Is it good or bad for you and the Environment?
Has it ever happened to you, that you visited a car workshop for the
periodic oil change service, and the service advisor asks you whether to use
synthetic or normal oil? And you are clueless, so you ask what is the cost
involved in both the cases. If yes, then it is time to gain a little bit of
insight on the thing. Let’s explore what is the fuss about synthetic oil, so
that next time you can make an informed choice regarding this.
What is Synthetic oil?
Normal Oil is technically referred to as Mineral Oil. As
evident from the name itself, these oils are derived from natural minerals.
Initially extracted as “crude oil” and then processed, refined and filtered in
refineries. On the other hand, Synthetic Oils are also refined from crude oil
itself, but the refinement process goes a few extra miles. This extra processes
not only make the oil free of impurities to a greater extent, it also re-align
the molecular structure of the oil.
The job of Engine Oil and why they are required to be changed at all?
The basic jobs of an engine oil are as follows
- Lubrication: Between moving parts which are in contact.
- Sealing: Of gaps between piston rings and cylinder walls.
- Cleaning: keep the interior clean and shining.
- Cooling: Take the heat of compression away and exchange it through the oil cooler.
We need to change engine oil at regular intervals, as after
a while the oil loses its properties to be able to perform the above functions
anymore.
Are Synthetic Oil really better?
For your car engine, synthetic oils are far superior to
conventional mineral oils. They serve each purpose better. They can withstand
higher temperature and pressure before losing their property. Synthetic oils
have a more stable viscosity curve which means, they can be pumped more easily
at low temperatures which saves the engine from damage at lower temperatures,
as well as they can withstand extreme conditions at highest speeds. They are
designed to handle greater torque and shock loads.
So how to decide between the two?
All this advanced technology and better features does not
come cheap. The cost of Synthetic oil is roughly double of the normal engine
oil. But this fact gets evened out by the fact that synthetic oils can last
more than twice the duration of conventional engine oils. Even if you follow
the same oil change interval as before, synthetic oils are bound to make your
engine perform better and last longer. At the same time, if you are currently
changing the engine oil at every 5000-10000 km, with synthetic oils you can
safely extend the range to 8000-13000 km and extend your frequency of the car workshop visit.
A good way to decide is to check what your manufacturer recommends. If they say
synthetic, you must use synthetic oil. But if they doesn’t mention synthetic
oil, then it is completely your call, either to go for normal performance at
cheaper rates or to go for superior performance at higher rates
The Next time you have car service in your mind, visit
carworkz.com. CarworkZ is a website and
app based platform, which helps you to check the facilities available at your
nearby car garages, and enables you to filter them by type and compare their
features. The platform also enables you to book an appointment online and track
real time progress of your car servicing. It also has a one in class Service
cost estimator to provide you an estimate for the service and carworkz-assist
to help you in case of emergency breakdowns.
