to wear, thermal stability and oxidation stability but not so good at lower temperatures.

Group III

These are derived from petroleum but are the most refined of the mineral oil basestocks. They are not chemically engineered like synthetics but offer the highest level of performance of all the petroleum basestocks. They are also known as “hydrocracked” or “molecularly modified” basestocks.
They are usually labelled/marketed as synthetic or semi-synthetic oils and make up a very high percentage of the oils retailed today.

Group IV

These are polyalphaolefins known as PAO and are chemically manufactured rather than being dug out of the ground. These basestocks have excellent stability in both hot and cold temperatures and give superior protection due to their uniform molecules.

Group V

These special basestocks are also chemically engineered but are not PAO.
The main types used in automotive oils are diesters and polyolesters. Like the group IV basestocks they have uniform molecules and give superior performance and protection over petroleum basestocks. These special stocks are used in all aviation engines due to their stability and durability. Esters are also polar (electro statically attracted to metal surfaces) which has great benefits. They are usually blended with Group IV stocks rather than being used exclusively.

It is common practice for oil companies to blend different basestocks to achieve a certain specification, performance or cost. The blending of group IV and V produces lubricants with the best overall performance which cannot be matched by any of the petroleum basestock groups.

Cheers

Guy.

That's great thanks, what group does Silkolene Pro-S fall in?

Group V

I used to use pro R lee/changed to motul an sticking with it-engines noticeably smoother from cold at the same grade oil-Pro R`s what roger clark motorsport use for std servicing so kept with that for quite a while just fancied a change-do rate motul 300v (15w50 in the scooby)

Sounds good but 15w 50 is too thick for my GT4 really, I wouldn't go beyond a 5 or 10w 40.